The following DEP notices were published in the January 21 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - MTL 4H Well Pad: DEP received Notice of Intent to remediate soil contaminated with drilling wastewater at the site in Wyalusing Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 516)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - J. Hawk Well Pad: DEP received Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with diesel fuel for the facility in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 532)

-- Blackhill Energy, LLC - Kingsley E6H Well Site: DEP received and approved Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with drilling wastewater in Springfield Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 533) 

Air Quality Permits

-- Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC - Redd Farm Compressor Station: DEP invites comments on state-only Air Quality Permit for this facility in Amwell Twp., Washington County. (PA Bulletin, page 519)

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - Compressor Engine/Pigging Station: DEP issued Air Quality Plan approval for this compressor engine/pigging station in Springville Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 535)

-- Gans Energy, LLC - Gans Power Station:  DEP issued Air Quality Plan approval for this 88 MW natural gas power plant in Springhill Twp., Fayette County. (PA Bulletin, page 535)

-- Martins Creek LLC - Electric Peaking Plant: DEP revoked State-Only Air Quality Permits for this facility in City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County. (PA Bulletin, page 537)

Chapter 105 Encroachment Permits

-- PECO Energy Company - High Pressure Gas Main: DEP invites comments on Chapter 105/ Section 401 approval for gas pipeline main in Willistown Twp., Chester County.   (PA Bulletin, page 526)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Well Pad Construction: DEP issued after-the-fact Chapter 105 permit for well pad construction impacting wetlands in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 538)

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC - Nickolyn SUS Well Pad: DEP invites comments on after-the-fact Chapter 105 Environmental Assessment for well pad construction impacting wetlands in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County. (PA Bulletin, page 539)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Blackhill Energy LLC: DEP issued Chapter 102 permit for project impacting Mill Creek in Springfield Twp., Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 539)

Susquehanna River Basin Commission Oil & Gas Water Withdrawal Requests

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold a hearing February 2 on proposed water withdrawals, including an out-of-basin diversion for the Ironwood natural gas power plant in Lebanon County and six other natural gas drilling water uses.  (formal notice) Read more here.

These proposed water withdrawals are to be tentatively considered at the Commission’s March 16 business meeting.

The Helix Ironwood, LLC 700 MW natural gas-fired power plant in South Lebanon Township in Lebanon County, outside of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, is requesting the renewal of a 4.5 million gallon per day withdrawal from the Susquehanna River Basin.  Read more here.

The Commission will also take comments on these natural gas drilling water withdrawal renewals--

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC (Fall Brook), Ward Township, Tioga County, PA. Application for renewal of surface water withdrawal of up to 0.999 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20180303).

-- Repsol Oil & Gas USA, LLC (Fellows Creek), Ward Township, Tioga County, PA. Application for renewal of surface water withdrawal of up to 0.999 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20180304).

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC (Arnot No. 5 Mine Discharge), Bloss Township, Tioga County, PA. Application for renewal of surface water withdrawal of up to 0.499 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20180305).

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC (Cowanesque River), Deerfield Township, Tioga County, PA. Application for renewal with modification to increase the surface water withdrawal by an additional 0.661 mgd, for a total of up to 1.600 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20220920).

-- Seneca Resources Company, LLC (Susquehanna River), Sheshequin Township, Bradford County, PA. Application for renewal of surface water withdrawal of up to 0.850 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20180306).

-- SWN Production Company, LLC (Susquehanna River), Great Bend Township, Susquehanna County, PA. Application for renewal of surface water withdrawal of up to 1.500 mgd (peak day) (Docket No. 20180307).

            Click Here for links to information on all water withdrawals open for public comments at this hearing.

            Click Here for instructions on how to submit comments and monitor the hearing.

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [1.13.23]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 2 conventional and 18 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 2 conventional and 32 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 4 conventional and 9 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 432 conventional and 997 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 130 conventional and 39 unconventional 

*DEP’s Weekly Oil & Gas Program Workload Report

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!

PA DEP Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 14  to 20  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - Jan. 21  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets Feb. 2 Hearing On A 4.5 MGD Out-Of-Basin Diversion For Ironwood Natural Gas Power Plant In Lebanon County, 6 Other Natural Gas Drilling Water Uses  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 34 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Jan. 21 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Reports:

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Has Record Year: Cost, Criminal Convictions Up; $3.1 Million In Penalties Collected; Record Number Of Violations Issued; Major Compliance Issues Uncovered; Evidence Of Health Impacts Mounts

-- DEP Report Finds: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Routinely Abandon Wells; Fail To Report How Millions Of Gallons Of Waste Is Disposed; And Non-Compliance Is An ‘Acceptable Norm’

Related Articles This Week:

-- Feature: 60 Years Of Fracking, 20 Years Of Shale Gas: Pennsylvania’s Oil & Gas Infrastructure Is Hiding In Plain Sight  [PaEN]

-- DEP 2021 Oil & Gas Program Annual Report Shows Conventional Oil & Gas Operators Received A Record 610 Notices Of Violation For Abandoning Wells Without Plugging Them  [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases 2 More Bid Solicitations To Plug 43 Abandoned Conventional Gas Wells In Clarion County All At Taxpayer Expense, Industry Doesn’t Pay A Dime  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets Feb. 2 Hearing On A 4.5 MGD Out-Of-Basin Diversion For Ironwood Natural Gas Power Plant In Lebanon County, 6 Other Natural Gas Drilling Water Uses  [PaEN]

-- FracTracker Alliance Webinar Exploring Oil & Gas Impacts On Watersheds Available On Demand

-- Better Path Coalition Hosts Jan. 26 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing On Environmental Impacts From Development Of Unconventional Shale Gas & Oil Reserves  [PaEN]

-- York Daily Record Guest Essay: Low Blow By PA Lawmakers - Playing Politics With Kids Abused By Clergy, Harmed By Polluters - By Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network  [PaEN]

-- Williamsport Sun Letter: Dance With The Dinosaurs - Taxpayers Picking Up $1.7 Billion Cost Of Plugging Conventional Oil & Gas Wells - By Barb Jarmoska, Keep It Wild PA  [Abandoned Oil, Gas Wells Can Cost PA Taxpayers $1.8 Billion ]

-- Senate Environmental Committee Reports Out Diesel Mining Equipment Bill, Postpones Resolution On Restart Of Keystone XL Pipeline  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Yaw Looks For Common Ground With New Governor On Energy, Environmental Issues  [PaEN]

-- What Can We Expect From Gov. Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Davis On Environmental, Energy Issues?  [PaEN]

[Posted: January 20, 2023]

1/23/2023