EQM Gathering is a subsidiary of Equitrans Midstream Corp. that was recently acquired by EQT Corporation.
DEP said the pollution began in Froman Run from an unknown quantity of bentonite contaminated water just downstream of the pipeline crossing EQM was drilling under the creek.
In addition, about 960 feet from Froman Run, DEP observed “numerous steady flowing bentonite laden deposits seeping out from the slope into an unidentified spring channel” and into a ditch beside a railroad track for about 550 feet until it dropped into an eroded drainage channel.
Attempts were made by EQM to contain the pollution with absorbent booms and seed mulch in the impacted areas.
New violations were issued for bentonite discharges into Froman Run and the ground polluting the spring and were documented in a three-part inspection report.
DEP requested EQM to document the amount of the spill and develop a plan for corrective actions and remediation of all areas impacted by the pollution.
A response was requested from EQM by August 15. DEP inspection report- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Second Spill
This is the second spill from horizontal drilling on this pipeline construction project.
On July 14, 2025, a routine inspection of the project in Nottingham Township by DEP found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations, turbid water being pumped from a pipeline bore pit to storage tanks that were overflowing secondary containment and erosion and sedimentation controls that were installed incorrectly.
In other words the site was a real mess, so much so, DEP filed a three-part inspection report-- DEP inspection report Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
DEP issued multiple violations and requested a response by August 6 on this spill.
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: Bentonite contaminated water flowing from spring; Impacted area below the spring covered with mulch; Row 2- Contaminated water flowing 550 feet along railroad track.)
[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:
-- Coterra Energy Fined $299,000 For Contaminating 13 Private Water Supplies In Lenox Twp., Susquehanna County - Just A Few Miles From Dimock [PaEN]
-- Pin Oak Energy Partners Signs Consent Order With DEP To Address Its Failure To Restore 16 Shale Gas Well Sites And An Impoundment In Beaver County Since 2023 [PaEN]
-- DEP: Second Spill From Horizontal Drilling At EQM Gathering Pipeline Construction Project In Washington County Contaminates Spring [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - August 2 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 69 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In August 2 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Coterra Energy Fined $299,000 For Contaminating 13 Private Water Supplies In Lenox Twp., Susquehanna County - Just A Few Miles From Dimock [PaEN]
-- PA Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Applauds President For Overturning Basis For Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs-- Including Methane From Oil & Gas Operations [PaEN]
-- EPA Extends Oil & Gas Industry Compliance Deadlines For Federal Clean Air Act Methane Reduction Rule; Deadline Extended For States To Submit Compliance Plan To 2027 [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Federal EPA Rollbacks Mean Pennsylvania Must Take The Lead On Cutting Methane Pollution From Oil & Gas Operations - By Melissa Ostroff, Earthworks [PaEN]
-- State And Federal Lawmakers Tour Facilities Extracting Lithium From Oil & Gas Wastewater In Susquehanna County [PaEN]
-- PUC Chairman DeFrank Leads National Effort To Strengthen Natural Gas Use Energy Efficiency, Reliability, And Sustainability [PaEN]
-- Spotlight PA: PA PUC Developing Model Tariff For A.I. Data Centers To Ensure PA Consumers Don’t Foot The Bill
-- PJM Electric Auction Impacts: 1 In 5 PA Households Report Problems Now Paying Energy Bills; Electric Utility Shutoffs Up 38.1% So Far This Year [PaEN]
-- PJM Electricity Auction: PJM Lost 2.8 Gigawatts Of Power Due To Reduced Reliability Rating Of Natural Gas Power Plants; Could Gain 12.2 Gigawatts By Increasing Reliability From Less Than 75% Now To An Achievable 90% [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: Three Proposals To Protect Consumers From A.I. Price Increases: Bring Your Own Generation; Data Centers Must Pay Their Fair Share; An 'All Of The Above' Energy Future, Including Renewables - By Kevin Walker, CEO, Duquesne Light [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Again Extends Maximum Generation Alert & Load Management Alert To July 30; Demand Response Programs Implemented On July 28, 29 [PaEN]
-- 42 Organizations Call On DEP For More Transparency On Proposed A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- PA Dept. Of Health Distributing Free Potassium Iodide Tablets To Residents Near PA’s 4 Operating Nuclear Power Plants Aug. 14 [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension: Sept. 9 Webinar On Growth Of A.I. Data Centers, Rising Electricity Prices, Lagging Energy Development [PaEN]
-- Food & Water Watch Hosts Aug. 5 Webinar On Protecting Your Pennsylvania Community With Local Zoning [PaEN]
-- Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance, EEA-NJ Hosts Sept. 10-11 Navigating Change Policy Conference [PaEN]
Related NewsClips This Week:
-- 8.4.25 - Natural Gas, Energy, A.I./Data Center NewsClips
[Posted: August 2, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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