Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R-Fayette) announced her intention to introduce legislation to prohibit DEP from issuing any permits or authorizations allowing oil and gas wastewater injection wells in Pennsylvania.

“Protecting the health and safety of our residents is one of the core functions of our government. Unfortunately, projects are occasionally proposed that endanger our citizens and I believe that an injection well for toxic oil and gas wastewater that has been proposed in a rural township in my district is just such a project.

“Injection wells are wells that are used to store fluid deep underground into porous formations.

“It has been demonstrated that the waste water from oil and gas operations has a number of radioactive elements and other toxic materials within it, which present possible health risks if they are allowed to mix with our drinking water.

“I do not believe that it is an acceptable risk to allow injection wells to be sited within our communities considering the severe consequences that may result if an accidental spill or leakage incident occurs.

“There have been a number of injection wells that have reported issues with fluid migration and significant cracking in the lining of these wells which has led to leaks.

“My legislation would prohibit our Department of Environmental Protection from issuing any permits or authorizations which would allow for oil and gas waste water to be injected within the Commonwealth.”

Rep. Krupa’s legislation is responding to constituents opposed to an oil and gas injection well in Fayette County.  The opposition forced the withdrawal of the permit application by the company proposing it.  Read more here.

Rep. Krupa told the Observer-Reporter: “I’m very, very proud of how the community rallied and responded to this.  In my role, I don’t want this to happen in Nicholson or Springhill (townships) or anywhere in state.”

Click Here for Rep. Krupa’s co-sponsor memo.

[Note: This is the same wastewater conventional oil and gas well drillers illegally spread on dirt roads to dispose of.  Read more here. 

[Conventional oil and gas wastewater contains 32 chemicals and constituents that exceed environmental and health standards, including for radioactivity.  Read more here.

[This is the same wastewater that is now contaminating the Village of Reno’s water supply in Venango County.  Read more here.

[This issue isn’t just one method of disposal, it is all methods of disposal must be reviewed.]

Related NewsClips - Fayette County:

-- Observer-Reporter: State, County Elected Leaders Take Proactive Steps To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

-- Observer-Reporter: Fayette County Commissioners Take Step To Prevent Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

Related Articles - Fayette County:

-- EPA: G2 STEM LLC Withdraws Application For Oil/Gas Wastewater Underground Injection Well Permit In Fayette County [PaEN]

-- DEP Assesses $600,000 Penalty For Illegal Disposal Of Over 1,800 Truck Loads Of Oil & Gas Waste Drill Cuttings In Fayette County [PaEN]

Related Articles - Injection Wells:

-- DEP Extends Comment Period On Proposed Roulette Oil/Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Clara Twp., Potter County To Sept. 7 [PaEN]

-- Comments Submitted On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In Potter County By Save Our Streams PA Show Principals Have Been Involved In Abandoning 8 Previous Injection Wells [PaEN]

-- EPA Issues Permit For Class IID Oil & Gas Waste Underground Injection Well In Jefferson County [PaEN]

-- Senate Environmental Committee Reports Out Bills Letting Polluters Decide When To Report Spills And CO2 Injection Well Primacy By Party-Line Votes [PaEN]

-- DEP Posts Solicitation For Bids To Plug 23 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Waste Injection Wells Owned By ARG Resources, Inc. And Pennzoil Company In Elk County [PaEN]

-- PA General Energy Announced It Will Plug Proposed Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Grant Twp., Indiana County [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 19 to 25 - More Abandoned Conventional Wells; Gas Frack-Out; More Leaking Wastewater Tanks; Equitrans Cleanup Continues  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Finds 2 More Petro Erie, Inc. Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Tanks With A Pipe Leading To A Discharge Area In A Ditch In Sugarcreek Boro, Venango County  [PaEN]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals DEP’s July Field Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Contaminating Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; 2nd Appeal May Be Coming  [PaEN]

-- Equitrans Determined Leak Of Over 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas From Cambria County Storage Facility Was Caused By Corrosion In Conventional Gas Well Casing  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - August 26  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission To Vote Sept. 14 On Budget, Climate Change Resolution, Water Withdrawal Requests, Including 8 Shale Gas Drilling Operations - 1 In Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 25 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Lycoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga Counties  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 62 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 26 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week - Natural Gas:

-- TribLive: Environmental Advocates Weight In On State Dept. Of Health, Pitt Study Of Natural Gas Development Health Impacts

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: PA Residents Call For Action After Pitt Study Links Natural Gas Development To Asthma, Childhood Lymphoma

-- Post-Gazette Letter: We Now Know How Bad Natural Gas Development Is For Children - By Dr. Edward Ketyer, Physicians For Social Responsibility PA

-- Inquirer - Will Bunch: Does Anyone Care About The Study Linking PA Natural Gas Development To Cancer In Kids?

