Saturday, June 20, 2026

DEP Finds No Action Taken To Cleanup Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Oil Well At A Site In Washington County For 936 Days

On June 11, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection did a follow-up inspection of the McCown 1 conventional oil well in Cecil Township, Washington County owned by the CC Wharton Estate and found no action had been taken since the last inspection to cleanup contaminated groundwater from the well released on the site.

The last inspection of the site was on May 13, 2025. The original violations for the spills were issued on Nov. 17, 2023 in response to a citizen complaint and re-issued on May 13, 2025.

“The corroded tank in the woods behind the pump jack that appeared to be leaking an oil-based matter from the base was also observed again.”

“The production tanks appeared to be in the same condition as previously observed, with signs of corrosion apparent.”

“A soil conductivity reading was taken again at the base of the larger metal production tank and indicated a release with elevated reading of contaminates of 12.34mS.

DEP said it "Appears a release of production fluids [contaminated groundwater from the well] has migrated into a nearby" pool of water."

“The Department requests the operator assess the entire well site for leaks and spills.”

“The Department has not been able to contact the operator and has not received any response from the previous inspections.”

The May 2025 violations were continued from the Nov. 17, 2023 violations..

DEP requested a response by June 30.   DEP inspection report + many 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-- Corroded contaminated groundwater storage tanks, Corrosion close-up, Measuring contamination from tank release; Row 2-- Measuring contamination in release from another tank in the woods, Pool of contaminated water next to tanks, Measuring contamination in water.)


[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 - June 13 to 19 - 4 Contaminated Groundwater Releases From Conventional Wells; Abandoned Conventional Well Violations Hit 300  [PaEN]  

     -- DEP Finds Large Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From 2 Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Sites In Sugar Grove Twp., Warren County; That’s 3 Spill Sites This Week  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP Finds Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Brokenstraw Twp., Warren County, 3rd Site This Week  [PaEN] 

     -- DEP Finds No Action Taken To Cleanup Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Oil Well At A Site In Washington County For 936  Days  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 20 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 51 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 20 PA Bulletin  [PaEN] 

     -- Reminder: June 23 In-Person DEP Hearing On Stormwater Permit For Mora Solar LLC 390-Acre Solar Energy Facility In Kidder Twp., Carbon County

     -- Reminder: PUC Hearings On PPL Data Center Transmission Line Project In Luzerne County June 30

     -- The Public Utility Commission published notice in the June 20 PA Bulletin of a July 13 telephonic hearing on a default electric service plan and advanced metering infrastructure surcharge by the Pike County Light and Power Company.  PUC Docket No. P-2026-3062915

Related Articles This Week:

-- PUC Announced Distribution Of $243.8 Million In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fees For PA Communities, State Environmental, Other Programs [PaEN] 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - June 22  [PaEN]

-- Guest Essay: For America's 250th, Let's Return Power To The Town Square - The Right To Plan Our Future, Protect Our Backyards, Have A Seat At The Table -  By David M. Sanko, PA State Association Of Township Supervisors   [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Rolling Stone/DeSmog - Justin Nobel: Her Son Died Of A Rare Bone Cancer, Could Unsecured Oil & Gas Equipment Waste Facility In Cecil Twp., Washington County Be To Blame?

-- Inquirer: Delta Monroe Energy Jet Fuel Refinery In Delaware County Shuts Down Due To Internal Leak

-- TribLive: Penneco Repairs Road Near Oil & Gas Wastewater Injection Wells In Plum Boro After Damage From Truck Traffic In Allegheny County 

-- ProPublicia: President Plans To Protect Methane-Leaking Conventional /Stripper Oil & Gas Wells, Hilcorp Oil & Gas Company Owner To Benefit  [Hilcorp Operates In PA] 

-- In Case You Were Wondering: Breathe Project Cams: ‘Emergency’ Flares Still Burning At MarkWest Harmon Creek, Energy Transfer Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plants In Washington County 6.17.26 

-- TribLive: New Shale Gas Wells, Higher Natural Gas Prices Raise State’s Drilling Impact Fee Distribution To $243.8 Million

-- TribLive Editorial: Latest Examples Of Efforts To Narrow Public Discourse Should Be Opposed

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: President Wants PJM To Give The Gas Industry A Multibillion Gift To Supply Power To A.I. Data Centers In Upcoming Power Auction - By Tom Rutigliano  

-- The Center Square: PA’s Energy Future A Defining Issue In Gubernatorial Race

-- The Guardian: How The Fight Over US A.I. Data Centers Is Scrambling Pennsylvania’s Politics: ‘We Don’t Want It’

-- PennLive: As PA Data Center Development Surges, PA House Fast-Tracks Bills To Address It [Not Senate] 

-- The Center Square: Republican Senators Ward, Yaw Say State Losing Out Because Of Shapiro-Backed Price Caps On Electricity Prices   [But Yaw Asked FERC In March To Require PJM To Keep Charging PA Ratepayers The Same Record High Rates ]

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Fossil Fuel Footprint Leaves A Widening Fiscal Gap To Support Tax Credits For Fossil Fuel Industry 

-- Utility Dive: Dept. Of Defense Intervenes In Clean Air Act Lawsuit Against Use Of Gas-Fired Power Turbines To Feed Colossus 2 Data Center In Mississippi Saying It Threatens National Security  

-- Utility Dive: US EIA: Natural Gas Generation Down 60% From 2024 On Same Capacity In California As Cheaper Solar, Power Imports Surge 

[Posted: June 20, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

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