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On Wednesday, February 25th, a public meeting and hearing was held at the Wellsboro Fire Annex about the Wellsboro Johnston Airport expansion project. Citizens came out to hear from representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Clean Earth, Incorporated of Williamsport. Questions were posed and addressed during a Q&A session and testimony from the community was given to be responded to by the DEP and Clean Earth at a later date.

During the opening presentation Averil Rance, Vice President of Environmental Health & Safety for Clean Earth assured the attendees that the Research & Development facility in Williamsport processes and stabilizes drill cuttings exclusively. Fracking liquids, drilling muds and similar materials are not handled at this facility.

One of the first discussions involved the drill cuttings that would be used as fill in the expansion project. The drill cuttings are classified by the DEP as residual waste (as opposed to toxic or hazardous waste.) The DEP website defines residual waste as nonhazardous industrial waste. This includes waste material (solid, liquid or gas) produced by industrial, mining and agricultural operations. The DEP also states that, “Residual waste is highly diversified, both in type and in its potential to harm public health and the environment when improperly managed.”

Environmental Program Manager, Stephen Socash asserted the DEP’s extensive experience with drill cuttings, including their disposal, characterization, inspection for radiation, and issuing of Research & Development permits for beneficial use.

Other issues addressed at the meeting include:
The relocation of drill cuttings
Environmental Consultation
Personal and Specific Questions
Magnitude of the project
Liability
Transportation of the material

You can find the responses to some of these issues in the video feature above.

The department will continue to accept written comments until Thursday, March 12th.
The address for sending these comments:

David W. Garg, P.E., Environmental Program Manager
Waterways & Wetlands Program
North-Central Regional Office
208 West Third Street, Suite 101
Williamsport, PA 17701-6448

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