Saturday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 9.14.24

“The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”

-- Article I, Section 27 Pennsylvania Constitution  [It’s Not A Suggestion]

Senate Fall Voting Schedule

-- September 16, 17, 18, 30

-- October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 21, 22, 23

-- November 13, 14

-- Committee Schedule

House Fall Voting Schedule

-- September 23 (non-voting), 24 (non-voting), 25 (non-voting), 30

-- October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 21, 22, 23

-- November 12, 13

-- Committee Schedule

TODAY’s Calendar Of Events 

September 17-- NEW. House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee hearing on  House Bill 2189 (Matzie-D-Beaver) reauthorization of PA One Call underground utility notification program (sponsor summary) [Almost all conventional natural gas, oil gathering pipelines excluded].  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.  Read more on agenda here.

September 17-- House Republican Policy Committee hearing on “Opportunity Lost - Bureaucracy’s Battle Against Fracking.”  Hempfield Township Building, 1132 Woodward Dr., Greensburg.  2:00 p.m.  Click Here to watch live.

September 17-- Virtual.  Center for Coalfield Justice, Physicians for Social Responsibility - Pennsylvania, Mountain Watershed Association, Environmental Health Project, and FracTracker Alliance Press Conference On One Year After The Pitt Shale Gas Development Health Impact Studies And Failure To Fulfill Essential Promises To Residents.  2:00 p.m.  Click Here for full advisory.

September 18-- NEW. Agenda Posted. Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee hearing on waste to fuels.  Room 8E-A East Wing. 9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

-- DEP Declares Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Saturday, Sept. 14 In Southeast PA

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 14 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 14 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: What’s The Health Risk Of Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In PA?  Regulators Want To Know 

-- The Appalachian Voice: Massive Federal Funding Boost Spurs Abandoned Mine Cleanup Efforts In Appalachia 

-- Groundbreaking Initiative Using Drones To Locate Orphan, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania Kicks Off  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick - John Bartlett: An Eye In The Sky Will Seek Old Oil, Gas Wells  [PDF of Article]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Conditions Trigger Low-Flow Water Use Restrictions At 7 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals In Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Drought Conditions Hit Pittsburgh After Spell Of Warm, Dry Weather 

-- USGS WaterWatch StreamFlow Map - Pennsylvania

-- USGS Pennsylvania Drought Conditions Map

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves Water Withdrawal Requests - Including 8 For Shale Gas Development; Total Of 23 In 2024  [PaEN]

-- Shapiro Administration Secures $1.96 Million US DOE Grant To Help Communities Build Out Clean, Renewable Energy Projects

-- US DOE Now Accepting Applications For $15 Million In Funding To Reduce  Methane Emissions From Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

-- Utility Dive: Rising Power Prices Increase Credit Risk For Utilities - Moody’s  [PJM Price Spikes Included] 

-- Ohio River Valley Institute, Black Appalachian Coalition Host Sept. 19 Webinar On Environmental Justice & Building A Clean Energy Economy  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Draft PA Great Lakes Water Management Program 5-Year Report  [PaEN]

-- Chester County News: Stroud Water Research Center In Avondale Is Pioneering Watershed Health

-- NextPittsburgh: 10 Great Creeks To Explore Around Pittsburgh

-- North Branch Land Trust Partners With Estate Of Robert L. Carson Family To Conserve 94 Acres In Columbia County  [PaEN] 

-- The Allegheny Front: Countryside Conservancy Preserves Peck Family Land In Susquehanna County For Future Generations To Enjoy

-- Sept. 13 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation  [PaEN]

-- Olean Times Herald: $72,000 Appalachian Regional Commission Grant To Support Trail Connectivity In NY, PA [PA Environmental Council]   

-- TribLive: Construction To Begin For 1-Mile Leechburg Bike Trail In Armstrong County

-- TribLive: Unity Twp. Supervisors Give Solicitor OK To Address ATV Use, Reject Resident’s Proposal In Westmoreland

-- Erie Times - Brian Whipkey: Fish Commission Temporarily Reduces Steelhead Stocking, Explains Why Anglers Are Finding Heavier Fish

-- LancasterOnline - Ad Crable: Why Is Lancaster County Seeing An Increase In Yellowjackets? 

