Catalyst Energy Inc. is free to begin pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic fracking wastewater down a Keating Township well. The Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board on Dec.
27 issued an order allowing the Pittsburgh company to truck more than 30 loads per day of flowback water into McKean County — wastewater that environmental agencies acknowledge “may be toxic, hazardous or radioactive.” Catalyst was first issued the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permit Jan. 11, 2024, to convert the Lot 580-1 well just off Route 646 (Ridge Road) in Cyclone from a conventional to an injection disposal well.
Residents believed neither Catalyst nor the DEP provided sufficient notice of the intended injection well and, further, gave insufficient consideration to dozens of abandoned wells within one-quarter mile of the site. A group of about 40 unhappy homeowners, citing myriad concerns, mounted an appeal of the operations. The group was successful in November in prompting the special state court to issue a temporary supersedeas, or stay, in the matter .
The decision halted all work at the site, except those tasks associated with preparing the well for its intended purpose, until a full hearing could be held. A Nov. 12 e-filing in the matter apprised the EHB’s Judge Steven C.
Beckman that “counsel for the parties have had preliminary discussions regarding settlement. The parties intend to continue settlement discussions” and would advise the boa.