MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Natural gas producer Trans Energy reached a settlement with federal and state regulators over polluting streams and wetlands in Marion, Wetzel and Marshall counties.
Trans Energy, based in St. Marys, Pleasants County, will pay $3 million in penalties — to be divided equally between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection — and $13 million to repair and address water resource impacts.
EPA announced the settlement in a press release and spelled out the violations and settlement details in a federal court complaint and a consent decree.
The agencies alleged that the company impounded streams and discharged sand, dirt, rocks and other materials into streams and wetlands at 15 sites without a federal permit to construct well pads, impoundments, road crossings and other facilities related to natural gas extraction…
