DEP Agrees To Allow U.S. Energy To Start Natural Gas Drilling After Violations, Penalty

The Department of Environmental Protection has executed a consent order and agreement with U.S. Energy Development Inc. of Getzville, NY that allows the company to resume drilling activities in northwestern Pennsylvania while limiting the number of active well sites. U.S. Energy also paid a $200,000 civil penalty to DEP.

“The agreement is structured to ensure both immediate and continuing environmental compliance and allows U.S. Energy the opportunity to resume operations under a structured format,” said DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch. “As part of the agreement, U.S. Energy will operate under an environmental management plan that will serve as a blueprint for future compliance and development.”

The agreement documents the settlement of the cease-and-desist order that DEP issued against U.S. Energy July 10. The July order cited continued and numerous violations by U.S. Energy of the Oil and Gas Act, the Clean Streams Law, and the Solid Waste Management Act.

Some of the U.S. Energy well sites that were cited in the order are on the Allegheny National Forest and property owned by the Bradford Water Authority.

The violations included failure to implement measures to prevent accelerated erosion, unpermitted discharges, failure to restore well sites, encroachments into streams and wetlands without obtaining required permits, and failure to plug abandoned wells.