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The Department of Environmental Protection is now accepting public comments on a proposed Chapter 105 permit and Section 401 Water Quality Certification for two proposed Olympus Energy, LLC water withdrawal structures in the Beaver Run Reservoir in Washington Township, Westmoreland County to be used to support shale natural gas development. (PA Bulletin, page 6242) https://tinyurl.com/2jrazswj
Olympus is proposing to install, operate, and maintain two 36 x 22 temporary floating intakes within the Beaver Run Reservoir and 1.1 miles of 16-inch diameter high density polyethylene (HDPE) temporary above- ground waterline to transport freshwater from the Beaver Run Reservoir to the Athena Well Pad.
The Project requires one temporary road crossing of the Beaver Run Reservoir floodway and five utility line crossings and five temporary road crossings of streams and floodways with drainage areas of 100 acres or less.
DEP classifies the reservoir, streams and floodways in the project area as a High Quality- Cold Water Fisheries.
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County operates the Reservoir.
Questions and comments should be directed to: D.J. Stevenson, 724-442-42481 or 412-442-4000 or email: RA-EPSW-OGSUBMISSION@pa.gov at DEP’s Southwest District Oil and Gas Management Program Office, 400 Waterfront Drive in Pittsburgh.
The deadline for public comments is November 6.
DEP may schedule a fact-finding hearing or an informal conference in response to comments if deemed necessary.
Maps, drawings and other data pertinent to the certification request are available for inspection between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on each working day at the office noted above the application.
Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information. (PA Bulletin, page 6242)
CNX Gas Unauthorized Water Withdrawals
On October 3, 2023, DEP issued a notice of violation to CNX Gas Company LLC for making unauthorized water withdrawals to support shale gas fracking operations for 17 days between May 6, 2023 and July 6, 2023 totaling 389,518 gallons at the Beaver Run Reservoir in Westmoreland County. Read more here.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter, sign up for DEP Connects events, sign up for DEP’s eNotice, visit DEP’s Blog, Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.
Resource Links:
-- ProtectPA: Shale Gas Infrastructure Around The Beaver Run Reservoir; Pressure Spike Incident
-- Mountain Watershed Association: More Well Drilling May Jeopardize Drinking Water For 130,000
NewsClip - Beaver Run Reservoir:
-- TribLive: Westmoreland Water Authority, CNX Gas Reach $600,000 Settlement In Dispute Over Royalties From Dozens Of Gas Wells
-- StateImpactPA - Reid Frazier: DEP Fines CNX For Well Failure Near Westmoreland County Reservoir
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: CNX Reveals Cause Of Shale Gas Well Failure Near Beaver Run Reservoir
-- Shale Directories: CNX Hits Major Problem Fracking Utica Well Near SW PA Reservoir
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 -- Company Tries To Limit DEP Investigation; Unauthorized Water Withdrawals; Can’t Pay For Reno Cleanup; Venting Gas Wells; More Abandoned Conventional Wells [PaEN]
-- Repsol Gas USA Issued Violation For Denying DEP Right To Document Damaged Shale Gas Well Casing During Investigation Of Uncontrolled Gas Venting In Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Issues Violation To CNX Gas Company For Unauthorized Water Withdrawals For 17 Days From Beaver Run Reservoir In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- Petro Erie Inc. Again Claims It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s 2nd Order To Cleanup Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County [PaEN]
-- Environmental Hearing Board Will Hear Key Arguments On Appeal By A Washington County Family Alleging Shale Gas Drilling Contaminated Their Water Supply With PFAS And Other Chemicals [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - October 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On PA General Energy Constructing 3 Shale Natural Gas, Water Pipelines Thru Exceptional Value, High Quality, Wild Trout Streams In Lycoming County [PaEN]
-- DEP Now Accepting Comments On 2 Proposed Olympus Energy Water Withdrawal Structures At Beaver Run Reservoir To Support Shale Gas Development In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 69 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
NewsClips This Week - Shale Gas:
-- WPXI: Activists, Washington County Residents Concerned After Study Explores Link Between Natural Gas Development, Cancer
-- FarmAndDairy.com: Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Hard To Plug, Despite Influx Of Federal Dollars In PA, OH
-- JD Supra: Repurposing Oil & Gas Wells For Ground-Sourced Heat Energy In PA Raises Multiple Legal Issues
-- AP: PA Chocolate Factory Fined For Failing To Evacuate Before Fatal Natural Gas Explosion
-- TribLive: Car Rally Held To Raise Money For Rustic Ridge Families Impacted By Home Explosion, Fires In Allegheny County
-- TribLive: At 16%, Westmoreland County Tops Local Population Loss Estimates
-- Post-Gazette: Study: Westmoreland County Will Lead Population Decline In Western PA, While Others Will Boom
-- PA Capital-Star: Population Projections Highlight Need For Long-Term Solutions To Sustain Rural PA Communities; Population Expected To Shrink By 5.8%
-- Forbes: How One Contrarian Company [Mostly Conventional Oil & Gas Well Owner Diversified Energy] Thrives In A Shale And Gas World [Check The Company’s Compliance Record In PA ]
-- WOSU: The State Of Natural Gas Development/Fracking In Ohio
-- Observer-Reporter: DEP Secretary To Be Featured Speaker At Washington & Jefferson Hydrogen Seminar
-- TribLive: Columbia Gas Tests Hydrogen Blends In Natural Gas Appliances
-- Reuters: Equitrans Reaches Agreement With US Regulator For Mountain Valley Pipeline For Inspections, Integrity Testing, Among Other Measures
Related Articles This Week:
-- House Unanimously Passes Bill Against Lawsuits Aimed At Silencing Citizen Critics And Dampening Public Participation [PaEN]
-- Dickinson College Environmental & Indigenous Rights Honoree Tara Houska: Don’t Disconnect Yourself From The Reality Of Nature; Endless Expansion Of Pipelines Have No Place In Reality; Find Powerful Moments Of Joy [PaEN]
-- DEP Updates Location Of Scranton Public Hearing On Interim Final Environmental Justice Permit Review Policy [PaEN]
-- Member Of Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group Briefs DCNR Advisory Council On Siting Of Shale Gas Well Pad On State Forest Land To Accommodate Taking Gas From Private Land In Tioga County [PaEN]
-- Agencies Celebrate Eastern Hellbender License Plate Recognizing PA’s Clean Water Ambassador; Shale Gas Development On DCNR Land Threatens Habitat [PaEN]
-- DCNR Announces Appointment Of Seth Cassell As Pennsylvania's 18th State Forester [PaEN]
-- The Allegheny Front: Three Rivers Waterkeeper Citizen Monitoring Finds Plastics Maker Styrenics LLC Discharging Plastic Nurdles Into Ohio River, Threatens Lawsuit To Stop Them - By Reid Frazier [PaEN]
-- PUC: Focus Of Natural Gas Explosion In Port Richmond Section Of Philadelphia Now Inside The Buildings [PaEN]
-- Center For Rural Pennsylvania: Rural Population To Shrink 5.8%; Fewer Young People, More Older People; Current Policies Failed To Sustain Communities, Ensure Long-Term Rural Resiliency [PaEN]
-- PA Interfaith Power & Light 10th Annual Conference- No Faith In Fossil Fuels - Nov. 5: Virtual Keynote & Panel Discussion, 5 Regional Workshop Locations [PaEN]
-- Washington & Jefferson College Hosts Oct. 17 In-Person Harnessing Hydrogen: Exploring Local & Regional Opportunities In Appalachia Program [PaEN]
[Posted: October 6, 2023]
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