IR Record

Thermopolis
Thermopolis
Independent

B Section

Information sought in
restroom vandalism
Among the facilities available to those playing or attending base-
ball and softball games during the summer months, or watching
the fireworks show, are the public restrooms at the softball com-
plex between the armory and fairgrounds.
But recent incidents have caused concern over how the rest-
rooms are being treated. Hot Springs County Recreation District
Director Anja Abbott said on July 4 someone “went to town” in
the stalls of the women’s restroom, carving initials and messages.
In mid to late June, she noted, someone left a tap on in the same
restroom, causing some flooding.
Abbott explained the restrooms are typically unlocked when there
is an activity and relocked when it is over. If someone happens to
photo by Cindy Glasson
be practicing or playing outside a scheduled event and rec district
staff are around, she said, people can ask staff to unlock them. Dropping in for a taste
Abbott said there has been some discussion about setting up
cameras or other options to increase security at the restrooms, A sure sign of summer as a bee flies in for a landing on a sunflower to get a quick taste before heading back to the
though she would like to be able to have them open even when hive. All of the moisture we've had has made the flowers bloom like crazy, letting Mother Nature's little honey
staff is not around. Anyone with information regarding the inci- makers very happy.
dents is encouraged to call the rec district at 864-3767.

EPA requests additional information regarding Aethon permit

by Cindy Glasson
A formal letter from the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to the Wyoming De-
partment of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
may send Aethon Energy back to the drawing
board with their proposed permit for the Mo-
neta Divide field.
The EPA is a step above the DEQ in the
chain of command so their requests for addi-
tional information and corrections will have to
be adhered to. The requests could put off the
permit for at least a year.
The EPA said the permit application lacks
clarity as to how the technology-based effluent
limits were developed and contains no analy-
sis as to whether or not they comply with the
federal effluent limitations guidelines.
The permit application must also include
water quality based effluent limits for all pol-
lutants and the EPA says it is unclear whether
such an analysis was completed.
The EPA is asking for that analysis for pol-
lutants used in all aspects of the drilling pro-
cess and the degradation effects they may have
for Alkali Creek, Badwater Creek and Boysen
Reservoir.
The permit application cites a 2007 policy
rather than the Antidegradation Implemen-
tation Policy previously reviewed by the EPA.
The EPA said they were not aware of the
2007 policy before the drafting of the permit
and to their knowledge the policy has never
been subject to public notice or review. Using
the proper policy they believe the resulting ef-
fluent limits in the permit may result in deg-
radation to water quality in the Wind River,
which may not meet the State’s antidegrada-
tion rules for Class I waters.
“The permit authorizes the discharge of pro-
duced water from conventional oil and/or gas
facilities to waters of the state if the effluent
quality complies with effluent limits established
by this permit,” the EPA states. Further, “this
permit does not cover activities associated with
discharges of drilling fluids, acids, stimulation
waters or other fluids derived from drilling or
completion of wells.”
In this instance, the EPA is asking for an
explanation from Aethon how the fluids will be
managed so they are not discharged.
The permit application also indicates they
would like areas to be “grandfathered” in for
chloride and total dissolved solids, in essence
stating they believe these two items should
not have to comply with current regulations.
In addition, they say the Wyoming Game and
Fish Department “determined that discharge of
produced water from all existing permitted oil
production units in Wyoming enhances wild-
life propagation and habitat.”
The EPA disagrees, however, and is asking
for a copy of the signed statement from the
Wyoming Game and Fish Department detail-
ing the value of the discharge to fish or wildlife.
Detailed explanations on the 5.5 acre mix-
ing zone are being required by the EPA as well.
They want to know what factors the DEQ used
in deciding this was a reasonable area for mix-
ing and does it actually fit within the mixing
zone policy that requires limiting mixing zones
to instances in which there “is near instanta-
neous and complete mixing of the discharge
with the receiving water at critical conditions.”
Badwater Creek is designated by the State
as a Class 2AB cold-water fishery. The EPA is
concerned the high temperatures of discharge
from the Moneta Divide field could be harmful.
By law, the temperature in Class 2AB cold-wa-
ter fishery waters cannot be raised more than
two-degrees.
Because of this, the EPA is requesting a tem-
perature modeling be performed to estimate
potential impacts and impairments.
“A separate confirmation was done for oil and
grease showing that oil and grease concentra-
tions downstream of the Boysen Dam are well
below the 10 mg/L industry standard,” the per-
mit application states.
However, the EPA points out there has
been no such analysis or statements provided
for Alkali Creek, Badwater Creek, or Boysen
Reservoir.
“The discharge is not being permitted with a
general permit, nor are its impacts temporary
or short-term,” the EPA said. “The Wyoming
DEQ either did not completer or did not docu-
ment the load or concentration-based first step
required for a Tier 2 antidegradation review of
Badwater Creek and Boysen Reservoir.
“No quantitative analysis regarding the per-
cent increase of existing total load nor percent
change in assimilative capacity was provided
for this waterbody (Badwater Creek).”
As far as Aethon’s statement that discharg-
es from the field will not result in significant
degradation of Boysen Reservoir, there is no
supporting analysis included in the permit ap-
plication and the EPA wants that analysis in
black and white.
As for the Wind River, the EPA is concerned
there will be degradation to the Class I water-
way beyond its historic limits.
The EPA is also questioning activities asso-
ciated with the discharge of drilling fluids, ac-
ids, stimulation waters or other fluids derived
from drilling or completion of wells.
The permit application is vague at best on
this issue, using the phrase “does not cover”,
but the EPA points out Aethon reported 15 of
their wells at the Moneta Divide field were
stimulated from 2016-2017 using a variety of
breakers, surfactants, gelling agents and de-
mulsifiers.
Research has shown that produced water,
like flowback water, contains additives used
during stimulation and maintenance process-
es. The EPA is asking for clarification on how
these chemicals are going to be handled.
There is also some question as to how test-
ing and monitoring of the discharges is going to
be done. Because hazardous materials will be
used during the projected development of the
field, including construction, production and
reclamation operations, the EPA is question-
ing whether the annual Whole Effluent Toxic-
ity (WET) testing is going to be enough.

High Country Cowboys photos by Cindy Glasson and Lara Love

An enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the July concert in Hot Springs State Park as part of the Sounds of Summer series. High Country Cowboy's three-part western harmony had
folks dancing, singing along and tapping to the rhythm of western music from the good old days.