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Learn how unconventional gas development can affect both private water well and public water users, and how to test your well water for harmful chemicals. Water Quality If you are drinking well water, get it tested NOW to develop a baseline. Unconventional gas drilling can pollute surface water and underground aquifers. Hydraulic fracturing requires approximately 15-20 million gallons of water per well, of which only 15 - 20% is recovered from the ground. The use of high volumes of water mixed with toxic chemicals results in polluted water that can migrate through fissures deep in the earth, allowing fracking wastewater to seep into the underground aquifers that feed many people's private water wells. Spills of chemicals at drill sites, as well as wastewater extracted from drilling, can leak offsite and into our streams and rivers. Water used for hydraulic fracturing is never again fit for human consumption and poses many health threats to the people living near shale gas development sites. Who does this affect? Unconventional gas development can affect both private water well and public water users. In Westmoreland County, most residents receive their water from the Beaver Run Reservoir. Currently, over 10 well pads are in operation along the reservoir. Nearly 130,000 residents of Westmoreland, including a few residents of Armstrong and Indiana Counties, are supplied with drinking water from the reservoir. This drinking water has been in close vicinity of unconventional gas wells and can be contaminated. While IUP monitors the quality of surface water and air at the Beaver Run Reservoir, their monitoring does not cover all the ways that toxins can contaminate the water. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette published an article in January 2018 explaining how research found radioactive materials in the Allegheny River and two Indiana County creeks downstream from conventional gas development that took place years ago. Much of the radioactive materials were found in the sediment, not on the surface. Truthout.org published an article earlier this year based on research done by Penn State. Penn State researchers found Strontium in freshwater mussels downstream from a dump site in Warren, PA. The Strontium was linked to conventional gas well wastewater that had been poured into the streams in 2011. More than 2.9 billion liters of this "treated" wastewater was poured into streams between 2008 and 2011. The wastewater dumping stopped after traces of heavy metals and radioactive materials were found in 2011. However, this study, published in the peer-reviewed Environmental Science & Technology journal, shows that the effects of this wastewater are more long-term than anticipated. This study shows that toxic substances have entered the food chain as a result of wastewater from conventional gas development. Further studies will need to be completed before we understand the full long-term implications for human health. Map of Well Pads on Beaver Run Reservoir How can poor water quality impact health? Exposure to chemicals used in unconventional oil and gas drilling or “fracking” can occur in several ways: ingesting chemicals that have spilled and entered drinking water sources, absorbing chemicals through direct skin contact, or breathing in vapors from flowback wastes stored in pits or tanks. According to The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, an examination of the toxicity of 353 chemicals used in fracking found that many are dangerous to human health: -25% can cause cancer and mutations. -37% affect the endocrine system. -40 – 50% affect the brain, kidneys, and nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. -More than 75% affect the skin, eyes or other sensory organs, and the respiratory and/or gastrointestinal systems. Testing Your Well Water Always test your well water with a state certified laboratory, and test for specific chemicals found in flow back water such as barium and strontium. Anyone living within 3 miles of a drilling site should have their water tested, particularly if the borehole is directly underneath your property. Click here for an up-to-date list of DEP Certified Labs near you. The testing lab will help you decide what chemicals to test for. Gas companies are not required to disclose exactly what is in their fracking fluid but there are many that are known to be used that labs include in their testing parameters. Be sure to ask about the chain of custody when getting your well tested. When you get the report, compare it to your previous tests results and against federal Environmental Protection Agency acceptable limits. Your water should not exceed federal contaminate limits. Some testing companies will analyze your results for a fee. To properly test your well, you should test once a season for a year to get a baseline before unconventional gas development occurs in your neighborhood. If there is no time, you should still have your well tested, because have some baseline is better than nothing. The use of a CATTfish device can help with testing for bulk parameters, PH and conductivity, on a daily basis. A change in water PH or conductivity can indicate water pollution and then you can proceed with further testing. Contact Southwest PA Environmental Health Project for information. Report well contamination to PA Department of Environmental Protection, by filing an online Incident Report or call 412-442-4000. Federal Center for Disease Control Dr. John F. Stolz, Ph.D. Professor, Biological Sciences Director, Center for Environmental Research and Education Duquesne University stolz@duq.edu 412-396-4367 Phone Phone Surface Water Testing Unconventional gas development can poison surface