During those inspections, DEP identified 35,237 violations, and resolved 32,699 of them, including some from 2023.
DEP also responded to 410 environmental emergencies, like spills from traffic accidents to chemical fires.
The emergencies included a sewage pipeline break in Lycoming County, multiple abandoned mine subsidence incidents in Luzerne County, and helping to coordinate disaster responses during Tropical Storm Debby.
After such emergencies, DEP staff return to the site to assess and implement necessary cleanup measures, such as removing contaminated soil or filling an abandoned mine subsidence with concrete to make it more stable(opens in a new tab).
DEP inspections include both scheduled and unscheduled on-site visits to permitted facilities, as well as document reviews to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
These inspections—whether on-site or operational—ensure that air emissions stay within air quality standards, drinking water remains safe, and rivers and streams are protected from pollution.
They also encourage industry to invest in technologies, training, and practices to comply with regulations and level the playing field for companies that are working in good faith to comply with state rules and promote environmental stewardship.
DEP’s efforts to hold polluters accountable also included investing civil penalties into Pennsylvania communities.
In Beaver County, DEP, and the Beaver County Environmental Mitigation Fund, awarded more than $4.7 million to fund community projects in areas affected by the Shell petrochemical facility.
In Washington County, DEP secured more than $1.6 million from legacy pollution from the site of a former zinc smelter, which will fund community projects once the final cleanup of the site is complete.
“DEP works tirelessly to ensure that we are fulfilling our mission of protecting the air, land, and water of Pennsylvania,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “We are here to ensure that our natural resources are protected from pollution — and holding polluters accountable — so that companies that play by the rules can continue to flourish here in the Commonwealth. When there is an accident or an emergency that threatens the environment and safety of our residents, DEP staff are there to guide the response.”
Click Here for DEP's announcement.
Search “Compliance Actions” in PA Environment Digest for more information on compliance actions taken by DEP in 2024 and prior years.
Oil & Gas Program
DEP’s Oil and Gas Program conducted over 47,736 inspections during 2024-- 24,216 inspections of unconventional shale gas facilities, 17,347 conventional oil and gas wells and 6,173 site and client inspections, through December 27, 2024.
DEP issued 7,296 violations to conventional oil and gas well owners, far exceeding the 6,860 violations issued in 2023, 5,416 violations issued in 2022 and 4,514 violations in 2021 [Read more here].
DEP also issued 495 compliance orders, consent agreements and took other enforcement actions against conventional operators.
The most frequent violation continues to be abandoning and not plugging conventional wells.
DEP issued 850 violations for conventional well abandonment through December 20 in 2024. DEP issued 512 violations for abandoned wells in 2023.
DEP has only seen an increase in noncompliance by the conventional oil and gas industry, confirming yet again its conclusion that the conventional industry’s culture of non-compliance is an “acceptable norm.” Read more here
DEP issued 1,129 violations to unconventional shale gas well owners and issued 131 compliance orders, consent agreements and other enforcement actions.
DEP took 129 enforcement actions against shale gas companies in 2023.
DEP issued 42 violations to 12 shale gas well owners for abandoning and not plugging their wells in 2024, through December 21, sometimes dating back 42 months. Read more here.
In 2023, DEP issued or continued 20 violations to 10 shale gas well owners for abandoned and not plugging their wells. Read more here.
Visit DEP’s Oil & Gas 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.
Report Violations
To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website. Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.
[Posted: January 7, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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