DEP Fines Minuteman for Illegally Transferring Drilling Waste in Clinton County
1 min readThe Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it has fined Minuteman Environmental Services of Mifflinville, Columbia County, $7,000 for operating transfer facilities without approval last summer in Clinton and Union counties.
WILLIAMSPORT — “Our investigation in July 2010 determined that Minuteman was dumping and storing waste without DEP’s approval in Greene Township, Clinton County, and White Deer Township, Union County,” said DEP Waste Management Program Manager Patrick Brennan.
DEP’s investigation was initiated by a citizen complaint.
Department inspectors discovered 10 roll-off containers filled with natural gas well drill cutting waste at the Clinton County property. There were seven roll-off containers at the Union County property, with six containing plastic liners and one holding liquid from a natural gas well spill. Inspectors also found a pile of waste plastic dumped on the ground.
“It is illegal to bring waste back to a site and store it for future off-site disposal without obtaining a solid waste transfer facility permit from DEP, or to simply dump it on the ground,” Brennan said.
DEP sent a notice of violation to Minuteman in August 2010 requiring the waste to be removed and properly disposed. A DEP inspection the following month confirmed that the company had complied and the violations had been resolved.
The fine was paid to the Solid Waste Abatement Fund, which helps to finance cleanups across the state.
For more information, call 570-327-3659 or visit www.depweb.state.pa.us
