Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between January 31 to February 6--
Click Here for violations issued. Click Here for inspection entries.
[Note: There were many more violations issued by DEP than PA Environment Digest can highlight here.]
Enforcement Actions Taken Last Week
So far this year, DEP took these actions as of January 30--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: ZERO conventional, 3 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 233 conventional and 51 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 27 conventional and 16 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 197 conventional and 286 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 1,244 conventional and 2,031 unconventional
Residents Not Aware Markwest Midstream Lost 1.2 Million Gallons Of Drilling Fluids In Washington County
On February 2, the Breathe Project, Three Rivers WaterKeeper and the Clean Air Council alerted residents of Mount Pleasant and Robinson Townships in Washington County that MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC released over 1.2 million gallons of drilling fluid starting on October 2025 during pipeline construction activities that are part of a major pipeline expansion in the County.
The roughly 5,024 residents of Mount Pleasant and Robinson Townships, the majority of which rely on private wells for their drinking water, do not know if and when their wells may be contaminated as a result of these drilling activities, the groups said.
Residents in the area are encouraged to report concerns and/or complaints through the official state channel on DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage. Read more here.
EHB Dismisses CNX Motion To Throw Out Appeal Of Water Loss Case
On February 3, the Environmental Hearing Board issued an opinion denying a motion by CNX Gas Company to throw out an appeal by James and Barbara Ullom over water loss allegedly caused by fracking at the CNX NV110 shale gas well pad in East Finley Township, Washington County. EHB Docket #2024114 Read more here.
The Board ruled the appellants met their burden of establishing a prima facie case and allowed the appeal to proceed.
The Board also said it is reviewing whether the rebuttable provision of the Oil and Gas Act applies to just instances of water contamination as CNX argued or whether it also applies to cases of water loss.
The rebuttable presumption provision says a shale gas driller is assumed to be responsible for pollution of a water supply if it is within 2,500 feet of a well bore and the pollution occurred within 12 months of completion of the well.
[Note: This is the same case where the Environmental Hearing Board agreed with a Center for Coalfield Justice assertion there was “acute” danger in CNX misusing a deposition in the case to “punish” an environmental advocate for her advocacy against CNX and issued an order putting certain boundaries on the deposition of the witness. Read more here.]
10 Abandoned Conventional Well Violations
Beaver County
-- New Sewickley Twp.: Fred C. Scheel - Fred Scheel 1 - Abandoned Since Jan. 28, 2025
Erie County
-- Millcreek Twp.: St. Mark's Episcible Church - St. Marks 1 - Abandoned well plugging to be completed by Aug. 2, 2026
Fayette County
-- Dunbar Twp.: Apollo Resources LLC - J. Martin USX 9 -
Venango County
-- Clinton Twp.: Delong Oil Inc. - Guckert G9 - Abandoned Since June 9, 2025
Warren County
-- Watson Twp.: Jack E. McLaughlin - McLaughlin 1 - Complaint Inspection
Westmoreland County
-- Penn Twp.: H & S Gas & Oil - Radokovich 1 - Abandoned Since Oct. 7, 2025
-- South Huntingdon Twp.: Amer Exploration Co. - Rhodes 1 - No production for 15 years
-- Unity Twp.: Rheydt LLC - Betty J. Smail 1 - No production for 2 years
Fayette County - Diversified Production LLC [2,526 Days]
February 4, 2026 compliance evaluation of the Thompson/Bloniarz 1 conventional well in Georges Township found the plugged well site was not restored within 9 months after its March 7, 2025 plugging. The owner continues to be in violation of a March 7, 2019 order requiring the plugging of the well. Violation continued. DEP inspection report.
Greene County - Diversified Production LLC
January 7, 2026 inspection of the Joseph J. Stagnrajh 2 conventional well in Cumberland Township and found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations on the plugged well pad. Violations issued. Response requested by Jan. 26. DEP inspection report.
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 66 notices of violation for conventional oil and gas well abandonment.
1 Abandoned Shale Gas Well
Butler County - Big Dog Energy LLC [161 Days]
January 14, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Lonchena P1 shale gas well in Forward Township found the owner did not completely plug the well by Dec. 31, 2025 as required by a DEP Order issued on Aug. 6, 2025. Fresh unlawful conduct violation issue. Response requested by Jan. 21. DEP inspection report.
So far in 2026, DEP issued or continued 3 notices of violation for shale gas well abandonment.
Failure To Notify DEP Of Water Supply Complaint
Washington County - CNX Gas Company, LLC
January 30, 2026 file review related to a July 11, 2024 water supply contamination complaint involving the NV110 shale gas well pad in East Finley Township found the owner failed to notify DEP of the complaint within 24 hours as required by regulations. Violation issued. Response requested by February 13. DEP inspection report.
Shale Gas Spills/Releases
Washington County - Range Resources Appalachia LLC
January 29, 2026 inspection of the Shearer Robert shale gas well pad in Robinson Township in response to a Jan. 27, 2026 notification of a spill of about 193 gallons from a wastewater tank truck on the pad contaminating an area 100 x 20 feet. Remediation was underway at the time of the inspection. Contaminated gravel filled 2 roll off dumpsters. Violations issued. Response requested by Feb. 18. DEP inspection report.
