EXCO Resources Fined $160K by EPA for Injection Well Incident
EXCO Resources was fined $160,000 last week by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for an incident that occurred at an injection well last year in western Pennsylvania.
Federal environmental regulators say a natural-gas driller will pay a fine of nearly $160,000 after its wastewater disposal well in rural western Pennsylvania experienced mechanical failure last year.
The Environmental Protection Agency says EXCO Resources continued injected drilling wastewater into its disposal well in Bell Township, Clearfield County for four months after the operator discovered a leaking underground pipe. EPA says the company also failed to notify regulators of the well failure in a timely manner.
The settlement announced Thursday resolves violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The agreement requires EXCO to fix the well as well as pay a civil penalty. An EPA spokesman says the agency did not allege the leaky pipe polluted groundwater.*
*Binghamton (NY) Press & Sun-Bulletin (Apr 13, 2012) – Gas driller fined $160K over leaky Pa. well