-- Warren Times - Audubon Community Nature Center: A Big Buzz Over The Worker Bees

6th Oil/Natural Gas Spike: True Energy Independence Means Renewables

[There Is No Limit To What Oil/Natural Gas Industry Can Make You Pay]

-- AAA Gasoline Prices:  National- $3.21  Ohio- $2.94   PA- $3.36 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Shale Gas Drilling Rigs Drop Another 2 From Last Week To 14 - On Aug. 23 There Were 21 - 33% Drop [Effort To Raise Natural Gas Prices Continues]

PA Politics - Everything Is Connected

-- AP: PA Supreme Court Rules Mail-In Ballots With Flawed Dates On Envelopes Can Be Thrown Out 

-- The Center Square: PA Supreme Court Says Toss Misdated Mail-In Ballots

-- PennLive: PA Supreme Court Ruling On Mail-In Ballot Curing ‘Did Not Side With Voters’ Gov. Shapiro Says

-- Tioga Publishing: PA Mail-In Ballot Distribution Delayed Due To Pending Legal Challenges

-- Observer-Report: Washington County Judge Asks Commonwealth Court To Dismiss Republican Mail-In Ballot-During Appeal

-- AP: PA Supreme Court Rules Against 2 Third-Party Candidates Trying For Presidential Ballot

-- Courier Times: New Republican Voters Outnumber New Democrat Registrations In 2024

-- Spotlight PA: What You Need To Know About PA’s Attorney General, Auditor General, State Treasurer Candidates

-- NPR: 5 Pennsylvania Electors Linked To Efforts To Reverse 2020 Election Results Are Back For 2024

-- Gov. Shapiro Appoints Members To New State Board of Higher Education

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Announces Appointees To New Board Of Higher Education

-- Post-Gazette/PennLive: Campaign Reports On Diskettes?  Independent Regulatory Review Commission Uncovers Obsolete Regulations On PA’s Books

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania’s Fireworks Law Still Needs Work

-- WHYY: ‘What Real Freedom Looks Like:’ Ready-To-Drink Cocktails Arrive In Stores As PA Relaxes Liquor Laws

-- Post-Gazette: Charleroi Glass Plant Shutdown Would Be Major Blow To Local Economy, Community In Washington County

Click Here for latest PA Environmental News

Like PA Environment Digest on Facebook

Follow PA Environment Digest on Twitter  

Read Weekly PA Environment Digest

[Posted: September 14, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Susquehanna River Basin Conditions Trigger Low-Flow Water Use Restrictions At 7 Shale Gas Water Withdrawals In Bradford, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties

On September 14, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission Hydrologic Conditions Monitor shows low stream flows in some areas have triggered water withdrawal restrictions to water users, including 7 shale gas development water withdrawals.

Shale gas water withdrawals tend to get hit first with withdrawal restrictions because they are often located on smaller streams.

The shale gas water withdrawals impacted so far are--

Bradford County

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC/Fall Brook - Bense, Troy Twp.

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC/Sugar Creek, West Burlington Twp.

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC/Towanda Creek - Franklin Twp. Volunteer Fire Department

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC / Wappasening Creek, Windham Twp.

Susquehanna County

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC/Choconut Creek, Choconut Twp.

-- BKV Operating, LLC /UNT to Middle Branch, Wyalusing Creek, Forest Lake Twp.

Tioga County

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC/Elk Run, Sullivan Twp.

Water withdrawals with restrictions found on the Hydrologic Conditions Monitor can be looked up on SRBC’s  Search for Projects webpage.

Contact the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to report suspected violations of these requirements.

For more information on programs, training opportunities and upcoming events, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.  Click Here to sign up for SRBC’s newsletter.   Follow SRBC on Twitter, visit them on YouTube.

[Note: While DEP sets water withdrawal limits for shale gas operations in Western Pennsylvania’s Ohio River Basin based on low-flow conditions, there is no regional agency like the Susquehanna River Basin Commission there to ensure safe levels of water withdrawals.  There is no similar dashboard showing which withdrawals are under water use restrictions. Washington County is the county with the most shale gas drilling in Pennsylvania.]

