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KDKA Investigation: Washington County Family Says Energy Transfer/MarkWest Natural Gas Processing Plants Turned A Peaceful Farm Into A Nightmare

KDKA in Pittsburgh posted Part I of a report July 3, 2023 about the impact of the December explosion at the Energy Transfer natural gas processing plant and the plant’s continuing operations on a nearby Washington County farm family.

KDKA published Part II of the report July 4, 2023 on how the Environmental Integrity Project believes the Department of Environmental Protection is “stonewalling” the group’s attempt to get answers about the Energy Transfer and MarkWest natural gas processing plants in Washington County.

The explosion was one of three major environmental accidents at natural gas industrial facilities to hit Washington County on December 25 (explosion), December 26 (10,000 gallon leak from a natural gas compressor station) and December 27 (leak of 1.1 million cubic feet of natural gas from a pipeline pigging station). Read more here.

Part I - Impact On Family Farm

A local family says their peaceful home was turned into a nightmare when two natural gas plants moved in and seemingly surrounded their property. Now they've found themselves locked in a battle of David and Goliath.

The Washington County homestead and farm has been a place of quiet solitude for generations of the Duran family, until recently.

The once-peaceful fields are flanked by two giant natural gas processing plants. A recently expanded plant operated by Mark West and one owned by the Texas company Energy Transfer are both sites of constant flaring and noise.

"Some nights we can't even sleep with the sounds from the plants," Duran said.

It all came to a head with an explosion and fire at the Energy Transfer plant on Christmas morning, causing the Durans to flee with their children.

"They were opening their gifts, it was like 7:30 and the whole house shook. We gathered what dogs we could and the kids and got in the car and left," said Kasey Duran, Sam's wife.

Energy Transfer's record in Pennsylvania is checkered at best.

The state ordered the company to pay $30 million dollars in fines for an explosion at its Revolution Pipeline in Beaver County in 2018, and $20 million for more than 100 violations for leaks in its Mariner East pipeline, which polluted wetlands and private wells.

But state environmental regulators have done little to address the problems at the plant.

The state Department of Environmental Protection cited the company in 2021 for failure to prevent visible emissions, and the company agreed to pay $15,000 in fines. However, the DEP has issued no violations for the Christmas explosion and it's unclear if state regulators conducted an investigation.

In a statement, the DEP said it reviewed the company's findings that a faulty valve had caused the explosion and has allowed Energy Transfer to resume operations. Despite constant calls to the DEP, Kasey Duran says she's heard nothing.

Click Here to read and watch Part I of the investigative report.

Part II - ‘Stonewalling’ Attempts To Get Answers

"The citizens have valid concerns about the DEP's lack of responsiveness here because they were left in the lurch," said Lisa Widawsky Hallowell of the Environmental Integrity Project.

But the Environmental Integrity Project tried to dig deeper, filing a Right-to-Know Request with the state on the cause of the explosion. What it got back was a heavily redacted explanation from Energy Transfer as to its own internal investigation.

"There is information that is missing that the regulators have but the public is not able to have," Hallowell said.

"My hope is that the DEP would want to step forward in a very transparent way and get some answers and seek more accountability," environmentalist Lisa Marcucci said. "That's what we're urging, but we feel we're in the dark right along with the community members.

The group is calling on the state to take action. First, conduct a throughout investigation of the plant and then take steps to ensure the safety of those who live nearby.

Click Here to read and watch Part II of the investigative report.

Related Articles - Washington County:

-- 3 Days That Shook Washington County: Natural Gas Plant Explosion; Pipeline Leak Of 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Gas; 10,000 Gallon Spill At Compressor Station [PaEN]

-- DEP Rejects MarkWest Act 2 Cleanup Notification For 10,000 Gallon Natural Gas Condensate Spill At Compressor Station In Robinson Twp., Washington County; Notice Is Re-sent [PaEN]

-- Robinson Twp., Washington County Seeks Answers To Cleanup Of MarkWest Liberty Midstream 10,000 Gallon Spill Of Natural Gas Condensates After Company Sends Notice To Wrong Municipality [PaEN]

-- MarkWest Liberty Midstream Files To Clean Up 10,000 Gallon Natural Gas Condensate Spill Caused By December’s Winter Storm Elliot Freeze In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Natural Gas Pipeline Pigging Facility Malfunction Dec. 27 Released 1.1 Million Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas; Same Facility Plagued Community With Blowdowns 3 Times A Day, 7 Days A Week For Nearly 10 Years Until Criminal Charges Brought Against CNX [PaEN]

-- DEP Ongoing Explosion/Fire Investigation: Energy Transfer Reported An Uncontrolled Release Of Ethane For 9.5 Hours From Its Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plant In Washington County [PaEN]

-- Observer-Reporter: Explosion, Fire At Energy Transfer’s Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Plant Burned For Nearly 11 Hours On Christmas Day In Smith Twp., Washington County [PaEN]

-- KDKA Investigations: Washington County Family Says Energy Transfer/MarkWest Natural Gas Processing Plants Turned Peaceful Farm Into Nightmare - Part I & II [PaEN]

-- KDKA Investigations: Environmental Group Says DEP Is Stonewalling It Amid Search For Answers About Energy Transfer Natural Gas Plant Explosion Christmas Day In Washington County - Part II

-- Washington County Family Lawsuit Alleges Shale Gas Company Violated The Terms Of Their Lease By Endangering Their Health, Contaminating Their Water Supply And Not Protecting Their Land [PaEN]