This was the seventh reported incident bringing the total amount of fluids lost into the voids to at least 360,000 gallons. Read more here.
DEP inspectors from the Oil and Gas Program and the Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation inspected the site on December 8 in response to the notification to look for inadvertent drilling fluid returns on the surface at the construction site and found none.
DEP's Abandoned Mines staff collected water samples at several acid mine drainage discharge points and from other water resources in the area of the pipeline construction.
DEP Oil and Gas staff also took samples of the drilling fluid being used prior to it being pumped into the drill bore.
DEP's inspection report noted "violations may be forthcoming pending further investigation."
DEP also noted the company had staged a vacuum truck at the site used to vacuum up drilling fluids that spill.
Click Here for a copy of DEP’s inspection report with photos.
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: Row 1- Drilling rig and fluid pit; Pipeline route; Row 2-- Discharge from old mine entrance sampled by DEP; Stakes marking abandoned Primrose Mine where the loss of drilling fluid occurred.)
[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:
[PaEN]
-- DEP Investigating Another 31,000 Gallon Spill Into Mine Voids From MarkWest Liberty Midstream Pipeline Construction In Washington County; 360,000 Gallons Lost So Far [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 13 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Water Quality Permit Approvals For Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Appalachian Reliability Pipeline Project In Armstrong, Greene, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]
-- PUC Publishes Updates To Low-Income Natural Gas, Electric Utility Usage Reduction Program Regulations [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In December 13 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permits For 5 Large Electric Transmission, Substation Projects In 14 Counties, Including 150 Mile Piney-Seward and Erie South-Piney Transmission Project Crossing 8 Counties [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Environmental Quality Board Votes To Accept Petition To Study An Increase In Setback Safety Zones From Shale Gas Wells; And 3 Petitions From Oil & Gas Industry To Change Other Requirements [PaEN]
-- Sen. Yaw Bill To Subsidize Building Only Natural Gas Power Plants To Help Meet The Energy Demands Of A.I. Data Centers; Continues ‘One Of The Above’ Energy Policy [PaEN]
-- YaleEnvironment360: Pennsylvania Faces A New Natural Gas Fracking Boom With Soaring Energy Demands Needed To Feed A.I. Data Centers [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Low Flow Water Conditions Trigger Water Withdrawal Restrictions On 40 Shale Gas Water Withdrawal Points; 17 Shale Gas Withdrawals Blocked By Ice Conditions [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Cold Weather Alert For Dec. 13 In Illinois, And Dec. 14, 15 In Its Western Region, Including Duquesne Light, Penn Power, West Penn Power [PaEN]
-- PaGasSwitch.com: Natural Gas Costs Increased From 9.26% to 57.5% Over The Last Year For Natural Gas Utility Customers Not Shopping For A Fuel Supplier [PaEN]
-- PUC Highlights Ways Natural Gas Customers Can Manage Winter Energy Use, Costs, Explore Energy Affordability Options [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office: 2025 Act 13 Shale Gas Impact Fee Revenue Estimate $239.9 Million, Up $75.3 Million From Last Year [PaEN]
-- Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper Hosts Jan. 14 Data Centers in the Susquehanna River Basin – Let's Talk Water Usage With SRBC [PaEN]
-- 265 MW Solar Energy Facility Approved By Rush Township In Centre County On Nearly 2,000 Acres Of Abandoned Mine Land [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: DEP To Review Proposal To Expand No-Drill Zones Around Homes, Schools, Streams
-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: PA Will Study Plan To Keep New Natural Gas Drilling Pads Farther From Homes, Schools, Hospitals
-- Capitol Wire: Natural Gas Fracking Activity In Pennsylvania Surges As Power Demand From A.I. Data Centers Increases
-- PA Capital-Star: Energy Market Watchers See Electric Bills In PA, Other States Rising As A.I. Data Center Demand Continues
