The Department of Environmental Protection is inviting comments on a Chapter 105 permit for a new proposed 16-inch natural gas pipeline to be built by Blackhill Energy, LLC along a 7.3 mile route through Springfield, Troy, West Burlington and  Granville Townships in Bradford County to facilitate shale gas development.  (Sept. 21 PA Bulletin, page 6030)

The proposed pipeline connects existing infrastructure at the Young Compressor Station site and goes to the proposed Port Royal Tap Site and then terminates at the connection point to the Tennessee Pipeline.

The pipeline will largely share a right-of-way with an existing pipeline and will involve a total of 24 stream crossings, and 38 wetland crossings.

The streams impacted include Pisgah Creek, Sugar Creek and the North Branch Towanda Creek.

The pipeline will terminate at the proposed Port Royal Tap site which will serve as the junction point to the larger Tennessee Pipeline. The pad will house metering and gas processing equipment to allow for operational flexibility and monitoring of gas entering the pipeline.

Blackhill Energy notified each of the municipalities and the county of the proposed project by letter on April 16, 2024 as required by Act 14.  [Copy of Act 14 letter.] Each local government had 30 days from the receipt of the letter to provide their initial comments to DEP.

The original permit was submitted by Blackhill Energy on May 29, 2024 and resubmitted on August 28, 2024 to respond to deficiencies.

DEP declared the application complete and published the PA Bulletin notice inviting comments on September 21, 2024.  (Sept. 21 PA Bulletin, page 6030)

Public comments are due 30 days after the notice -- October 21.

The 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 be- tween the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on each working day at DEP’s Eastern Oil and Gas Office in Williamsport (see contact information below)..

Individuals in need of accommodations should contact DEP through the Pennsylvania Hamilton Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users).

Click Here for the resubmitted Chapter 105 permit (5.29.24). [Not official]

Click Here for the Environmental Assessment (621 pages).  [Not official]]

To arrange to review the most recent application, ask questions or to submit comments, contact DEP’s Eastern Oil and Gas Office in Williamsport at 570-321-6550.  The office is located at 208 West Third Street, Suite 101 in Williamsport, PA  17101.

Comments and questions can also be sent to: RA-EPEASTERNOGPRG@pa.gov

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website, Report Emergencies, Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; visit DEP’s Blog,  Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - September 21 to 27 - Gas Storage Areas Wells Leaking; Failure To Comply With Orders, Failure To Report Fracking Chemicals; Bubbling Conventional Pipeline Leak  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violations To 3 Shale Gas Drillers For Failing To Report Fracking Chemicals, Including At EQT’s Lumber Well Pad In Greene County  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 28 [PaEN]

-- DEP: Comments Due Oct. 21 On New 16-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline Being Built In Springfield, Troy, West Burlington & Granville Townships, Bradford County  [PaEN]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Range Resources Applies For More Shale Gas Wells In Cecil Twp., Washington County - Drilling Close To Home-- Literally!

-- DEP Posted 73 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 28 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

20 Years Of Shale Gas

-- Observer-Reporter: Local Officials Have Had To Grapple With Fracking Since It’s Arrival - Cecil Township, Washington County   [Part II]  [PDF of Article]

-- Observer-Reporter: ‘Shale Revolution:’ A Look Back At 20 Years Of Gas Drilling In Southwest PA  [Part I]  [PDF of Article]

Related Articles This Week:

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility PA’s Dr. Ned Ketyer Shares Summary Of Studies Of Shale Gas Development Impacts On Human Health  [PaEN]

-- US DOE: China Is Biggest Destination For US LNG Gas Exports; PA Shale Gas Industry Says We Have ‘Duty’ To Export Gas To China, Our Military, Economic Competitor  [PaEN]

-- House Committee Meets Oct. 1 To Consider Bill To Diversify Energy Generation, Improve Grid Reliability, Lower Consumer Energy Costs  [PaEN]

-- PA House Republicans Introduce Bill Creating An Energy Advocate With Power To Veto Any Action By Any State Agency That Harms Energy Reliability, Affordability  [PaEN]

-- Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, Partners Release New Disability-Centered Guidance For Transportation Accidents, Petrochemical Plant Spills, Releases  [PaEN]

-- PUC: No Evidence Allegheny County Home Explosion Where 2 Died Related To Columbia Gas Facilities; Allegheny County, DEP Investigations Continue  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas Driller Says Natural Gas Price Spikes Coming Next Year Moving From $2 to $3 Range Up To As High As $9   [PDF of Article]   [PA Is 59% Dependent On Gas To Generate Electricity] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs At 14, Same As Last Week - Down 33% Since Aug. 23 [Industry Efforts To Increase Natural Gas Prices Continue]

-- Bloomberg: Top Investor In US Oil, Gas Companies Says Shale Producers No Longer In Position To Ramp Up Output To Give Consumers A Break On Energy Prices

-- Marcellus Drilling News: EQT Gas To Begin Reversing Curtailed Production Starting In October  [PDF of Article]

-- The Energy Age Blog: Doctor Summarizes Health Studies On Shale Gas Development Health Impacts

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Say

-- Inquirer/Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: CNX Resources: Our Operations Pose No Health Risk; You Can’t Be Serious, Activists Respond

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: CNX Resources Tells Gas Industry - Public Health Issues Won’t Just Go Away Without Transparency

-- Marcellus Drilling News: PA Lawsuit Over Radioactive Drill Cuttings At Mercer County Landfill Heads To Commonwealth Court Hearing Oct. 8  [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Expand Energy Corp New Name For Merged Chesapeake Energy- Southwestern Energy Gas Producers; Will Be Largest In US

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Propane Involved In Crescent Twp. House Explosion, Investigation Shows

-- TribLive: PUC: Natural Gas Service Not To Blame For Fatal Crescent Township House Explosion

-- TribLive: Natural Gas Sensor Alert Leads To Brief Evacuation At New Stanton Vo-Tech School After Teachers Say Gas Meters Had Levels ‘A Little Higher Than Normal’

-- The Allegheny Front: Study: Colleges With Fossil Fuel Funding Can Become ‘Vehicle Of Climate Obstruction’

[Posted: September 27, 2024]

9/30/2024