PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be accepting public comments through Dec. 10 regarding the proposed disposal injection well in the Highland Street Extension area of Brady Township, according to the EPA Web site.
The EPA has developed a draft final Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit for Windfall Oil and Gas Inc. of Falls Creek. The EPA stated that this permit is necessary for the construction and operation of one commercial Class II-D injection well to dispose of waste fluids that are associated with oil or gas production operations.
According to the EPA, Windfall Oil & Gas submitted a UIC permit application April 11. After review and resolution of application deficiencies, the EPA has developed a draft final permit. Windfall Oil & Gas plans to use Zelman #1 as a commercial injection well to dispose of produced waste fluids, and injection would occur into the Huntersville Chert/Oriskany formation.
The EPA stated that Windfall Oil & Gas permitting documents remain available for public inspection during the regular business hours at EPA Region III, Ground Water & Enforcement Branch, Office of Drinking Water and Source Water Protection. The EPA’s office is located at 1650 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19103.
All information submitted by Windfall Oil & Gas, unless deemed confidential, is available to the public in the administrative record, according to the EPA. The administrative record includes the permit application, the draft permit, statement of basis and all related correspondence.
The EPA stated that a copy of the permit application, draft permit and statement of basis for Windfall Oil & Gas is also available for inspection at the Dubois Public Library, 31 S. Brady St., DuBois, PA 15801.
The EPA stated it will solicit public comments on the Windfall Oil & Gas proposal to issue a final UIC permit for this injection well through Dec. 10. A public hearing has been tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. the same day at the Brady Township Community Center, 71 Community St., Luthersburg, PA 15848.
The EPA stated it must receive requests to conduct this hearing in their previously listed office by Dec. 4. When requesting a public hearing, person(s) must state the nature of the issues proposed to be raised. The EPA stated it reserves the right to cancel this hearing unless a significant degree of public interest, specific to this permitting action, is evidenced by the previous deadline.
Interested persons may obtain further information, including copies of the draft permit and statement of basis, by contacting Stephen Platt at the address listed above, by email address at platt.stephen@epa.gov or by phone at 215-814-5464.
