DEP Gives Cabot Oil & Gas 60 Days to Implement Permanent Fix to
Impacted Water Supplies in Susquehanna County Township
Company Required to Continue Providing Water Supplies in
Interim May Resume Drilling Outside Affected Area
PA-DEP Release
21 July 2010
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Freda Tarbell, Department of Environmental Protection
Northwest Regional Office - 814-332-6816
MEADVILLE -- The Department of Environmental Protection this week gave
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. 60 days to permanently fix the water supplies
that were affected by the company’s natural gas drilling operations in
Dimock, Susquehanna County.
The directive is part of a modified consent order and agreement between
the agency and the company that requires Cabot to continue providing
temporary water services until the permanent solution can be
implemented.
The 60-day timetable represents an extension that was made necessary
when residents in the affected area objected to the company’s previous
proposal to fix the water contamination issue.
“This week’s modification to the consent order and agreement gives us
more time to find a water supply solution that will address the needs
and concerns of residents,” said DEP Secretary John Hanger. “Our goal
is to find a permanent solution that will be agreeable to all parties.”
In April 2010, DEP and Cabot entered into a modification of the
original consent order and agreement that was executed in November
2009. One of the provisions required whole-house water treatment
systems to be installed in 14 homes as a permanent water supply
resolution.
After the document was signed, several of those residents expressed
dissatisfaction with whole-house treatment systems. DEP met with a
number of them in May to discuss their concerns.
Due to the resident reaction, Cabot requested an extension of the
consent order and agreement time frame to install a permanent solution.
DEP agreed to delay enforcement of that provision to allow for
additional discussions with residents. Meanwhile, several
residents in the affected area appealed the April modification to the
consent order and agreement to the Environmental Hearing Board.
Also in April, DEP suspended its review of Cabot’s pending permit
applications for new drilling activities statewide until the company
fulfilled its obligations to plug and repair the wells that caused the
gas migration, which caused the water contamination.
This week’s modification acknowledges Cabot’s progress to date under
the earlier agreement. In particular, Cabot has plugged three gas
wells, as required, and has made repairs to another well. As a result,
DEP will resume reviewing Cabot applications only for permits to drill
gas wells outside of the affected area in Dimock Township.
Except for the permanent water supply and permit application review
provisions, all other terms and conditions of the November 2009 consent
order and agreement and April 2010 modification remain in effect,
including the restrictions on drilling and hydrofracturing within the
affected area.
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. is headquartered in Houston, Tex. with a
mailing address in Pittsburgh.
For more information on oil and gas wells, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us,
keyword: Oil and gas.