PennEnergy Resources fined $2M for failing to capture and control air emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), has reached a proposed settlement with PennEnergy Resources, LLC. The privately-owned oil and gas company allegedly violated the Clean Air Act and Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act by failing to capture and control air emissions from five of its oil and gas production facilities in Butler County, Pennsylvania. According to the EPA, PennEnergy released methane and VOCs directly into the air when it should have been capturing and controlling the gas with specially designed equipment.
As part of the consent decree, PennEnergy must implement projects to assess, modify and improve monitoring and maintenance of vapor control systems, resulting in a reduction of over 8,200 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year released as methane, as well as 150 tons of volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions annually. These improvement projects are estimated to cost the company $3.6 million. Additionally, PennEnergy will pay $2 million in civil penalties to be split between the United States and Pennsylvania.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance said, “Today’s settlement continues EPA’s efforts to hold oil and gas companies accountable for illegal emissions that hamper air quality and accelerate climate change. Penn Energy will undertake projects to improve air quality and reduce emissions of methane at nearly 50 facilities, providing environmental and public health benefits for Pennsylvanians and demonstrating that reducing illegal pollution from oil and gas facilities is good for communities and the planet.”
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) added, “Oil and gas producers must comply with the Clean Air Act, which is intended to control air emissions and improve air quality and our environment. By adhering to the requirements of today’s settlement, PennEnergy will significantly reduce air emissions from its operations.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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