XTO Energy fined $2.3 million by federal agencies for West Virginia violations
Fort Worth-based XTO Energy has been fined $2.3 million for violating the Clean Water Act related to its drilling operations in the Marcellus Shale in West Virginia, two federal agencies said Monday.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department said XTO, a subsidiary of Irving-based ExxonMobil, will also spend $3 million to restore eight sites damaged by unauthorized discharges of fill materials into streams and wetlands related to hydraulic fracturing activities, the agencies said.
XTO violated the Clean Water Act when it failed to obtain an Army Corps of Engineers permit to build well pads, road crossings, freshwater pits and other facilities related to the drilling. The state of West Virginia will receive half of the $2.3 million civil penalty.
The eight sites were in Harrison, Marion and Upshur counties in West Virginia, and totaled a mile of streams and nearly 3.4 acres of wetlands.
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/barnett-shale/article4827582.html
[font color=green]The feds are raking it in today with the fines.[/font]
