DCED PA Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council Meets Dec. 12 To Discuss Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater; New EPA Methane Emissions Reduction Program; Other Updates

The DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council is scheduled to meet December 12 to again discuss road dumping oil and gas wastewater, the new EPA methane emissions reduction program and hear updates on well plugging programs.

The full agenda includes--

-- Approval Of Minutes [Copy of Draft Minutes]

-- Public Comment Period

-- President’s Report

     -- Year End Committee Reports

     -- GCI Wastewater Solutions [Follow-up From April Meeting]

-- Production Wastewater

     -- Road Dumping

     -- Update From DEP on regulation of All materials applied To Roads for dust suppression, deicing

-- Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board Well Plugging Work Group Update

-- Economics Of The Industry

-- DEP

     -- Bureau of Air Quality: New EPA Methane Emissions Reduction Program [DEP PPT Slides - These Requirements Apply To Both Conventional and Shale Gas Facilities, EPA Does Not Make A Distinction]

     -- Federal Well Plugging Programs

          -- Initial Grant Status Report

          -- Upcoming Well Plugging Contracts

          -- Orphan Well Plugging Grant Program Update

          -- Regulatory Improvement Grant Update

     -- Methane Emission Reduction Well Plugging Grant Program

-- Legislative Update

-- Regulatory Update

-- Old Business

     -- Work with DEP to demonstrate alternative remediation measures associated with well plugging contracts

-- New Business

Public Comment Period

Individuals interested in presenting comments during the Public Comment Period should contact Adam Walters at 717-214-6548 or send email to: adwalters@pa.gov. 

Joining The Meeting

The meeting will be held at the Technology Center, Room 243, 200 Innovation Blvd. in  State College starting at 10:00 a.m.

 Click Here to join via Microsoft Teams: Meeting ID: 274 896 265 706 Passcode: GfvsJL or by telephone 1 267-332-8737 Conference ID: 377 402 179# 

For more information and available handouts, visit the DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council webpage.  Questions should be directed to Adam Walters at 717-214-6548 or send email to: adwalters@pa.gov. 

Resource Links - Road Dumping:

-- Senate Hearing: The Case For An Immediate, Total Ban On Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater  [4.17.24]

-- Witness At Senate Hearing On Oil & Gas Wastewater Road Dumping Reports Her Home  Has Been Surrounded By Dumping; Dumping Again On The Upswing In 2024  [4.25.24]]

-- House Hearing: Shapiro Administration Supports Bill Banning Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater, Prohibiting Its Use As Coproduct Under Residual Waste Regulations  [6.10.24] 

-- House Committee Reports Out Bills To Ban Road Dumping Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; Prohibit Use Of PFAS 'Forever Chemicals’ In Consumer Products  [6.11.24] 

-- House Hearing: Penn State Expert Says ‘Pennsylvania Should Ban Road Spreading Of Oil & Gas Wastewater;’  Contaminants Exceed Health, Environmental Standards  [6.10.24]

-- House Hearing: Penn State Center For Dirt & Gravel Road Studies Says Road Spreading Oil & Gas Wastewater Is Not An Effective Dust Suppressant, Does Not Meet Environmental Testing Standards  [6.10.24]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Nov. 30 to Dec. 6 - Abandoned Shale Gas Wells Doubled From Last Year; Failure To Comply With Court Order To Plug Conventional Wells; Abandoned Waste Injection Well   [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 7 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 91 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 7 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Sees ‘Very Significant Budget Gap’ In Funding Oil & Gas Regulation Program Due To Reduced Permit Fee Revenue  [PaEN] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Up 1 To 16 From Last Week; 21 On Aug. 23

-- DCED PA Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council Meets Dec. 12 To Discuss Road Dumping Oil & Gas Wastewater; New EPA Methane Emissions Reduction Program; Other Updates  [PaEN]