water. When toxins from a well site spread through rain runoff they can reach our creeks, streams, rivers, and reservoirs. Through citizen science monitoring, residents can help protect waterways by actively monitoring the contents of the creeks and streams near their homes. In June of 2025, Protect PT launched a citizen scientist water monitoring program where local residents are trained to collect samples and observations to assess the health of surrounding streams affected by the shale gas development in their communities. It can also be important to establish baseline measurements of nearby streams before development begins. The workshop starts with a presentation and then participants learn hands-on in a nearby stream. In order to accurately collect and analyze stream content, there is a standard protocol for testing stream water. If you would like to monitor a stream on your property or one that you have access to, keep an eye out for our next water monitoring workshop where we will provide you with the materials and training you will need in order to begin. Want to learn more about water quality? Attend one of our Living Near Shale Gas Community Workshops! Additional PFAS Resources “Forever Chemicals” Called PFAS Show Up in Your Food, Clothes, and Home Articles from the Environmental Working Group

Sign up for our Living Near Shale Gas Community Workshop Series! We educate the community about topics such as Complaint and Compliance, Emergency and Disaster Awareness, Air and Water pollution, and Noise and Nuisance. Living Near Shale Gas Workshops The Living Near Shale Gas Community Workshops are a series of trainings that cover topics surrounding oil and gas development, from extraction and production, to transportation and waste issues. This series is broken up into multiple sections to mirror the Living Near Shale Gas Resource Guide, a binder we put together with resources designed to help you protect resident's homes and livelihoods. These trainings are free and open to the public. Participants will receive a copy of the Guide when they attend a training. If you are a resident and would like to request training to be scheduled for your community, please contact kyle@protectpt.org. If you would like to request one of our Living Near Shale Gas Resource Guides, please email Kyle at kyle@protectpt.org. Attend our Next Workshop We hold our Living Near Shale Gas Workshops several times a year. To see if we have any upcoming workshops, visit our events page with the link below! Upcoming Workshops: April 18th, 2026 - Protect PT Office 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Register Here Upcoming Events Collaborate with Protect PT to bring the Living Near Shale Gas Workshop to New Communities If you are a part of an organization or group and would like to collaborate on a LNSG Workshop in your community, please fill out our form . We are only able to hold this event for communities in Pennsylvania, due to the specific nature of the laws and regulations discussed. Thanks for your understanding. Request a Workshop Support Our Work!

Use our fracking map to find fracking sites near you. Fracking Near You See well pads, compressor stations, and other kinds of infrastructure in Westmoreland and Allegheny County. For best results, view in full screen by clicking on the top right corner of the map. Click the symbol to open in a new browser window If you have any questions about our interactive fracking map, or if you feel as if any infrastructure is missing, feel free to contact us at enviroscience@protectpt.org .

Operator Accountability Weekly Permitting and Violations Digest Are you concerned with unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) in Southwest PA? Do you worry about how oil and gas companies are impacting the environment? If so, sign up to receive a weekly round-up from Protect PT on any new permits filed by oil and gas companies operating in the area or notices of violations. Citizen watchdogs help ensure the Department of Environmental Protection is adequately addressing the impacts of fracking, and that they hold oil and gas companies to the highest standard when complying with the law. All reports are sourced from the Department of Environmental Protection's Pennsylvania's Environment Facility Application Compliance Tracking System (eFACTS) . Use our map to find operators near you! Subscribe Here See Something? Say Something. Use our reporting app to notify community of environmental hazards in your area! IF YOU ARE WITNESSING AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY, CONTACT THE DEP IMMEDIATELY AT 800-541-2050 Report Your Observations You can report observations at home or on the go with our environmental reporting tool . This mobile responsive website can be used on any device. You can record observations of environmental hazards and health impacts, as well as find additional directions on reporting these impacts to the proper agencies. You should report... Air pollution Noise and Nuisance related to development Water contamination Headaches, dizziness, or other symptoms caused by pollution Safety concerns And more! Be sure to also report your observations to the DEP in order to hold operators accountable for their actions. Protect PT will follow up on any reports you make through the app, but will not disclose any personal information to third parties without your consent. If you have questions about using this tool, contact the Environmental Science team at enviroscience@protectpt.org . Learn to Make a Report! OR Download Our App! We Can Hold Them Accountable Check out these recent enforcement actions by the DEP. View more on our Instagram! File Your Report Here Or, scan this QR code with your phone to file a report on your mobile device!

