On February 20, PUC Administrative Law Judge Mark A. Hoyer held a prehearing conference in Harrisburg to begin the process.
This action was prompted by the desire of Randall and Kevin Rhodes, operators of the Venango Water Company for the Rhodes Estate, to cease being certified operators for their water companies.
A prehearing memo to Judge Hoyer from the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement said they were “made aware that Randall and Kevin Rhodes… desire to end their services as certified operators as of December 31, 2023.”
The Bureau then requested a proceeding under Section 529 of the Utility Code on whether to order another utility to take over the Venango Water Company.
Notices of the February 20 prehearing were sent to Randall Rhodes, Secretary of the Venango Water Company; Aqua Pennsylvania, which continues to be under an emergency receivership order from the PUC to operate Venango Water Company; the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement; and the PUC Offices of Consumer Advocate and Small Business Advocate.
At the prehearing, Judge Hoyer “directed the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement to develop a service list that includes all jurisdictional and municipal utilities in the area that could potentially be capable of running the Venango [Water] system,” according to an email to the newspaper fromm PUC press secretary Nils Hagen-Frederiksen.
“Once that list of proximate providers is established, and those utilities have been notified of the Section 529 proceeding,” he said. “The parties will work on establishing a procedural schedule that includes testimony and evidentiary hearings.”
Hagen-Frederiksen said questions “have been raised” regarding notice to customers and notice to other utilities in the region and that “a long list of preliminary details and procedural issues” must be addressed before a full case schedule can be developed.
“This case is still in its very early stages,” he said.
Another issue raised by the PUC’s Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement is whether to include in the proceeding not only the Venango Water Company owned by the Rhodes Estate, but the six other water companies it owns.
The Estate also owns the Sugarcreek Water Company, West Hickory Water Company, Plumber Water Company, Fryburg Water Company, Cooperstown Water Company and the Blane E. Rhodes Sewer Company.
Notices and documents related to this PUC investigation can be found at Docket No. M-2023-3042180.
Aqua Pennsylvania
Patrick Wenger, Aqua Pennsylvania spokesperson, said the wet fall and winter seasons have allowed the Montgomery-based company to stop hauling replacement water supplies to the Venango Water System because the increased supply from the other approved water sources is adequate.
“Aqua remains ready to haul in water if needed,” he told the newspaper via email.
Wenger also said discussions “remain active” with Franklin on providing a permanent pipeline connection to the system and “terms have been exchanged,” but no agreement has been reached.
Aqua’s quarterly report to the PUC in January said it was looking for possible funding for the pipeline project and for the construction of a new water storage tank from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.
Wenger said Aqua Pennsylvania “is not actively seeking to acquire” Venango Water Co. However, “it is possible the PA PUC will decide (Order) Aqua to become the Owner of the Venango-Reno Water System.”
No decision has been made by the PUC as of late last week
Spill Cleanup
In July and August of last year, the Department of Environmental Protection ordered Petro Erie, Inc. to clean up the spill of wastewater from its conventional oil wells that contaminated the Bellows Spring water source.
The orders also said Petro Erie, Inc. was to pay for the cost of restoring and replacing water to the Venango Water Company and increased related costs.
Petro Erie, Inc., in September, appealed the orders to the Environmental Hearing Board saying the company “lacked the financial ability to comply with the order.” [Docket: 2023075]
The Board has not scheduled any hearings on the appeal and there has been no progress reported on preliminary discussions on a possible settlement..
DEP’s most recent inspections of the spill area on February 22 and 29, found no progress in cleaning up the contaminated area since last fall.
Thomas Decker, DEP Northwest Regional Office spokesperson, said the agency could not comment on the case because it was under appeal.
Written by David Hess a contributing writer who served as DEP Secretary under Govs. Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker. He now publishes the PA Environment Digest newsletter.
(Reprinted from The Derrick newspaper.)
(Photos: Added from PA Environment Digest of the spill area impacting Bellows Spring and the Village of Reno water supply.)
