PA Environment Daily

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

On September 1, the Department of Environmental Protection said any waste generated by the new conventional oil and gas well plugging program will NOT be exempt from hazardous waste requirements, unlike the same or similar wastes generated from active oil and gas production wells and facilities.

Waste 97

Waste Regulations Radiation Natural Gas 97

PA Environment Daily

MAY 8, 2023

In December 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released new regulations to address fugitive methane emissions from oil and gas well sites and centralized production facilities. The regulations, for the first time, embrace recent advances in new methane detection technologies. Read more here.

Regulations 73

Regulations Natural Gas Technology Technology 73

PA Environment Daily

MAY 14, 2024

Information provided by the Department of Environmental Protection in response to a Right to Know request shows DEP took major enforcement actions against 26 shale gas drilling and pipeline companies in 2023, including imposing $2,290,849 in penalties for violations going back to 2018.

2018 106

2018 2023 2020 2019 106

PA Environment Daily

MAY 2, 2024

In 2021 and 2022, PEMA and DRBC worked in Pike, Monroe, Wayne and Lackawanna Counties. Click Here to sign up for regulator updates. Now in its second round, this project receives funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program. Follow DRBC on Twitter.

Environmental Protection 93

Environmental Protection Climate Change 2024 Regulations 93

Clean Energy Law

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

By Nikki Buffa , Joshua Bledsoe , Jennifer Roy , Michael Dreibelbis , Brian McCall , Austin Wruble , and Sam Wong Louisiana has become the third state in the United States to receive primacy from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allowing it to assume permitting authority for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

Carbon Dioxide 130

Carbon Dioxide Regulations 2024 2023 130

Clean Energy Law

MAY 24, 2022

On May 10, 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released its Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update for public review and comment. The AB 398 changes to Cap-and-Trade Program started to phase-in on January 1, 2021. Today, the Program regulates roughly 450 entities responsible for roughly 85% of the state’s GHG emissions.

2030 130

2030 Carbon Dioxide Natural Gas Regulations 130

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 6, 2024

Information provided by the Department of Environmental Protection in response to a Right To Know request shows DEP took enforcement action against 14 conventional oil and gas well operators that resulted in collecting $422,365 in penalties and bond forfeitures in 2023. Read more here (2017-2021). Read more here (2022).

2023 119

2023 2021 2020 Natural Gas 119

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 8, 2022

By Josh Raulerson, PA Environmental Council Data published in February by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show a startling 9.6% increase in carbon dioxide pollution from the Commonwealth’s power plants between 2020 and 2021. Reprinted from the PA Environmental Council Blog.)

Greenhouse 57

Greenhouse 2021 Carbon Dioxide Clean Energy 57

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 28, 2023

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the April 29 PA Bulletin -- -- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the April 29 PA Bulletin of an NPDES Water Quality Permit appeal final settlement regarding the U.S. 2022- 003-R]. ( All through its eNotice system. Click Here to sign up.

Environmental Protection 72

Environmental Protection Regulations 2023 2021 72

PA Environment Daily

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

The agenda for the December 1 DEP Oil & Gas Technical Advisory Board meeting includes updates on Chapter 78 regulation changes, the new federal abandoned well plugging program and more. The last draft of the waste handling regulation update was posted by DEP in September, 2021. Read more here. Read more here.

Regulations 52

Regulations Natural Gas Environmental Protection 2016 52

PA Environment Daily

OCTOBER 26, 2023

On October 17, the Department of Environmental Protection responded to citizen reports of a petroleum odor and oil sheen on the Conodoguinet Creek in Silver Spring Township, Cumberland County. Background On Storage Tanks There are 21,251 underground storage tanks now registered and regulated by DEP, as of September 30, 2022.

Regulations 86

Regulations Conservation Environmental Protection 2022 86

PA Environment Daily

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the September 17 PA Bulletin -- The Department of Environmental Protection issued a public notice on September 17 banning the sale of electronic devices made by Linsay Digital, Azulle Tech, Gigabyte Technology and Evervue USA, Inc. PA Bulletin, page 6009 ). Read more here.

Environmental Protection 57

Environmental Protection 2026 Regulations Natural Resources 57

The Energy Law Blog

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law on November 15, 2021, amended Section 40307 of the Outer Continental Shelfs Act (OCSLA) to provide authority to the U.S. However, the DOI’s proposed implementing regulations authorized by the IIJA have yet to be issued for public comment.

