Marcellus gas drilling update
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$56,650 in fines for Susquehanna County spills
Dimock — Pennsylvania has fined Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. $56,650 for three spills of a water/liquid gel mixture at its Heitsman natural gas well in Dimock Township, Susquehanna County, last month.
The penalties was assessed for Cabot’s violations of the Clean Streams Law, Solid Waste Management Act and Oil and Gas Act. “We expect that Cabot will do a better job in the future of overseeing its contractors now that the company has an improved preparedness, prevention and contingency plan in place,” said Department of Environmental Protection, Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.
Cabot had two spills at its Heitsman well on Sept. 16 and a third spill on Sept. 22. The spills totaled about 8,000 gallons and caused pollution in Stevens Creek and a nearby wetland. All three spills involved a water/liquid gel mixture used in the hydro fracturing process.
On Sept. 24, DEP ordered Cabot to cease all hydro fracturing in Susquehanna County and submit an updated plan and an engineering study. Cabot submitted those documents on Oct. 6.
DEP reviewed and approved the documents on Oct. 16, and gave Cabot the approval to resume hydro fracturing in the county.
Siptroth, ‘green’ legislators reduce impact of gas drilling in budget
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HARRISBURG — State Rep. John Siptroth was one of several House Democrats who led the fight to limit the impact of gas drilling on state forest land, which was part of the approved state budget package.
He released the following statement on the issue as the budget was finalized earlier this month.
“We in the green caucus wanted to maintain the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ authority to control the lease process to help protect environmentally sensitive lands. The Fiscal Code, which we approved... does that.
“We also wanted to remove any incentive for the leasing of state lands as a means of generating revenue for budgets beyond this year. We were successful in that goal, too.
“That’s very important to Monroe and Pike counties, where thousands of people earn their living with eco-tourism-related jobs. I will be vigilant in protecting those jobs. The state Department of Environmental protection must keep a watchful eye over drilling operations.
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Siptroth said the only significant change that this law makes is to require that $60 million of the revenue received this year from leasing be transferred to the General Fund to help balance the budget. Siptroth also supports “a modest gas severance tax that will provide us with a reliable source of revenue as this industry grows. And I do recognize that this industry should grow because it will create thousands of jobs to help state residents.”
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