The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has served a notice of violation of the PA Clean Streams Law to Pennsylvania General Energy (PGE) for causing sediment pollution in the Loyalsock Creek north of Montoursville (Lycoming County). PGE is constructing a natural gas pipeline, a freshwater pipeline, and withdraws fresh water for Marcellus Shale-related activities at the site. On September 5 (Labor Day), a heavy rainstorm caused the failure of erosion and sedimentation controls. A sediment plume appeared in Loyalsock Creek for several miles downstream of the construction site.

Anti-drilling radicals from the so-called Friends of the ‘Sock seized on the episode to claim (as they always do) that the sky is falling. The end is near. All of civilization is about to die. Blah blah blah.

“Effective erosion and sediment controls are critical to protecting the water quality in the Loyalsock. PGE’s failure is a violation of the state’s Clean Streams Law,” said Barb Jarmoska, spokesperson for the Friends of the ‘Sock. “Without those controls working, a world-class fishery and critical recreational resource for the entire region is severely threatened.”

“Friends of the ‘Sock are monitoring the entire PGE project for compliance with strict environmental protection requirements,” said Jarmoska. “The project is not only being built through a sensitive watershed in the middle of our community, construction is happening within feet of some of our homes.” (1)

Meanwhile, to its credit, the DEP’s measured and appropriate response and attitude is, let’s figure this out and stop it from doing any further damage:

The Loyalsock Creek north of Montoursville has a plume of sediment pollution in it, the result of a company that is withdrawing water for Marcellus Shale-related activities.

The state Department of Environmental Protection places blame on Pennsylvania General Energy Co., of Warren.

DEP notices of violation of the Clean Streams Law have been issued, said Megan Lehman, a department spokeswoman for the North Central region.

This is a permitted site 8 miles north of Montoursville, associated with the installation of a natural gas pipeline, a freshwater pipeline and a freshwater withdrawal for Marcellus Shale-related activities.

During a routine inspection on Aug. 24, DEP personnel observed multiple violations of the Clean Streams Law at the site, including an unacceptable discharge of sediment into the creek, Lehman said.

Since then, DEP has conducted multiple additional onsite inspections and has been engaged in ongoing discussions with the permittee regarding steps to address the issues at the site and with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which is also investigating.

For example, the department has since recommended moving the water filter bags to a more vegetated area or adding an impermeable layer under the water filter bags to prevent picking up additional sediment in the discharge.

Moreover, the department recommended adding additional compost filter socks to the back channel, where the dewatering area is flowing to slow the flow of water through the back channel to allow sediment to fall out.

“We’re very aware of the incident that occurred,” said Anthony Quarrancino, a captain with the Fish and Boat Commission in Bellefonte.

“We had a waterways conservation officer that responded to it after the fact, after [we were] notified about it and we’re currently investigating it.”

The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources declared the ‘Sock as the 2018 Pennsylvania River of the Year and called it a “timeless treasure.”

“When we have a responsible party, we have to figure out what went wrong, what happened,” Quarrancino said.

“Was something not maintained properly?” he asked.

“All these kinds of things that will be factored in when they’re looking into it. But again, that’s where we’re at right now. It’s just under investigation to find out exactly what went wrong to cause that incident.”

In addition to the creek’s designation, the DEP classifies the creek as an exceptional value stream. It is a home to the eastern hellbender, the state amphibian, which must live in clean water to thrive.

Pennsylvania General Energy has started construction of a high-pressure natural gas gathering line that will cross under the creek and connect two parcels of State Forest land the company leased from DCNR to develop up to 80 additional shale gas wells in the Loyalsock Valley region.

The project involves the construction of a total of 2.5 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines up steep slopes on both sides of the Loyalsock Creek and the aboveground placement of freshwater pipelines up those same slopes.

PGE’s site prep work on the banks of the Loyalsock Creek includes clear-cutting trees from a work area along Route 87 in Gamble Township and the construction of a coffer dam in the Creek.

Like most oil and gas industry pipeline projects and drilling/fracking operations, the PGE Loyalsock/Shawnee project has crews from out-of-state working on the project — in this case, from Texas.

“They may not be as familiar with Pennsylvania’s environmental regulations and requirements, know local stream conditions, the impacts of rainfall on steeper terrain or construction methods that would avoid serious erosion and sedimentation problems causing discharges into the Loyalsock,” said Barb Jarmoska, of the Friends of the ‘Sock, an organization that has as its mission to protect the Loyalsock Creek and Valley and promote environmentally sustainable alternatives to shale gas and other development.

The Loyalsock Creek is classified by DEP as an Exceptional Value stream whose water quality must be protected by law, with no degradation.

“Any member of the public concerned about this or other potential environmental issues,” Lehman said.

Complaints may be filed over the phone or through a web form.

Lehman, who is DEP’s environmental community relations officer, can be contacted at 570-327-3659. DEP will continue to follow up as appropriate, Lehman said. (2)

Be on the lookout for PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro (running for governor) to turn this accident into a crime–something he does with many such accidents around the state in his attempt to shutter the shale industry.

(1) PA Environment Digest Blog (Sep 13, 2022) – DEP, Fish & Boat Commission Investigate Multiple, Continuing Water Pollution Discharges From PGE Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Site On Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County

(2) Williamsport (PA) Sun-Gazette (Sep 14, 2022) – DEP: Marcellus Shale company polluted Loyalsock Creek

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