The following DEP notices were published in the April 22 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities.  Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments.

Land Recycling/Brownfield Cleanups

-- Coterra Energy, Inc. - J.Hawk Well Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated by diesel-based drilling mud for the facility in Auburn Twp., Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2254)

-- Blackhill Energy, LLC - Jackson A Well Pad: DEP received a Final Report on remediation of soil contaminated with drilling wastewater for the facility in Springfield Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2254)

Air Quality Permits

-- Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC - Shell Petrochemicals Complex: DEP approved Extension of Air Quality Plan Approval (PA-04-00740A) to Oct. 28, 2023 for the facility in Potter and Center Townships, Beaver County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2257)

-- Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC - Shell Petrochemicals Complex: DEP approved Extension of Air Quality Plan Approval (PA-04-00740B) to Oct. 28, 2023 for the facility in Potter and Center Townships, Beaver County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2257)

-- Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC - Shell Petrochemicals Complex: DEP approved Extension of Air Quality Plan Approval (PA-04-00740C) to Oct. 28, 2023 for the facility in Potter and Center Townships, Beaver County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2257)

-- Roundtop Energy, LLC - Natural Gas Power Plant: DEP issued state-only Air Quality Permit for the facility in Auburn Borough, Susquehanna County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2258)

Erosion & Sedimentation Permits

-- Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Right Branch Wetmore Run (High Quality), Wetmore Run (High Quality) in West Branch Twp., Potter County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2262)

-- Blackhill Energy, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Mill Creek in Springfield Twp., Bradford County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2262)

-- Seneca Resources Co., LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Yarnell Brook in Deerfield Twp., Tioga County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2262)

-- Snyder Bros, Inc.: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting South Fork Pine Creek (High Quality) in Rayburn Twp., Armstrong County.  (PA Bulletin, page 2262)

-- CNX Gas Company, LLC: DEP issued a Chapter 102 permit for a project impacting Beaver Run in Bell Twp., Westmoreland County. (PA Bulletin, page 2262)

Susquehanna River Basin Commission

-- Hearing On Water Withdrawals: The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is scheduled to hold a May 4 hearing on proposed water withdrawal projects, including 12 related to shale natural gas drilling.  Read more here. 

-- SRBC Issued Permits For Water Use: In March, the Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission gave his approval to 39 water use permits for individual shale gas well drilling pads in Bradford, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming counties.  Read more here.

Oil & Gas Well Drilling Permits [4.14.23]*

-- Last Week - Permits: DEP issued 2 conventional and 13 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Permits: DEP issued 20 conventional and 269 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Wells Drilled: 36 conventional and 141 unconventional

-- Year To Date - Inspections: 4,473 conventional and 7,576 unconventional

-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 1,292 conventional and 491 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

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PA Oil & Gas Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 15 to 21; 10 Abandoned Well NOVs; New Crude Oil Leak; Defective Casing/Cementing  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - April 22  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts 75 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In April 22 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

PA Oil & Gas Compliance Reports

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

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owners Failed To File Annual Production/Waste Generation Reports For 61,655 Wells; Attorney General Continues Investigation Of Road Dumping Wastewater  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions  [PaEN]

-- 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’  [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]

-- 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  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- House Environmental Committee Sets April 24 Hearing On Plugging Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells; New Bill Restores Authority To Increase Conventional Well Bonding  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: Gov. Shapiro Provides Fresh Support To Key Changes Recommended In 2020 Grand Jury Report To Tighten Regulation Of The Natural Gas Drilling Industry To Better Protect Public Health, Environment   [PaEN]

-- New State Health Plan Identifies Health Issues Related To Natural Resource Extraction, Climate Change In Top 5 Threats To Health Outcomes; No Update On University Of Pittsburgh Oil & Gas Health Impacts Study  [PaEN]

-- Independent Regulatory Review Commission Approves Final Emergency Regs Setting VOC/Methane Emission Limits On Conventional Oil/Gas Operations  [PaEN]

-- Concerned Residents, Advocates Call On DEP For The Opportunity To Comment On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Potter County  [PaEN]

-- DEP/Equitrans Settlement: DEP, Preempted By Federal Law, Withdraws Order, Closes NOVs Against Equitrans For Cambria County Natural Gas Storage Leak Releasing 1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas  [PaEN]

-- PA Supreme Court Upholds DEP’s Authority To Protect Public Resources, Playgrounds From Adverse Impacts Of Shale Gas Well Operations; Do Not Mistake This Win For Adequate Protection  [PaEN]

-- Citizen Complaint Results In Discovery Of An Unreported Crude Oil Spill Affecting Over 2,400 Feet Of Stream At A Cameron Energy Conventional Well Site In Forest County  [PaEN]

-- Bay Journal: Shale Gas Drilling, Development Yields Both Fears, Funding For Pennsylvania Public Lands - By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal  [PaEN]

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Local Leaders, DOT Must Stop Plant In Wyalusing, Bradford County From Shipping LNG Natural Gas By Rail Or Truck Or Both To Philadelphia [PaEN]

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Environmentalists Being Kept Out Of Philadelphia LNG Natural Gas Export Task Force Meeting

-- American Journal Of Transportation: PA LNG Task Force Takes Testimony On Expanding Natural Gas To PA Ports

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission May 4 Hearing On Water Withdrawal Projects, Including 12 Related To Shale Natural Gas Drilling  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 39 Water Use Permits For Shale Gas Well Drilling Pads In Bradford, Clinton, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming Counties  [PaEN]

-- Intense, Bright White Light From The Shell Plastics Plant Turns Night Into Day For Many Neighbors Of The Beaver County Plant  [PaEN]

[Posted: April 21, 2023]

4/24/2023