Pennsylvania Ag Connection - DEP Extends Comment Period for Falcon Ethane Pipeline App

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DEP Extends Comment Period for Falcon Ethane Pipeline App
Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 02/23/2018

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has extended the comment period on water obstruction and encroachment (Chapter 105) permit applications related to the Falcon Ethane Pipeline. DEP also opened a comment period on earth disturbance (Chapter 102) permit applications. Both comment periods will end on April 17.

"After receiving a significant number of requests for a comment period extension, we believe it to be in the best interest of community participation to provide additional time for the public to provide thoughtful and constructive input on the proposed project," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.

The proposed pipeline by Shell Pipeline Company would begin at the MarkWest Houston Processing and Fractionation Facility in Washington County and travel through Washington, Allegheny and Beaver Counties before ending at the Shell Chemical Appalachia Petrochemical Complex in Potter Township, Beaver County.

A separate segment of the pipeline will connect a MarkWest facility in Cadiz, Ohio and the Utica East Ohio plant in Scio, Ohio to the petrochemical complex in Beaver County. In total, approximately 45.5 miles of pipeline will be located in Pennsylvania and the pipeline will cross portions of southwestern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and the West Virginia panhandle.

A technical review is being conducted by DEP engineers and biologists and county conservation districts to ensure the applications meet all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

DEP has also elected to hold a public hearing in each of the counties on the pipeline route: Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington. Details are being confirmed and will be posted, noticed in newspapers and the Pennsylvania Bulletin, and conveyed in a press release once finalized.

"As DEP conducts a thorough review of the permit applications and associated documents, we believe the addition of public hearings and the comment period extension will provide greater opportunities for the public to review the project materials and weigh in," added McDonnell.

DEP has posted a copy of the application materials on its webpage, http://bit.ly/2sLkB2P, which is updated regularly.

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