Protect PT is always looking for invloved community members to join our board. Fill out the interest form today! Join Our Board We are always looking for board members with experience in the following areas: Legal Grant writing/Development Environmental Science/Engineering, Finance/Business Operations. If you have experience in any of those areas and would like to serve your community, please consider joining our board . 2026 Meeting Schedule Meetings are held every other month on the second Monday of the month starting at 6:00 pm, on Google Meets or a hybrid option. January 24th, 9:30 am (Member Breakfast) February 2nd - Special meeting time due to Penn Township Zoning Meeting April 6th - Special meeting time June 8th August 10th October 12th December 14th Special meetings may be called on special matters when necessary. The schedule is subject to change based on essential personnel or member availability. Meeting minutes are emailed to the board the week before the meeting. Left to right: Gillian Graber (Executive Director), Lois Drumheller (Board Chair), Darlene Leslie (Board Treasurer) “I think there are people in life who feel good helping communities, whether it's holding office, or joining non-profits. No doubt, my preference is non-profits. I couldn't find more likable people, mostly younger than I, who restore my faith in a better future. You never stop learning. There's no paycheck attached, and no limit to how you can direct a better future. It is the way to retire for me.” -Lois Drumheller, Board Chair Board Roles and Responsibilities Just like our staff, board members follow the core tenets of our organization: creativity, quality communication, education and leadership of others, culture of service, relationship building and adaptability. 1/1 Pictured above: A few of our board members showcasing their awards for volunteer hours in 2021. Our board has worked hard on a development project and training and helps out with a variety of projects from stuffing envelopes to making phone calls, organizing parades, checking financials and so much more! Our board members also act as ambassadors for our work in their community and help direct the organization. If you would like to share your particular skills with Protect PT, consider becoming a board member ! Pictured: Board member, Michelle Klingensmith, and Executive Director, Gillian Graber at PPT's 9 Year Anniversary Party.

We offer air quality monitoring services, an important tool that can be used to protect yourself and your environment when living in close proximity to industrial practices, like shale gas development.  Air Quality Air Quality Monitoring What is in the air? Unconventional gas development can pollute the air in many different ways releasing particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and hydrocarbons. Some of this air pollution is visible like smoke from diesel engines or fires at the well and some air pollution is not visible, at least to the naked eye. Gases like methane are invisible often leak or are vented from well sites, pipelines and compressor stations. Because you cannot see them you may not even know you are being exposed to them. The videos below show infrared footage of methane releases. Notice how you can see it billowing into the air with the heat-sensitive footage, and how it is barely visible when the infrared is turned off. These compressor stations and condensate tanks exist within every area that is host to natural gas development. Click here to read the Earthworks Blog post about their visit with Protect PT. Sign up for Air Monitoring Tonkin Compressor Station - at one point, the DEP found 11 leaks at this site after a resident complained due to terrible smell and air quality Want to learn more about air quality? Attend one of our Living Near Shale Gas Community Workshops! Protect your family by monitoring your air NOW for a baseline. Air quality monitoring is an important tool that can be used to protect yourself and your environment when living in close proximity to industrial practices, like shale gas development. Air pollution from shale gas development is known to cause many health problems from burning eyes and throat to long-term effects such as cancer, poor birth outcomes, and cardiovascular disease. This air pollution is produced throughout the stages of the drilling and production process and will go on for the life of the well. If you live within three miles of a well site you can be exposed to emissions containing harmful volatile organic compounds like toluene, ethylbenzene, and formaldehyde, radon gas from drilling, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter from truck exhaust. What emissions can we monitor? Particulate Matter (PM) - Particulate Matter is tiny particles that travel on the air we breathe. It is a prime way VOCs, which easily attach to particles in the air, are introduced into the body and can cause serious health effects. With oil and gas development PM is one of the largest contributors to these negative health impacts. The presence of PMs can be measured using an air quality monitor such as the Purple Air monitor. To participate in a program for monitoring your air quality click here or see the form below to get started. Radon - Radon, the #1 cause of lung cancer outside of smoking, is a radioactive gas that everyone breathes in every day, usually at low levels, according to the National Cancer Institute. The levels of radon in the air are known to increase in the presence of oil and gas drilling. It is measured with a radon monitor usually placed in your basement. Sand pollution at Quest Well Pad Flaring of a conventional well near the Beaver Run Reservoir after a well-casing failure at the Shaw Well Pad Sign up for Air Monitoring

LNG is what is commonly referred to as “natural” gas, fracked gas, or methane gas, the same gas burned in power plants and residential stoves. But to ship it overseas, the gas has to be cooled to 260 degrees below zero degrees fahrenheit, or negative 162.2 degrees C . At that temperature, it shrinks to about one six-hundredth of its normal size. On September 26th Protect PT, Stop Shannon LNG, Fractracker Alliance gave a presentation at Patagonia Pittsburgh showcasing the problems we share Stop Shannon LNG Resources Watch Our Presentation Calls to Action Stop Shannon LNG Website Frac Tracker - LNG Development

Municipal Sustainability Project Small towns and rural communities throughout the United States are looking for ways to strengthen their economies, provide better quality of life, and build on local assets. Often, local governments and school districts are don't know where to begin to access the billions of dollars in new federal funding now available for climate-friendly infrastructure projects. Lower energy bills, efficient buildings, budgetary flexibility, healthy communities, and stormwater management are within reach! A llow us to introduce the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project HUB, serving the 10 county Southwestern PA region! The HUB can connect you with the resources, hands-on technical assistance, and other support you need to conceptualize, fund, and implement high-impact community development projects. Protect PT is proud to partner with the HUB to help bring federal dollars to our communities. Visit the HUB at swpahub.org and take a look around. There is so much help available to bring impactful projects to benefit your home town. Visit the HUB!

