952 Identified as Most Likely to Harm the Environment
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has reviewed environmental violations accrued by Marcellus Shale drillers working in Pennsylvania between January 2008 and June 25, 2010. The records were obtained via a Right to Know Request made to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
DEP records show a total of 1435 violations of state Oil and Gas Laws due to gas drilling or other earth disturbance activities related to natural gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale in this 2.5-year period. The Association identified 952 violations as having or likely to have an impact on the environment. 483 were identified as likely being an administrative or safety violation and not likely to have the potential to negatively impact the environment.
The report breaks the violations down by type. For example, of the 952 violations:
- 268 involve improper construction of waste water impoundments
- 10 involve improper well casing
- 154 involve discharge of industrial waste
- 16 involve improper blowout prevention
The report lists the 25 companies with the most violations as well as the 25 companies with the highest average number of violations per well driller.
View the entire report at conserveland.org/violationsrpt.
