PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 22

The following notices were published in the March 22 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

-- DEP published notice in the March 22 PA Bulletin announcing an April 30 hearing on the RACT 3 Air Quality Permit for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Compressor Station 307 in Howe Township, Forest County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2390)  Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission approved six shale gas development water withdrawals in Bradford, Lycoming, Susquehanna and Tioga counties at its regular business meeting on March 13.  Read more here.

-- The Susquehanna River Basin Commission published notice in the March 22 PA Bulletin the Executive Director gave his approval to or renewed 34 general water use permits in January for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties.  Read more here.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

So far in 2025, DEP received or acted on 29 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups.

Air Quality Permits - Comments

-- DEP published notice in the March 22 PA Bulletin announcing an April 30 hearing on the RACT 3 Air Quality Permit for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Compressor Station 307 in Howe Township, Forest County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2390)  Read more here.

Air Quality Permits - Issued

-- Expand Operating, LLC [Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC] - Multiple Transfer of Ownership: DEP approved Air Quality Plan Approval transfers of ownership for 22 shale  gas well pads in Auburn, Clifford, Great Bend, Jackson, Middletown, New Milford, Oakland, Rush Townships,  Susquehanna and Meshoppen Township, Wyoming counties.  (PA Bulletin, pages 2378-2380)

-- SWN Production Company, LLC - Shale Gas Well Pad/Pigging Operations: DEP renewed A GP-5A Air Quality General Permit for a facility located in Oakland Twp., Susquehanna County.  Received Dec. 27, Issued Jan. 13. (PA Bulletin, page 2380)

-- Columbia Gas Trans LLC - Eagle Compressor Station: DEP issued an Air Quality Plan approval covering multiple sources of air pollution at the facility located in West Vincent Twp., Chester County.  Received Feb. 21, Issued March 7.  (PA Bulletin, page 2380)

-- Range Resources Appalachia, LLC - Garrison Frankie Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP issued a GP-5A General Air Quality Permit covering multiple air pollution sources at the pad located in Blaine Twp., Washington County.  Received Feb. 6, Issued March 6.  (PA Bulletin, page 2380)

-- Range Resources Appalachia, LLC - Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP issued a GP-5A Air Quality General Permit covering multiple sources of air pollution at the pad located in Independence Twp., Washington County.  Received Jan. 29, Issued March 4.   (PA Bulletin, page 2381)

-- EQM Gathering Opco, LLC - Shale Gas Well Pad: DEP issued a GP-5 Air Quality General Permit coving multiple air pollution sources at the pad located in Richhill Twp., Greene County.  Received Jan. 22, Issued Feb. 14. (PA Bulletin, page 2380)

-- American Refining Groups, Inc. - Bradford Refinery: DEP approved a de minimis air pollution emission increase for the operation of a diesel-fired emergency engine at the facility in the City of Bradford, McKean County. (PA Bulletin, page 2383)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC - Conventional Donegal Gas Storage Area Well 4757 Access Road: DEP issued a Chapter 105 permit for the project that will impact Dutch Fork (High Quality) and wetlands located in Donegal Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 2385)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Regency Marcellus Gas Gathering LLC - Pipeline Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for the project impacting Blockhouse Creek, Packhorse Creek (Exceptional Value) and Schoolhouse Run located in Cogan House and Jackson Townships, Lycoming County.  Received Jan. 30, Issued March 7. (PA Bulletin, page 2388)

-- Coterra Energy Inc. - Unknown Project: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting White Creek located in Dimock Twp., Susquehanna County.  Received Feb. 4, Issued March 11.  (PA Bulletin, page 2388)

-- Columbia Gas Transmission LLC - Pipeline 1804 & 10240 Pressure Testing: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for this project located in Antrim Twp., Franklin County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2389)

-- Columbia Gas Transmission LLC - Replace 2.65 Miles Of Pipeline 143: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for this project located in Springhill Twp., Fayette County. (PA Bulletin, page 2389)

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [3.14.25]*

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

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 28 conventional and 121 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 24 conventional and 77 unconventional

*Weekly Workload Report - 3.14.25

*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 Compliance/Notice Dashboard:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - March 15 to 21:  42 More Conventional, 7 More Shale Gas Abandoned Wells; Mine Subsidence Under Compressor Station; Conventional Gas Well Explosion; 2 Shale Gas Companies Fail To Report Shale Gas Waste Generation, Production In 12 Counties  [PaEN]  

-- Mine Subsidence Found Under Olympus Energy/Hyperion Natural Gas Compressor Station Construction Site In Penn Twp., Westmoreland County  [PaEN] 

-- Volunteer Firefighters, DEP Respond To Conventional Gas Well Explosion, Fire In Westmoreland County [PaEN] 

