The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the March 19 PA Bulletin inviting comments on a proposed technical guidance on Trenchless [Horizontal Drilling] Pipeline Construction.

DEP proposed the Trenchless Technology Guidance outline the policies, procedures and best practices for the prevention of adverse environmental impacts from constructing pipelines using horizontal drilling techniques.

DEP started the development of this guidance in early 2019 and it is designed to help avoid the significant environmental problems that have happened during the ongoing construction of the Mariner East  and other pipelines.

To help develop the guidance, DEP formed a Work Group that has issued a draft report and recommendations as background on the guidance.

Among other issues, the guidance covers--

-- Site-specific geological, topographical, and hydrological analysis to be considered;

-- Type of analysis and documentation of adjacent features in the vicinity of the project footprint;

-- Potential impact of the planned activity on or from adjacent features;

-- Enhanced Best Practices for:

     -- Preventing and responding to Inadvertent Returns (IRs);

     -- Preventing and responding to hydrological impacts from IRs;

     -- Groundwater quality and quantity protection; and

     -- Procedures to identify water supplies in the vicinity of a proposed HDD beyond the use of the Pennsylvania Groundwater Information System

-- Recommendations for permitteea to conduct water supply testing (quality and quantity) for landowners within the vicinity of an HDD.

Click Here for copy of the proposed Technical Guidance.

Comments on the Guidance are due May 18.  Questions should be directed to Andrew Klinger, Division Chief, Division of Wetlands, Encroachment and Training, Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands at anklinger@pa.gov  or (717) 772-5975.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.

Related Articles:

-- Sunoco/Mariner East Pipeline To Pay $4 Million In Damages And Restore Lake At Marsh Creek State Park Polluted By A Spill In Chester County

-- Senate Budget Hearings: PA’s Experience With New Pipeline Construction Shows State Laws Not Strong Enough To Prevent Environmental Damage, Protect Public Safety

-- Natural Gas, Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Are NOT Required To Carry Insurance Or Show They Can Pay For Damages If They Explode, Leak Or Kill Someone

-- Attorney General Shapiro's Statement Announcing 48 Environmental Criminal Charges Against The Mariner East Pipeline In 11 Counties

[Posted: March 18, 2022]

3/21/2022