Some background on Range Resources,,,
Range Resources must pay $4.15 million in fines – the largest amount ever levied against a Marcellus Shale driller – for various leaks and other problems at six of its water impoundments in Washington County.
In addition to the fine, the consent agreement announced by the state Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday requires Range to close five impoundments and upgrade two others.
The Southpointe-based company must immediately close the Lowry, Worstell and Kearns impoundments, while also closing the Bednarski impoundment by April 2015. The company was in the process of closing the beleaguered Yeager impoundment in Amwell Township, which is also on the consent agreement list.
The Carol Baker impoundment in Chartiers Township and Jon Day impoundment in Amwell, which was excavated after a leak was discovered there in April, must be upgraded to “next generation” standards with thicker liners and better leak-detection systems.
“This landmark consent order establishes a new, higher benchmark for companies to meet when designing future impoundments, which is an environmental win for Pennsylvania,” DEP Secretary Christopher Abruzzo said.
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A file review performed by Observer-Reporter staff at DEP’s Southwest Regional Office in Pittsburgh last month showed all of Range’s nine centralized impoundments in Washington County, most of which were constructed and permitted in 2009 and 2010, experienced problems since they were put into operation.
The fine also comes nearly a year to the day after the DEP fined Range $107,500 in three consent agreements Sept. 17, 2013, for various problems at multiple sites, including the Jon Day and Worstell impoundments and Yeager gas well, according to the file review.
Observer-Reporter | DEP fines Range Resources industry-record $4.15 million
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