HARRISBURG, PA — Greylock Production, LLC, a natural gas energy production company, has pleaded no contest to multiple environmental violations this week, resulting from the operation of several wells over five years. The company faced four counts of Clean Streams Act Violations and two Solid Waste Management Act Violations, specifically related to incidents in Greene County between 2015 and 2020.
Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the plea, emphasizing the company’s responsibility to safeguard Pennsylvania’s natural resources. “Protecting Pennsylvania’s water and soil from contamination should be a top priority of any industry operating in Pennsylvania,” Henry stated. “This company was aware of the water contamination from their operations and failed to ensure adequate cleanup while using additional contaminants to obscure the initial pollution.”
As part of the sentencing, Greylock is required to pay a series of fines, including $15,000 to the Clean Water Fund and another $15,000 to the Solid Waste Fund. The company will also donate $60,000 to the Chestnut Ridge Trout Unlimited Chapter #670, benefiting the Glade Run project, and $50,000 to Stream Restoration Inc., supporting the Maiden Creek stream restoration project.
Beyond financial penalties, Greylock must conduct site investigations at six of its well pads to determine if further cleanup is necessary. Any required remediation will be overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The case was initiated by a referral from the DEP, following an investigation that revealed Greylock’s use of unpermitted impoundments at unconventional well pads. The investigation found that the company, which acquired assets from Energy Corporation of America, was aware of leaks and contamination issues at multiple well pads, including at least two domestic water supplies reported by local landowners. One significant incident involved pollutants leaking from holes in a well pad liner.
Compounding the violations, Greylock continued criminal conduct at a newer well pad, which experienced a spill in February 2020. The spill contaminated an unnamed tributary, and evidence showed that Greylock management directed an employee to spray a defoaming agent on rocks above the stream, concealing the spill without addressing the pollutants in the water.
Criminal charges have also been brought against two Greylock employees, John David Sollon, Jr. and Donald Supcoe, III, for their oversight of these projects. While Supcoe is now deceased, Sollon’s case remains pending.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz is prosecuting the case. Henry stated, “My Office will remain dedicated to safeguarding and preserving our environment for current and future generations.”
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