PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 16

The following notices were published in the November 16 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- DEP published notice in the November 16 PA Bulletin extending the Oil & Gas General Permit For Erosion & Sedimentation [ESCGP-3] For 2 Months. Read the  notice for all the details and a contact person to answer questions.

-- DEP published notice on its website it will no longer accept Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation ePermit applications while it pauses the program to evaluate and implement its IT modernization efforts. This pause does not affect permits issued by DEP’s Oil & Gas Program (i.e., ESCGP).

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Xpress Natural Gas -  Forest Lake: DEP received a Notice of Intent to remediate soil and groundwater contaminated by the release of used motor oil to meet an unknown standard at the site located in Forest Lake Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 7505)

-- Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Shale Gas Support Facility: DEP received a Notice of Intent to remediate soil and groundwater contaminated by production wastewater to meet the Statewide Health Standard at the site located in Center Twp., Indiana County.    (PA Bulletin, page 7505)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - K.Millard Shale Gas Pad: DEP received a Final Report on the remediation of soil contaminated by production wastewater to meet Statewide Health Standards at the pad located in Jessup Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 7524)

2024 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups

So far in 2024, DEP received or acted on 247 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permits

-- Columbia Gas Transmission - Hellertown Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality State Only Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Williams Twp., Northampton County.  Received June 27, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7508)

-- Blackhill Energy, LLC - Bradford Compressor Station: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the facility located in Springfield Twp., Bradford County. Received July 29, 2024, Issued October 31, 2024 (?).  (PA Bulletin, page 7526

--  Calpine Mid-Merit LLC - York Gas-Fired Power Plant: DEP issued a revised Air Quality Plan Approval to increase rated power capacity from 760 to 830 MW for the facility located in Peach Bottom Twp., York County. Received October 23, Issued October 28, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7526)

--  Calpine Mid-Merit LLC - York Gas-Fired Power Plant: DEP issued a revised Air Quality Plan Approval setting changing emission limits for the facility located in Peach Bottom Twp., York County. Received October 23, Issued October 28, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7526)

-- Waste Management Disposal Services - Landfill Gas Enclosed Ground Flare: DEP issued a revised Air Quality Plan Approval for the replacement of the flare at the facility located in Antrim and Montgomery Townships, Franklin County.  Received October 29, Issued October 31, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7527)

NPDES Individual Stormwater Permit

-- Marcus Hook Refinery Operations/Evergreen Resources Group - 12 Plant Area Cleanup Marcus Hook Terminal Facility: DEP invites comments on an Individual NPDES Stormwater Permit impacting the Delaware River for the facility located in Marcus Hook Borough, Delaware County.  (PA Bulletin, page 7499)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- Greylock Production LLC - Pine Creek Surface Water Withdrawal Project: DEP issued a Chapter 105 Permit for the surface water withdrawal project located in Ulysses Twp., Potter County.  Received February 16, Issued October 31, 2024. (PA Bulletin, page 7529)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Beech Resources LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an unknown project impacting Beauty’s Run (Exceptional Value) located in Lycoming Twp., Lycoming County. Received September 19, issued October 20, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7530)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc.: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an unknown project impacting Terry Creek located in Rush Twp., Susquehanna County.  Received October 9, Issued October 20, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7530)

-- EXCO Resources PA LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for an unknown project  (probably pipeline) impacting Beaver Run, Marsh Run and Little Muncy Creek located in Mifflin Twp., Lycoming County.  Received October 11, Issued November 1, 2024. (PA Bulletin, page 7530)

-- MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC - Vankirk To Franklin Lakeview Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for the project impacting Chartiers Creek located in North Franklin and South Franklin Townships, Washington County.  Received October 11, Issued October 30, 2024.  (PA Bulletin, page 7530)

-- Hyperion Midstream LLC - Poseidon to Denmark Loop Pipeline: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for the project impacting Bushy Run, Byers Run and Lyons Run located in Penn Twp., Westmoreland County. Received October 7, Issued October 31.  (PA Bulletin, page 7530)

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [11.8.24]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 0 conventional and 16 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 170 conventional and 445 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 148 conventional and 282 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 11.8.24

*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-  Nov. 9 to 15  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - November 16  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 60 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In November 16 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- Moms Clean Air Force: Pennsylvanians Call On State Leaders For Protection From Fossil Fuel And Plastic Industry Expansion  [PaEN] 

-- Guest Essay: Our Children’s Health Isn’t Partisan, Pennsylvania Needs Strong Pollution Protections From Fracking Now - By Rachel Sica Meyer, Beaver County Resident, Moms Clean Air Force  [PaEN] 

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Volunteer Laurie Barr Leads Hunt For Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells In Pennsylvania - By Ad Crable  [PaEN]

-- FracTracker Alliance Announces 2024 Community Sentinel Award Recipients To Be Honored Dec. 4  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Hearing Board Issues Temporary Supersedeas To Stop The Opening Of Catalyst Energy, Inc. Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County Until Hearing On Full Supersedeas [PaEN]

-- Low Streamflow Conditions Prompt Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Advise Shale Gas Drillers, Water Systems, Companies With Water Withdrawal Approvals To Plan For Alternative Operations  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Extends General Permits: Oil & Gas Erosion & Sedimentation [ESCGP-3]; Beneficial Use Of Biosolids By Land Application [PAG-07 + PAG-08]; Beneficial Use Of Residential Septage [PAG-09]  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Will No Longer Accept New Chapter 102 Erosion & Sedimentation ePermit Applications During ‘Pause’; Oil & Gas E&S Applications Not Affected  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- ABCNews: Pennsylvania Residents In Cecil Township, Washington County Fight Fracking In Their Backyard  (Video) 

-- FracTracker, Clean Air Council, Earthworks: New StoryMap On Expanding Shale Gas Safety Zones

-- TribLive: Environmental Groups Appeal CNX Slickville Pipelines Permits  

-- National Academies Of Science: Practices, Standards For Plugging Orphaned And Abandoned Hydrocarbon Wells White Paper, Workshop

-- WBOY: EPA Officials Share Findings After Radiation Found At Fairmont, WV Oil & Gas Wastewater Processing Site

-- JD Supra: Federal District Court Sends PA Oil & Gas Royalty Dispute To Trial 

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Democrats’ Disregard For Americans’ Fears Of Inflation Caused By Unaffordable Energy Policies Frustrating [International Oil, Natural Gas Prices Propelled Inflation In US]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Plan For Massive 3,5 GW Gas-Fired Power Plant, Data Center In Virginia Slashed 91% In Face Of Local Opposition  [PDF of Article]

-- EPA Finalizes Rule Setting Fee On Wasteful Methane Emissions From Oil & Gas Industry  

-- KDKA: EPA To Hit Oil & Gas Companies With Waste Methane Fee, But Will It Last?

-- Financial Times: How Oil & Gas Companies Disguise Their Methane Emissions 

-- Financial Times: US LNG Gas Exports Could Prove Crucial Bargaining Chip In US-EU Trade Talks

-- Reuters: Biden Officials Ask EU To Align Methane Rules With US To Ease LNG Gas Exports

[Posted: November 15, 2024]  PA Environment Digest