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DEP Inviting Stakeholders To Participate In Workgroups On New Federal Conventional Oil & Gas Well Plugging Program

The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting stakeholders to participate in workgroup sessions related to the development of the new federal conventional oil and gas well plugging program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to Jessica Shirley, DEP's Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator.

The deadline in expressing your interest is August 15.

DEP said its goal is to engage in broader, two-way discussions with those interested and able to commit their time to address challenges and define the Program’s wants, needs and the must-haves in order to ensure the successes of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to rewrite Pennsylvania’s legacy through IIJA funding.

DEP is forming seven workgroups on these topics--

1. Formula Grant/Well Plugging

To solicit input from qualified contractors/vendors that have experience in plugging abandoned and orphan wells within the Commonwealth. This experience can be from working for industry and/or DEP. This discussion will help in the development of contracting strategies for IIJA with a focus on the larger grant sums.

2. Due Diligence/Well Finder

To solicit input from qualified contractors that have experience in professional land services to identify ownership, leaseholder records, property lien records, mineral rights ownership, etc.

3. Engineering Services – including Emissions Monitoring/E&S and Permitting

To solicit input from contractors that provide engineering services including site planning and design, erosion and sediment control permitting, waterways and wetlands impacts permitting and monitoring of methane emissions before and after well plugging activities are completed.

4. Waste Management, Site Remediation and Clean Up

To solicit input from contractors that manage well plugging waste which must be tested, characterized and transported to a permitted disposal facility in accordance with Federal and State laws. The session will also allow DEP to solicit input from contractors that remediate contaminated abandoned well sites to an acceptable standard.

5. Project Prioritization and Workforce Development

6. Data Development and Management: Part I—Data Mining | Undocumented Wells

To solicit input from vendors that have the ability to mine data from historical oil and gas development records and provide that data to the DEP in a tabular format for import into our enterprise database. This could include field surveys with tools like ground penetrating radar, methane monitors, or magnetometers to verify locations.

7. Data Development and Management: Part II – Identification of Reporting Requirements & Useful User Information

To solicit input from vendors that have developed, or are capable of developing, software intended to collect and manage IIJA well plugging data, and facilitate the reporting of that data to the DOI to satisfy reporting requirements, and to the public to maintain transparency.

At the close of registration, we'll determine the individual dates/timelines and next steps for each session and then convey the Teams Link and Dial-In information to you on those sessions you selected.

Click Here to register to express your interest. The deadline is August 15.

Visit DEP’s Bipartisan Infrastructure [IIJA] Well Plugging webpage for the latest information on this program.

NewsClips This Week - Oil & Gas:

-- Citizens Voice: Conventional Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- Centre Daily Times: Study: Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- Gettysburg Times: Study: Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- Latrobe Bulletin: Study: Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- Erie Times: Study: Spreading Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Is Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- PA Capital-Star: Study: Drilling Wastewater On PA Roads Dangerous To Human Health, Environment

-- Environmental Health News: PFAS, With Possible Link To Oil & Gas Drilling, Found In Washington County Water Supply By University Of Pittsburgh

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: New PA Law Aims To Address Old Oil & Gas Well Cleanup, But It Could Make The Problem Worse, Critics Say; Wolf Launching Review Of Conventional Drilling Industry

-- KDKA: Parents Oppose Plans For Natural Gas Well Fracking Within 1,700 Feet Of Elizabeth Forward H.S. In Allegheny County