This article has been updated since its original publication upon receiving additional information Thursday from David Sternberg, press officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
CLEARFIELD – During the public comment session Tuesday, DuBois resident Marianne Atkinson updated the Clearfield County Commissioners about the status of a proposed disposal injection well off Highland Street Extension in Brady Township.
Windfall Oil and Gas of Falls Creek has proposed the well for disposing wastewater from hydraulic fracturing of Marcellus shale natural gas drilling operations. Atkinson opposes the construction of the disposal injection well, as it would be located only two miles from city limits and could contaminate residents’ water.
Atkinson recently contacted the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which confirmed Windfall Oil and Gas had submitted an application for its proposed construction of the disposal injection well. Both the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the federal EPA must grant permits for the disposal injection well.
By phone and e-mail Thursday, David Sternberg, press officer for the EPA, said, “At this time, (the) EPA has not received a complete permit application from Windfall Oil and Gas Inc. for a Underground Injection Control (UIC) program permit for a disposal well. Its application was deemed incomplete by the EPA.”
He said the July 23 town meeting has been scheduled to provide an overview of the UIC program, to protect underground sources of drinking water and the UIC permit process in Pennsylvania. The agency will not discuss any specific prospective permits at the meeting.
“If and when a completed permit application has been received and a draft permit prepared, (the) EPA will issue a public notice providing for a public comment period and an opportunity for a public hearing,” said Sternberg.
Atkinson said State Reps. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Houtzdale and Matt Gabler, R-75 of DuBois, were invited to the meeting.
Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen advised Atkinson that all three commissioners would be attending. Commissioner Mark B. McCracken added, “I think our intentions are to present objections to this well being constructed in Clearfield County.”
Presently, Atkinson said the proposed site’s review would only consist of a one-quarter mile circle. She said perhaps, the commissioners could contact the federal EPA and request this review be extended outward an additional one-and-a-half miles.
“It’s an unusual location,” she said. “There are only five of these wells in the entire state, and all are located in remote areas. I’m afraid this (location) would open the flood gates all over the state.”
She said that a records review for more than 220,000 well inspections showed that disposal injection wells have routine internal structural failures. From late 2007 to late 2010, one well integrity violation was issued for every six deep injection wells examined. This totaled up to more than 17,000 violations nationally.
Further, Atkinson said more than 7,000 wells showed signs that their walls were leaking. She said these records also showed that wells are frequently operating in violation of safety regulations and under conditions that greatly increase the risk of fluid leakage and threat of water contamination.
Atkinson thanked the commissioners for promptly supporting House Bill 2350 known as the Injection Well Safe Water Act at the request of resident Darlene Marshall. Last month, Marshall presented the commissioners with an “undersigned petition” that opposed the proposed construction of the disposal injection well.
According to a previous GantDaily.com report, she and the 279 petitioners are seeking to halt the permitting process for the frack wastewater injection well. The petitioners are concerned about the chemicals, radiation and the “other known and unknown” hazardous material that pose a serious risk of contamination to water sources and surroundings.
The petition’s cover letter stated that the underground migration of frack wastewater, air pollution, tanker truck traffic dangers and spills are only a few of the residents’ fears. The petitioners also realize that noise pollution and declines in property value will accompany the construction of this frack wastewater well site.
“If these waste wells need to exist at all in Pennsylvania, they should be located in more remote areas,” the petition stated. “. . . This populated area of Highland Street Extension is laced with old deep mine shafts and gas well sites from the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s era that would carry polluted waters to destinations impossible to predict.”
In April, George introduced the Injection Well Safe Water Act; Gabler has “co-sponsored” this legislation. Only injection wells drilled for the disposal of waste from oil- or natural-gas-related drilling will be affected by this legislation.
“My bill provides for a two-year moratorium on the drilling of any new injection wells used for disposing of oil or gas waste,” George said. “The bill will not affect existing wells. However, any wells drilled after Jan. 1 of this year, including the well proposed in Brady Township, would not be allowed to accept the drilling waste.”
George’s legislation will also contain other water protection measures that will remain in effect after the moratorium expires.
For example, the bill includes a 2,000-foot setback from private water supplies, unless consent is granted by the owner of the private water well, as well as a 5,500-foot setback from public water supplies.
The bill bans the deep waste-disposal wells in floodplains and provides a 2,000-foot setback from trout streams and High Quality/Exceptional Value waterways.
To address the earthquake issues in Ohio, which have been blamed on injection wells near Youngstown, George included a provision in his bill that mandates a 2,000-foot setback from known geologic fault lines.
“Hydraulic fracturing fluid used in Marcellus shale drilling acts as a lubricant underground,” George said. “When this fluid is injected into the ground near fault lines, such as in Youngstown, it can trigger shifts in the ground that cause earthquakes.”
George said that similar to Youngstown, geologic fault lines run through the Brady Township area where a well has been proposed.
“Besides my setbacks from known fault lines, I place other restrictions that will make these wells safer overall,” George said. “Ohio has recently adopted new regulations to address this issue, and we should do the same.”
Other provisions include a continuous pressure monitoring system at the injection wells, automatic shut-off systems when the pressure exceeds its maximum level and electronic data recording systems for purposes of tracking all fluids brought to the well for injection.
“Communities cannot exist without fresh water,” George said. “We must do everything possible to ensure the integrity and protection of our drinking water supplies.”
According to a previous GantDaily.com report, George’s legislation is currently before State Rep. Scott Hutchinson, R-64 of Butler/Venango, and the committee of environmental resources and energy.
“We’ll need a senate bill, too,” said Marshall. “We need support for this (legislation), and anything that might move this forward.”