DEP shuts down well site in Galeton over violations

The following press release was issued by the DEP on 3/23/11:

DEP Shuts Down Potter County Gas Well Pre-Construction Site Over Violations Impacting Public Water Supply

WILLIAMSPORT -- The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Chesapeake Energy to cease work on a natural gas drilling well pad for failing to comply with regulations and impacting one of Galeton Borough Water Authority’s water sources.

The well pad was in the site-preparation phase, which occurs before any well construction or drilling activities take place.

In conducting site-preparation activities at the Beech Flats well pad in West Branch Township, Potter County, Chesapeake failed to implement the required erosion and sediment controls. As a result, a significant amount of sediment and silt discharged from the site into a stream that is a tributary to a water source serving Galeton’s system. The Galeton Water Authority has been forced to use another permitted water source to serve its customers.

“In order to protect human health and the environment, we ordered Chesapeake to stop all construction activity,” DEP North-central Regional Director Nels Taber said. “They must begin corrective action on this site immediately.”

By March 29, the company must correct the existing violations at the site and review and revise, as appropriate, its Erosion and Sediment Control Plan to prevent future damage. DEP will not permit Chesapeake to resume construction at the site until all terms of the order are met.

After a routine site inspection March 8 and a March 10 meeting with Chesapeake, DEP issued a notice of violation for several infractions of the Clean Streams Law and Oil and Gas Act. The company did not respond to the notice. During follow-up inspections March 21 and 22, staff discovered the additional violations and impacts that resulted in the March 22 order.

For more information about DEP, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or contact:  Katy Gresh, Department of Environmental Protection Southwest Regional Office.

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA 

Dept. of Environmental Protection

Commonwealth News Bureau 

Room 308, Main Capitol Building 

Harrisburg PA., 17120 

This press release can be viewed in its entirety by clicking HERE.

Area Natural Gas Expo next week

Anyone planning on attending this? 
The Natural Gas Expo: Potter – Cameron - McKean will be held at the Gospel Tabernacle in Coudersport on March 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

March 17 will be for job seekers, high school students and the public looking to learn about the industry to speak with companies, education and training institutions. March 18 will be a business-to-business day where business owners will be able to speak with the companies and/or vendors to learn how they can benefit from the natural gas boom.

Development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas play is expected to create over 100,000 jobs and contribute over $14 billion into the state’s economy in 2010, according to a recent report released by the Pennsylvania State University College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

For the latest information about the Natural Gas Expo visit www.natural-gas-expo.com or contact Janine Morley at (814)274-4877 or janine@pottercountyedcouncil.org.

Those interested in becoming an exhibitor may contact Amy Thompson at (814)260-9144 or e-mail her at  amy@althompgraphics.com.