Follow these links to spreadsheets showing the violations and inspections occurring between June 6 to 12--
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 June 5--
-- NOVs Issued In Last Week: 58 conventional, 13 unconventional
-- Year To Date - NOVs Issued: 2,432 conventional and 516 unconventional
-- Enforcements 2025: 217 conventional and 93 unconventional (orders, agreements)
-- Inspections Last Week: 372 conventional and 479 unconventional
-- Year To Date - Inspections: 8,990 conventional and 11,648 unconventional
DEP Oil & Gas Enforcement/Permitting Staff Frozen For 10 Years, Workload Grew Nearly 50%
Just three numbers clearly describe the challenges DEP’s Oil and Gas Program faces in enforcing laws and regulations covering the conventional oil and gas and unconventional shale gas industry in Pennsylvania--
--190 -- The number of enforcement & permit review positions frozen since December 2016
-- 49.5% -- The increase in new shale gas wells drilled since 2016-- 5,014-- from 10,228 to 15,242.
-- 19.4% -- The percentage of staff now working only on federal conventional well plugging program. Read more here.
Attorney General Files Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources
On June 9, John Beauge reported on PennLive.com Attorney General Sund filed criminal charges against Eureka Resources for oil and gas wastewater leaks from its Standing Stone Facility in Wysox Township, Bradford County, one of three now closed treatment facilities owned by the company..
Eureka is charged with seven counts of criminally violating three different sections of the Solid Waste Management Act. Read more here.
DEP Investigation Finds CNX Gas Facilities Caused Water Loss
On April 29, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection issued six notices of violation to three CNX Gas Company LLC shale gas facilities saying its investigation found the CNX facilities were the cause of “diminution” of two private water supplies in Bell Township, Westmoreland County. Read more here.
Day 587: Seneca Resources Shale Gas Well Pad Wastewater Spills Continue
On June 2, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the Seneca Resources Co LLC Taft 851 shale gas well pad in Middlebury Township, Tioga County and found evidence of continuing wastewater spills at the site. Violations continued. Meanwhile, fracking of seven wells and pipeline construction projects continue at the pad. Read more here.
Frontier Natural Resources Fails To Restore 4 Impoundments, 4 Pads For 3,252 Days
On June 8, 2026, the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the Winner 1, Winner 2, Winner 4H and Winner 6 shale gas well pads and 4 multimillion gallon shale gas water impoundments in East and West Keating Townships, Clinton County owned by Frontier Natural Resources and found the pad and impoundments had not been restored.
The original violations for failure to restore the impoundments and the well pads within 9 months after drilling was completed on the pad were issued on July 14, 2017-- 3,252 days ago, nearly 9 years ago. Read more here.
Expand Operating LLC Pipeline E&S, Stream Crossing Violations Continue
On June 8, 2026, a DEP inspection of the Expand Operating LLC Brigham to Gregerson aboveground shale gas water pipeline construction site found multiple erosion and sedimentation violations and a general failure to comply with stream and wetland crossing permit requirements.
Two dozen photos in the DEP inspection report documents the violations along the entire route located in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County. Read more here.
15 Abandoned Conventional Well Violation
Allegheny County - Amer Natural Resources LLC [2.370 Days]
June 8, 2026 compliance evaluation of six conventional wells-- Merle Minick Unit 1, Merle Minick Unit 2 (Aleppo Twp); John Straka Unit 2 (Glenfield Boro); John Lenzner Unit 1, Grove/Grambo Unit 1, Grove/Grambo Unit 2 (Ohio Twp.)-- continues to fail to comply with DEP orders issued on Dec. 12, 2019 and March 28, 2025 to plug these wells. Inspection reports sent to owner. Amer Natural Resources holds 49 permits.
Erie County - MKP Enterprises Inc.
June 10, 2026 inspection report for the Erie Petro Inc 1 conventional well in City of Erie documents the well is owned by MKP Enterprises. DEP issues new violations for abandoning the well and not plugging, failure to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. DEP inspection report sent to well owner. MKP holds 28 permits.
Erie County - Penta Oil Corp [1,896 Days]
June 1, 2026 inspection of the George Gregor 1 conventional well in Amity Township found the well continued to be abandoned and not plugged. Owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. No action taken to address violations. Original violations issued March 23, 2021. Violations continued. DEP inspection report sent to well owner. Penta holds 28 permits, including one abandoned well (not this one).
Venango County - Daniel L. Heath
June 8, 2026 inspections of seven conventional wells in Cranberry Township-- Farren 1, Farren 2, Farren 6, Farren 7, O’Neil 3, Ridgeway 1, Ridgeway 4-- found them all abandoned and not plugged, and the owner failed to submit annual production, waste generation and well integrity reports. Wells were never inspected. Response requested by June 26. Heath holds 48 permits.
85 - Abandoned Well Inspections
DEP inspected 103 abandoned conventional wells in Butler, Clarion, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Warren counties to monitor ongoing plugging operations and evaluate the wells for future plugging.
12 - Unknown Owner Inspections
DEP inspected 21 conventional oil and gas wells with Unknown Owners in Beaver, Butler, Jefferson, Washington and Westmoreland counties and found them abandoned and not plugged.