Carbon Dioxide 105

Carbon Dioxide Regulations 2022 2023 105

PA Environment Daily

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued a record 5,653 notices of violation to conventional oil and gas operators in 2023, with two months left in the year, according to DEP’s November 3, 2023 Weekly Workload Report. That’s 25% more than in 2021. Click Here to read the 2022 compliance report summary.

2023 122

2023 Natural Gas Environmental Protection 2022 122

Law and Environment

JULY 1, 2022

EPA on Thursday, June 30, 2022, curbing the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants across the country. The Court determined that regulating the country’s power grid and phasing out coal presented a major question.

Clean Energy 130

Clean Energy Climate Change Clean Air Act Greenhouse 130

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 23, 2023

GW record from 2021. But if plant owners actually do follow through on their retirement plans, there will be real, tangible public health and environmental benefits. Note: this is adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars and is based on the amount those plants emitted in 2021, the EIA’s most recent year of finalized data.

Fossil Fuels 183

Fossil Fuels 2023 Clean Energy Nitrogen Oxides 183

Nanotech

JUNE 9, 2023

The Tour de Table compiles information provided by delegations on the occasion of the 22nd meeting of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) in June 2022. As reported in our June 21, 2022, blog item , the draft was published on June 17, 2022, for a 60-day public comment period.

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Regulations 2022 2030 2021 52

Clean Energy Law

DECEMBER 21, 2023

By Joshua Bledsoe , Nick Cox , and Jennifer Garlock On December 14, 2023, a US federal judge rejected claims that federal law preempts the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD or the District) adoption of Rule 2305 (Rule), upholding the first-in-the-nation Rule [1] that regulates trucking emissions from warehouses.

Clean Air Act 130

Clean Air Act Regulations Law 2023 130

PA Environment Daily

OCTOBER 14, 2021

On October 14, the Department of Environmental Protection presented a proposed regulation that would adopt California’s existing Zero Emission Vehicle Program that requires 22 percent of the new passenger and light duty vehicle fleets offered for sale in the state be zero emission vehicles starting in model year 2025.

2025 52

2025 Nitrogen Oxides Regulations Ground-Level Ozone 52

PA Environment Daily

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Now, a report by the state Department of Environmental Protection reflects that legislative malpractice. The DEP found that, from 2017 through 2021, more than half of owners of “conventional” gas wells failed to report how much gas they extracted and that operators abandoned, without plugging, more than 3,000 methane-spewing wells.

Waste 127

Waste Regulations 2017 Natural Gas 127

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 26, 2022

On April 26, 15 projects by schools, businesses, and community organizations around the state were recognized with the 2022 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence. Every year, the Environmental Excellence honorees show the creative and innovative ways we can improve our environment, and this year is no different,” said Gov.

2022 81

2022 Recycling Nitrogen Oxides 2020 81

PA Environment Daily

FEBRUARY 16, 2022

On February 15, the Department of Environmental Protection told the Environmental Quality Board conventional oil and gas drilling companies only paid $46,100 of the $10,600,000 it cost for DEP to regulate that industry in FY 2020-21. Overall, DEP expects an annual revenue deficit of at least $10.5 Read more here.]

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Regulations 2012 2020 2014 52

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 8, 2022

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the April 9 PA Bulletin of a May 25 public hearing on the initial air quality permit for the Lackawanna Energy Center Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant in Jessup, Lackawanna County. (

Natural Gas 52

Natural Gas Clean Energy Environmental Protection Greenhouse 52

PA Environment Daily

NOVEMBER 22, 2022

On November 22, the Clean Air Council , PennFuture , and the Center for Biological Diversity announced they appealed an extension of Renovo Energy Center’s air pollution permit for a large gas-fired power plant — a significant source of new pollution within an environmental justice area.

Natural Gas 104

Natural Gas Fossil Fuels Air Pollution Renewable Energy 104

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 20, 2022

US ratepayers very likely will pay even more for electricity and heating this winter compared to the already-expensive winter of 2021-2022. Between 2015 and 2021, 274 North American oil and gas producers filed for bankruptcy with a debt load of $177 billion. The bankruptcies were set in motion even before 2020.

