HARRISBURG, Sept. 18 – State Rep. Jesse White today claimed victory for Pennsylvania residents after the Department of Environmental Protection announced it would penalize Range Resources for ongoing violations at several Washington County drilling waste impoundments, including the Worstell impoundment in Cecil Township.
A consent order made by DEP requires Range Resources to pay a $4.15 million fine, the largest against an oil and gas operator in the state’s shale drilling era, close five impoundments and upgrade two other impoundments to meet heightened “next-generation” standards under development at DEP.
Under the order, Range Resources will immediately begin the closure of the Hopewell Township 11 (Lowry), Cecil Township 23 (Worstell), and Kearns impoundments. Range Resources will also continue the closure of the Yeager impoundment. The company must close the Hopewell Township 12 (Bednarski) impoundment by April 1.
“Today’s announcement by DEP to hold Range Resources to the high standard that Pennsylvania residents deserve may have been long overdue, but is welcome news nonetheless for all of our local communities in the 46th District and beyond,” said White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington. “Southwestern Pennsylvania has become home to too many of these huge open-air impoundments, and the time to show these cheap and hazardous practices for what they are has passed. Drilling companies in other parts of Pennsylvania have abandoned impoundments in favor of closed systems, and local companies continuing to use this industry worst-practice should follow suit.”
White has long criticized the practice of using open-air impoundments and has monitored issues related to Marcellus Shale waste and frack ponds, which some local companies such as Range Resources use to store drill cuttings and waste. White is the prime sponsor of HB 1542, which would ban the use of open air wastewater impoundments in Pennsylvania.
Last week, the Observer-Reporter newspaper confirmed that the Worstell impoundment had leaked, despite previous claims to the contrary by Range Resources and the DEP. Leaks in impoundments include various releases of contaminants, such as flowback that can affect soil and groundwater.
“The DEP today illustrated that the concerns many of us had about the integrity of these impoundments were justified, plain and simple,” White said. “However encouraging as this news may be, taking two years to get to the bottom of it due to deflect-and-deny industry tactics and stonewalling by DEP is unacceptable. Moving forward, we must ensure the DEP is as diligent in protecting the well-being of Pennsylvania residents as it has been with protecting the well-being of an industry’s bottom line.”
Thursday’s consent order also directs Range Resources to upgrade two other impoundments. The liner systems at the Chartiers Township 16 (Carol Baker) and Amwell Township 15 (Jon Day) impoundments will be completely redesigned and rebuilt.
Another impoundment, Mount Pleasant Township 17 (Carter), will be limited to storing only fresh water for as long as it remains in service. Range Resources will also install a groundwater monitoring well network at the impoundment now and will perform an environmental site assessment at this impoundment once it is permanently closed.
The order also requires Range Resources to conduct soil and groundwater investigations at the closed impoundments.
“While we don’t yet know the full extent of the problems that these impoundments have caused, I look forward to continuing to hold DEP accountable to ensure that gas drilling operations in our local communities are taking place in the most open and transparent manner possible,” White said. “The environmental stakes and economic opportunities are too high to turn a blind eye when problems such as these arise.”
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