Energy company to pay $2M for 31 violations of Clean Air Act in Pa.
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
An energy company that services natural gas fields in central and western Pennsylvania will pay $2 million for 31 violations of the Clean Air Act, following a court decision last month, according to PennLive.
U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann imposed the fine on April 20, after Rockwater Northeast admitted to the violations. The judge also tacked on a special assessment of $12,500.
The scheme that led to the Clean Air Act violations involved removing hardware that controlled emissions on 31 heavy-duty diesel trucks that were used to transport water and wastewater in the Marcellus Shale.
Learn more: PennLive > Energy Firm pleads guilty, is fines $2 million in truck emissions tampering scheme
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.