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Fayette County Commissioners Unanimously Pass Ordinance Restricting Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Wells

On March 21, Fayette County Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance restricting oil and gas wastewater injection well development to protect the health and welfare of Fayette County residents.

Fayette County Commissioners voted to adopt the zoning amendment to limit injection well sites during a zoning hearing .

The ordinance states that “Class I-IV Injection Wells shall require a Special Exception within the M-1 Light Industrial, & M-2 Heavy Industrial zoning districts.”

While this is not a total ban on injection wells, it is progress toward heavy restrictions on their development.

This move comes after G2 STEM LLC submitted an application for an injection well in Nicholson Township last July.

The permit was to dispose of fluids associated with oil and gas production into the Balltown Sandstone Formation about 3,400 feet underground.

Mountain Watershed Association and other like-minded groups quickly organized with Nicholson Township community members, township supervisors, Fayette County Commissioners, and State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R-Fayette) to submit their concerns about the well to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Issues raised included heavy metals, carcinogenic man-made chemicals, and radioactive materials present in fracking wastewater, quality of life impacts due to heavy industrial truck traffic, and the likelihood of water contamination in public and private water supplies due in part to the unique geography and industrial legacy of Nicholson Township.

After this robust community response, G2 STEM withdrew the application in early August.

The unanimous vote from the commissioners comes after the draft amendment was tabled at their January meeting.

Upon the motion to table the progress, MWA managing organizer, Stacey Magda provided public comment suggesting increasing the draft setback distance from 500 feet to 2,500 feet.

The suggestion was heard and the approved zoning language includes that increased distance.

During the hearing several Fayette County residents, including Nicholson Township Supervisor Rick Jarrett, provided comments in favor of the amendment.

Also in attendance were representatives from Food and Water Watch, Protect PT, and Three River Waterkeeper, all who have supported Fayette County with resources to understand injection wells.

“We’ve all been working diligently as a board of commissioners to prevent this [wastewater injection wells] from happening. We’re against this,” Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites said in August. “It goes against long-term growth and development.”

“This is not only a critical step toward protecting Fayette County from injection wells, but one hundred percent the result of local advocacy from residents passionate about their community,” said James Cato, Regional Organizer with MWA. “When the first injection well was proposed in Fayette County last year, the community pushed back and the company withdrew. Our elected officials listened and now our community is more protected from similar proposals in the future.”

"Today, Fayette County chose progress. Our Commissioners worked together and chose to vote in favor of this common-sense zoning amendment," said Stacey Magda, MWA managing organizer. "Not only is this a win for this area, but it paves a path to show that progress is possible across the Commonwealth and beyond.”

Related Articles - Injection Wells:

-- Republican Rep. Krupa Introduces HB 1656 To Ban Oil, Gas Wastewater Injection Wells To Protect The Public From Radioactive, Toxic Materials [PaEN]

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

-- 40 Individuals File Appeals, Most Handwritten, Of DEP’s Permit For Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County [PaEN]

-- EPA Appeals Board Allows Protect PT, Three Rivers Waterkeeper Appeal Of Penneco Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit In Allegheny County To Move Forward [PaEN]

-- EPA Region III Issues Formal Notice With Instructions On Appealing Penneco Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit In Allegheny County [PaEN]

-- Protect PT: Commonwealth Court Vacates Penneco Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permit, Remanding It To Plum Boro For Additional Fact Finding In Allegheny County [PaEN]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: DEP Approves Catalyst Energy Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well In McKean County [Jan. 26 Inspection Found Gas Bubbling From Well] [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: DEP Ignored Abandoned Wells During Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Permitting Process [PaEN]

-- Roulette Oil & Gas LLC Withdraws Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Well Application In Potter County [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]

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