DEP suspends Shipman’s companies
DEP suspends Shipman’s companies
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – State environmental regulators took action Monday against a pair of southwestern Pennsylvania businesses operated by a man charged last week with dumping gas drilling waste and sludge illegally.
The Department of Environmental Protection issued administrative orders against R. Allan Shipman, Tri County Waste Water Service Inc. and Allan’s Waste Water Service Inc.
The orders suspended operation of Tri County’s wastewater facility and suspended the authorization of Allan’s Waste to collect, transport or store solid waste.
Shipman, 49, and Allan’s Waste Water Service of Holbrook were both charged last week with dozens of criminal counts for, among other things, allegedly dumping millions of gallons of wastewater into streams and mine shafts.
The administrative order against Allan’s Waste and Shipman said they were responsible for the illegal depositing of gas well production water, sewage sludge, grease trap water and other wastewater onto the ground, underground or in state waterways.
Christopher Capozzi, a lawyer for Allan’s Waste, declined to comment.
The agency said the company and Shipman must immediately stop storing, collecting, transporting, processing or treating solid waste and they have to remove authorization stickers from all vehicles.
Tri County, based in Holbrook, was told to suspend operations of its Waynesburg brine wastewater treatment plant and to stop transporting and treating solid waste.
A lawyer for Tri County could not be located, and a man who answered the company’s phone after business hours Monday declined to take a message or provide a number where Shipman could be reached.
Both regulatory actions can be appealed to the Environmental Hearing Board.
On Thursday, the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office filed 98 criminal counts against Shipman and 77 counts against Allan’s Waste Water Service for actions that allegedly took place between 2003 and 2009. Prosecutors said Shipman told drivers to open valves at natural gas drilling wells, often at night or during rainstorms, so the waste would run into waterways.
The orders issued Monday described Shipman is owner and chief executive officer of Allan’s Waste, and as secretary of Tri County. His wife, Carolyn Shipman, was named as Tri County’s president.
Allan Shipman, through his lawyer, has denied all criminal allegations against him.
The federal government told Pennsylvania officials this month to start wide testing for gas drilling wastewater contaminants not removed by water treatment plants. The state has said the first round of tests showed no contamination problems.
Pennsylvania is the only state that permits gas drillers to dispose of partially treated waste in waterways, which supply drinking water.