Unconventional oil and gas waste contains several harmful and often radioactive constituents that can pollute waterways in cases of spills or leaks. While the industry touts this method of transportation as a way to reduce truck traffic, vehicle exhaust, road damage, etc. the transportation of this waste on rivers is poorly regulated and increases the risk of leaks or chemical spills right into major bodies of water. Many of these rivers are sources of drinking water.  Waste Barging Why is Waste Barging such an issue? Unconventional oil and gas waste contains several harmful and often radioactive constituents that can pollute waterways in cases of spills or leaks. While the industry touts this method of transportation as a way to reduce truck traffic, vehicle exhaust, road damage, etc. the transportation of this waste on rivers is poorly regulated and increases the risk of leaks or chemical spills right into major bodies of water. Many of these rivers are sources of drinking water. The potential for a spill is enormous, and the consequences could be catastrophic. A single barge can hold approximately 24,000 barrels of toxic, radioactive waste, and there is no limit to the number of toxic barges that could be traversing the Ohio River each day. (Read more on the blog by Concerned Ohio River Residents .) Drilling and fracking wastewater contains salty brines, drilling and fracking chemicals and naturally occurring radioactive material flushed from shale formations thousands of feet underground. Radium-226 and radium-228, both found in brine waste, are known carcinogens and can cause bone, liver and breast cancer in high concentrations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The wastewater can also contain other radioactive components, including Potassium 40, Thorium 232, and Uranium 238. Groups from PA and OH have been working together to raise awareness and address the potential of barging fracking waste down the three rivers (the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio). Together, we submitted a petition with over 15,750 signatures to the United States Coast Guard asking them to deny any and all authorizations for barging fracking waste down the rivers. You can read the full petition linked on this page. Read more about waste barging in an article published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Waste Barging Petition Want to get involved? Contact info@protectpt.org to find out how you can help. Watch Parts 1 and 2 of the Better Path Presents webinar on Waste Barging and What You can do Support Our Work

Data centers are energy intensive facilities that contain a large network of computer servers that store, manage, back up, and recover data. In January of 2025, Protect PT learned about a proposed data center located in Upper Burrell, PA, at the old Alcoa plant. According to TECfusions, the company responsible, this one data center will consume three gigawatts of electricity—more electricity than produced by solar in the state of Pennsylvania. Data Centers & Fracking Data Center Proposals in PA Sign up for Email Updates A data center is a warehouse-like building containing rows of networked computer servers and equipment used for the remote processing, storage, and distribution of data. Municipalities across Pennsylvania are currently receiving many proposals for large data center projects, primarily for the purpose of allowing technology companies to power AI tools and cloud computing. These hyperscale facilities can cover hundreds of acres of land and require vast amounts of energy and water. Impacts to Residents and the Environment from Large Scale Data Centers Increased Electric Costs Data centers use tremendous amounts of electricity. New hyperscale facilities, which are designed to support AI development, demand hundreds of megawatts (MW) or even several gigawatts (GW) of energy. That's as much energy as a mid-size city like Pittsburgh. This can drive up costs for local residents and small businesses. People in northern Virginia, the "Data Center Capital of the World," are already facing rate hikes as data centers consume more than 25% of the state's electricity . Fracking Operations A sudden influx in energy-intensive data center projects would strain our resources, encouraging more unconventional oil and gas development. Many of these facilities are being proposed alongside gas-fired power plants. Southwestern Pennsylvanians are already facing the burdens of fracking in the form of negative health impacts, disturbances, and stress. We are concerned that data center development would be a significant roadblock to moving in the right direction for a clean and healthy energy future. High Water Usage Data centers have become a top 10 water consuming industry in the United States. Hyperscale facilities can consume up to five million gallons of water per day to cool their servers. In fact, each 100-word email generated by an AI Chatbot using GPT-4 requires 519 millimeters of water for cooling, which is more than 1 standard bottle of water. Not all water authorities may be capable of or suitable for serving these data centers. This high water use could also pose a problem during periods of drought. Air Pollution Noise and Light Pollution Many of these data centers would be powered by gas-fired power plants or mobile gas turbines, which release harmful pollutants into the air. Data centers are also often equipped with backup diesel generators, which kick for additional power use. These noisy generators