PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 28

The following notices were published in the September 28 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on a Chapter 105 permit for a new proposed 16-inch natural gas pipeline to be built by Blackhill Energy, LLC along a 7.3 mile route through Springfield, Troy, West Burlington and  Granville Townships in Bradford County to facilitate shale gas development.  (Sept. 21 PA Bulletin, page 6030)   Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Don Shaffer 2 Conventional Well: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with aluminum, barium, boron, chloride, iron, lithium, manganese, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc to meet the Statewide Health Standard for the well located in Warsaw Twp., Jefferson County. (PA Bulletin, page 6184)

-- Diversified Production, LLC - Reid &  Howley Hers Ambrose 10 Conventional Well: DEP approved a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with benzene, tert-butylbenzene, sec-butyl- benzene, cyclohexane, ethylbenzene, isopropyl benzene, naphthalene, toluene, total xylenes, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, acenaphthene, anthracene, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, biphenyl, chrysene, fluoranthene, fluorene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, 2-methyl- naphthalene, phenanthrene, phenol, and pyrene to meet the Statewide Health Standards for the well located in Porter Twp., Clarion County. (PA Bulletin, page 6184)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 209 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permits

-- Nova Energy LLC - Allam PGM: DEP invites comments on an Air Quality Plan Approval application covering the construction of three natural gas-fired engines located in Frenchcreek Twp., Venango County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6148)

-- Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage, Inc. - Boom Compressor Station: DEP invites comments on an Air Quality Permit for the compressor station located in Lawrence Twp., Tioga County.   (PA Bulletin, page 6148)

-- NextEra Renewable Fuels LLC - Lycoming Landfill Gas Project: DEP invites comments on the renewal of a Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Brady Twp., Lycoming County. (PA Bulletin, page 6150)

-- Martins Creek LLC - Martins Creek Gas/Oil-fired Power Plant: DEP invites comments on a significant modification of a Title V Air Quality Permit for the facility located in Lower Mount Bethel Twp., Northampton County. A hearing has been scheduled for November 13 on the application starting at 10:00 a.m. at DEP’s Northeast Regional Office in Wilkes-Barre.  (PA Bulletin, page 6150)  Read more here.

-- Kinder Morgan Inc., Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC - Compressor Station 310: DEP invites comments on the renewal of an Air Quality Operating Permit for the facility located in Sergeant Twp., McKean County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6157)

-- Kinder Morgan Inc., Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC - Compressor Station 303: DEP invites comments on the renewal of an Air Quality Operating Permit for the facility located in Cranberry Twp., Venango County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6157)

-- National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation - Tamarack Compressor Station: DEP approved a revised Air Quality Plan Approval incorporating a change in the responsible official for the facility located in Leidy Twp., Clinton County.   (PA Bulletin, page 6186)

-- Energy Transfer Marketing & Terminals, LP - Malvern Storage Facility: DEP issued a revised Air Quality Plan Approval covering reactivation of a storage tank floating roof system located in East Whiteland Twp., Chester County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6187)

Water Quality Permits

-- Calpine Mid Merit LLC - York Energy Center Gas-Fired Power Plant: DEP invites comments on the renewal of an NPDES Water Quality Permit for the facility located in Peach Bottom Township, York County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6135)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- Columbia Gas Transmission LLC - Donegal Well 4757: DEP invites comments on a Chapter 105 application for improvements to an access road to the well impacting Dutch Fork  (High Quality) at multiple points along its route located in Donegal Twp.,  Washington County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6168)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- PennEnergy Resources, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Likens Run and Breakneck Creek located in Jackson Twp., Butler County.  (PA Bulletin, page 6195)

-- Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Crooked Creek located in East Fallowfield Twp., Crawford County. (PA Bulletin, page 6195)

-- Pin Oak Energy Partners, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Little Sandy Creek (High Quality) located in Frenchcreek Twp., Venango County.   (PA Bulletin, page 6195)