Conventional Well Spills/Releases/Venting Gas
Clarion County - Timberline Energy Inc. [448 Days]
January 21, 2026 inspection of the Garmer 3 conventional well in Porter Township found clean up work has not been completed at the site since the spills were first discovered on Oct. 20, 2024. Violations continued. DEP inspection report.
Clearfield County - EXCO Resources PA LLC
February 5, 2026 inspection of the Irvin A19 conventional well in Bell Township in response to a notification of a spill from a fracking fluids wastewater tank into secondary containment with a hole in the lining. Violations issued. Act 2 cleanup will be pursued. DEP inspection report.
Erie County - Bruce Q. Whitehair
February 2, 2026 inspection of the Mountain 11 conventional well in Venango Township found the well venting gas and records show the owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. This well was not inspected before. Response requested by March 2. DEP inspection report.
Somerset County - Oil & Gas MGMT Inc. [57 Days]
February 4, 2026 follow-up inspection of the Neilan 1 conventional well in Somerset Township found no action had been taken to clean up spills, fix corroded pipe and address over violations issued on Dec. 9, 2025. Violations continued. Response requested by Feb. 11. DEP inspection report.
2026 Act 2 Oil & Gas Facility Pollution Cleanups
So far in 2026, DEP received or acted on 10 Act 2 Land Recycling notices related to oil and gas facility site cleanups. Read more here.
Shale Gas Casing/Cement Failure
Bradford County - Expand OPER LLC
February 2, 2026 inspection of the Barnes shale pad 4H well in Smithfield Township found gas in the intermediate casing annulus indicating a casing/cementing failure. Violation issued for failing to notify DEP of the failure. Response requested by March 2. DEP inspection report.
Failed To Submit Shale Gas Monthly Production Report
DEP issued violations to these shale gas companies for failing to submit one or more monthly production and waste generation reports. Violations not online.
-- Frontier Natural Resources - Jan. 20, 2026
-- K Petroleum Inc. - January 20, 2026
-- Roulette Oil & Gas LLC - January 20, 2026
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.
[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:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Jan. 31 to Feb. 6 - 10 More Conventional Abandoned Well Violations; Failure To Notify DEP Of Water Contamination; Casing/Cement Failure [PaEN]
-- Washington County Residents On Water Wells Not Aware A MarkWest Pipeline Drilling Project Lost 1.2 Million Gallons Of Drilling Fluid In Mount Pleasant & Robinson Townships [PaEN]
-- Environmental Hearing Board Denies CNX Gas Company Motion To Throw Out Ullom Family Appeal Over Water Loss In Washington County; Scope Of Rebuttable Presumption Under Review [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - February 7 [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Permit For Homer City Generation 5.8 Mile, 30-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline To Serve Proposed Data Center 4.5 GW Power Plant In Indiana County [PaEN]
-- DEP Invites Comments On Columbia Gas Permit For Project To Protect 2 Major Natural Gas Pipelines From Impacts Of Longwall Coal Mining In West Finley Twp., Washington County [PaEN]
-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approved 74 Shale Gas Well Pad Water Use General Permits In December, January; 471 In 2025 [PaEN]
-- Guest Comments: Jacoby & Cove Mountains In Loyalsock State Forest Will Be Degraded For Generations By PA General Energy's 'Saluda' Shale Gas Access Road, Staging Area Project In Lycoming County - By Barbara Jarmoska, Resident [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 56 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In February 7 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- Gov. Shapiro’s Proposed Budget Includes Performance Standards For Data Centers Seeking State Tax Credits; Renewed Call For Lightening Energy Plan; New PUC Benchmarks For Utility Profits [PaEN]
-- Reactions To Gov. Shapiro's Proposed Budget From Citizen, Environmental, Energy, Industry, Utility Groups [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - February 9 [PaEN]
-- House Committee OKs Bill To Give PUC More Authority To Regulate A.I. Data Centers, Other Large Loads To Protect Ratepayers, Electric Grid [PaEN]
-- Capitolwire.com: Senate Committee Amends, Does Not Report Out Bill Requiring Data Centers To Bring Their Own Power, Respecting Local Decisions [PaEN]
-- House Passes Bills Authorizing Clean Manufacturing, Reduce Fees For Small Nuclear Reactors, Advances Solar Warehouse Bill [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports PA Electricity Prices Increased 46.1% From 2018 to 2025, More Than Other PJM States, Largely Due To Pennsylvania's Reliance On Natural Gas-Fired Electric Generation [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: A.I. Data Centers Pose Big Challenge For PA's Energy Future - Dramatically Increasing Costs For Energy Consumers, And It's Not Getting Any Cheaper - By Tom Gilbert, Pennsylvania Environmental Council [PaEN]
-- Clean Energy Group, Partners Host Feb. 25 Webinar On The High Cost Of A.I. - How Data Centers Are Reshaping Pennsylvania's Energy Landscape [PaEN]
-- PJM Interconnection Issues Cold Weather Alert For Feb. 7 to 9 Across Its Entire Footprint [PaEN]
[Posted: February 7, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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