Resource Links:

-- USGS WaterWatch StreamFlow Map - Pennsylvania

-- USGS Pennsylvania Drought Conditions Map

-- DEP Drought Information

Related Article:

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves Water Withdrawal Requests - Including 8 For Shale Gas Development; Total Of 23 In 2024 [PaEN]

[Posted: September 14, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 14

The following notices were published in the September 14 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - D.Lewis Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with an oil-based drilling mud to meet the Statewide Health and Background Standards at the pad located in Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5902)

-- Norfolk Southern Railroad - Lucknow Fueling Station: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with diesel fuel to meet the Statewide Health Standard for the facility located in the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County. (PA Bulletin, page 5902)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 201 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permit

-- Sandy Run Landfill, LLC - Renewable Landfill Gas Refinery: DEP invites comments on an Air Quality Plan Approval for the facility located in Broad Top Twp., Bedford County. (PA Bulletin, page 5876)

-- Buckeye Pipeline - Malvern Station: DEP invites comments on a modification to the Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in East Whiteland Twp., Chester County. (PA Bulletin, page 5877)

-- Markwest Liberty - Bluestone - Sarsen Gas Plant: DEP invites comments on a State Only Air Quality Operating Permit for the natural gas gathering and processing facility located in Forward Twp., Butler County. (PA Bulletin, page 5877)

-- NFG Midstream Covington, LLC - Compressor Station: DEP issued an GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Middlebury Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- NFG Midstream Covington, LLC - Compressor Station: DEP issued an GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Chatham Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Shale Gas Well Pad Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in New Milford Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- Greylock Production, LLC - Wildcat Shale Gas Well Pad Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5A Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the pad located in Whiteley Twp., Greene County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5905)

-- Greylock Midstream, LLC - Kuhl Skib Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality General Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Jefferson Twp., Greene County. (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

-- EQM Gathering OPCO, LLC - Blue Moon Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension to allow for the temporary operation of 6 compressor engines at the facility located in West Pike Run Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

-- Terreva Renewable Energy, LLC - Renewable Gas Facility: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan Approval extension until compliance testing is complete at the facility located in Wayne Twp., Clinton County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5906)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- NFG Midstream Covington LLC - 8-Inch, 12-Inch Natural Gas Pipelines: DEP invites comments on a permit application for the pipeline project impacting Baldwin Run (High Quality) and Exceptional Value wetlands located in Delmar Twp., Tioga County.   (PA Bulletin, page 5886)  [Note: This is a republication of a previous notice on June 8, 2024.]

-- People’s Natural Gas Company - Compressor Station Flood Protection: DEP invites comments on a permit application to construct flood protection measures around a compressor station that will impact Abers Creek located in Plum Borough, Allegheny County. (PA Bulletin, page 5887) 

-- Highland Field Services, Inc. - 16-Inch Freshwater Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 105 permit for a pipeline project impacting Baldwin Run (High Quality), Crooked Creek, Norris Brook (Exceptional Value) and Exceptional Value wetlands located in Delmar and Middlebury Townships, Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5910) 

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Tunkhannock Creek located in Lathrop and Springville Townships, Susquehanna County and Nicholson Twp., Wyoming County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5913) 

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Unknown Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting a tributary to West Branch Meshoppen Creek located in Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 5913) 

NOTE: DEP Permitting Efficiency: 21,006 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 17,152;  2 Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; ZERO Application Fees Refunded [9.13.24]

NOTE: For the week ending September 6, DEP’s Oil & Gas Permit Workload Report Shows: 7 Shale Gas Well Permits Came In The Door, 13 Were Issued; ZERO Conventional Well Permits Came In, 7 Permits Issued; 2 Shale Gas Wells Were Drilled; 3 Conventional Wells Drilled. Permit Fee Revenue Is The Primary Financial Support For DEP’s Oil & Gas Program, And It Is Down Significantly.  Revenue from 2,000 shale gas permits is needed to support the program at current fees, 359 were received so far this year. At this rate, just over 613 shale gas permits may come in this year.

NOTE: Baker Hughes Reports: PA Shale Gas Drilling Rigs Drop Another 2 From Last Week To 14 - On Aug. 23 There Were 21 - 33% Drop [Effort To Raise Natural Gas Prices Continues]

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [9.6.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 7 conventional and 13 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 159 conventional and 366 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 114  conventional and 215 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 9.6.24

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report - Most Recent

DEP Issued These New Oil & Gas Permits *

*Click Here to find oil and gas well permits recently issued near you

Sign Up! DEP eNotice: The Only Way You’ll Know When Applications Come In To DEP

Did you know DEP can send you email notices when permit applications are submitted to DEP in your community?  

