DCED’s PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council is scheduled to hold a virtual meeting on August 19 to hear an update on Penn State’s study of road dumping of conventional drilling wastewater and to continue its review of draft DEP regulations setting environmental standards for conventional drilling.

The conventional drilling industry is supporting the additional Penn State study of the road dumping of drilling wastewater to see if it comes up with a different result than the past studies.

The road dumping of conventional drilling wastewater is pervasive in oil and gas areas and DEP has not taken enforcement actions against it.  Read more here.

Recent research by Penn State and others has shown the road dumping of wastewater from wells as a dust suppressant is not only NOT effective, but contaminates the roads and wash sediment and pollutants into nearby streams.

There has also been other research pointing to not only environmental but also health impacts from using oil and gas well wastewater for dust control.  Click Here for a summary.

Another recent study found that between 1991 and 2017, 240.4 million gallons of wastewater from conventional oil and gas wells were applied to roads, according to DEP records.

As a result of a 2017 appeal to the Environmental Hearing Board, DEP’s Oil and Gas Program imposed a moratorium on all road dumping of wastewater from wells in the state in 2018.

However, the dumping of wastewater from oil and gas wells still authorized under the DEP Waste Management Program under a co-product determination which allows the use of waste that has similar properties to commercial products as if it was that product.

The 2019 Annual Report of the Crude (Oil) Development Advisory Council contains a special section devoted to the issue of oil and gas production water issues, including the goal of reinstating the road dumping program, leaving no doubt about their political intentions.

The conventional drillers have also supported legislation-- House Bill 1144 (Causer-R-Cameron)-- that would legalize the road dumping of drilling wastewater.  House Republicans passed the bill in May and it is now in the Senate.  Read more here.

Senate Republicans have their own version of the bill that would do the same thing-- Senate Bill 534 (Hutchinson-R-Venango)-- but it has not yet been considered.

Handouts For Meeting

Here are the available handouts for the meeting--

-- Full Agenda

-- Minutes From April 22 Meeting

-- Council’s 2020 Annual Report

-- Draft DEP Chapter 78 Regulations Covering Conventional Oil & Gas Drilling

The Council meeting will start at 8:30 a.m.  Click Here for instructions on joining the meeting online or by conference call.

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

NewsClips:

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: Natural Gas Drillers Put Their Industry Over Your Health

-- SW PA Environmental Health Project: Siri Lawson, Warren County, And Her Story Of Dealing With Health Impacts From Drilling Operation, Wastes - Part 1

-- SW PA Environmental Health Project: Siri Lawson, Warren County, And Road Dumping Of Drilling Wastewater - Part 2

-- Public Herald: Ohio Operates A Radioactive Industry Off The Record From PA, Ohio Oil & Gas Drilling Waste - Part 1

-- Public Herald: Investigation Uncovers Ohio Is ‘Illegally’ Building Radioactive Mountains, Affecting 26 Waterways From PA, Ohio Oil & Gas Drilling Waste - Part 2

-- Sen. Muth, Rep. Innamorato: Call On DEP To Close Loopholes In Regulation Of Oil & Gas Industry Waste As Hazardous Waste

​​-- Ohio Capital Journal: Feds And States Not Taking Radioactivity From Fracking Seriously, Environmental Group Says

-- NRDC: Regulation Is Too Weak For Radioactive Oil And Gas Drilling Wastewater Other Waste

Related Articles:

-- House Republicans Pass Bill Legalizing Road Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Well Wastewater, Rolling Back Environmental Protection Standards

-- 81 Groups, 3,342 Individuals Express Opposition To Bill Legalizing Road Dumping Of Conventional Drilling Wastewater

-- Road Dumping Of Oil & Gas Well Wastewater Is Happening Now In Crawford, Erie, Warren Counties As House Prepares To Take Up Bill This Week To Make It Legal

-- Dangers Posed By Oil & Gas Drilling Wastes, Abandoned Wells + Siri Lawson’s Story From Warren County

[Posted: August 13, 2021]

8/16/2021