Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program (GEIS)
On March 14, 2023, DEC released a Supplemental Findings Statement (PDF) (109 KB) specific to the plugging and abandonment of wells regulated under Article 23 of the Environmental Conservation Law. As explained in the Supplemental Findings, DEC has determined that routine well plugging and abandonment activities do not have a significant negative environmental impact.
The 1992 Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program, or GEIS, was prepared to review in a comprehensive manner the Department of Environmental Conservation's program for regulating oil, gas, underground gas storage and solution mining wells of any depth, and brine disposal, stratigraphic and geothermal wells deeper than 500 feet. The GEIS was prepared according to the State's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law, requiring government agencies to analyze the environmental, social and economic impacts of their actions.
During 2008 there was an increased interest in the issuance of permits for horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing to develop the Marcellus Shale and other low-permeability gas reservoirs. The Department commenced the development of a Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), which was finalized in 2015.
Although the 1992 GEIS was prepared to fulfill the requirements of SEQRA, the Division of Mineral Resources expanded the document to serve as an educational resource. Subjects covered by the 1992 GEIS, in addition to regulatory and technical topics, include:
- History of oil, gas and solution salt production in New York State
- New York State geology and its relationship to oil, gas and salt production
- Environmental resources
- Drilling and production methods
- Economics of mineral extraction
The original 1992 GEIS is presented below as a series of PDF documents. The entire GEIS document (PDF) (28 MB), including the associated findings statements, is also available as a single PDF file which can be downloaded and searched.
Note: Some of these are large documents. Only print if you really need to, and only those sections that you need. Double side all printing and copying jobs. For every ton of office paper use avoided, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by more than 8 metric tons.
SEQR Findings
Original Findings Statement (PDF) (297 KB)
Supplemental Findings Statement (PDF) (45 KB)
Supplemental Findings Statement - Well Plugging (PDF) (109 KB)
Final GEIS
The Final GEIS, released in 1992, refers to and incorporates the 3 volumes of the Draft GEIS, which were released in 1988 and appear below.
- Final GEIS Cover Page (PDF) (92 KB)
- Table of Contents (PDF) (33 KB)
- Executive Summary (PDF) (434 KB)
- SEQR Conclusions (PDF) (359 KB)
- Public Involvement (PDF) (124 KB)
- Public Hearing Responses (PDF) (497 KB)
- Topical Responses (PDF) (890 KB)
- Comment Response Index (PDF) (95 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 1-17 (PDF) (875 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 18-33 (PDF) (899 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 34-48 (PDF) (887 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 49-63 (PDF) (729 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 64-72 (PDF) (420 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 73-87 (PDF) (763 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 88-125 (PDF) (758 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 126-145 (PDF) (761 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 146-163 (PDF) (637 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 164-185 (PDF) (735 KB)
- Comment Responses pp. 186-211 (PDF) (828 KB)
- Recommended Changes to the Regulations (PDF) (283 KB)
- Errata to the Draft GEIS (PDF) (298 KB)
Draft GEIS
- Volume I Cover Page (PDF) (374 KB)
- Table of Contents (PDF) (340 KB)
- Chapter 1 Introduction (PDF) (76 KB)
- Chapter 2 Description of Proposed Action (PDF) (64 KB)
- Chapter 3 Major Conclusions on the Application of the SEQRA to the Oil, Gas & Solution Mining Law (PDF) (438 KB)
- Chapter 4 History of Oil, Gas & Solution Salt Production in New York State (PDF) (340 KB)
- Chapter 5 NYS Geology and its Relationship to Oil, Gas & Salt Production (PDF) (928 KB)
- Chapter 6 Environmental Resources (PDF) (566 KB)
- Chapter 7 NYS Oil, Gas & Solution Mining Regulatory Program (PDF) (227 KB)
- Chapter 8 Siting of Oil & Gas Wells (PDF) (1.56 MB)
- Chapter 9 Drilling Phase: Drilling, Casing & Completion Operations (PDF) (1.27MB)
- Chapter 10 Well Completion & Production Practices (PDF) (374 KB)
- Chapter 11 Plugging & Abandonment of Oil & Gas Wells (PDF) (895 KB)
- Volume II Cover Page (PDF) (23 KB)
- Chapter 12 Old Oil Field Waterflood Operations & Enhanced Oil Recovery Potential (PDF) (1.42MB)
- Chapter 13 Solution Salt Mining (PDF) (847 KB)
- Chapter 14 Underground Gas Storage (PDF) (1.17MB)
- Chapter 15 Interagency Coordination: Brine Disposal, Underground Injection & Oil Spill Response (PDF) (963 KB)
- Chapter 16 Summary of Adverse Environmental Impacts Resulting From Oil, Gas & Solution Mining (PDF) (794 KB)
- Chapter 17 Summary of Mitigation Measures (PDF) (749 KB)
- Chapter 18 Economics (PDF) (727 KB)
- Chapter 19 Unavoidable Adverse Impacts (PDF) (94 KB)
- Chapter 20 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources (PDF) (52 KB)
- Chapter 21 Alternative Actions (PDF) (202 KB)
- Glossary of Technical Terms (PDF) (407 KB)
- References (PDF) (599 KB)
- Volume III Cover Page (PDF) (21 KB)
- Appendix 1 Underground Storage - Applying for a Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity Under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (PDF) (195 KB)
- Appendix 2 Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) (PDF) (119 KB)
- Appendix 3 Movement of Contaminants in Aquifers (PDF) (217 KB)
- Appendix 4 Mineral Ownership and Leasing Summary (PDF) (278 KB)
- Appendix 5 Oil, Gas, Solution Mining, Gas Storage, Brine Disposal, Stratigraphic and Geothermal Well Drilling Environmental Assessment Form (PDF) (294 KB)
- Appendix 6 Gathering Lines (PDF) (158 KB)
- Appendix 7 Brine Disposal Well Permitting Guidelines (PDF) (183 KB)
- Appendix 8 Forms Used in the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Program (PDF) (183 KB)