-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PJM Grid Operator Covering PA Failing To Plan For Responsible A.I. Data Center Load Growth, Observers Say
-- Utility Dive: FERC Poised To Issue Decision On Colocating A.I. Data Centers/ Large Loads In PJM Dec. 18
-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Straddles The A.I. Divide - Advocates, Concerns About Furious Pace Of A.I. Data Center Development
-- Fortune: Exelon CEO: The ‘Warning Lights Are On’ For US Electric Grid Resilience And Utility Prices Amid Uncontrolled A.I. Data Center Demand Surge [Electricity & Natural Gas Costs Are Now Leading Inflation Pressures]
-- Morning Call: Lehigh Valley Residents Warn Of Affordability Crisis, Ask PUC To Reject PPL’s Proposed 7% Rate Increase
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PUC Approves Columbia Gas Rate Increase - 13th Since 2008
-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: What’s Important In Affordable Energy? A Conversation With A Carnegie Mellon Energy Justice Professor
-- Penn State Extension Energy Essentials: Guide To Extension Energy Team; Upcoming Learning Opportunities; Biogas; Home Heating Assistance Opens
-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Tied To Projects In Archbald, Blakely Proposes Projects In Dickson City; 54 Data Center Buildings Now Proposed Across Archbald, Dickson City, Jessup In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: Dickson City Receives 4 A.I. Data Center Campus Proposals; Mayfield Boro Adopts Ordinance Regulating Data Centers, 11 Data Center Proposals In Lackawanna County [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: Customer, Elected Officials Blast Proposed PPL Rate Increase, Concerns About Ratepayers Footing The Bill For A.I. Data Centers [PDF of Article]
-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill, Luzerne, Carbon County Municipalities React To A.I. Data Center Proposals [PDF of Article]
-- Scranton Times: Lackawanna County Officials Take Trip To Virginia’s Data Center Alley [PDF of Article]
-- WNEP: Lackawanna County Leaders Learn About A.I. Data Centers On Trip To Virginia’s ‘Data Center Alley’
-- TribLive: Springdale Residents, Environmental Groups Gather To Oppose A.I. Data Center; More Events Planned In Allegheny County [Vote Dec. 16]
-- Fox43: New Plans Reviewed For $15 Billion A.I. Data Center In Middlesex Twp., Cumberland County
-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: Philadelphia Signs Agreement To Buy Electricity From Clearfield County Solar Energy Facility To Stabilize Energy Costs
-- Altoona Mirror: 342 MW Solar Energy Facility Approved In City Of Altoona, Blair County [PDF of Article]
-- Centre Daily Times: 265 MW Black Moshannon Solar Energy Facility On Abandoned Mine Land Takes Next Step In Centre County
- The Guardian: More Than 230 US Environmental Groups Demand Halt To New Energy-Hungry A.I. Data Centers Causing Soaring Electric Bills
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Concerns Raised About PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In A.I. Data Centers
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Potential For More Air Pollution From A.I. Data Centers Causes Concern In Virginia
-- Reuters: Big Tech Shifts To ‘All Of The Above’ A.I. Power Strategy [Still Prioritizing Renewables Over Fossil Fuels]
-- NY Times: President Signs Executive Order To Neuter State A.I. Law [Copy of Order]
-- White House: Ensuring A National Policy Framework For Artificial Intelligence
-- Utility Dive: President Wants ‘ONE’ National A.I. Data Center Rule As States Seeks To Curb Impacts On Energy Costs, Water Use, Privacy And Other Issues
-- NY Times: President Promises Executive Order To Block State A.I. Regulations
-- EPA Publishes Guide To Getting Air Permits For A.I. Data Center Projects
-- Post-Gazette: A.I. Strike Team Finds New Partner, Fresh Leadership To Promote A.I. In PA
-- PA Attorney General Sunday Leads Coalition Of 42 Attorneys General In Letter To A.I. Software Companies Demanding Safeguards To Protect Vulnerable Residents From Harmful Interactions With Bots
-- Time Magazine Person Of The Year - The Architects Of A.I.
[Posted: December 13, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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