PA Environment Digest

Share this:

Petro Erie Inc. Again Claims It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s 2nd Order To Cleanup Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County

On October 5, Petro Erie Inc. filed an expanded appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board of DEP’s August 16, 2023 order requiring the operator to restore the Village Of Reno’s water supply and clean up the spill of conventional oil well wastewater from wells the company operates in Venango County. [EHB Docket No. 2023075]

One grounds for the appeal is that the “Appellant lacks the financial ability to comply with the Order.”

This is the second order DEP issued in this case and the second appeal of those orders filed by Petro Erie, Inc. [EHB Docket No. 2023063]

This is the second time the company said it lacked the financial ability to comply with DEP’s orders. Read more here.

The company also said DEP’s order fails to note “one or more brine dumping incidents occurred previously in a nearby location” and “the Department’s investigation did not reveal the responsible party,” and “the previous incident(s) and the Department’s investigation occurred before Petro Erie acquired the wells and/or [wastewater] tank battery.]

On July 31, 2023, DEP met onsite with Harry Rhoades, the owner of Petro Erie, Inc., to review the violations and “made him aware of the fact that there are more than several concerns with his [Lower Reno wells] lease.”

DEP’s inspection report said Rhoades “stated that the tank battery and the impact area was present when he purchased the [oil well] lease.”

During DEP’s first inspection of the wastewater tank leak from the conventional oil well field operated by Petro Erie, Inc. on July 21, DEP gave the operator until August 11 to submit a written plan for cleaning up the spill and bringing the wells and tank into compliance.

The company failed to comply with that order, but also filed an appeal of that first order on August 18. Read more here.

On August 21, a DEP inspection found two more Petro Erie, Inc. conventional oil well wastewater tanks with a pipe running from the tanks to a discharge area in a ditch with clear indications of wastewater dumping. Read more here.

On August 29, a DEP inspection found Petro Erie, Inc. had begun some cleanup at the site of the original wastewater tank release, but there was no activity at the site the day of the inspection. Read more here.

On September 25, 2023, DEP did a follow up inspection of the Lower Reno 1 conventional oil well operated by Petro Erie, Inc. in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County and found a limited amount of excavation was done in a drainage ditch impacted by the production wastewater spill that contaminated the Village of Reno water supply and the dirt was stockpiled for later disposal.

DEP did not report on any other work done on the site. [DEP inspection report + photos]

DEP does not comment on pending litigation.

Summary Of Spill Incident

The conventional oil well wastewater release from Petro Erie’s production wastewater tanks was discovered on July 20 and was found to have contaminated the Village of Reno’s water supply in Sugarcreek Borough, Venango County leaving the community of over 200 residents and businesses without clean water for more than six weeks.

Although the “do not consume” order to residents in Reno was lifted on September 1, the water supply emergency continues with drinking water trucked into the community every week. Read more here.

Sadly, on September 9, Sugarcreek Borough Mayor Charlie McDaniel, who had been a leader in his community responding to the Village of Reno water emergency for the last six weeks, was found deceased in his home. Read more here.

The latest information from DEP’s Northwest Regional Office is available on its Venango Water Company/ Petro Erie Inc. Investigation webpage.

Visit the Aqua Pennsylvania Venango webpage for more information on activities related to the water supply system the company is operator on an emergency basis for the Venango Water Company.

Report Violations

To report oil and gas violations or any environmental emergency or complaint, visit DEP’s Environmental Complaint webpage.

Check These Resources

Visit DEP’s Compliance Reporting Database webpage to search their compliance records by date and operator and the Inspection Reports Viewer.

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.

Related Articles - Village of Reno:

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Says It Lacks The Financial Ability To Comply With DEP’s Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater That Contaminated The Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; Will Taxpayers/Ratepayers Be Stuck With Cleanup Costs Again? [9.12.23]

-- Do Not Consume Water Advisory Lifted In Village Of Reno; Petro Erie, Inc. Barely Begins Cleanup Of Conventional Oil Wastewater Spill Site That Contaminated The Water Supply In Venango County [9.2.23]

-- Petro Erie, Inc. Appeals DEP’s July Field Order To Clean Up Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill Contaminating Village Of Reno’s Water Supply In Venango County; 2nd Appeal May Be Coming [8.21.23]

-- The Derrick: DEP Issues Order To Petro Erie, Inc. To Restore Village Of Reno Water System, Cleanup Contamination Caused By Its Conventional Well Wastewater Release; 1 Month Without Clean Water [8.19.23]

-- Mayor Of Sugarcreek Asks For Donations To Refill Village Of Reno Water Tank After Contamination In Venango County; Emergency Water Distribution Resumes; Contamination From Conventional Oil Wastewater Tanks Suspected [8.12.23]

-- DEP Investigates Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Leak As Possible Source Of Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination In Venango County; Customers Under Do Not Consume Advisory For 2+ Weeks [8.5.23]