PA Environment Digest Blog: What The Shale Gas Industry Leaves Behind: DEP: Southwestern Energy Prod Co. Failed To Comply With Act 2 Cleanup Standards At The Greenzweig Shale Gas Wastewater Impoundment In Bradford County After 5 Years

The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the February 8 PA Bulletin saying Southwestern Energy Production Company failed to comply with the Act 2 Land Recycling Program cleanup standards at the Greenzweig shale gas wastewater impoundment in Herrick Township, Bradford County. (PA Bulletin, page 1377)

On January 2, 2025 DEP issued a disapproval letter for an Act 2 Final Report on the remediation of a release from the Greenzweig shale gas wastewater impoundment covering releases first documented by DEP on February 3, 2020.

DEP’s investigation found the liner of the impoundment was compromised causing a slow release of wastewater at multiple locations around and under the facility.

Southwestern Energy was using the Act 2 Land Recycling Program to document the cleanup of the release and submitted a Final Report on November 6, 2024 that said it met the Act 2 cleanup standards.

However, DEP disapproved the report January 2 finding the extent of the release had not been fully characterised at multiple points and the water column had not been evaluated to determine if the wastewater impacted surface water.

Visit DEP’s Land Recycling Program webpage to learn more about this program.

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