Resident Suing Over Foul Odor at Gas Well's Wastewater Site
Alleges inspector blocked by DEP
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
26 May 2011
By Don Hopey,
Something stinks around a Marcellus Shale wastewater reservoir operated
by Range Resources in Amwell, Washington County, according to a local
resident's lawsuit, but a state Department of Environmental Protection
inspector said administrators told him to ignore complaints.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Commonwealth Court in Harrisburg by Beth
Voyles, contends that John Carson, a DEP field inspector, said
superiors in Harrisburg and in the southwest DEP regional office in
Pittsburgh told him he was not permitted to accept any complaints,
investigate or file any citations against Range for noxious odors
allegedly coming from the reservoir known as the "Yeager impoundment."
Range denies any odor associated with the reservoir.
DEP declined to respond to questions, saying it could not discuss the
case because it "may be a party to pending litigation."
The court case comes as the DEP struggles with news reports about
procedural changes that require field inspectors to get approval from
administrators in Harrisburg before issuing violation notices to
Marcellus Shale drilling operations or other state agencies.
The lawsuit asks the court to force the DEP to accept and investigate
Ms. Voyles' complaint; take water, soil and air samples; and issue
notices of violation if warranted. The court has scheduled an expedited
hearing for 1:30 p.m. June 1 in Harrisburg.
"She was told by the DEP inspector he was not permitted to take her
complaint or issue a citation of violations," said Kendra Smith, Ms.
Voyles' attorney.
"We filed this because DEP is required by law to act on every citizen
complaint that comes through its system, either by phone or through the
Internet."
But Matt Pitzarella, a Range Resources spokesman, said the DEP
inspector didn't respond to Ms. Voyles' complaint because there was
never any odor problem at the impoundment.
He also said Ms. Voyles has a long history of unfounded complaints
against Marcellus operations in Amwell, including allegations that a
dog and a horse had died from drinking chemically tainted drilling
waste water.
Don Hopey: dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.