The Department of Environmental Protection invites comments on a request for Section 401 Water Quality Certification from Texas Eastern Transmission, LP for a project to construct a 20-inch natural gas pipeline under the Schuylkill River via horizontal directional drilling in Spring City Borough, Chester County and Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County.  (Sept. 16 PA Bulletin, page 5852)

The project proposes impacts to approximately 398 feet of the Schuylkill River, 4.88 acres of floodway, 0.67 acre of temporary impacts to a palustrine emergent wetland (Exceptional Value), and 0.78 acre of a permanent conversion to a palustrine forested wetland (Exceptional Value).

The project will also remove the existing 20-inch natural gas pipeline across the river.

DEP will accept comments on the request for 30 days.

The Department may conduct a fact-finding hearing or an informal conference in response to comments if deemed necessary. Each individual will be notified, in writing, of the time and place of a scheduled hearing or conference concerning the certification request to which the comment, objection or suggestion relates.

For more information, contact DEP’s Regional Permit Coordination Office at 717-772- 5987 or RA-EPREGIONALPERMIT@pa.gov.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.   (Sept. 16 PA Bulletin, page 5852)

Visit DEP’s Pipeline Portal webpage for more information on how DEP reviews pipeline projects.

NewsClips - Section 401 Reviews:

-- EPA Issues Final Rule Strengthening State Section 401 Water Quality Certification Rule For Infrastructure, Pipeline, Development Projects  [Pipelines are the most penalized industry in PA for environmental violations]

-- The Hill: EPA Gives States More Authority To Block Pipeline Project [Section 401 Certification Rule]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard -  September 9 to 15;  First Abandoned Shale Gas Well Pad? Another Leaking Equitrans Storage Well; Plugging Grant Twp. Injection Well  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - September 16  [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Section 401 Water Quality Certification For A Texas Eastern Natural Gas Pipeline Project Going Under The Schuylkill River In Chester, Montgomery Counties  [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 75 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Sept. 16 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

NewsClips This Week:

-- Public Source: ‘It’s Just Too Close:’ People Living Near Natural Gas Drilling, Industrial Facilities Suffer As State And Local Governments Fail To Buffer Homes

-- Bedford Gazette Editorial: Natural Gas Development is Making Pennsylvanians Sick, Lawmakers Must Act

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA Oil, Natural Gas Industry Urge EPA To Drop Plans To Tighten Particulate Matter Limits

-- Inside Climate News: Shale Gas Driller In PA Wants To Take 1.5 Million Gallons A Day Of Fresh Water From Small, Biodiverse Big Sewickley Creek In Beaver-Allegheny Counties. Should DEP Allow It?

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Residents In Village Of Reno, Venango County Still Reporting Problems With Water Supply Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater; Late Mayor Of Sugarcreek Boro Praised  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Some Residents Of Village Of Reno, Venango County Didn’t Receive Water Updates Relating To Contamination Of Their Water Supply By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater  [PDF of Article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: The Late Sugarcreek Boro Mayor Charlie McDaniel Praised For Leadership Responding To Village Of Reno Water Supply Emergency Caused By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill  [PDF of article]

-- WPXI: Multiple Ross Twp. Homes Evacuated After Contractor Hits Natural Gas Line In Allegheny County

-- WTAE: Records Show Dozens Of Abandoned Natural Gas Wells In Plum Boro, Allegheny County

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Federal Oil, Gas Leases Create Jobs And Meet Needs For Affordable Energy  [Note: There are 5,000 to 7,000 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells in the Allegheny National Forest]

--  Inquirer Guest Essay: Abandoned Conventional Oil, Gas Wells In PA Must Be Plugged - By Well Done Foundation  [In The Business Of Plugging Wells]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Natural Gas Industry Says Not Enough Pipelines Could Cut Off Expansion Of Natural Gas Supplies  [Pipelines are the most penalized industry in PA for environmental violations]

-- EPA Issues Final Rule Strengthening State Section 401 Water Quality Certification Rule For Infrastructure, Pipeline, Development Projects  [Pipelines are the most penalized industry in PA for environmental violations]

-- The Hill: EPA Gives States More Authority To Block Pipeline Projects [Section 401 Certification Rule]

-- Inside Climate News: Ohio Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Well Suspended Over ‘Imminent Danger’ To Drinking Water  [PA gas drillers use Ohio sites for disposal]

-- The Allegheny Front: Ohio Attorney General Investigating Disputed Public Comments That Urge Natural Gas Development In State Parks

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: EPA Failed To Take Action On Excessive Benzene Emissions At Philly Refinery Site For Years

-- PA Capital-Star: Report Faults EPA For Not Enforcing Limits On Toxic Benzene Emissions At Oil Refineries

-- Warren Times: Warren County Leading Region In High Gasoline Prices

-- Bloomberg: Saudi Arabia’s Oil Squeeze Rekindles Talk Of $100 Oil

-- The Derrick: Oil Region National Heritage Area To Hold Oil Heritage Energy Security Conference Oct. 12-13 In Venango County [Some Events Invitation Only]  [PDF of article]

-- Post-Gazette: Top Work Places Survey In Pittsburgh Has EQT Natural Gas Drilling In First Place  [Check their DEP environmental compliance record here ]

-- The Allegheny Front: Groups Say ‘Clean’ Hydrogen Projects Lack Transparency And Fear Climate, Safety Impacts

-- LancasterOnline: Fracking Revenue Fund 12 Years Of Environmental Projects In Lancaster County

-- Bay Journal: Virginia Natural Gas Compressor Project Raises Environmental Justice Questions

-- Financial Times: World At ‘Beginning Of End’ Of Fossil Fuel Era, Says Global Energy Agency [Demand For Oil, Natural Gas, Coal Will All Peak Before 2030]

-- Wall Street Journal: Demand For Oil, Natural Gas, Coal To Peak This Decade, IEA Chief Says

Related Articles This Week:

-- Environmental Health Project Finds Results ‘Very Concerning’ From University Of Pittsburgh Studies Showing Links Between Natural Gas Development And Lymphoma Cancer, Worsening Asthma Conditions, Lower Birth Weights  [PaEN]

-- Oil & Gas Industry Spills, Releases Created Over 575 New Brownfield Sites So Far In Pennsylvania, With More Every Week  [PaEN]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Says It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; Will Taxpayers Be Stuck With Cleanup Costs Again?  [PaEN]

-- DEP Publishes Interim Final Environmental Justice Policy Changing Permit Review Process; Opens Comment Period Setting 9 Public Hearings  [PaEN]

-- Oil Region National Heritage Area To Hold 2nd Oil Heritage Energy Security Conference Oct. 12-13 In Venango County  [PaEN]

-- PUC Urges Consumers To Shop For Natural Gas Supplies To Lock In Lower Gas Prices To Help Insulate Against Potential Energy Price Spikes  [PaEN]

[Posted: September 15, 2023]

9/18/2023