Fossil Fuels 279

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Electricity Natural Gas 279

PA Environment Daily

JANUARY 10, 2022

On January 5, the Department of Environmental Protection reported their inspections found 4,386 violations of environmental regulations at conventional oil and gas operations during 2021 -- nearly two and a half times the violations reported just two years ago in 2019 and 337 more than in 2020. Read more here.] .:

Waste 134

Waste 2017 2020 2019 134

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 16, 2023

The Grand Jury Report was released by then Attorney General Shapiro in June 2020 after what he said then was a two-year investigation uncovered systematic failure by government agencies in overseeing the fracking industry and fulfilling their responsibility to protect Pennsylvanians from the inherent risks of industry operations.

Natural Gas 93

Natural Gas 2020 Regulations Air Pollution 93

PA Environment Daily

DECEMBER 29, 2022

The report looked at environmental compliance in the industry between 2017 through 2021. Overview Of Non-Compliance DEP reports between 2017 through 2021, the agency did 63,026 inspections of wells belonging to 1,512 conventional oil and gas well owners operating 34,812 wells. Read more here.

Waste 98

Waste 2017 Regulations Environmental Protection 98

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 22, 2022

When I began working as a state government scientist in Minnesota, I was motivated to advance environmental protections that prevent against pollutants from crossing from one environmental medium to another, such as from the air to water. To understand cumulative impacts, we can use the analogy of a doctor’s appointment.

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Environmental Protection Government 2009 Law 226

Capaccio

DECEMBER 14, 2021

Gather your hazardous material storage, chemical usage, and hazardous waste records for 2021… regulatory reporting due dates are coming this spring! A full calendar of all compliance activities for 2022 will be available in early January 2022 on our web-site-Stay Tuned! . Due January 1, 2022: . Due March 1, 2022: .

Waste 52

Waste 2021 2022 Environmental Protection 52

PA Environment Daily

AUGUST 12, 2022

Kurt Klapkowski, Acting Deputy for Oil and Gas Management, said the new state law may also have an impact on whether DEP can meet federal requirements for regulating oil and gas drilling wastewater injection wells. The last draft of the waste handling regulation update was posted by DEP in September, 2021. Burgos added.

Regulations 52

Regulations Natural Gas Environmental Protection Law 52

PA Environment Daily

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

From 2016 through 2022, DEP issued NOVs for abandoning wells without plugging them to not just to a few companies, but to 256 separate conventional oil and gas companies. Conventional oil and gas operators racked up 4,386 violations of environmental regulations in calendar year 2021 alone. Read more here. Read more here.

2018 97

2018 2016 Environmental Protection Regulations 97

PA Environment Daily

OCTOBER 5, 2022

The Department of Environmental Protection issued notices of violation to conventional oil and gas companies for abandoning 55 wells without plugging them during September alone, according to DEP’s Oil and Gas Program Compliance Database. Read more here. Read more here. Read more here. You will be shocked at what you find.

Waste 98

Waste 2016 Natural Gas Environmental Protection 98

PA Environment Daily

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Hunters, hikers, fall foliage visitors and anyone going out to enjoy Penn’s Woods this fall are urged by former Department Of Environmental Protection Secretary David Hess to report the illegal road dumping of conventional oil and gas wastewater on roads. Read more here. Read more here. Read more here.

Waste 94

Waste 2021 2016 Natural Resources 94

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 2, 2022

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued 12 unconventional shale gas drillers notices of violation for abandoning gas wells without plugging them at 35 wells pads (each with multiple wells) in 17 counties between 2016 and 2022, according to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Reporting system. Read more here.

2016 98

2016 2017 2018 2020 98

PA Environment Daily

JULY 23, 2022

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the July 23 PA Bulletin -- The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the July 23 PA Bulletin Covanta Plymouth Renewable Energy Facility in Plymouth Township, Montgomery County submitted an application for the renewal of its Title V Air Quality permit.

Regulations 52

Regulations Environmental Protection Renewable Energy Natural Resources 52

PA Environment Daily

DECEMBER 12, 2022

Documents obtained through a Right-to-Know request submitted to the Bureau of Waste Management raise new concerns that road spreading of toxic, radioactive drilling waste may have gone unreported in the four years since the Department of Environmental Protection put a moratorium on the disposal method. Read more here. Read more here.

Waste 98

Waste 2016 2018 Environmental Protection 98