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SRBC OKs Interbasin Transfers To Support Marcellus Drilling Operations

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission this week approved 21 water withdrawals, including interbasin transfers and other requests to support Marcellus Shale drilling operations totaling 13.9 million gallons per day.
            Water withdrawals approved to support drilling included:
-- Anadarko E&P Company LP (West Branch Susquehanna River), Colebrook Township, Clinton County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 1.5 million gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC (Susquehanna River), Braintrim Township, Wyoming County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 3 million gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Range Resources – Appalachia, LLC (West Branch Susquehanna River), Piatt Township, Lycoming County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 3 million gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Spectra Energy Transmission, LLC., TEMAX/TIME III Pipeline (Susquehanna River), East Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 2.3 million gpd for hydrostatic testing of a gas pipeline.
-- Novus Operating, LLC (Tioga River), Covington Township, Tioga County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 1.75 million gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Southwestern Energy Company (Martins Creek), Brooklyn and Harford Townships, Susquehanna County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 997,000 gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Victory Energy Corporation (Pine Creek), Pike Township, Potter County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 460,000 gpd for bulk sale of water to develop natural gas wells.
-- Chief Oil & Gas LLC (Martins Creek), Hop Bottom Borough, Susquehanna County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 360,000 gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells.
-- Southwestern Energy Company (Tuscarora Creek), Tuscarora Township, Bradford County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 500,000 gpd to develop and complete natural gas wells. 
-- J-W Operating Company (Abandoned Mine Pool – Unnamed Tributary to Finley Run), Shippen Township, Cameron County, Pa., for surface water withdrawal of up to 90,000 gpd to develop and complete natural gas well. 
-- Anadarko E&P Company LP (West Branch --Susquehanna River-3), Nippenose Township, Lycoming County, Pa., to modify an existing approval to increase maximum instantaneous pumping rate within approved daily rate from 500 gallons per minute (gpm) to 1,000 gpm.
            Inter-Basin Transfers--
-- Ultra Resources, Inc., Gravel Products, Ceres Township, McKean County, Pa., for an existing into-basin diversion of up to 1.17 million gpd from the Ohio River Basin to develop and complete natural gas wells. 
-- Pennsylvania General Energy Company, L.L.C., Scaffold Lick Pond – 1, Liberty Township, McKean County, Pa., for an existing into-basin diversion of up to 500,000 gpd from the Ohio River Basin to develop and complete natural gas wells. 
-- Pennsylvania General Energy Company, L.L.C., Scaffold Lick Pond – 2, Liberty Township, McKean County, Pa., for an existing into-basin diversion of up to 500,000 gpd from the Ohio River Basin to develop and complete natural gas wells.
            Non-Drilling Transfers Approved--
-- Cedar Rock Materials Corp., Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pa., for groundwater withdrawal of up to 720,000 gpd for sand and gravel quarry operations. 
-- Cedar Rock Materials Corp., Salem Township, Luzerne County, Pa., for consumptive water use of up to 700,000 gpd for sand and gravel quarry operations. 
-- Dean Dairy Holdings, LLC, Swiss Premium Dairy, LLC, North Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, Pa., to modify an existing approval to increase consumptive water use of up to 200,000 gpd. 
-- East Donegal Township Municipal Authority, East Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pa., for groundwater withdrawal of up to 260,000 gpd for public water supply. 
-- Hazleton Creek Properties, LLC., Mine Reclamation, Hazleton City, Luzerne County, Pa., for groundwater withdrawal of up to 55,000 gpd to hydrate abandoned mine reclamation waste materials. 
-- Hazleton Creek Properties, LLC., Hazleton Mine Reclamation, Hazleton City, Luzerne County, Pa., for consumptive water use of up to 55,000 gpd to hydrate abandoned mine reclamation waste materials.
            The commissioners also took acton to:
--  Approve a resolution establishing an interim policy for interbasin transfers of flowback and produced fluids between natural gas drilling pad sites upon SRBC’s executive director exercising the administrative authority to allow for such interbasin transfers; 
-- Direct SRBC staff to conduct a cost analysis to determine if potential efficiencies are possible when large group transfers are involved and make recommendations for any appropriate changes to the Regulatory Program Fee;
-- Approve a resolution adopting a Susquehanna River Basin migratory fish management and restoration plan as produced by the Susquehanna River Anadromous Fish Restoration Cooperative;
-- Approve two contracts including one for up to $75,000 with the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation so it can continue working on mine pool mapping efforts for the northern and southern anthracite coal fields; and
-- Approve SRBC’s revised FY-2012 budget.
            SRBC’s voting commissioners and alternates were: Kenneth Lynch, SRBC Chair, Director, Region 7, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; John Hines, SRBC Vice-Chair, Executive Deputy Secretary for Programs, Pa. Department of Environmental Protection; Brig. General Peter DeLuca, Commander, North Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Herbert Sachs, Special Projects Coordinator for Office of the Secretary, Md. Department of the Environment.


3/14/2011

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