DEP issues notice of violation to Range
CECIL – The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a notice of violation to Range Resources for “leaks of fluids” that impacted groundwater at the Cecil Township No. 23 impoundment.
The notice, dated Monday, was filed the same day DEP officials attended a private meeting with Cecil supervisors to discuss the department’s groundwater test results from the wastewater impoundment on Swihart Road, formerly called Worstell impoundment. Those tests results were made public, but results are still being analyzed by the DEP.
DEP spokesman John Poister said they can’t say for sure what has been contributing to high chloride levels – a key indicator of leaks – in one of the four groundwater monitoring wells at the impoundment.
“We don’t know yet exactly what it was,” Poister said. “We know that it is something that would come from the impoundment, but we don’t know the full characterization.”
Poister said a fine will likely be issued, but Range has until Sept. 24 to respond to the notice of violation. He said Range will be required to hire a company to conduct more extensive tests to determine the chemicals or minerals in the soil, as well as the extent of the affected area. Range then must provide a site reclamation plan to the DEP.
The impoundment was drained in June and has not been used since. Range self-reported July 11 the company was seeing chloride spikes at the impoundment since January, and the DEP conducted its own tests Aug. 7.
Poister said the DEP also tested well water at the two properties closest to the impoundment, and results showed no impact.
According to data sent from Range to the DEP, one groundwater monitoring well registered between 300 and 600 milligrams per liter of chloride between January and July – 250 milligrams and up is a concern, according to Poister.
Range spokesman Matt Pitzarella said the company does not know what caused the chloride spikes.
“We don’t know what happened at Cecil 23. We don’t know what the issue was, and we may never know,” Pitzarella said. “It’s the same thing with the (Jon Day impoundment). You just might not be able to figure out what had happened.”
High chloride levels were also recently detected at Range’s Jon Day and Yeager impoundments in Amwell Township. Pitzarella stressed there was no adverse impact to residents’ drinking supplies near the Cecil impoundment.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Andy Schrader said he felt Monday’s meeting with the DEP was productive. He said department officials validated the board’s concerns about potential leaks or spills at the impoundment.
“I think we’ve been concerned about the safety of the residents out there, and basically this shows that there was some need for our concerns,” Schrader said.
Vice Chairwoman Cindy Fisher said she hopes the DEP will continue to monitor the impoundment.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that the DEP is going to take this seriously and is going to take into consideration the township’s stand on this and the impact on our residents,” Fisher said, “and that they will be true stewards of the environment and do what they’re supposed to do.”