This is the only way you can get notified of when oil and gas-related permits are submitted to DEP.   

You’ll also get notice of new technical guidance documents and regulations.

Click Here to sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE today!

Act 14 Notices To Municipalities

Many communities and citizens are not aware that a state law passed in 1984 gives them the first chance to comment on Department of Environmental Protection permit applications even before they are submitted to the agency.   Read more here.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard- September 7 to 13 [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 14 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 14 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Declares 21 Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Owned By Schreiner Oil & Gas Inc. Abandoned, Not Plugged In Erie, McKean Counties; 747 Violations For Conventional Well Abandonment This Year  [PaEN]  

-- Senate Hearing: Landowner Concerns About Liability For Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells May Be Impediment To Plugging Leaking Wells; Need To Make Plugging Programs More Effective To Deal With ‘Growing Problem’  [PaEN] 

-- Groundbreaking Initiative Using Drones To Locate Orphan, Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania Kicks Off  [PaEN] 

-- US DOE Now Accepting Applications For $15 Million In Funding To Reduce  Methane Emissions From Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells

-- Cecil Township Supervisors Direct Solicitor To Prepare Ordinance Increasing Setbacks From Shale Gas Well Pads By At Least 2,500 Feet; Another Hearing, Vote Expected Nov. 4   [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Violation To Apex Energy (PA) LLC For Failure To Submit List Of Fracking Chemicals For 37 Shale Gas Wells Over 4 Years In Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Reports Subsurface Release Of An Estimated 1,000 Gallons Of Wastewater At Hebron Gas Storage Field Conventional Well In Hebron Twp., Potter County; Water Supplies Impacted, Report Well Problems To DEP Near This Facility  [PaEN] 

-- House Committee Sets Sept. 17 Hearing On PA One Call Underground Utility Notification Program Reauthorization; Almost All Conventional Gas/Oil Pipelines Specifically Excluded  [PaEN]

-- PUC Publishes Final Public Utility Owned Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards In Sept. 14 PA Bulletin  [Read background here ]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves Water Withdrawal Requests - Including 8 For Shale Gas Development; Total Of 23 In 2024  [PaEN] 

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: $55 Million Federally-Funded Tenaska Carbon Geologic Sequestration Project Expected To Permanently Employ 4 People, According To A WV University Study  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- WESA: New Freeport, Greene County Residents File Lawsuit Against EQT Gas Drilling Company Over Contaminated Water Supplies 

-- PublicSource.org: New Freeport, Greene County Residents In Federal Court Demanding Clean Water From EQT Natural Gas Company After Frack-Out  

-- TheDailyClimate.org: PA’s CNX Resources Gas Drilling Company With More Than 2,000 Environmental Violations Selected For Federal Hydrogen Hub Environmental Justice Funding 

-- TribLive Letter: Between 2016-2023 PA Households Paid 51% More For Natural Gas As LNG Gas Exports Surged; Shale Gas Drillers Accumulate 81,289 Environmental Violations - By Jan Milburn, Westmoreland County

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Coterra Energy Pulling All Active Marcellus Drilling Rigs From Susquehanna County Until Natural Gas Price Recovers  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - John Barlett: An Eye In The Sky Will Seek Old Oil, Gas Wells  [PDF of Article]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: State’s $100,000+ Cost To Plug Abandoned/Orphan Wells ‘Outrageously Enormous;’ Taking Care Of Problem No Simple Task  

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Shale Gas Drilling Slowed In 2024, Prices Expected To Rise This Winter

-- RealClearEnergy.org: EQT Gas CEO Says Gas Reserves Could Sustain A 50% Increase In Production, Leaving ‘Enough Resources For Over 30 Years Of Supply;’ [Natural Gas Prices Would Be Lower If We Had More Pipelines, Storage] 

-- Governing Magazine: Oil & Gas Towns Don’t Need Help Now, But They Will As World Shifts To Clean Energy 

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Methane Emissions Much Higher Than Gas Industry Targets, EDF Study Says  

-- Governing Magazine: Oil & Gas Towns Don’t Need Help Now, But They Will As World Shifts To Clean Energy 

[Posted: September 13, 2024]  PA Environment Digest