PA-DEP Fines Atlas $85,000 for Violations at 13 Well Sites
PA-DEP News Release
7 January 2010
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
Contact:
Helen Humphreys
Phone: (412) 442-4183
PITTSBURGH -- The Department of Environmental Protection today
announced that it has fined Atlas Resources, LLC $85,000 for violations
of the Oil and Gas Act, the Clean Streams Law; and the Solid Waste
Management Act at 13 well sites in Fayette, Washington, and Greene
counties.
“Development of Pennsylvania’s natural gas resource is important to the
state’s economy. However, that development need not -- and will not --
come at the expense of our environment,” said Southwest Regional
Director George Jugovic Jr. “DEP will ensure that Pennsylvania’s
gas resources are developed in an environmentally sound manner,
consistent with the law.”
The violations, which occurred between Dec. 8, 2008, and July 31, 2009,
fall into three categories:
• Atlas failed to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation
control measures to prevent off-site discharges of silt-laden runoff
onto the ground at six well sites;
• Atlas failed to restore two well sites by establishing the
appropriate perennial vegetative cover within nine months of completion
of drilling; and
• Atlas discharged residual and industrial waste, including diesel fuel
and production fluids, onto the ground at seven of the 13 well sites.
For more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or call 412.442.4000.
Editor’s Note: Following are the names, permit numbers and host
municipalities of the wells at which the violations occurred.
• Burchianti 30, Permit No. 37-059-24476-00, Monongahela Township,
Greene County
• Burchianti 41, Permit No. 37-059-24616-00, Monongahela Township,
Greene County
• Groves 8, Permit No. 37-059-25160, Cumberland Township, Greene County
• Willis 18, Permit No. 37-059-24708, Cumberland Township, Greene County
• Carter 2, Permit No. 37-059-24111-00, Cumberland Township, Greene
County
• Penarnik 8, Permit No. 37-059-24555-00, Cumberland Township, Greene
County
• Eckerd 1, Permit No. 37-125-23779-00, Deemston Borough, Washington
County
• Henderson 7, Permit No. 37-051-24077-00, Jefferson Township, Fayette
County
• Redman 30, Permit No. 37-051-24231-00, Washington Township, Fayette
County
• Thompson 32, Permit No. 37-051-23746, Nicholson Township, Fayette
County
• Thompson 33, Permit No. 37-051-23747, Nicholson Township, Fayette
County
• Dancho-Brown 4, Permit No. 37-051-24152, Redstone Township, Fayette
County,
• Kovach 34, Permit No. 37-051-24225, German Township, Fayette County.