A Range of violations on shale gas drilling in PA

Natural gas driller Range Resources, which has substantial operations in the Marcellus Shale region, has been fined $8.9 million by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for allowing a "defectively cemented gas well" to leak methane and other substances into groundwater and a stream in Lycoming County. This is the largest fine ever assessed for a shale gas drilling violation in Pennsylvania and is double the then-record $4.1 million fine that Range was assessed in September 2014 for wastewater impoundments that were leaking fracking fluid.

While the driller is appealing the fine to the state's Environmental Hearing Board, DEP Secretary John Quigley is confident that agency action was necessary. "Range Resources has the responsibility to eliminate the gas migration that this poorly constructed well is causing," he said in a statement. "Refusing to make the necessary repairs to protect the public and the environment is not an option."

Photo by Penn State News via Creative Commons

Yep, the top cop is on the beat, which is exactly what the people of Pennsylvania want, and expect, from their environmental regulator. On the flip side is yet another drilling company that refuses to acknowledge its actions with respect to methane leaks that are hurting our air and water.

The citizens of the Commonwealth, as per Article 1, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania constitution, are entitled to "...clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment..." Drinking water supplies contaminated by methane leaks are not acceptable. Similarly, choking on air fouled by methane emissions from natural gas drilling operations is not what Pennsylvanians signed on for.

Natural gas drillers will continue to operate with impunity in Pennsylvania until we say they cannot. The civil penalty announced by DEP on June 16 is the right action around an unfortunate set of circumstances.

PennFuture supports proposed revisions to the state's oil and gas laws under Pa. Code Chapter 78 as a vital step toward holding drillers accountable and thereby protecting public health and the environment. We are also calling for the direct regulation of methane emissions in Pennsylvania as is the case in other gas-drilling states. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, should not be leached into our water and spewed into our air by irresponsible operators.

Enforcement of existing regulations is necessary, but the goal is to not have such leaks in the first place. We hope the lessons learned from this and other violations will allow DEP to continually improve our regulations and require best practices industry-wide.

Elaine Labalme is Strategic Campaigns Director for PennFuture and is based in Pittsburgh. She tweets @NewGirlInTown.