CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A special agent in charge of the EPA’s Criminal Enforcement Program said Thursday the oil and gas exploration company, which violated the Clean Water Act, should have just played by the rules.
“Follow the laws and don’t obtain disadvantage against other companies that are paying to do the right thing,” said agent David McLeod on Thursday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
TransEnergy, Inc. of Pleasants County was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation in order to pay fines of up to $600,000. The company plead guilty to three federal counts last year in connection with natural gas drilling activity, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
McLeod said the company admitted to dumping rock, sand, soil, and stone into streams in Marshall County to pool the water and use it in drilling for natural gas. It impacted Wolf Run, Northfork, and Grave Creek.
“They negatively impacted the natural wet lands in those three areas,” he said, “The wet lands are a very important part of the habitat and help reduce the impacts of flooding.”
TransEnergy workers were not accused of being ignorant of the law, but McLeod said the company faced negligent misdemeanor charges.
“It’s hard to say the company was negligent in the operations, thus causing these violations,” said McLeod.
McLeod said they are working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, state, and federal counterparts to look at all violations of environmental law in this case, not just oil and gas exploration.
“We are vigorously looking into these allegations,” he said.
The investigation began back in Oct. 2012 through the assistance of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and landowners in the area.