Chesapeake Energy fined $20,000 over water withdrawal violations

BY JAMES LOEWENSTEIN (STAFF WRITER)

Published: March 23, 2010

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Chesapeake Energy Corp. has been ordered to pay a $20,000 fine to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission for withdrawing more water from several public water supplies in Bradford and Sullivan counties than it was allowed to, a spokesman for the commission said on Monday.

Under a permit that Chesapeake had obtained from the commission, Chesapeake was allowed to withdraw no more than 100,000 gallons per day from the Troy Borough's public water supply, no more than 300,000 gallons per day from Aqua Pennsylvania, and no more than 40,000 gallons per day from the Dushore Water Authority, said Susan Obleski, a spokesman for the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

Between April 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009, Chesapeake on 47 occasions withdrew more than it was allowed to from those public water supplies, Obleski said.

The $20,000 fine was part of a settlement reached between the commission and Chesapeake over the violations, Obleski said.

The settlement was reached after Chesapeake reported the violations to the commission, Obleski said.

The settlement, which is now in effect, was accepted by the commission at its regular quarterly meeting on Thursday in State College, Pa., she said.

"Chesapeake takes very seriously its commitment to complying with all federal, state and local laws and regulations," said Brian Grove, a spokesman for Chesapeake Energy. "We regret the overdraws that occurred at these water sources and we self-reported these instances to the SRBC as soon as they were discovered by our staff. We have since made extensive operational changes including the addition of nine staff that will oversee all of our regional water resource management activity, we have refined daily tracking mechanisms to ensure strict compliance with SRBC regulations, and we have added additional sourcing alternatives that will incorporate real-time automated control systems equipped with automatic shutdown protocols ensuring adherence to daily permitted withdrawal limits.

"We will continue to work cooperatively with the board and staff of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to enhance public welfare through the responsible management of the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin," Grove said.

James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or e-mail: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com.

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worry wart ... the numerous water impoundments around the area have been built so that water can be collected during times of high flow so that during periods of lower flow when withdrawals from our waterways could be curtailed, they have access to steady supply of water. Don't worry, they're WAY ahead of you. Be afraid of those that don;t acknowledge their transgressions.

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Chill Pill, 03/27/10 7:37

Remember one thing, people. This a multi-mullion dollar business. Cheasapeake is in it for the money.

Nothing wrong with that, but careful watch needs to occur. If they can get by the rules, they will. If they have to pay insignificant fines, they will. Their PR machine will be in full gear with warm, "smiley-face" commercials and community donations to give a good impression.

I have no doubt there are good people that work for them and want to be a responsible community. But the seductive power of such profits can lead to big problems. It is not a new story but it should a lesson to be learned and applied.

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SadderWiser, 03/25/10 10:23

Ted Learn, What pollution?

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wondering, 03/24/10 4:03

BC-

The gas company turned themselves in because the fine would have been much higher when the pollution was detected in the river basin by the commission. It's called survival, not a kudo!!!!

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Ted Learn, 03/24/10 10:45

Chesapeake can afford to pay $20,000 a week for water for fracking wells. Whats it going cost you and me for plain old drinking water to survive?

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Mike, 03/23/10 3:05

The $20K can't buy the gasoline SRBC needs to go around and check withdrawel logs. Laws are no good without enforcement. Chesapeake was given a chance to self report as a way to save SRBC the embarrassment of acknowleding it's own lack of enforcement over those many months. Who in these local water resource departments got paid?

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GOOMBY, 03/23/10 2:42

Anybody else noticed the number of times drivers have been cited for oversized vehicles, improper licensure, and other highway related misuses? They sure aren't self-reporting those. Your law enforcement agencies and municipal enforcers need only keep their eyes open and you will find MUCH to find them before because Concerned is right, they take whatever they want and worry about settling up later. Keep your loved ones under a watchful eye...

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Mrs. B, 03/23/10 2:20

The Gas co. turned themselves in. Its nice to know some of these companies are being responsible. cudos to Chesapeake!!

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BC resident, 03/23/10 1:22

Doesn't anyone see thru all this? All the truth is coming out about these companies, Here is this "honest, forthright move by one, even willing to pay a measly fine. If they were honest about this and owned it, they'd never pollute my water or mar my land!" What a PR move on behalf of Chesapeake.
OPEN YOUR EYES FOLKS. Today, our PA legislature tried to slide thru a bill negating the weak laws that are in place to protect us! THIS IS BIG BUSINESS. We are a disposable commodity. They don't know us, don't have to live here. The rath is ours.

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Janine, 03/23/10 12:05

Then there's this:

Thanks to Chesapeake Energy for helping to develop our future readers, writers and thinkers by providing newspapers for area classrooms through The Review's Newspaper in Education Program.

An education indeed!

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Bill Wheeler, 03/23/10 11:36

20K is a 'drop in the bucket', no pun intended, for Chesapeake. I worry about their water needs when our creeks and rivers are low in the dry seasons and they still need water. Their water needs will only increase as the number of wells increases. We only have so much water to spare for fracing wells, and while communities can sell whatever than afford to spare, what happens when their waters resources run low? Like our roads, our water is going to suffer. When our commissioners were touting all the good these drilling companies would do, was anybody thinking about the downside?

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worry wart, 03/23/10 9:35

It's becoming increasingly apparent that these gas companies are going to take whatever they want whenever they want. These petty little 20,000 dollar fines are a drop in the bucket for them. When is someone going to put a stop to it?

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Concerned, 03/23/10 8:55

So now where does the $20,000 end up and what is it used for?

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Richard, 03/23/10 7:27