DEP said it has made “historic” progress plugging more than 315 wells throughout the Commonwealth, protecting public health and creating jobs in the process, during the Shapiro Administration.
The first of the two wells to be plugged sits on the bluff overlooking Baer Beach, directly behind Crystal Point Condos (3300 Baer Rd), which is home to 90 residents.
Members of the DEP Oil and Gas program were joined on site by state Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) and other state leaders and their respective staff, to see the plugging process firsthand and learn about the importance of addressing dangerous abandoned wells.
“Any time you have an actively leaking well in a residential neighborhood, it is a concern to public health and safety and needs to be evaluated immediately,” said DEP Northwest Regional Office Oil and Gas Manager, Scott Dudzic. “Plugging these wells will remove the possibility of methane gas migrating into enclosed structures, causing a potential explosive atmosphere.”
Once plugging operation behind Crystal Point Condos has been completed, DEP contractors will mobilize to the site of the second well located at 1602 Linwood Ave.
Much like the first, this well has no responsible owner and is actively venting methane in a residential area.
Both well plugging projects are expected to be completed within the upcoming weeks.
Erie County is home to some 3,203 active wells and 448 orphan and abandoned wells.
DEP is in the process of finalizing a proposed project, funded through the US Department of Interior, that will utilize Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding to plug 28 wells.
In addition, the Shapiro administration just awarded over $7 million to 35 well plugging projects across the Commonwealth through the federal Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP), focusing on reducing methane emissions, creating jobs and supporting small business across Pennsylvania.
Five of those projects in Erie County will address the plugging of 28 marginal conventional wells.
Click Here for the DEP announcement.
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.
PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - August 23 to 29 - Township Declares Disaster Emergency Over Polluted Water Wells; 70 More Abandoned Conventional Well Violations [PaEN]
-- DEP: Griffin Summit Oil Co. Violated Order To Plug Or Bring 53 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Into Compliance In Venango County; 437 Abandoned Conventional Well NOVs In 2025 [PaEN]
-- DEP Closes Violations For Failing To Restore Shale Gas Water Impoundment For 7 Years In Clarion County After Owner Reports Using It To Frack A Well; On July 31 [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Sept. 9 Virtual Update On Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Rupture In Upper Wakefield Twp., Bucks County [PaEN]
-- DEP Plugs 2 Conventional Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners And Venting Gas In Erie County [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 30 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments Stormwater Permit For The Hyperion Midstream 2 Mile Long Titan To Athena Loop Natural Gas Pipeline Project In Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 66 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 30 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP To Hold Oct. 1 Hearing On Title V Air Quality Permit For Vitro Meadville Flat Glass In Crawford County [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Freeport Township Declares Disaster Emergency After Residents Impacted By A Gas Related Water Contamination Event Have Been Without Permanent Water Supplies For 3 Years-- We’re Not Blaming Anybody, We Just Want Good, Clean Drinking Water [PaEN]
-- Inside Climate News: Pennsylvania Towns Push Back To Stop Proposed LNG Gas Export Terminals, As President Pushes LNG Exports
-- Environmental Quality Board Meets Sept. 9 To Consider 2 Petitions From Oil & Gas Industry; Air Quality; Laboratory; Drinking Water; Water Quality; Radiation Protection Regulations [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office: Residential Electricity Bills ‘Begin Surge:’ Natural Gas Prices Up 71%, PJM Prices Up Due To A.I. Data Center Demand [PaEN]
-- US DOE Orders Eddystone Generating Station To Remain In Operation For 90 More Days In Delaware County [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It -- A.I./Data Center Articles & NewClips From Last Week - August 31 [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Williamsport Sun: DEP Assesses Eureka Resources Oil & Gas Wastewater Spill In Williamsport, Orders Company To Take Corrective Measures [PDF of Article]
-- The Center Square: Republican Rep. Ortitay Wants To Expand Natural Gas Drilling On State Land, Raise Other Revenue To Replace School Property Taxes
-- YourErie.com: DEP Plugs Conventional Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners And Venting Gas In Erie Residential Area
-- Utility Dive: EIA Projects Record Residential, Commercial Natural Gas Consumption To Offset Decreases In Power Generation [Underappreciated Risks To Gas Use By A.I. Data Center Customers]
[Posted: August 27, 2025] PA Environment Digest
No comments :
Post a Comment