PA Environment Digest Blog: Warren Times: US Forest Service Conducting Federal Superfund Pollution Assessment Of Abandoned American Refining Group Oil & Gas Facilities In Allegheny National Forest

On December 26, the Warren Times Observer reported the US Forest Service is conducting a federal Superfund environmental assessment of the pollution left behind at oil and gas facilities abandoned by American Refining Group [ARG Resources, Inc.] in Highland Township, Elk County.

The Warren Times said the Forest Service is coordinating with the US Environmental protection and the Department of Environmental protection on the assessment and possible cleanup work.

Both the US Government and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have filed claims under the federal Superfund Program with ARG Resources, Inc. and its receiver Resources Preservation Inc. related to cleanup expenses, according to the Warren Times.

Land Closed To Public

As reported earlier by the Warren Times, the US Forest Service issued an order on December 15 to close the land and facilities abandoned by ARG Resources, Inc. in Highland Township, Elk County to the public due to unsafe conditions caused by hazardous materials and structurally unsound buildings.

The areas include the Bear Creek Facility; Chaffee Facility; CO2 Facility; Highland Facility: Horton Facility; Lamont Facility; Lamont Tool House; Sulfa Treat Facility; Weaver Facility; and the Weld Shop.

Click Here for maps of the areas.

Signs have been posted prohibiting entry to the areas. Law enforcement will conduct regular patrols of the closed areas, according to the Forest Service.

Those found trespassing could be fined up to $5,000 for individuals or $10,000 for organizations or face up to six months in jail.

Click Here for a copy of the order and more information.

Questions should be directed to the Allegheny National Forest Marienville Ranger District Office at 814-927-6628 or send email to: sm.fs.anf@usda.gov.

Background

The American Refining Group operates a refinery in Bradford, McKean County manufacturing high-quality waxes, lubricant base oils, gasoline and fuels, as well as a wide variety of specialty products from crude oil.

In April 2020, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did an extensive story on how the Allegheny National Forest faced a new wave of conventional oil and gas well abandonment from ARG Resources, a drilling company related to American Refining Group, based in an oil field in Highland Township, Elk County.

The company shut down the operation and “decommissioned” approximately 1,660 conventional oil and gas wells, dozens of buildings and tanks and roughly 150 miles of roads. Read more here.

A follow-up article by the Post-Gazette in May 2021 described how a deal fell apart to plug the 1,600 abandoned ARG Resources wells. Read more here.

In June 2023, the Department of Environmental Protection solicited bids for plugging up to 10 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells in Highland Township, Elk County owned by ARG Resources. Read more here.

The contract was funded by ARG Resources well plugging bonds forfeited to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Underground Injection Well Program.

In September 2023, DEP inspected 3 wells owned by ARG Resources in response to a notice of an intent to plug the wells, found them to be abandoned and not plugged. No previous violations were issued. Read more here.

In July 2024, there was another instance where DEP inspected an ARG Resources abandoned conventional well leaking gas and did not issue a violation. Read more here.]

In November 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection did inspections of 26 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells owned by ARG Resources in Highland Township, Elk County for plugging under the taxpayer-funded federal well plugging program. Read more here.

Resource Links:

-- Warren Times: US Forest Service Takes Additional Steps To Assess Pollution At American refining Group Facilities In Highland Twp., Elk County [PDF of Article]

-- Warren Times: US Forest Service Closes American Refining Group Facility In Highland Twp., Elk County, Declares Them Unsafe Due To Hazardous Materials, Structurally Unsound Buildings [PDF of Article]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 20 to 26 - 378,000 Gallon Gasoline Spill; 521,600 Gallon Spilled Into Mine Voids; Crude Oil Pipeline Rupture [PaEN]

-- DEP: MarkWest Liberty Midstream Shale Gas Pipeline Drilling Fluid Losses To Mine Voids Climb To Over 521,600 Gallons In Washington County [PaEN]

-- DEP Orders Monroe Energy's MIPC, LLC To Provide Replacement Water To Residents In Delaware County Potentially Impacted By A 378,000 Gallon Gasoline Leak Reported From The Chelsea Pipeline Station And Tank Farm [PaEN]

-- Warren Times: US Forest Service Conducting Federal Superfund Pollution Assessment Of Abandoned American Refining Group Oil & Gas Facilities In Allegheny National Forest [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - December 27 [PaEN]

-- DEP To Host Jan. 6 Public Information Meeting On Water Quality Permits For The A.I. Data Center Proposal In Archbald Boro, Lackawanna County [Some Of The 84 Data Center Buildings Proposed In NE PA] [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Chapter 105 Permit For Daylighting 3 CNX Midstream Natural Gas Pipelines To Prevent Damage From Longwall Coal Mining In Washington County [PaEN]

-- DEP Invites Comments On Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage Water Quality Permits For 13.1 Mile Natural Gas Pipeline Replacement Project In Armstrong, Westmoreland Counties [PaEN]