Shell faces lawsuit over air quality at petrochemical plant in Pennsylvania
Monday, May 15, 2023
Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC faces a complaint filed in federal court on Thursday by two environmental groups that alleges the company’s Beaver County petrochemical complex has violated air pollution standards and poses a public health risk, according to The Business Journal.
The Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, stating the Shell plant has “repeatedly violated, is violating, and will continue to violate” the Clean Air Act, the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act and other measures.
The approximately $6 billion petrochemical complex began operations in November 2022, after a six-year construction phase. According to the recent complaint, it has violated emission standards that must be met on a 12-month rolling basis by releasing harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter and carbon monoxide.
Learn more: The Business Journal > Shell Faces Lawsuit Over ‘Pollution Events’ at Cracker Plant
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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.