NOTE: DEP Permitting Efficiency: 21,964 Permits Since 11/2023; Decisions On 18,123;  One  Currently Eligible For PAyback Did Not Meet Decision Deadlines; ZERO Application Fees Refunded [9.28.24]

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [9.20.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 2 conventional and 9 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 167 conventional and 381 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 123 conventional and 221 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 9.20.24

*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:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - September 21 to 27 - Gas Storage Areas Wells Leaking; Failure To Comply With Orders, Failure To Report Fracking Chemicals; Bubbling Conventional Pipeline Leak  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Violations To 3 Shale Gas Drillers For Failing To Report Fracking Chemicals, Including At EQT’s Lumber Well Pad In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 28 [PaEN]

-- DEP: Comments Due Oct. 21 On New 16-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline Being Built In Springfield, Troy, West Burlington & Granville Townships, Bradford County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 28 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

20 Years Of Shale Gas

-- Observer-Reporter: Local Officials Have Had To Grapple With Fracking Since It’s Arrival - Cecil Township, Washington County   [Part II]  [PDF of Article]

-- Observer-Reporter: ‘Shale Revolution:’ A Look Back At 20 Years Of Gas Drilling In Southwest PA  [Part I]  [PDF of Article]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA’s Dr. Ned Ketyer Shares Summary Of Studies Of Shale Gas Development Impacts On Human Health  [PaEN] 

-- US DOE: China Is Biggest Destination For US LNG Gas Exports; PA Shale Gas Industry Says We Have ‘Duty’ To Export Gas To China, Our Military, Economic Competitor  [PaEN]

-- House Committee Meets Oct. 1 To Consider Bill To Diversify Energy Generation, Improve Grid Reliability, Lower Consumer Energy Costs  [PaEN]

-- PA House Republicans Introduce Bill Creating An Energy Advocate With Power To Veto Any Action By Any State Agency That Harms Energy Reliability, Affordability  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, Partners Release New Disability-Centered Guidance For Transportation Accidents, Petrochemical Plant Spills, Releases  [PaEN]

-- PUC: No Evidence Allegheny County Home Explosion Where 2 Died Related To Columbia Gas Facilities; Allegheny County, DEP Investigations Continue  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas Driller Says Natural Gas Price Spikes Coming Next Year Moving From $2 to $3 Range Up To As High As $9   [PDF of Article]   [PA Is 59% Dependent On Gas To Generate Electricity]  

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs At 14, Same As Last Week - Down 33% Since Aug. 23 [Industry Efforts To Increase Natural Gas Prices Continue]

-- Bloomberg: Top Investor In US Oil, Gas Companies Says Shale Producers No Longer In Position To Ramp Up Output To Give Consumers A Break On Energy Prices 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas To Begin Reversing Curtailed Production Starting In October  [PDF of Article]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Doctor Summarizes Health Studies On Shale Gas Development Health Impacts 

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Say 

-- Inquirer/Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Respond

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: CNX Resources Tells Gas Industry - Public Health Issues Won’t Just Go Away Without Transparency

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Lawsuit Over Radioactive Drill Cuttings At Mercer County Landfill Heads To Commonwealth Court Hearing Oct. 8  [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Expand Energy Corp New Name For Merged Chesapeake Energy- Southwestern Energy Gas Producers; Will Be Largest In US 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Propane Involved In Crescent Twp. House Explosion, Investigation Shows 

-- TribLive: PUC: Natural Gas Service Not To Blame For Fatal Crescent Township House Explosion

-- TribLive: Natural Gas Sensor Alert Leads To Brief Evacuation At New Stanton Vo-Tech School After Teachers Say Gas Meters Had Levels ‘A Little Higher Than Normal’

-- The Allegheny Front: Study: Colleges With Fossil Fuel Funding Can Become ‘Vehicle Of Climate Obstruction’ 

[Posted: September 27, 2024]  PA Environment Digest