produce particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, which can cause breathing problems in exposed populations. People living near data centers are sometimes affected by noise and light pollution. Data centers emit constant, low-frequency noise, which can affect physical and mental wellbeing. The type of activity that a data center is used for can affect how much sound it produces, with cryptocurrency mines being especially loud. Careful facility siting and design is necessary to prevent data centers from emitting nuisance noise. Watch our Webinar Get Involved Article: SWPA Residents Rage Against the Machines Read Upcoming Events Due to community involvement, Upper Burrell Township recently adopted a curative amendment on a 180-day moratorium in order to take time to refine their data center ordinance! Read Our Q&A Responses Proposed Data Center Sites in Southwestern PA Upper Burrell A large data center has been proposed for Upper Burrell, PA, at the site of the old Alcoa research facility. According to TECfusions, the developer, this one data center could consume up to 3 GW of electricity—more electricity than produced by solar in the entire state of Pennsylvania. A gas fired power plant will be built on site to meet part of the demand, while another 280 MW will be pulled from West Penn Power. 6 gas well pads are located on the property. Download our Fact Sheet Air Pollution Dispersion Map Sign up for Email Updates Latest News Springdale The Springdale Data Center was approved in a 5-2 vote by the Borough Council. We applaud all of the efforts by Springdale and neighboring residents throughout the course of this process. We hope that Springdale community voices are continued to be heard and that the health and safety of residents are at the forefront the conditions that were placed on this project. As more develops we will remain diligent in our support for the community. Air Pollution Dispersion Map Sign up for Email Updates Latest News Homer City Homer City Redevelopment and Kiewit Power Constructors are planning to convert the closed Homer City coal plant into the largest natural gas-fired power plant in the entire nation. This massive, 4.5 GW facility will serve a planned data center campus on a 3,200 acre site. A company called GE Vernova will supply 7 gas turbines for the project, which could go online as soon as 2027. Fuel will be drawn from the Texas Eastern pipeline. Air Pollution Dispersion Map Sign up for Email Updates Latest News Ask Penn Township to adopt a Protective Data Center Zoning Ordinance SIGN ON TODAY! Learn More Resources Download our Fact Sheets! AI Data Centers & Fracking - Video Playlist Frac Tracker - National Data Centers Tracker EESI - Data Centers & Water Consumption Large Scale Data Center Impacts - Resource Guide Water Keepers Chesapeake - Water Supply ORVI - Fracking & Economics See our presentation

Learn more about reccent local operator violations. Violation Alerts 2025 Violation Alerts Olympus equipment malfunction spills 1-3 barrels of fracking waste at Porter Well Pad June 30, 2025 On 6/30/2025, the DEP responded to a report from Olympus Energy, LLC that an equipment malfunction on 6/27/2025 sprayed 1-3 barrels of fracking waste from a ruptured hose onto the Porter well pad in Allegheny Township. A follow up inspection noted 5 violations related to disposal and containment of substances, and prevention of pollution to waters of the commonwealth. TAGS: waste , spill Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) Receives Illegal Dumping Violation April 2, 2025 On April 2, 2025, DEP received a call from the Vice President of Landfill Operations reporting that a truck hit and broke a leachate clean out line, resulting in leachate entering a stormwater ditch which ultimately empties into a nearby tributary to Speers Run which runs alongside Tyrol Boulevard. Information about the incident is solely from WSL personnel. There is no publicly available information to indicate that DEP has been on site to inspect the facility since the incident, nor to indicate that the facility submitted a detailed follow up report. TAGS: water , waste Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) Violation January 15, 2025 Upon inspection, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) found 5 Air Quality program violations at the site. These violations indicate a lack of compliance and recordkeeping issues related to the installation, modification, and/or use of equipment that either releases or controls air emissions. TAGS: air Olympus' Artemis Well Pad receives Violation for Unlawful Discharge of Industrial Waste April 28, 2025 The DEP responded to an incident at the Artemis well pad on April 28, 2025. The inspection report is not publicly available, but violations cited in the summary included failure to comply with erosion and sedimentation regulations & discharge of industrial waste resulting in pollution of Waters of the Commonwealth. TAGS: water , erosion & sedimentation Apex receives violations at Eisaman Well Pad January 31, 2025 At a regular inspection carried out by the PA DEP, Apex was given violations for failing to control and dispose of residual waste properly as well as doing so without a residual waste permit at the Eisman Well Pad, located in Hempfield Township. This led to a failure to properly safeguard Commonwealth water. TAGS: water Olypus Energy receives Six Violations at the Athena Well Pad April 17, 2025 In response to a complaint, the DEP conducted an inspection of the site