More on the fracking fluids spills in Susquehanna County, PA.:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/25/2009
DEP ORDERS CABOT OIL AND GAS TO CEASE ALL GAS WELL FRACKING IN SUSQUEHANNA
COUNTY
WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Cabot Oil
and Gas Corporation to cease all natural gas well hydro fracking operations in
Susquehanna County until the company completes a number of important
engineering and safety tasks.
“The department took this action because of our concern about Cabot’s current
fracking process and to ensure that the environment in Susquehanna County is
properly protected,” DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell said.
Cabot voluntarily shut down fracking operations at the Heitsman well in Dimock
Township on Tuesday afternoon following three separate spills there in less
than one week. The company is currently drilling seven new wells in the county
that will require fracking.
The order requires Cabot to develop within 14 days an updated and accurate
Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan and Control and Disposal Plan for all
permitted well pad sites in Susquehanna County.
The company must conduct an engineering study of all equipment and work
practices associated with hydraulic fracturing at all well sites in the county
within 21 days.
The engineering study must include a detailed evaluation and explanation of the
causes of the three spills that occurred in the past week and establish
corrective measures Cabot will use to prevent similar releases.
Within 21 days of DEP’s approval of the Pollution Prevention and Contingency
Plan, the Control and Disposal Plan, and the engineering study, Cabot must
fully implement all of the recommendations and requirements in those documents.
The company also must place the approved Pollution Prevention and Contingency
Plan and Control and Disposal Plan in a conspicuous location at each permitted
well site and provide a copy to each contractor and subcontractor working at
any well site. Contractors and subcontractors cannot begin work at any well
site until they receive the two plans.
In a separate enforcement action, DEP issued a notice of violation to Cabot for
the third spill at the Heitsman well that occurred Tuesday morning. The
violations noted are nearly the same as in DEP’s Sept. 22 notice of violation
issued to Cabot for the two spills last week.
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Northcentral Regional Office
208 West Third Street, Suite 101
Williamsport, PA 17701
--
George R. Frantz, AICP, ASLA
Visiting Lecturer
Dept. of City & Regional Planning
Cornell University
604 Cliff Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 256-9310
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