OP-ED: Fayette County not willing to take risks on injection wells
The Fayette County Board of Commissioners were pleased to learn that a wastewater injection well site is no longer proposed for Nicholson Township.
We remained united in our opposition to the proposed injection well from the moment concerned residents and the supervisors of Nicholson Township contacted our office. We were thrilled to learn that G2 Stem LLC of Fairfax, Va., listened to the community and withdrew their permit petition.
Our opposition was extremely thorough and organized, and the resulting withdrawal is an example of how Fayette County can achieve great things by working together to make our voices heard.
We learned of G2’s plans at the end of June, just a few weeks before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was to host a virtual public hearing on the proposal, in which the company was seeking a commercial Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II Well Permit.
If approved, the permit would have allowed for “the disposal of produced fluids associated with oil and gas production” by means of injecting those fluids “into the Balltown Sandstone Formation” at a depth of “approximately 3,407 feet to 3,417 feet below ground surface,” according to a public hearing notice provided to us by residents. The Environmental Protection Agency never notified Fayette County about the proposed injection well.
We immediately acted, working with township leaders and citizens, to generate as much interest as possible in a very short time, ensuring we were able to present our concerns to EPA representatives. We held two site visits, which included representatives from the Mountain Watershed Association and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s office.
All involved vigorously researched the effects of wastewater injection wells, and my six years as Fayette County’s solid waste and recycling director afforded me extensive knowledge of toxic chemicals, such as brine. We were elated to see over 100 people packed the community’s Oak Hill Baptist Church July 11, and they joined us in presenting our concerns to EPA representatives during the virtual hearing.
While preparing for that hearing, we learned the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rescinded a 2017 permit granted to Pennsylvania General Energy for the Yanity Wastewater Injection Well in Grant Township in Indiana County. Located approximately 80 miles from Fayette County, the well was strongly opposed by the community’s 700 residents, all of whom have private water wells at risk for contamination by the hydraulic fracking waste being pumped into an unused gas shaft under the township. Their fight to halt the injection well stemmed from high levels of radioactivity and earthquakes being scientifically linked to wells in other areas.
Fayette County was not willing to take those risks – and won’t be in the future.
On July 18, we sent Kevin Rowsey of the EPA Region 3 Water Division in Philadelphia a formal letter of opposition, further detailing our stance that we, as Fayette County commissioners, are obligated to our residents to ensure they have a safe living environment, free from toxic chemicals and hazardous waste.
We asserted that the potential toxicity of the injected fluids could harm humans, water sources, crops, wildlife and more. We have many questions about potential well failure and contamination of nearby residential and abandoned wells; potential destabilization of existing underground mines on site; the kinds of chemicals being injected into our land and their potential health effects; the impact of increased truck traffic on township infrastructure; contamination cleanup and insurance responsibilities; and what to expect in the future.
If approved, the permit would have been issued for 10 years, allowing dangerous wastewater activities to cause harmful, long-term effects on our local water table and surrounding environment that could take generations to reverse. This well would have impacted not only our current residents and businesses, but our ability to attract new families and companies to our area, stunting future growth.
On July 20, the board of commissioners passed an injection well resolution at our monthly meeting that sought to further protect our communities and show the EPA we’re serious about not wanting wastewater sites in Fayette County. They were never permitted here before, and we’re taking all necessary steps to ensure no such permits can be issued in the future, including working with our solicitors on zoning requirements for injection wells.
Next week, we’ll gather once again for a wastewater injection well town hall meeting. Hosted by the Fayette County commissioners, the Mountain Watershed Association, Protect PT, Fractracker, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Nicholson Township supervisors and state Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, the town hall is open to all who wish to join the cause as we discuss how to protect our communities from harmful injection wells in the future. It will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Oak Hill Baptist Church, 264 Old Frame Road in Smithfield.
Our fight is far from over, and we need as much support as we can get.
I want to thank the Mountain Watershed Association, Nicholson Township supervisors and our township citizens for being instrumental in helping us research and understand the dangers injection well sites pose to our communities. We’re grateful for their expertise and continued partnership as your commissioners take the lead and continue doing all we can to prevent future permits from being issued.
Fayette County will not rest until we can ensure protection for our people, our land and our future.
Vincent A. Vicites is a Fayette County commissioner.