Shale criminal charges stun fracking industry

[n2doc]

Andrew Maykuth, Inquirer Staff Writer POSTED: Thursday, September 12, 2013, 1:08 AM
Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane's decision to prosecute a major Marcellus Shale natural-gas driller for a 2010 wastewater spill has sent shock waves through the industry.

But environmentalists Wednesday hailed the prosecution of the Exxon Mobil Corp. subsidiary as a departure from the soft treatment they say the industry has received from Pennsylvania regulators.

"We have been very concerned about enforcement in the Marcellus, and we welcome the attorney general's taking an active role," said Myron Arnowitt, Pennsylvania director of Clean Water Action.

Kane's office announced charges Tuesday against XTO Energy Inc. for discharging more than 50,000 gallons of toxic wastewater from storage tanks at a gas-well site in Lycoming County. XTO in July settled federal civil charges over the incident by agreeing to pay a $100,000 fine and deploy a plan to improve wastewater-management practices. The consent decree included no admissions of liability.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130912_AG_s_criminal_charges_stun_drilling_industry.html#Rs6ShQ4gzlpSkopO.99

[msanthrope]

1. Good. Be stunned. I'm sure our governor had an apoplexy when he heard. nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

2. Good. Too bad that no one is going to jail.

[NV Whino]

3. I always love this clause

The consent decree included no admissions of liability.

[whttevrr]

4. Was $100,000 enough to clean up the mess?

I think these companies need to be fined above and beyond what it cost to clean up these spills.

There should be a punitive aspect to these environmental discharges in addition to forcing these companies being made to clean up any mess they make.