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State Fire Commissioner Now Accepting Applications From Local Fire, Emergency Services For Training, Equipment To Respond To Shale Gas Infrastructure Fires, Emergencies

On September 30, State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook announced the application period for the 2024 Act 13 Unconventional Gas Well Fund Grant Program is now open. The online application will remain open until November 30, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.

The UGWF grant provides grants for volunteer and career fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and rescue companies in counties throughout the Commonwealth where unconventional gas well drilling has been permitted

The grants support local initiatives to acquire the specialized training, skills, and equipment to respond to gas well related emergencies to keep communities safe.

Fire companies, rescue companies and EMS located in the 40 counties with unconventional gas wells, and the 11 counties that directly border those counties, are eligible to apply for the grants.

A map of eligible counties is available online.

"The Office of the State Fire Commissioner is committed to providing resources to our emergency services personnel to prepare for hazards facing our communities," said Commissioner Cook. "These grants help to cover the costs of vital training and equipment for unconventional gas well emergency response, ensuring our first responders and communities are safe in the event of an emergency."

Eligible projects in accordance with the 2024 UGWF Grant Program provided by the Act 13 of 2012 include development, delivery and sustainment of training, professional certification, or the acquisition of specialized equipment for emergency responses relating to natural gas production from unconventional gas wells.

Examples of eligible projects include:

-- Obtaining professional national certification of fire, rescue, and EMS personnel.

-- Purchase of firefighting, rescue, EMS, or air monitoring equipment used at or related to an unconventional gas well pad incident or related to an unconventional gas well pad, including training on the equipment provided by the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy at no additional costs to the grant recipient.

-- Training classes and required educational materials to prepare for incidents at an unconventional gas well pad incident or related to the unconventional gas industry.

Visit the Office of the State Fire Commissioner’s Unconventional Gas Well Fund Grant Program webpage for detailed information about the grant program and instructions on how to apply.

(Photo: 2014 shale gas well fire in Greene County.)

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 - Five More Abandoned Shale Gas Well Violations; Failure To Disclose Fracking Chemicals; Failure To Report Waste Generation & Disposal; Lawnmower Causes Conventional Pipeline Gas Leak [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues Violations To 7 Shale Gas Drillers For Failure To Submit Monthly Waste Generation, Disposal, Production Reports - 1 Company For 3 Years; 2 More Drillers Fail To Disclose Fracking Chemicals [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 5 [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Sets Oct. 30 Hearing On The Proposed 2025 Fee Schedule; Water Withdrawal Requests, Including 4 Supporting Shale Gas Development [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 72 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 5 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Begins Accepting Grant Applications Oct. 9 To Plug Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners [PaEN]

-- DEP Advisory Group To Hear How DEP Proposes To Implement New Federal Methane Reduction Rule For Conventional Oil & Gas, Shale Gas Wells, Infrastructure Oct. 10 [PaEN]

-- State Fire Commissioner Now Accepting Applications From Local Fire, Emergency Services For Training, Equipment To Respond To Shale Gas Infrastructure Fires, Emergencies [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Hosts Oct. 16 In-Person Program In Waynesburg, Greene County On Protecting Public Health, Resources From Shale Gas Development [PaEN]