HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the filing of criminal charges against Shell Falcon Pipeline LP for multiple violations of Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams Law. These charges relate to the construction of a 45-mile pipeline in western Pennsylvania, spanning Washington, Allegheny, and Beaver Counties, which began in January 2019.
The Office of Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Section filed 13 misdemeanor charges against the company for failing to report several issues encountered during the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) process used in constructing parts of the pipeline. Specifically, Shell allegedly did not inform the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) about incidents where drilling mud, which can contain pollutants, was lost underground or surfaced in unintended areas.
This drilling mud, used to lubricate the drill bit and stabilize the borehole, occasionally escaped through fractures in the rock, potentially contaminating groundwater, wetlands, or other surface waters. The investigation further revealed that Shell contractors did not report all these occurrences to the DEP, nor did they install required real-time data logging devices on their drilling equipment, violating their permit.
Attorney General Henry emphasized the importance of Pennsylvania’s environmental laws, stating they are designed to protect communities from the hazards of major construction projects. She reiterated her office’s commitment to defending Pennsylvanians’ rights to clean air and water, especially as the state prepares to observe Earth Day.