Pleasantville man Indicted Falsely Claiming to Plug a Well
Pleasantville man indicted in environmental case
lisa.thompson@timesnews.com
A Pleasantville man was indicted Tuesday on charges he violated federal law by falsely claiming amid an injection-well-permitting process that he had plugged abandoned Elk County oil wells when he had not. The person, Mr. Wright (edit since is only charged and indicted), age 44, faces three felony charges of “false writing or document to the government” stemming from events that occurred between September 2009 and April 2011, the government said.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. Wright remains free while awaiting arraignment. According to the indictment filed by a federal grand jury sitting in Erie, Pleasantville-based S & T Services and Supply Inc. contracted with ARG Resources Inc. to plug abandoned oil wells so that ARG would be in compliance with its injection-well-permitting process under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Wright was then hired by S & T Services to perform the well plugging. The government charges that Wright filed three false Certificates of Well Plugging claiming he had properly plugged three Elk County abandoned oil wells when he had not. The Environmental Protection Agency then relied on those certificates while issuing permits for Class II injection wells, the government said. Fluids associated with oil and natural gas drilling, including brine, are deposited in Class II injection wells. The approval process for the injection wells in question required all wells within a quarter-mile of the injection well site to have been plugged, the government said.
“When individuals knowingly submit false reports or data to the government as alleged in this case, our ability to protect public health and the environment is undermined,” said David G. McLeod Jr., special agent in charge of the EPA’s criminal enforcement program for mid-Atlantic states. “Anyone thinking about submitting false information should seriously consider today’s indictment. EPA and its partner agencies will not hesitate to seek prosecution of those who violate our nation’s environmental laws.” The EPA, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marshall Piccinini.”
LISA THOMPSON can be reached at 870-1802 or by e-mail. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNthompson.
Link:
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140213/NEWS02/302119430/Pleasantville-man-indicted-in-environmental-case&template=printart
My question to Lisa Thompson
1. How was this discovered???
2. Clearly demonstrates that Safe Drinking Water Act in Play in PA.
Notified of this by: Laurie Barr – SaveourstreamsPA-www.saveourstreamspa.org
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