-- DEP Issues One Conventional Well Owner 36 Violations For Abandoning Their Conventional Wells; 7 More Violations Issued To Shale Gas Drillers For Abandoning Wells  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued Violations To Range Resources, LPR Energy For Not Filing Shale Gas Production And Waste Generation Reports In 12 Counties  [PaEN]  

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - March 22 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments At April 30 Hearing On RACT 3 Air Quality Permit For Tennessee Gas Pipeline Compressor Station 307 In Howe Twp., Forest County  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 115 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In March 22 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP To Host April 1 Webinar On New Program To Reduce Methane Pollution From Oil And Gas Operations  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Health Project To Hold April 1 Webinar On What The Shapiro Administration Can Do To Better Protect Public Health From The Impacts Of Shale Gas Development  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project Seeking Communities To Participate In HealthWatch Program To Better Understand Local Health Impacts Of Shale Gas Development  [PaEN] 

-- Presentations Posted From 2025 Shale Gas & Public Health Conference Featuring Health Experts, Scientists, Advocacy Groups, Workers On Health, Environmental Impacts Of Shale Gas Development  [PaEN]  

-- Center For Coalfield Justice To DEP: Harmon Natural Gas Processing Plant Should Be Required To Apply For A Full Title V Air Quality Permit As They Originally Proposed In Washington County [PaEN] 

-- Capital And Main - Audrey Carleton: The Little Town Of Cecil Township, Washington County That Stood Up To Big Shale Gas And Set More Protective Setback Distances And Now Faces Legal Challenges From 2 Shale Gas Drillers

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves New Into-Basin Transfer General Permit, Water Withdrawals, Including 6 Shale Gas Development Water Withdrawals  [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 34 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In January  [PaEN]  

-- The Derrick: Hearing Dates Set On Rhodes Estates Water Companies; PUC Judge Urges Parties To ‘Seriously Explore’ Settlements [Venango Water Co. Impacted By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]   [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension: April 2 Webinar: Gravity Energy Storage -  Giving Inactive Oil Wells A Second Life  [PaEN]  

-- Penn State Research: Reusing Old Oil And Gas Wells For Energy Storage Using Compressed Air Technology  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: PA Attorney General Launches Criminal Investigation Into Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Spill In Bucks County 

-- Spotlight PA: Federal Money To Plug PA’s Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners Is Unfrozen, But Federal Uncertainty Plagues Contractors 

-- Dallas-based Law Firm Wins $51.98 Million Judgment Against Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Company In Beaver County Court In Contract Dispute; Court Also Found Negligent Construction Of Revolution Pipeline Contributed To Its Explosion In Beaver County

-- Observer-Reporter: Shale Gas Industry Leaders Reflect On Industry’s Direction At Range Resources Event  [PDF of Article]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Shapiro Administration Plugs 300 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Across PA

-- Warren Times: Warren City Council Approves Conventional Drilling Permit Near Betts Park

-- Sen. Yaw Reintroduces Bill Prohibiting Local Governments From Banning Any Fuel Source For Appliances, Heating Homes Or Business

-- PUC To Hold Hearings Starting April 7 On Proposed UGI Gas Rate Increase Of Up To 10.8% 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer/Kristen Graham: Philadelphia Gas Works Explores Heating, Cooling Philly School And City Rec Center With Geothermal Energy

-- The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Report: Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County Could Be Up For Sale

-- The Allegheny Front: As Fracking At Ohio’s Largest State Park Gets Underway, How The Industry Has Changed This Rural County 

-- Inside Climate News: EPA Considers Giving Oil & Gas Companies More ‘Flexibility’ To Dispose Of Their Highly Toxic Wastewater 

-- The Hill: Texas Workers Face Mounting Dangers In The Heart Of America’s Greatest Oil & Gas Boom  [Part I]  

-- The Hill: Deregulation Push By President, Texas Republicans Sparks Hope And Fear In The Oil & Gas Fields  [Part II] 

-- The Hill:  Texans Grapple With Rising Toxic Pollution As Oil, Gas Production Booms  [Part III]  

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Prices Up On Record Flows To LNG Gas Export Plants 

-- Bloomberg: ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Mantra Set To Make US LNG Gas Exports Less Competitive 

-- Reuters: US EIA Reports US Natural Gas Pipeline Completions Boosted LNG Gas Takeaway Capacity For 2 Years In A Row 

-- Bloomberg Opinion: Cheaper Power Is Too ‘Woke’ For Texas Republicans; State Debating Bills To Boost Natural Gas, Restrain Renewables

[Posted: March 21, 2025]  PA Environment Digest