Conventional Well Spills/Leaks
Clearfield County - Fairman Corp
June 1, 2026 inspection of Alice Shaffer Heirs F559 conventional well in Bell Township found several patched bullet holes in the fiberglass contaminated groundwater storage tank were leaking. Standing fluid was observed and field readings showed contaminated soil. Violations issued. Response requested by June 19. DEP inspection report. Fairman holds 1,057 permits, including 1 abandoned well (not this one).
Clearfield County - Diversified Production Co.
June 12, 2026 routine inspection of the Emma S. Mikesell 763 plugged conventional well in Bell Township found the access road has not been restored and there was dead vegetation and evidence of a spill from the contaminated groundwater storage tank. There were animal tracks and chew marks on the bottom of the tank. Violations issued. Response requested by July 3. DEP inspection report.
McKean County - First Ameer Energy Inc. [61 Days]
June 1, 2026 inspection of the Allegheny National Forest Warrant 4917 156 conventional well in Foster Township found remediation of contaminated soil from contaminated groundwater storage tanks was not completed and soil not stored properly. April 1, 2026 violations continued. DEP inspection report sent to owner. Amer Natural Resources holds 49 permits.
Shale Gas Spills/Releases
Bradford County - Repsol Oil & Gas USA LLC
June 4, 2026 inspection of the Ugliuzza L shale gas well pad in Pike Township in response to a notification of another spill of contaminated wastewater on the pad and into a stormwater ditch. A 166,729 gallon spill occurred at this same pad in March, contamination remains from this spill. Violations issued. DEP inspection report.
Failure To Submit Annual Production, Waste, Integrity Reports
Oil & Gas MGMT Inc.
On June 5, 2026 DEP issued an order assessing a civil penalty on this owner of 163 conventional wells based in Allegheny County for failure to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports. [Not online] [Same address as Washington Energy Co LLC] Oil & Gas MGMT holds 163 permits.
Washington Energy Co LLC
On June 5, 2026 DEP issued an order assessing a civil penalty on this owner of 118 conventional wells (Including 6 abandoned wells) based in Allegheny County for failure to submit annual production, waste generation/disposal and well integrity reports. [Not online] [Same address as Oil & Gas MGMT Inc.] Washington Energy holds 118 permits, including 6 abandoned wells.
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:
-- --DEP Inspection Finds Continued Failure To Comply With E&S, Stream, Wetland Crossing Permit Requirements At Expand Operating Shale Gas Water Pipeline Construction Site In Bradford County [PaEN] v
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 13 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 50 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 13 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- PUC Sets Aug. 19 Telephonic Prehearing On The Transource 230 kV Transmission Line In Franklin County Connecting To A Maryland Substation [PaEN]
Related Articles This Week:
-- FracTracker Alliance Appeals DEP Conventional Oil & Gas Mineral Brine Well Permit Due To Concerns The Permit Creates A New Loophole For Disposing Of Contaminated Groundwater Without Testing Or Restrictions On Its Use [PaEN]
-- House Committee Moves Bills To Prohibit Road Dumping Contaminated Groundwater Released By Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drilling; Setting Minimum Standards For Power Plant Community Benefit Agreements; Encouraging Native Insect Habitats [PaEN]
-- PennLive: Attorney General Sunday Files Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources For Oil & Gas Wastewater Leaks From Its Now Closed Standing Stone Facility In Wysox Twp., Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Investigation Finds CNX Gas Company LLC Shale Gas Facilities Caused The ‘Diminution’ Of 2 Private Water Supplies In Bell Twp., Westmoreland County [PaEN]
-- DEP: Day 587 And Counting: Seneca Resources Continues To Release Wastewater, Frack New Shale Gas Wells At Taft Well Pad In Middlebury Twp., Tioga County [PaEN]
--DEP Inspection Finds Continued Failure To Comply With E&S, Stream, Wetland Crossing Permit Requirements At Expand Operating Shale Gas Water Pipeline Construction Site In Bradford County [PaEN]
-- DEP Marks Plugging 400th Conventional Oil & Gas Well Abandoned By Its Owner Under A Taxpayer Funded Program [PaEN]
-- State Budget Brief: DEP Oil & Gas Program Enforcement & Permitting Staff Has Been Frozen For Last 10 Years, Meanwhile Drilled Shale Gas Wells Increased By Nearly 50% [PaEN]
-- Independent Fiscal Office Estimates 2025 Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee To Yield $243.9 Million, $79.3 Million More Than In 2024 [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Utility Dive Guest Essay: Behind-The-Meter A.I. Data Center Natural Gas Power Plants Will Raise The Cost Of Natural Gas, Electric For Homes, Businesses - By Jeffrey Rissman & Eric Gimon of Energy Innovation
-- Environmental Defense Fund Files Lawsuit Against The President’s EPA Over Weakening Of Oil And Gas Methane Standards
-- The Street: New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Bankruptcy Splits Company Into 2 Different Entities -CoreCo And BrazilCo, Records Show It Never Generated A Cent Of Positive Cash Flow [Planned PA Facilities]
-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Company Bankruptcy Reveals Financial Misstatements, Systemic Mismanagement, Operational Failures [Planned PA Facilities]
[Posted: June 13, 2026 ] PA Environment Digest
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