and found several violations. Six violations were issued related to failures to adequately control erosion and sedimentation on the site. Additionally, they found that previous violations at the site were still outstanding from a previous inspection. TAGS: erosion & sedimentation Herminie Well Pad receives violations for soil contamination February 18, 2025 Apex was given violations for failure to properly control and dispose of drilling materials, improper or unauthorized management of residual waste, and failure to adequately prevent pollutants from reaching waters of the commonwealth. TAGS: waste , spill 2024 Violation Alerts Apex Violation for 37 Well Sites, Refuses to Disclose Fracking Chemicals September 10, 2024 A compliance check found that Apex failed to comply with a PA Code which requires Apex to provide a list of the chemicals intentionally added to the stimulation fluid. Instead, Apex listed “Proprietary” or “Trade Secret”. Apex may designate proprietary information, however chemical information must still be submitted. TAGS: water Spill at Herminie Well Pad July 22, 2024 Operator says roughly 10 gallons of drilling mud sprayed out of a tank because a valve was not shut. This mud landed on the rocks that fill the ditch between the well pads. Apex reported the contaminated rock was dug up and disposed of. They were given violations for failing to control and dispose of waste properly, handling waste without having a permit for such activity, reporting the spill more than 2 hours after it occurred, and failing to take precautions to protect waterways. TAGS: water, waste Water Management Plan Source 13 Violation May 3, 2024 Operator is required to measure the flow of water instream, specifically the passby which is measured in CFS or cubic feet per second. This is used to quantify the rate of flow or discharge of water in rivers, streams etc. passing through a specific point within one second. It is used to assess water availability. The operator failed to measure this properly and withdrew on days in which the CFS was below the standard violating several regulations. TAGS: water Hermes Erosion & Sedimentation Violations September 17, 2024 Upon routine inspection, the PA DEP found soil displacement (removal, shifting, or rearranging of soil layers from their original position). They also noted areas of less than 70% vegetation alongside the access road. For these findings, Olympus was given violations for violating the erosion and sediment control requirements, the erosion and sediment control and stormwater management, and the best management practices and the general permit. TAGS: Erosion CNX Water Withdrawal Violations May 3, 2024 CNX recieved multiple violations from the DEP as a result of innaproprate water withdrawal in both 2022 and 2023. For 17 days in 2023, CNX withdrew water from the Beaver Run Reservoir without an active permit. CNX also failed to report water withdrawals in Greenport from other sources. TAGS: water Athena Well Pad Violation April 16, 2024 Operator failed to take actions for the site to be permanently stabilized and protected from accelerated erosion and sedimentation. Erosion and sediment plans are important and required to prevent environmental damage, mitigate potential flooding and property damage, protect infrastructure, and practice sustainable land management. Additionally, the operator has not resolved previous violations from March around contamination of local waterways. TAGS: water, erosion, waste Athena Erosion & Sedimentation Violations September 9, 2024 A complaint was reported to the Department and the inspection conducted was a follow up to that complaint. They were given violations for violating the erosion and sediment control and stormwater management plan, permit requirements, and failing to provide site stabilization. TAGS: water, waste Apex Water Withdrawal Violations May 3, 2024 In May, Apex was notified of of multiple PA statute violations due to water withdrawal activities. Apex was found to have withdrawn more water than allowed from multiple sources in 2022 and 2023. TAGS: water Athena Well Pad Violation February 1, 2024 Operator had a spill occur on the site at an unknown time and penetrated the surface of the ground for an unknown length of time. They were given violations for threatening waterways, not taking precautions to avoid impacting waterways, failing to manage waste properly, and processing residual waste without a permit. TAGS: water, waste Support Our Work

Your gifts make a difference! Donate todya to provide continued educational programs, advocacy and environmental monitoring services to protect the safety, security and quality of life for residents impacted by oil and gas development in Westmoreland and Allegheny County. Support Education and Advocacy Your Gift Makes a Difference! Your gifts provide continued educational programs, advocacy and environmental monitoring services to protect the safety, security and quality of life for residents impacted by oil and gas development in Westmoreland and Allegheny County. Consider becoming a monthly donor at an amount that fits in your budget! Checking Your Donations Not sure when you last donated or need another donation receipt? You can now log into a secure online portal to check your donation records. If you have any questions about the portal, please contact noah@protectpt.org . Don't want to donate online? Send a check to: Protect PT PO BOX 137 Harrison City, PA 15636 New members: don't forget your membership form !

