PA Environment Digest Blog: PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment

The following notices were published in the June 29 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a revised Oil and Gas Erosion and Sediment Control General Permit (ESCGP-4). Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin of actions taken during its June meeting, including the approval of seven more shale gas development water withdrawals in Lycoming, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties bringing 2024 total to 15 new withdrawals. Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin the Executive Director gave his approval to 33 general water use permits for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Tioga counties bringing 2024 total General Permits to 133. Read more here.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a Air Quality Plan Approval and an amended Title V Air Quality Permit for the installation of a 5.8 million gallon gasoline/naphtha storage tank at the United Refining Company facility in the City of Warren, Warren County. (PA Bulletin, page 3675) Read more here.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the June 29 PA Bulletin announcing it intends to issue a renewal of the American Refining Group Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Bradford, McKean County. (PA Bulletin, page 3676) Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Diversified Production, LLC - State Game Lands 244-25 Conventional Well: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated by wastewater-- Aluminum, Barium, Boron, Chloride, Iron, Lithium, Manganese, Selenium, Strontium, Vanadium, and Zinc --to meet Statewide Health Standards for the facility located in Knox Twp., Jefferson County. (PA Bulletin, page 3700)

-- Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining & Marketing, LLC - No. 4 Separator Release: DEP issued a technical deficiency letter for a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with benzene, cumene, ethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl- benzene (TMB), 1,3,5-TMB, toluene, xylenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to meet Statewide Health Standards for the facility located at 3144 Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia. (PA Bulletin, page 3702)

2024 Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 156 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Waste Permits

-- SWN Production Company LLC - Shorts Shale Gas Well Site Tank Facility: DEP issued a WMGR163 Residual Waste General Permit for replacement of a 504,000 gallon wastewater storage tank at the facility located in Donegal Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 3705)

Air Quality Permits

-- Calpine Mid-Merit, LLC - York Energy Center Gas-Fired Power Plant: DEP invites comments on an Air Quality Plan Approval revising certain emission limits for the facility located in Peach Bottom Twp., York County. (PA Bulletin, page 3675)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Diaz M Shale Gas Well Pad 1 Engine: DEP issued an GP-11 Air Quality General Permit for the operation of an engine at the pad located in Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 3705)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Diaz M Shale Gas Well Pad 2 Engine: DEP issued an GP-11 Air Quality General Permit for the operation of an engine at the pad located in Bridgewater Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 3705)

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5A Air Quality General Permit to cover multiple sources of air pollution at the compressor station located in East Finley Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 3705)

-- Chambersburg Energy LLC - Gas-fired Power Plant: DEP renewed a Title V Air Quality Permit for the electric generation facility located in Guilford Twp., Franklin County. (PA Bulletin, page 3706)

-- United Refining Company - Warren Facility: DEP issued a de minimis Air Quality Authorization to cover the emergency fire water pump at the facility located in the City of Warren, Warren County. (PA Bulletin, page 3707)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- CNX Midstream Operating Company, LLC - Exposing NV-113 Pipelines To Avoid Longwall Coal Mining Damage: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 permit application to expose a 12-inch gas and 20-inch wastewater pipelines to prevent mining damage in Morris Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 3684)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC - Existing Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 Environmental Assessment for the well pad located in Orwell Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 3685)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an Unknown Project impacting Jerome Creek in Orwell Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 3713)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an Unknown Project impacting Cash Creek in Ulster Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 3713)

-- Diversified Oil & Gas LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an Unknown Project impacting Murray Run (Exceptional Value) and Allis Run (Exceptional Value) in Gamble Twp., Lycoming County. (PA Bulletin, page 3713)

-- EQT ARO LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an Unknown Project impacting Benjamin Run (High Quality) and an UNT West Branch Susquehanna River (Exceptional Value) in Noyes Twp., Clinton County. (PA Bulletin, page 3713)

-- Hyperion Midstream LLC - Delmont South Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a pipeline project impacting Thorn Run (High Quality), Steels Run (High Quality), Beaver Run (High Quality) and Porters Run (High Quality) in Salem and Washington, Townships and Murrysville Boro, Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 3713)

NOTE: Legislative Budget & Finance Committee Report Finds DEP Issued Shale Gas Well Drilling Permits In Less Than 40 Days Required By Law Over Last 5 Years; By 2022 It Was Down To 21 Days [Page 63]

NOTE: DEP Permitting Efficiency: Since Nov. 2023, DEP Received 16,070 Applications, Decided 12,294; Pending 3,776; Missed Review Deadlines PAyback Eligible - 13 [6.28.24]

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [6.21.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 9 conventional and 3 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 106 conventional and 243 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 71 conventional and 163 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 6.21.24

*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

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.

Act 14 requires applicants to submit notices to municipalities and counties for air quality, water obstruction (Chapter 105), any permit issued under the Cleans Streams Law (including Chapter 102, stormwater, NPDES, many more), any solid waste and hazardous waste, land recycling and water allocation permits.

These notifications, sent by registered mail, must give municipalities and counties at least 30 days to comment to DEP and in the case of solid waste and hazardous waste at least 60 days, according to the law.

Without proof Act 14 notices were sent to municipalities and counties within the required timeframe, a DEP permit application is not complete and DEP cannot review it.

And the notices must be sent each time an applicant wants to modify, renew or expand what their applications cover, so there can be a lot of them.

For those interested in the oil and gas industry, these notices cover almost every aspect of developing oil and gas drilling well pads and all gas infrastructure-- pipelines, gas processing plants, water and wastewater storage facilities, pigging and metering stations and more.

Not covered are permits related to coal mining. Read more here.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 22 to 28 - 12 More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 29 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 81 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 29 PA Bulletin [PaEN]