Related Article - Village Of Reno:
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 16 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 76 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 16 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles - Gas:
-- DEP Cites Conventional Oil & Gas Well Operators For Abandoning, Not Plugging 140 More Wells Last Week; Total Now 380 Wells This Year [PaEN]
-- Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Is Dependent On One Fuel To Generate 59% Of Our Electricity; Market Moving To Renewables + Storage [PaEN]
-- US EIA Report Shows How Winter Storms Have Reduced US Natural Gas Production, But Disruptions Can Happen Any Time Of The Year [PaEN]
-- The Derrick: Public Utility Commission Starts Investigation Into Possible Order For Another Utility To Permanently Acquire Venango Water Company Impacted By Conventional Oil Well Spill [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Violation To CNX Gas Company For Withdrawing Over 1.8 Million Gallons Of Water For Fracking For 22 Days Without Permission [PaEN]
-- Clean Air Council, Moms Clean Air Force, Earthworks Host March 20 Webinar On Federal Waste Oil & Gas Emission Charges [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 30 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wyoming Counties [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA Plugs 200th Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Well
-- TribLive: Friends, Neighbors Remember Victims Of Crescent Twp. House Explosion In Allegheny County
-- TribLive: Crescent House Explosion Marks 3rd In Western PA Since Summer
-- WTAE: 3 Allegheny County Home Explosion Investigations Launched In Past 2 Years Remain Open
-- WTAE: Firefighters Return To Scene Of Crescent House Explosion After Fire Rekindles
-- WTAE: Crescent Twp. Police Thank Columbia Gas Worker Who Rushed To Shut Off Gas On Scene Of Home Explosion
-- Post-Gazette: 2 Killed In An ‘Absolutely Extreme’ Home Explosion In Crescent Twp., Allegheny County
-- AP: ‘Very Significant’ Explosion Kills 2 And Destroys House In Allegheny County
-- WPXI: DEP Acknowledges Presence Of Unregistered Conventional Gas Wells Near Site Of Tuesday Explosion
-- KDKA: Fmr DEP Officials Says It’s ‘Nearly Impossible’ To Identify All Unregistered Conventional Gas Wells
-- WPXI: Peoples Natural Gas Pipeline Has Been Leaking Gas Since October In Verona, Allegheny County
-- Scranton Times: Gas Leak Evacuates Downtown Olyphant For 2 Hours In Lackawanna County
-- Observer-Reporter Guest Essay: Natural Gas Is A Winner For Pennsylvania And The Whole Country - By Dan Weaver, PA Independent Oil & Gas Association
-- Public News Service: PA Advocates Push For Swift Update Of Federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Rules
-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Environmentalists Clash With Gov. Shapiro At Hydrogen Energy Meeting In Northeast Philly
-- Inside Climate News: Delaware RiverKeeper, Activists Want More Public Participation In Proposed Hydrogen Hub In Southeastern PA
-- TribLive: Water Use Restrictions Lifted As Beaver Run Reservoir Levels Return To Normal In Westmoreland
-- Environmental Defense Fund: New Study Quantifies Health Impacts From Oil & Gas Flaring In US
-- AP: US Energy Industry Gas Leaks Are Triple The Official Figures, Study Finds
-- Bloomberg: Oil & Gas Industry Methane Emissions Near Record Despite Pledges
-- Environmental Health News: Participation In Oil & Gas Line Development Harms Mental Health And Creates Distrust In Government, Study
-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Report: Billions In PA Taxpayer Subsidies Go To Polluting Shell Petrochemical Plant Without Regard To Environmental Compliance
-- Post-Gazette/NYT: US Taxpayers Have Subsidized Fossil Fuels For 111 Years, And Counting
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: EQT Gas Driller To Acquire Equitrans Midstream [Mountain Valley Pipeline; Cambria County 1.1 Billion Cubic Foot Gas Leak; Abandoned Wells; PA Criminal Charges]
-- EQT Gas Company Announcement Of Equitrans Midstream
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Why EQT Gas Is Acquiring Equitrans Midstream Corp
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Could Be Sold After Equitrans Acquisition
-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Prices Jump As EQT Slashes Output To Fight Glut
-- Reuters: Chinese Company Wants Say In Louisiana LNG Gas Export Facility Permit Extension
[Posted: March 12, 2024] PA Environment Digest
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