Pitcairn & Monroeville Landfill What’s going on in Pitcairn? Community members in Pitcairn have been experiencing smell events for years, characterized by a strong odor that causes burning of the eyes and throat. The source of the odor, usually presented in colder conditions, is unknown. In order to address the issue and find the source of the smells, Protect PT has teamed up with the Pitcairn Fire Department and Environmental Integrity Project to employ air sampling in affected areas . After the air is sampled during a smell event, the sample will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Sign up for Free Air Monitoring Air Sampling The Environmental Integrity Project trained the Pitcairn Fire Department to deploy specialized air canisters (Summa Canisters) that collect air samples during smell events. They can test for things like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Sulfur Compounds, Total Non-Methane Organic Compounds (NMOC), and Methane. Additionally, Protect PT has installed air monitors around the area to continuously measure the level of VOCs present. Goals for Air Sampling Identify chemicals that are in the air during odor events Compare health thresholds Correlate with continuous VOCs measurements Summa Canister What should I do if I experience a smell event? Because the Pitcairn Fire Department is equipped to sample air, residents are encouraged to call 911 and ask for the fire department to be deployed. After calling 911, record your observations, both environmental and health. What is the temperature outside? What is the weather like ? What direction is the wind blowing? Are your eyes burning? Does your throat itch? These are examples of things to consider when recording your observations. Protect PT's Environmental Reporting App You can also record your observations using Protect PT’s Environmental Reporting app , which can be accessed with the “Environmental Reporting” button at the top of our web page. You can use the app on any device that connects to the internet. It is good practice to describe the specific scents you smell, utilizing a smell chart since different pollutants and chemicals produce different smells. This allows the scientists working on this issue to have a better understanding of where the odor may be originating. Additional Resources View our slides from our last community meeting on August 18th, 2025. Support Our Work

Join our team! Be a member of our board, volunteer, or intern to create change in your community. Become an intern and get school credit or volunteer hours. Careers at Protect PT PPT offers a supportive and flexible working environment and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. If you have any questions about job oppertunities at Protect PT, email us at info@protectpt.org . If you would like to support Protect PT's mission but are not currently seeking an employee position, you can visit our Take Action! page and sign up to be a volunteer . Additionally, you can donate and become a PPT member. Internship applicants can learn more about our openings and apply on our internship page . Current Positions We're not currently hiring. Thank you for your interest! Our Core Tenets Protect PT's Inclusion Policy Protect PT is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Therefore, qualified applicants will be considered regardless of sex, race, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or any other protected category. The work I do here affects my friends and family. My parents get their drinking water from Beaver Run Reservoir. If you apply for a job here, you’ll be fighting for my parents, too. [Additionally], I’m disabled. I need accommodation under the ADA in order to do my job. Of all the places I’ve worked, Protect PT has done the best job of accommodating me. Management’s focus is always on the results I achieve. When personal health issues come up, Protect PT has stood by me. Tom P. Former Environmental Policy Advocate

Get in touch with Protect PT. Please note that our mailing address is different from our office address. Office Address: 3344 Route 130, Suite A Harrison City, PA 15636 Mailing Address: PO BOX 137 Harrison City, PA 15636-0137 Phone: 724-392-7023 Fax: 724-392-4780 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Contact Us Social Media How can we help? Organization: Gillian Graber Executive Director gillian@protectpt.org Environmental Science: Advocacy & Policy: James Cirilano Community Advocate james@protectpt.org Lauren Posey Environmental Policy Advocate lauren@protectpt.org Yvonne Sorovacu Environmental Scientist yvonne@protectpt.org Mina Kimak Environmental Program Assistant mina@protectpt.org Connect: Noah Bedard Communications Assistant noah@protectpt.org Kyle Zboran Project Coordinator kyle@protectpt.org Sara Majorsky Community Organizer sara@protectpt.org

Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill in Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County has been accepting fracking waste for over a decade leading a to radioactive toxic leachate problem. Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill This landfill produces significant health and environmental impacts to nearby residents in Rostraver, Monessen, and Belle Vernon. Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill (WSL) has been the subject of five Consent Decrees with the DEP in the past six years. The latest decree dealt specifically with the leachate problem that exists at the landfill. Leachate is the water that naturally drains out of landfills as a result of rain falling on the landfill and the liquid contents of the refuse leaking out and flowing away from the site. In the case of WSL, this leachate is radioactive and contains multiple hazardous chemicals because WSL accepted drill cuttings and other unconventional gas well waste into the landfill. Neighbors surrounding the landfill are experiencing myriad health impacts, as well as the nuisance of air, water, and noise pollution. Download our PowerPoint Read Protect PT's Comment Download our Fact Sheets Click to view and download documents. Recent Updates: NPDES Permit WSL applied for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to discharge treated landfill leachate into the Monongahela River on June 17, 2024, which provides drinking water for residents across the region. The DEP released a draft of the permit on February 14, 2025. The leachate at the site is radioactive and dangerous to human health, and WSL's extensive history of violations creates great cause for concern for their ability to effectively treat this highly dangerous leachate. The DEP held a public comment hearing on March 20, 2025, to allow residents to share their comments regarding the potential issuance of this permit. Protect PT is working to prevent this permit from being issued. WSL's Reapplication for a Title V Permit In late 2024, WSL has reapplied for a Title V Air Permit. This permit will allow the landfill to continue operating, endangering the surrounding communities. Protect PT wrote a comment to the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) to encourage them to hold a public hearing regarding the issuance of the Title V Permit. Read the comment to the right to learn more. click to view Why WSL's Title V Permit should NOT be renewed: It would allow increased pollution in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas while attempting to avoid local responsibility Because WSL continues to create a nuisance by permitting uncontrolled fires and dispersing noxious odors, dust, mud, and dirt outside the boundaries of the landfill Because there is no present, viable plan for dealing with the radioactive leachate present and accumulating at the landfill WSL is presently in violation of a November 2023 Consent Order issued by the DEP, indicating a propensity to violate DEP regulations and permit fugitive air emissions from open-air contaminated liquids Because the permit application does not aggregate and consider changes in emissions from the Monessen Coke Works in compliance with federal regulations Improperly covered waste at Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill July 2020. Picture taken by resident. Resident Impacts from Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill My only enjoyment was sitting outside on the porch. I can’t even do that because of the smell. My quality of life is terrible. I have no quality of life here. I’m an asthmatic. So are half my neighbors. We can’t open our windows to get fresh air. We’re prisoners in our own house. ~ Carol I have garbage that flies into my yard and trees because of the landfill. The smell keeps my family and I inside most of the time because we can't enjoy the outside of our house I worked so hard to get because of the trash and horrific smell! The "air neutralizer" has not helped at all we feel. Thank you for listening. ~ Charlie Why Residents Are Concerned about the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill In 2020, we sent out a survey to residents around the landfill. Over 150 responded citing quality of life impacts and health concerns. We shared the results of this survey with local officials and PA DEP. In fall 2021, we conducted a follow up health survey with over 100 responses. The results of this survey were shared with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). If you live near the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill and have concerns about air quality impacts, sign up for free air monitoring today! Sign up for Air Monitoring Learn More About Leachate click images to view Download the poster Support Our Work