§22-6A-23 Impoundment and Pit Safety Study

§22-6A-23 Impoundment and Pit Safety Study

The secretary shall, by January 1, 2013, report to the Legislature on the safety of pits and impoundments utilized pursuant to section nine of this article including an evaluation of whether testing and special regulatory provision is needed for radioactivity or other toxins held in the pits and impoundments.  Upon a finding that greater monitoring, safety and design requirements or other specialized permit conditions are necessary, the secretary shall propose for promulgation legislative rules establishing these new requirements.

• OOG report, Safety of Large Pits and Impoundment Used in the Drilling of Horizontal Natural Gas Wells, March 7, 2013.

• Project Overview: Water and Waste Stream Study & Pits and Impoundments Study, West Virginia Water Research Institute, West Virginia University, February 15, 2013, submitted February 20, 2013.  This document is an overview of both the water quality as well as pits and impoundment reports submitted to DEP to-date.

• Pits and Impoundments Final Report submitted by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University, December 17, 2012 (second version with this date), re-submitted February 15, 2013.  This document is the study of the structural properties of the impoundments and pits.

• Final Report Water Quality Literature Review and Field Monitoring of Active Shale Gas Wells Phase I For “Assessing Environmental Impacts of Horizontal Gas Well Drilling Operations”, submitted by the West Virginia Water Research Institute, February 15, 2013, submitted February 20, 2013. This document is the study of the groundwater as well as the toxicity and radioactivity of the materials held by the impoundments and pits.

• Pits and Impoundments Evaluation and Sampling Plan for Assessing Environmental Impacts of Horizontal Gas Well Drilling Operations submitted by John Quaranta, Richard Wise, Andrew Darnell, Michael Kulbacki, Matthew Idleman, and Justin Pentz of West Virginia University, December 10, 2012.

• Memorandum: WVU Large Impoundment/Pit Study Recognition and Response by Office of Oil and Gas Personnel by David J. Belcher, December 3, 2012. This memorandum documents the follow-up inspections DEP performed on the studied structures after training of its personnel.

• Standardized impoundment and pit inspection checklist, November 8, 2012. This document ensures consistency when the structures are inspected.

• OOG transmittal letter regarding W. Va. Code §22-6A-23 Supplemental Water Sampling Data in support of Impoundment and Pit Safety Study, October 29, 2013.  

• Water Quality Literature Review and Field Monitoring of Active Shale Gas Wells Phase II, West Virginia Water Research Institute, final October 7, 2013.