-- What Will Shale Gas Leave Behind? DEP Issues 10 Violations To Big Dog Energy, LLC, Diversified Production LLC For Abandoning Shale Gas Wells; Violations For Shale Gas Abandonments More Than Doubled In 2024  [PaEN] 

-- DEP: Horizontal Exploration LLC Failed To Comply With State Court Order To Plug 6 Conventional Wells In McKean County   [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues Abandoned Well Violation To Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well With Nearly Full Storage Tanks, Expired EPA Permit In Venango County  [PaEN] 

-- Apply Now! DEP Conventional Oil & Gas Methane Reduction Well Plugging Grant Applications Due Dec. 16; $44.4 Million Available - Only 10 Applicants Applied For 77 Wells So Far  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Hosts Dec. 12 Webinar On Carbon Reduction Credits In Oil & Gas Well Plugging  [PaEN] 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Slight Increase In PA 3rd Quarter Natural Gas Production; Lowest Number Of New Shale Gas Wells Drilled Since 2008  [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republicans To Reintroduce Bills Limiting Citizen Rights To Appeal DEP Permit Decisions, Punish Communities That Take Steps To Protect Themselves Against Shale Gas Development Impacts  [PaEN]

-- PUC: Natural Gas Distribution Companies Prepare For Winter - Gas Consumption Expected To Decrease 1.8%, Cost For Residential Customers To Increase 1%  [PaEN]

-- PUC Enforcement Bureau Files Complaint Against Philadelphia Gas Works Over 2021 Natural Gas House Explosion; Alleging The Company Failed To Properly Investigate, Address Leaking Gas Pipeline  [PaEN]

-- PUC To Seek Public Comments On Settlement With Columbia Gas Concerning Welding Issues At Regulator Station In Beaver County  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette: Fracking, Clean Air Permits Dominate Allegheny County Board Of Health Meeting 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Hits Back At Greene County Landowners Claiming Water Contamination  [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive: Upper Burrell Twp. Considers Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Rules In Westmoreland County [‘They Can’t Use Upper Burrell As A Garbage Place To Dump Bad Water’] 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: Homer City Coal-Fired Power Plant To Be Demolished, New Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant To Be Built  [PDF of Article] 

-- Power Magazine: Largest PA Coal-Fired Power Plant Will Convert To Natural Gas  [Homer City]

-- E&E News/Politico: PJM Boosts Natural Gas Ahead Of Wind, Solar In Contentious Electric Grid Interconnection Review Plan

-- E&E News/Politico: Williams Pipeline CEO Urges Republicans To Put FERC In Sole Charge Of Energy Permits, States Should Be Removed From The Process 

-- CNX Resources Announces Acquisition Of Apex Energy Upstream, Midstream Business

-- TribLive: CNX Resources To Acquire Apex, Gain 36,000 Acres In Westmoreland County

-- Inquirer Column: Gov. Shapiro Fast-Tracks Oil Refinery Redevelopment, Impacted Residents Call For Philadelphia City Council Hearings

-- TribLive: Plum Boro Homeowner Accused Of Trying To Blow Up His House With Natural Gas In Allegheny County 

-- Marcellus Drilling News: State Of Ohio Cleanup Of Martins Ferry Oil & Gas Waste Processing Facility Owned By PA Company In WV One-Third Complete  [PDF of Article]

-- WTRF: Controversy Continues As State Cleanup Of Martins Ferry Oil & Gas Waste Processing Facility Owned By PA Company In WV

-- Reuters: Natural Gas Prices Rose 30-50% In 2024; Key Global Natural Gas Prices Set To Keep Rising Into 2025 

-- Reuters: US LNG Gas Exports To Europe Surge In November On Higher Prices

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Rises As Colder Weather Forecasts Add To Worries

-- Reuters: Shell, QatarEnergy Sign Long-Term Purchase Agreement To Sell LNG Gas To China

-- Reuters: Rising LNG Gas Export Facility Costs Make New US Project Less Competitive, Says Analyst

[Posted: December 6, 2024]  PA Environment Digest