PA Environment Digest Blog: WESA: New Freeport, Greene County Residents File Lawsuit Against EQT Gas Drilling Company Over Contaminated Water Supplies

On September 10, WESA reporter Lane Moore reported Pittsburgh-based oil and gas company EQT Corporation is facing accusations from Greene County residents in a class-action lawsuit filed this summer.

The complaint, filed June 20, alleges the company’s natural gas drilling operations in New Freeport contaminated the community’s groundwater aquifers in June 2022.

Residents are being represented by Washington D.C.-based Russell Law Firm and Waynesburg Pa.-based Hook & Hook.

While their legal teams have not responded to requests for comment, the lawsuit details eight counts against EQT including negligence and breaches in duty of care.

The suit also seeks compensatory and punitive damages as well as injunctive relief, including future medical monitoring for affected residents.

Residents report their water wells in New Freeport became unusable right around the same time that fluid started erupting from an abandoned gas well along the town’s Main Street, June 19, 2022.

A Department of Environmental Protection inspection report from June 23, 2022 indicates it was the result of a “communication incident” between EQT’s Lumber well pad and the abandoned Fox Hill well.

“EQT was notified by the landowner on 6/19/2022 of the communication incident. EQT investigated and determined hydraulic fracturing operations at the Lumber well site communicated to an offset well,” the DEP report reads, then continues: “EQT personnel observed fluid and gas expressing from the offset well. EQT stopped stimulation activities on the Lumber 13H and the fluid and gas observations at the offset well subsided.”

EQT maintains that there is insufficient evidence to support that the company’s Lumber Pad wells had any impact on the abandoned well in New Freeport.

In a statement to WESA, an EQT spokesperson wrote “EQT is confident that our operations in Greene County have not impacted area residents or their properties and will vigorously defend against the claims in court.”

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NewsClips:

-- WESA: New Freeport, Greene County Residents File Lawsuit Against EQT Gas Drilling Company Over Contaminated Water Supplies

-- PublicSource.org: New Freeport, Greene County Residents In Federal Court Demanding Clean Water From EQT Natural Gas Company After Frack-Out

Resource Links - New Freeport:

-- DEP- EQT Settlement Agreement Allows Fracking To Resume From 2 Shale Gas Well Pads In Area Impacted By Frack-Out In New Freeport, Greene County; Does Not Address Water Supply Issues Of Residents [PaEN]

-- Community Demands Accountability From EQT Natural Gas On 1-Year Anniversary Of Greene County Frack-Out Incident; Families Still Without Clean Water; No DEP Investigation Results [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice: Nearly 11 Months Since An EQT Shale Gas Well Frac-Out Left Residents Near New Freeport, Greene County Without Clean Water; DEP’s Investigation Not Complete [PaEN]

-- Oil & Gas Industry Impacts: Families Affected By Alleged ‘Frack-Out’ In Greene County Have A Little Happier Holiday Thanks To Water Donated By Center For Coalfield Justice [PaEN]

-- Center For Coalfield Justice Holds First Water Distribution Day Nov. 19 To Help Provide Families Drinking Water In Greene County Following Alleged ‘Frack-Out’ At Natural Gas Well Site In June [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Ongoing Water Donation Drive Helping Dozens Of Greene County Families Who Haven’t Had Clean Drinking Water Since June Following Alleged ‘Frack-Out’ At Natural Gas Well Site [PaEN]

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