HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against Equitrans, LP, regarding the energy company’s failures to maintain a well that leaked natural gas in 2022 across southern Pennsylvania and into several states, while also contaminating nearby ground and waters.
Equitrans was charged Thursday with 14 counts of unlawful conduct, prohibition against discharge of industrial wastes, and prohibition against other pollutions.
An investigation by the Office of Attorney General revealed that a gas well owned and operated by Equitrans at the Rager Mountain Storage Field in Cambria County leaked natural gas into the atmosphere for 14 days.
The 51st Statewide Investigating Grand Jury recommended charges under the Air Pollution Control Act and Clean Streams Law regarding negligent maintenance and upkeep of the well.
“This company’s failures to properly maintain this well went beyond negligence — the conduct alleged here demonstrates a reckless disregard for neighboring communities who were potentially exposed to unsafe air and water,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Energy producers have a legal responsibility to protect the public from such exposures. I am committed to protecting our constitutional right to clean air and pure water by prosecuting these flagrant violations.”
The Grand Jury investigation revealed that Equitrans employed insufficient programs to monitor and mitigate corrosion of well sites at the Rager Mountain facility. The lack of maintenance caused one of the wells to corrode and rupture. As a result, the natural gas that had been stored within the Rager Mountain Storage Field escaped out of the well and into the atmosphere, extending across southern Pennsylvania, as well as portions of Maryland, Delaware, and over the Atlantic Ocean.
To stop the release, Equitrans hired a well control specialist to pump salt water down into the well to counteract the pressure of the gas coming out of the well casing. This took several attempts, which heavily contaminated the soil, groundwater, and vegetation around the well with salt water.
Equitrans also has additional charges pending in Greene County, based upon a Presentment issued by the 51st Statewide Investigating Grand Jury.
This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Shane T. Crevar. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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