Section 240.860  Pits

a)         "Pit", as used in this Section, is a synthetic lined or unlined earthen surface impoundment, whether a man-made excavation or a diked area which was or currently is used for temporary storage of liquid oil field waste or produced water prior to disposal.

b)         Construction of pits other than those specified in Subparts E and K of this Part is prohibited.

c)         All pits in existence on May 13, 1994 shall be closed, in accordance with subsection (e) below, by July 1, 1995 as follows, unless covered by subsection (d) below, or exempted for continued use in accordance with Section 240.861 or for an alternative use in accordance with Section 240.862.

d)         Synthetic lined pits, permitted after May 12, 1989 and before May 13, 1994, shall be restored in accordance with subsection (e) within 5 years after the permit was issued.

e)         Pits shall be restored as follows:

1)         All oilfield brine and produced waters shall be removed and disposed of in a Class II UIC well.

2)         Crude oil bottom sediments shall be disposed of in accordance with Section 240.940(a) and (b) or with Department approval, disposed of in a production well equipped with tubing and packer set in accordance with Section 240.760(b) under observation by an inspector from the District Office in which the well is located.  If the Department determines through field observations that the disposal activities are endangering the freshwater, the disposal activities shall cease until the condition is corrected.  Disposal activities shall not exceed 45 days, after which time the well must be plugged.

3)         For pits required to be closed by July 1, 1995 and not exempted in accordance with Section 240.861, the pit residue, not disposed of in accordance with subsection (e)(1) or (e)(2), and the pit liner, if any, shall either be:

A)        removed from the site and disposed of at an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permitted non-hazardous special waste landfill, provided that pit residue or liner containing NORM with radioactivity levels exceeding background may be required to be disposed of at a waste facility permitted by the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety; or

B)        consolidated from the sides to the bottom of the pit and covered in place with a clay or synthetic liner sufficient to impede the infiltration of surface water and placed at least 5 feet below the ground surface.  The pit shall be backfilled and the pit residue covered with 5' of soil having a radioactivity level at or below background level with the upper most 18" consisting of clean soil not contaminated by oilfield brine or crude oil.  The backfilled area shall be graded to promote runoff with no depressions that would accumulate or pond water on the surface.  The stability of the backfilled pit shall be compatible with the adjacent land use.  The surface area over the backfilled pit area shall be stabilized to prevent erosion.

4)         The Department shall prepare an inventory identifying, by county, all closed and unclosed liquid oilfield waste or produced water storage pits.  The Department shall file such notice in the county clerk's office in the county in which such pits are located.  The notice shall specify the location of the pit, generally identify the nature of the materials buried and, if known, specify the radioactivity level of the material buried.  If the radioactivity is not known, the notice shall specify that the buried oil and gas waste may contain Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM).

(Source:  Amended at 22 Ill. Reg. 22314, effective December 14, 1998)