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Health Depends On Regulation Of Oil & Gas Development [PaEN]

-- TribLive Editorial: Studies Of Natural Gas Development Point To Health Costs

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Give Teeth To Environmental Justice Policy

-- Observer-Reporter: State, County Elected Leaders Take Proactive Steps To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: DEP Cites Petro Erie With 5 Additional Violations [For More Leaking Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Tanks In Sugarcreek Boro, Venango County, Near Contaminated Reno Water Supply]  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick: No Word Yet On When Do Not Consume Water Advisory Will Be Lifted For The Village Of Reno Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater In Venango County  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Letter To Editor: Disappointed In Lack Of Involvement In Sen. Hutchinson, Rep. James To Resolve Village Of Reno Water Contamination Issue In Venango County [Polluted By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill]   [PDF of Article] 

-- TribLive: DEP Examining ‘Pinhole Leak’ In A Penneco Natural Gas Gathering Line Behind Homes That Exploded In Plum Boro, Allegheny County  [PUC, DEP Have No Statutory Authority To Regulate Safety Of Gathering Pipelines]

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Chester Draws Pushback: ‘We Suffer For Everybody Else’s Comfort’

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: ‘We Suffer For Everybody’s Else’s Comfort’ Critics Of LNG Natural Gas Export Hub Say

-- WHYY: Chester Residents Unite Against Philly LNG Natural Gas Task Force Proposal: ‘We Will Not Allow This Environmental Genocide’

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Vow To Fight LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Delaware County’s Poorest community

-- Inquirer: LNG Natural Gas Plant Could Bring Millions To Bankrupt Chester, Leaders, Residents Say No Thanks

-- Broad & Liberty Guest Essay: Federal Permitting Reform Critical In Making Pennsylvania Leading Player In Exporting Liquid Natural Gas - By Jon Anzur, PA Chamber of Business & Industry

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Advocates: Lack Of PA Permitting Reform Is Costing Jobs 

-- City & State PA: Business Leaders, Lawmakers Hope For Bipartisan Action On Permitting Reform

-- The Center Square: Permitting Reformers Say Make State Permits More Like Pizzas

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: Appalachian Economy Sees Few Gains From Natural Gas Development, Report Says

Related Articles This Week - Natural Gas:

-- Lawsuit Filed Against General Assembly, Governor Challenges Constitutionality Of Law Preventing DEP From Protecting Public Health, Environment From Harm Caused By Abandoning Conventional Oil & Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- 150+ Residents Of Chester Opposed To An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Proposed In Their Community Let Their Feelings Be Known To The House Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force  [PaEN]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Health Depends On Regulation Of Oil & Gas Development  [PaEN]

-- TribLive Editorial: Studies Of Natural Gas Development Point To Health Costs

-- Republican Rep. Krupa To Introduce Bill To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials  [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: State, County Elected Leaders Take Proactive Steps To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

-- Shapiro Administration Secures Methane Detectors For Neighborhood In Plum Boro, Allegheny County Where Home Exploded  [PaEN]

-- PUC Approves 2 Penalty Settlements With Columbia Gas Totaling $1.525 Million For A House Explosion In Washington County, 2 Natural Gas Pipeline Over-Pressurization Incidents In Franklin, Clarion Counties  [PaEN]

-- US DOT Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Announces Proposed Rules To Reduce Risk Of Natural Gas Pipeline Over-Pressurization Incidents, Explosions  [PaEN]

-- On Demand: ReImagine Appalachia Faith In Action: Environmental Justice For All - Ensuring Equity And Benefits Across Our Most Climate-Impacted Communities  [PaEN] 

[Posted: August 24, 2023]

8/28/2023