PHILADELPHIA – A final Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit was issued today to Windfall Oil and Gas of Falls Creek by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, in Philadelphia, according to a public notice posted on the EPA’s Web site.
This permit authorizes the construction and operation of a UIC Class II-D commercial brine disposal injection well, the Zelman No. 1, to be located near Highland Street Extension in Brady Township, Clearfield County.
The EPA Region III first issued a final permit for this well on Feb. 14 after holding a public hearing on this proposed permit Dec. 10, 2012, at the Brady Township Community Center and receiving written comments on the permit during two comment periods.
After Region III issued the permit, several petitioners appealed the permit to the EPA Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). At the request of Region III, the EAB remanded the permit to the Region on June 10, states the online public notice.
Following the remand, the EPA Region III evaluated oral testimony presented at the hearing as well as written comments received during the public comment period. Because this evaluation did not reveal substantial new questions, which were not already subject to public comment during the two comment periods, EPA Region III did not announce a third comment period for the draft permit, states the online public notice.
“After reviewing and evaluating the public comments anew, EPA Region III is issuing the same final permit to Windfall Oil and Gas as the permit issued on February 2014, with one change from the draft permit that imposes additional requirements for well casing and cementing, as specified in the permit,” states the online public notice.
“EPA Region III also explains with more details, in the response to comments document, why it believes that this permit complies with the requirements of the UIC program and is protective of the area’s underground sources of drinking water.”
Copies of the final permit and EPA Region III’s response to comments document are available for review:
Windfall Final Permit (PDF) (14pp, 2.42MB)
Windfall Oil and Gas Response to Summary Comments (PDF) (26pp, 6.84MB)
“The response to comments document also describes the procedure for appealing this permit decision. A petition for review of the permit must be filed within 30 days of date of this notice, as described in more detail in the response to summary comments,” states the online public notice.
Individuals interested in further information regarding the permit decision may contact Steve Platt by e-mail platt.steve@epa.gov or by telephone at 215-814-5464.