^ISBl Company Seeks Permit for Underground Waste Disposal Environmental Protectior Agency Team Completions LLC Kalkaska, Michigan February 2010 Public meetings scheduled EPA will hold two public meetings regarding its proposal to approve a request from Team Completions LLC for a permit to inject non- hazardous liquid waste deep underground. The first meeting is an informal open house where you will be able to talk with EPA officials and ask questions. The open house will be followed by a formal public hearing. At this hearing, you can make oral comments or submit a written statement for the record. Here is the meeting schedule: Wednesday, April 7 Public Meeting - 6 to 7 p.m. Public Hearing - 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mill Creek Elementary School 9039 Old M-72, Williamsburg Comments welcome EPA encourages comments from the public on this proposal. The comment period closes April 23. Submit comments in writing to: Rebecca Harvey Water Division (WU- 16J) EPA Region 5 77 W. Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60604-3590 312-886-6594 harvey.rebecca@epa.gov This map shows the location of the proposed Weber 4-8 underground injection well. Team Completions LLC would be allowed to inject non-hazardous liquid waste deep beneath the earth's surface if U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 approves the company's request for a permit. The company currently operates a commercial underground injection well - the Weber 4-8 well - in which they dispose of brine from oil and gas wells. Team Completions wants to inject what is known as "leachate." non- hazardous liquid waste from landfills, into the Weber 4-8 well in addition to the brine. After reviewing the request, EPA found there should be no significant environmental impact from the proposed well, which EPA calls a Class I commercial non-hazardous injection well. Therefore, EPA intends to issue a permit under provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Part of the approval process is the opportunity for the public to comment on EPA's proposal (see box, left) before the Agency makes the permit final. If approved, the permit is good for 10 years. Team Completions must apply for a renewal every 10 years, and show that the well continues to meet all mechanical integrity and permit requirements for a Class I well Technical information Geology: An underground source of drinking water, or USDW, is defined as any aquifer or portion thereof which contains less than 10,000 mg/L of total dissolved solids and is being used, or can be used, as a source of drinking ------- water. The Safe Drinking Water Act specifically mandates regulation of the underground injection of fluids through wells to assure that the quality of the underground sources of drinking water is protected. The injection zone is in the Traverse Limestone from 1,750 feet to 2,200 feet below the surface. The immediate overlying confining zone is the Coldwater Shale and Antrim Shale, which is composed of shale. Multiple confining layers exist between the injection zones and the base of the lowermost USDW, which has been identified at approximately 781 feet below the surface. This water-bearing formation is the base of the Glacial Drift. Class I wells must be in areas that are geologically suitable. Team Completions provided geologic, hydrologic and geochemical information to show that the facility is located at a geologically suitable site. Area of Review: All Class I wells have an "area of review." In this case, Team Completions used an area that extends two miles from its well. If there are other wells in the area of review that reach the injection zone, waste under pressure could contaminate supplies of drinking water by moving up through a well near the injection site, or through an abandoned well that was improperly plugged. It has been determined that multiple wells within the area are improperly plugged or constructed. In order to ensure that the injection fluids will not migrate into underground sources of drinking water through these wells, a safe maximum injection rate of 73 gallons per minute was calculated. This value is based on the distance to the closest improperly plugged or constructed well. Well operational parameters Maximum Injection Pressure: The proposed permitted maximum injection pressure will be determined based on a step-rate test or injectivity test after a final permit is issued. Financial Assurance: Team Completions_has demonstrated adequate financial responsibilities to close, plug and abandon this underground injection operation. A state bond of $30,000 has been established for this purpose with Northwestern Bank. More information available You may view the Administrative Record, including all data submitted by Team Completions, at Traverse Area District Library 610 Woodmere Traverse City You may also view related documents at the Region 5 office in Chicago. If you wish to visit the Region 5 office, contact: William Bates Permit Writer 312-886-6110 bates.wiliam@epa.gov. Or visit: www.epa.gov/region5/water/uic/uicpub.htm. You may call Region 5 toll-free, 800-621-8431, weekdays, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Right to appeal To preserve your right to appeal any final permit decision, you must either send EPA written comments or participate in a public hearing - if one is held. The first appeal must be made to the environmental Appeals Board. You may not seek legal action until all agency review procedures have been exhausted. 2 ------- |