On June 8, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection did routine inspections of two other conventional oil and gas wells owned by Trinity Mineral Partners, LLC and found large contaminated groundwater releases from the wells had killed vegetation, soaked into soil and polluted road ditches at both sites in Sugar Grove Township, Warren County. Read more here.
“A discharge of production fluids [contaminated groundwater] is evident at the Conklin Lease tank battery. Mature trees at the southwest corner of the secondary containment area are either heavily stressed or dead.
“A brine [contaminated groundwater] tank is buried within the secondary containment area. PVC lines connect the drain valves of the stock tanks in containment to cutout holes in the surface of the brine tank.
“Evidence of previous fluid releases in the containment area are visible via crude oil staining and sawdust sprinkled over the oil-stained areas.”
“A pool of fluid was present in the southernmost end of the containment area, in what appeared to be a sump. At the time of this inspection, the fluid was observed to have elevated specific conductance....”
“A pool of fluid was present in the southernmost end of the containment area, in what appeared to be a sump.
“At the time of this inspection, the fluid was observed to have elevated specific conductance elevated specific conductance in excess of 4,000 uS/cm was observed in soils within the swale directly across from the tank battery.
“Crude oil staining was also observed in the swale near the tank battery.”
“The swale transitions to an UNT [unnamed tributary] to Irvine Run with defined bed and banks downslope of the tank battery.
“The water flowing in the UNT was found to have elevated specific conductance exceeding 13,000 uS/cm. Elevated specific conductance of water was observed throughout the stream at the time of this inspection.”
Multiple violations issued. Owner was requested to provide disposal receipts for the contaminated groundwater at the site.
Response requested by July 3. DEP inspection report.
Report Violations
To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.
Text photos and the location of abandoned wells to 717-788-8990.
Check These Resources
Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database and Inspection Reports Viewer webpages to search their compliance records by date and owner.
Sign up for DEP’s eNOTICE service which sends you information on oil and gas and other permits submitted to DEP for review in your community.
Use DEP’s Oil and Gas Mapping Tool to find if there are oil and gas wells near or on your property and to find wells using latitude and longitude on well inspection reports.
(Photos: Contaminated groundwater storage tanks; Measuring contamination at the tank site; Down the drainage swale; Into unnamed tributary of Irvine Run.)
[Note: If you believe your company was listed in error, contact DEP’s Oil and Gas Program.]
[Note: These may not be all the NOVs issued to oil and gas companies during this time period. Additional inspection reports may be added to DEP’s Oil and Gas Compliance Database.]
PA Oil & Gas Industry, Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 13 to 19 - 4 Contaminated Groundwater Releases From Conventional Wells; Abandoned Conventional Well Violations Hit 300 [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds Large Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From 2 Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Sites In Sugar Grove Twp., Warren County; That’s 3 Spill Sites This Week [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Brokenstraw Twp., Warren County, 3rd Site This Week [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds No Action Taken To Cleanup Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Oil Well At A Site In Washington County For 936 Days [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 20 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 51 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 20 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- Reminder: PUC Hearings On PPL Data Center Transmission Line Project In Luzerne County June 30
-- The Public Utility Commission published notice in the June 20 PA Bulletin of a July 13 telephonic hearing on a default electric service plan and advanced metering infrastructure surcharge by the Pike County Light and Power Company. PUC Docket No. P-2026-3062915
Related Articles This Week:
-- PUC Announced Distribution Of $243.8 Million In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fees For PA Communities, State Environmental, Other Programs [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - June 22 [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: For America's 250th, Let's Return Power To The Town Square - The Right To Plan Our Future, Protect Our Backyards, Have A Seat At The Table - By David M. Sanko, PA State Association Of Township Supervisors [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Rolling Stone/DeSmog - Justin Nobel: Her Son Died Of A Rare Bone Cancer, Could Unsecured Oil & Gas Equipment Waste Facility In Cecil Twp., Washington County Be To Blame?
-- Inquirer: Delta Monroe Energy Jet Fuel Refinery In Delaware County Shuts Down Due To Internal Leak
-- ProPublicia: President Plans To Protect Methane-Leaking Conventional /Stripper Oil & Gas Wells, Hilcorp Oil & Gas Company Owner To Benefit [Hilcorp Operates In PA]
-- In Case You Were Wondering: Breathe Project Cams: ‘Emergency’ Flares Still Burning At MarkWest Harmon Creek, Energy Transfer Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plants In Washington County 6.17.26
-- TribLive: New Shale Gas Wells, Higher Natural Gas Prices Raise State’s Drilling Impact Fee Distribution To $243.8 Million
-- TribLive Editorial: Latest Examples Of Efforts To Narrow Public Discourse Should Be Opposed
-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: President Wants PJM To Give The Gas Industry A Multibillion Gift To Supply Power To A.I. Data Centers In Upcoming Power Auction - By Tom Rutigliano
-- The Center Square: PA’s Energy Future A Defining Issue In Gubernatorial Race
-- The Guardian: How The Fight Over US A.I. Data Centers Is Scrambling Pennsylvania’s Politics: ‘We Don’t Want It’
-- PennLive: As PA Data Center Development Surges, PA House Fast-Tracks Bills To Address It [Not Senate]
-- The Center Square: Republican Senators Ward, Yaw Say State Losing Out Because Of Shapiro-Backed Price Caps On Electricity Prices [But Yaw Asked FERC In March To Require PJM To Keep Charging PA Ratepayers The Same Record High Rates ]
-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Fossil Fuel Footprint Leaves A Widening Fiscal Gap To Support Tax Credits For Fossil Fuel Industry
-- Utility Dive: US EIA: Natural Gas Generation Down 60% From 2024 On Same Capacity In California As Cheaper Solar, Power Imports Surge
[Posted: June 19, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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