Protecting the Allegheny

ACTION ALERT!

DEP Tentatively Sets May 18 Online Public Conference On Proposed Roulette Oil & Gas Waste Injection Well In Clara Twp., Potter County; Opponents Again Call For Robust Public Participation Process

On April 27, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has tentatively scheduled an online "public conference" May 18 on the proposed Roulette Oil & Gas waste injection well in Clara Township, Potter County from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Barbara Hanes, DEP Oil and Gas Operations, asked opponents of the proposal to confirm their availability by the end of the day April 28 and to send questions or other items to be included on the agenda by May 10.

In the email, Hanes said a link will be made available to anyone who wants to attend, but it makes no mention of how many people will be allowed to speak.

Questions about the public conference should be sent to Hanes at: bhanes@pa.gov. 

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Hellbent Panel: Chad Nicholson discusses the legal and organizing strategy to stop a frack-waste injection well

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UPCOMING ACTION ALERT CDAC MEETING MAY 25TH!

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ACTION ALERT CDAC MEETING MAY 25TH!

There will be a public comment period during the CDAC meeting.
CDAC is working on regulations governing  VOC's, roadspreading of brine, well plugging and more!
https://dced.pa.gov/pa-grade-crude-development-advisory-council/

may25 2023

 

 

And if you call in advance they will put you on the agenda!
AND Don't forget to bring a recording device!
CDAC meeting organizers forgot to turn on the recorder during the last CDAC meeting until after the public comment period ended. 

Hellbent

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Hellbent tells the story of Grant Township, PA's epic fight to prevent a fracking waste injection well from being built in their community.

The moderated discussion covered how the film came together, the community’s legal and organizing strategies, the Hellbender salamander's role in the ecosystem, and ways to support the East Run Hellbenders' ongoing advocacy.

You can watch the replay of the panel discussion and the short, 19-minute Hellbent documentary here

 

Attention Neighbors and PA Residents

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An injection well permit is pending for Clara Twp., Potter County, PA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has refused:

   - to publish a notice in the local news blog (Solomons Word).
   - to hold a public hearing.
   - to hold a public meeting with a Q&A.
   - to offer a public comment period.

Many other communities in Pennsylvania have had the privilege of public comment periods, public notices, public meetings and public hearings for injection wells and other projects that have a potential to impact communities.
Clara Township is a disadvantaged rural community in the Allegheny River watershed that is under-served by public services such as US mail, news publications, transportation and internet services. Only a small handful of Clara Township residents and stakeholders are even aware of the pending Class ll D injection well application.

Clara Township residents deserve what residents of other communities have been offered by DEP.

See Injection Well Application documents here

Please call Governor Shapiro and request:

·  a public notice published in the PA Bulletin and Solomons Word, the local popular news source.
·  a public comment period.
·  a public meeting with a Q&A period.
·  a public hearing so residents and stakeholders may have their testimony put on record.

Gov. Shapiro's number:

717-787-2500

The DEP Needs Your Help!

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Pennsylvania is poised to receive the first installment of the Federal Infrastructure Investment Act Funding which is being administered by the Department of Interior. These funds are intended to plug orphan wells. Pennsylvania recently sent the DOI a list of wells to plug with the initial grant. However according to the DEP's Orphan Well Plugging Program this list was compiled over 30 years ago!

Volunteers are needed to visit these wells, obtain GPS coordinates and photographs because many of the wells have not been inspected by regulators in many years. If you're interested in volunteering please visit the following links for approximate  locations of the wells. According to the DEP the recorded locations could be as much as 2000' from the actual location. Visit the map here to see wells near you!

Interior Department Releases Implementation Guidance to States on Infrastructure Law Efforts to Address Legacy Pollution

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Grant criteria reflects swift progress on efforts to plug orphan wells

12/17/2021

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today released initial guidance for states interested in applying for federal grants that will fund the proper closure and cleanup of orphaned oil and gas wells and well sites, a key investment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law includes $4.7 billion for orphaned well site plugging, remediation, and restoration activities. Separate guidance will be shared with Tribes for additional targeted resources, as well as notices for nation-to-nation consultation, in the coming weeks.

“The Interior Department is committed to helping working families, often in rural and Tribal communities, who face hazardous pollution, toxic water levels, and land subsidence both during energy development and long after extractive companies have moved on,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's historic investments will help revitalize these local economies and support jobs, all while addressing environmental impacts from these legacy developments.”       Read more

The Invisible Hand

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Clara Township, Potter County, PA Proposed Injection Well Action Alert &Timeline

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ACTION ALERT! 

Plans have been made to hold an informational meeting to discuss a proposal to convert a conventional oil well ( in the photo above) in the Allegheny River watershed into a class II injection well.  Class II injection wells are used to dispose of waste fluids associated with oil and natural gas production. 

The Clara Township supervisors, local residents and members of local environmental advocacy organizations have scheduled a meeting for January 27 at 7:00pm!

(Clara Township Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clara-Township-Potter-County-Pennsylvania/104051812965315) (Contact Clara Township 814-698-2268)

They have been gathering information on the proposed waste disposal well. Their hope is to provide the information they gathered to the public and also listen to residents’ concerns so they may convey their concerns to the permitting authorities.  Applications for this project are on file and are pending approval by both the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the (federal) Environmental Protection Agency.

Background 

On August 17, 2020 Roulette Oil & Gas LLC applied to the EPA for authorization to convert a conventional well into a Class II injection well in Clara Twp., Potter County, PA. (The authorization form is located here in Google Docs here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zgxfMx6_9ObUNdcvHv8Zx1F5lmpHRIBq/view?usp=sharing)

According to the PA Oil and Gas Map the location of the proposed injection well is in the Clara Oil and Gas Field near the Pleasant Valley, Clara Township border at Latitude DD: 41.894586 Longitude DD: -78.148143

You can see the location on Google Maps here: https://goo.gl/maps/GiZXjinNVtKgp12z6

Is Drilling and Fracking Waste on Your Sidewalk or in Your Pool?

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They’ve spread it on roads. They’ve irrigated almond farms and fruit groves with it. The oil and gas industry’s liquid waste has been used for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes over the years. But never has the “beneficial use” of this waste stream been so grossly applied, or so close to home, as it is today.

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Save The Allegheny is a regional environmental and citizen advocacy organization that formed in response to recent threats posed to the Allegheny River, clean drinking water, air quality, endangered species, wildlife and all of our natural resources.   This is a cause to restore our rights.

Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states...

"The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."

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