This is not my work - but I pasted this information here because it was a very good resource. The source - NETL.
State Regulations: Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Bureau of Oil and Gas Management (Office of Mineral Resource Management) is responsible for the statewide oil and gas conservation and environmental programs to facilitate the safe exploration, development, and recovery of Pennsylvania's oil and gas reservoirs in a manner that will protect the Commonwealth's natural resources and the environment. General environmental protection regulations governing waste management and wastewater in the context of oil and gas operations are also administered by PADEP's Bureau of Oil and Gas Management. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3, through its Safe Drinking Water Branch, administers underground injection control (UIC) programs in Pennsylvania in direct implementation.
Contact
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Oil and Gas Management
Rachel Carson State Office Building
P.O. Box 8765
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8765
(717) 772-2199 (phone)
(717) 772-2291 (fax)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 Regional Office
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
(215) 814-5700 (phone)
Produced Water Management Practices and Applicable Regulations
The disposal regulations in connection with oil and gas operations are found in the Pennsylvania Code (PA Code), Title 25 (Environmental Protection), Part 1 (Department of Environmental Protection), Subpart C (Protection of Natural Resources), Article I (Land Resources), Chapter 78 (Oil and Gas Wells). PA Code, Title 25 (Environmental Protection), Part 1 (Department of Environmental Protection), Subpart C (Protection of Natural Resources), Article II (Water Resources), Chapters 91 through 93, 95, and 102 contains the regulations governing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permitting, water quality standards, wastewater treatment requirements, and erosion and sediment control. The Mid-Atlantic States Regional Office of the EPA (Region 3), through its Safe Drinking Water Branch, manages and implements the Region's underground injection control (UIC) programs. This includes the direct implementation of the UIC program in Pennsylvania.
General Requirements (§ 78.54)
The well operator shall control and dispose of brines in a manner that prevents pollution of the waters of this Commonwealth and in accordance with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Control and Disposal Plan (§ 78.55)
Prior to generation of waste, the operator shall prepare and implement a plan for control and disposal of brines.
The operator shall revise the plan prior to implementing a change to the practices identified in the plan.
Pits and Tanks for Temporary Containment (§ 78.56)
Except as provided in the regulations governing discharge requirements, the operator shall contain polluting substances and wastes from the drilling, altering, completing, recompleting, servicing, and plugging the well — including brines — in a pit, tank, or series of pits and tanks. The operator shall install or construct and maintain the pit, tank, or series of pits and tanks in accordance all applicable regulatory requirements governing design, maintenance, construction.
The operator may request to use other practices that provide equivalent or superior protection by submitting a request to the Department for approval. The request shall be made on forms provided by the Department.
Unless a permit under The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. §§ 691.1–691.1001) or approval under the regulations governing control, storage, and disposal of production fluids has been obtained for the pit, the owner or operator shall remove or fill the pit within nine months after completion of drilling, or in accordance with the extension granted by the Department. Pits used during servicing, plugging, and recompleting the well shall be removed or filled within 90 days of construction.
Control, Storage, and Disposal of Production Fluids (§ 78.57)
Unless a permit has been obtained under the regulations governing discharge requirements, the operator shall collect the brine and other fluids produced during operation, service, and plugging of the well in a tank, pit, or a series of pits or tanks, or other device approved by the Department for subsequent disposal or reuse. Except as allowed in this subchapter or otherwise approved by the Department, the operator may not discharge the brine and other fluids on or into the ground or into the waters of this Commonwealth.
Except as provided in the regulations governing pits and tanks for temporary containment, the operator may not use a pit for the control, handling, or storage of brine and other fluids produced during operation, service, or plugging of a well unless the pit is authorized by a permit under The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. §§ 691.1 through 691.1001) or approval to operate the pit as an impoundment under The Clean Streams Law is obtained from the Department.
The operator may apply for approval from the Department to operate a pit as an impoundment under The Clean Streams Law, as indicated by the Department's issuance of a pit approval number in accordance with this section. No pit will be eligible for approval under this subsection unless the capacity of any one pit or of any two or more interconnected pits is less than 250,000 gallons, or the total capacity contained in pits on one tract or related tracts of land is less than 500,000 gallons. Compliance with this subsection does not relieve the operator from the obligation to comply with Section 308 of The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § 691.308) and the requirements for obtaining a permit for the erection, construction, and operation of treatment works.
The pit must be approved, designed, constructed, operated, maintain, restored, backfilled, and revegetated in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
Discharge Requirements (§ 78.60)
The owner and operator may not cause or allow a discharge of a substance to the waters of this Commonwealth unless the discharge complies with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, including:
The Water Resource Regulations (Chapters 91 through 93, 95 and 102 of the PA Code);
The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. §§ 691.1 through 691.1001); and
The Oil and Gas Act (58 P. S. §§ 601.101 through 601.607).
The owner and operator may not discharge tophole water or water in a pit as a result of precipitation by land application unless the discharge is in accordance with the following requirements:
No additives, drilling muds, polluting materials, or drilling fluids other than gases or fresh water have been added to or are contained in the water, unless otherwise approved by the Department.
The pH is not less than 6 nor greater than 9 standard units, or is characteristic of the natural background quality of the groundwater.
The specific conductance of the discharge is less than 1,000 µmhos/cm.
There is no sheen from oil and grease.
The discharge water shall be spread over an undisturbed, vegetated area capable of absorbing the tophole water and filtering solids in the discharge, and spread in a manner that prevents a direct discharge to surface waters and complies with erosion and sedimentation control requirements.
The area of land application is not within 200 feet of a water supply or within 100 feet of a stream, body of water, or a wetland unless approved as part of a waiver granted by the Department.
If the water does not meet the applicable requirements, the Department may approve treatment prior to discharge to the land surface.
Reporting Releases (§ 78.66)
A release of a substance causing or threatening pollution of the waters of the Commonwealth, shall comply with the reporting and corrective action requirements governing incidents causing or threatening pollution.
If a reportable release of brine on or into the ground occurs at the well site, the owner or operator shall notify the appropriate regional office of the Department, and provide the description required by the regulations, as soon as practicable, but no later than two hours after detecting or discovering the release.
If, because of an accident, an amount of brine less than the reportable amount spills, leaks, or escapes, that incident does not have to be reported.
Upon the occurrence of any release, the owner or operator shall take necessary corrective actions to: prevent the substance from reaching the waters of this Commonwealth; recover or remove the substance which was released; and dispose of the substance in accordance with this subchapter or as approved by the Department.
Frequency of Inspections (§ 78.903)
The Department, its employees, and agents intend to conduct inspections at least once a year, if there is onsite brine disposal."
This is not my work - but I pasted this information here because it was a very good resource. The source - NETL.
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