Pennsylvania Code & Bulletin
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

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The Pennsylvania Code website reflects the Pennsylvania Code changes effective through 54 Pa.B. 488 (January 27, 2024).

25 Pa. Code § 78a.64a. Secondary containment.

§ 78a.64a. Secondary containment.

 (a)  Well sites shall be designed and constructed using secondary containment.

 (b)  All regulated substances, including solid wastes and other regulated substances in equipment or vehicles, shall be managed within secondary containment. This subsection does not apply to fuel stored in equipment or vehicle fuel tanks unless the equipment or vehicle is being refueled at the well site.

 (c)  Secondary containment must meet all of the following:

   (1)  Secondary containment must be used on the well site when any equipment that will be used for any phase of drilling, casing, cementing, hydraulic fracturing or flowback operations is brought onto a well site and when regulated substances including drilling mud, drilling mud additives, hydraulic oil, diesel fuel, hydraulic fracturing additives or flowback are brought onto or generated at the well site.

   (2)  Secondary containment must have a coefficient of permeability no greater than 1 x 10-10 cm/sec.

   (3)  The physical and chemical characteristics of all liners, coatings or other materials used as part of the secondary containment, that could potentially come into direct contact with regulated substances being stored, must be compatible with the regulated substance and be resistant to physical, chemical and other failure during handling, installation and use. Liner compatibility must satisfy compatibility test methods as approved by the Department.

 (d)  Methods of secondary containment open to the atmosphere must have storage capacity sufficient to hold the volume of the largest single aboveground primary containment, plus an additional 10% of volume for precipitation. Using double walled tanks capable of detecting a leak in the primary containment fulfill the requirements in this subsection. Tanks that are manifolded together shall be designed in a manner to prevent the uncontrolled discharge of multiple manifolded tanks.

 (e)  All secondary containment shall be inspected weekly to ensure integrity. If the secondary containment is damaged or compromised, the well operator shall repair the secondary containment as soon as practicable. The well operator shall maintain records of any repairs until the well site is restored. Stormwater shall be removed as soon as possible and prior to the capacity of secondary containment being reduced by 10% or more.

 (f)  Regulated substances that escape from primary containment or are otherwise spilled onto secondary containment shall be removed as soon as possible. After removal of the regulated substances the operator shall inspect the secondary containment. If the secondary containment did not completely contain the material, the operator shall notify the Department and remediate the affected area in accordance with §  78a.66 (relating to reporting and remediating spills and releases).

 (g)  Stormwater that comes into contact with regulated substances stored within the secondary containment shall be managed as residual waste.

 (h)  Inspection reports and maintenance records shall be available at the well site for review by the Department.

 (i)  Documentation of chemical compatibility of secondary containment with material stored within the system shall be provided to the Department upon request.

Cross References

   This section cited in 25 Pa. Code §  78a.65 (relating to site restoration).



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