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 !

Gillian Graber Executive Director

Leachate is the result of rainwater and moisture seeping through waste at a landfill and leaching chemicals, organic matter, and other particles from the waste. The leachate is then classified as residual waste at the landfill and sewage treatment plants. Leachate View the DEP Leachate Webinar Slide Deck What is leachate? Unconventional natural gas development (fracking) produces vast amounts of waste. This waste comes in the form of brine and drill cuttings, both brought up from deep shale layers that can contain high amounts of uranium. Despite the potential presence of radioactivity, this waste is classified as residual waste and permitted to be disposed of in landfills that are intended for the collection of nonhazardous waste. Leachate is the result of rainwater and moisture seeping through waste at a landfill and leaching chemicals, organic matter, and other particles from the waste. The leachate is then classified as residual waste at the landfill and sewage treatment plants. But the leachate is not treated for potential radioactive materials, leaving concerns that discharged treated water could be polluting rivers and streams. Read Our letter to the DEP regarding the Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill's request to emit fugitive air contaminants. Download the poster Click the pop-out button to view full-screen! Click here to download the slide deck Download DONATE Consider donating, so that we can continue to advocate for your health and address issues regarding radioactive landfill leachate. 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 Watch the March 2021 Community Meeting Download the slides Read our letter to PA DEP 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 Support Our Work

Back to Leachate Page Back to Leachate Page

Check out our upcoming events, including virtual community lunch and learns, youth meetings, educational workshops and more! Upcoming Events The Hunt for Yellow 7: Tracking Radioactive Oil & Gas Waste in Our Communities Tue, Oct 20 Zoom More info Learn more Upper Burrell Data Center Community Workshop - October Tue, Oct 20 Penn State New Kensington (Science 140) More info Learn more October Lunch & Learn | Monarch Watch, Build your own Monarch Waystation! Tue, Oct 27 protectpt.info/lunch More info RSVP Protect PT Bingo Fundraiser! Sun, Nov 01 The Manchester Room More info Learn more November Lunch & Learn | Meet Protect PT's Staff! Tue, Nov 24 protectpt.info/lunch More info RSVP Living Near Shale Gas Workshop Series PT Local Gov Meetings To see Penn Township's meeting agendas, please visit their website https://ecode360.com/documents/pub/PE1662/Agendas/?year=2020 To see Trafford Borough's meeting details, please visit their website https://www.traffordborough.com/ Support Our Work Submit an Event! Our Webinars

Learn the proper way to document and report an incident or a issue. Learn what department you should be reporting to, and how to track your complaint afterwards. Complaint and Compliance Documenting and reporting to the proper agency is critical to your protection Lights, Noise, Action. Lots of action! As unconventional gas development commences in Penn Township, residents will be exposed to the different stages of this heavy industrial process in close proximity to our homes, businesses, and schools. These stages include construction of well pads, drilling of vertical and horizontal bores, hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), flowback wastewater management, and completion. Undeniably, each stage of this process brings with it unwanted impacts to our quiet, rural community. Some of the issues are, but not limited to, bright lighting, loud constant noise, truck traffic, dust filled air, and safety hazards. It is a misconception that state and local regulations alone will ensure your protection. And with over 50 wells currently proposed by Apex and Huntley & Huntley in our township, residents need to be extremely aware of their surroundings. Citizen watchdogs are our best defense against violations and non-compliance. It is imperative that citizens of the community are vigilant and active in protecting themselves, their property, and their environment. Documenting activity you see that doesn't follow local or DEP regulations is important because enforcement agencies don't necessarily know about or give attention to violations being committed unless you speak up and report them. You can follow the steps below to properly document and report violations. Tips for documenting and reporting violations Click here for a PDF of these tips and contacts 1.Track how development affects your daily life. Keep a journal as a record of what happened and when. You have rights under the Pennsylvania Constitution to clean air and pure water. Authorities must address your concerns and take steps to mitigate any potential harm or nuisance affecting you or your family. 2. Download our form and email it to us. Or fill out this form and we will track it for you. 3. Take time-stamped pictures or video of activities that are affecting you, in particular, dust, smoke, excessive noise, or smells that indicate fugitive emissions. 4. Contact responsible parties to voice your concerns and demand an appropriate response. - Contact officials and companies in writing, so there is documentation of your complaint. Quite often, complaints taken by phone do not become part of the permanent record. Written complaints will establish a timeline of the complaint and demonstrate how the government has responded to it. - Citizens can see the timeline of a violation or complaint and documentation associated with it through a Right To Know or Freedom of Information request filed with the entity that handled the complaint. Track inspections from your complaint Be sure to follow up on complaints you have filed you can track inspections on the DEP's Oil and Gas Mapping website . Click here to download detailed instructions for locating the well sites and the results of inspections. Let us know if your expectations were met by local or state authorities. We would like to help you by ensuring that the agencies responsible for addressing your concerns are meeting expectations and they are being held responsible for public welfare. Please fill out our online form and tell us how the above individuals responded. To learn more about Complaint and Compliance, Sign up for a Living Near Shale Gas Workshop Penn Township Local Government Contacts Ward 1 Commissioner, Jeff Shula: jshulacom1@penntwp.org Ward 2 Commissioner, Lisa Rose Zaucha: lisazaucha@penntwp.org Ward 3 Commissioner, Chuck Konkus: chuck.konkus@penntwp.org Ward 4 Commissioner, Chuck Miller: cmiller@penntwp.org Ward 5 Commissioner, Larry Harrison: lharr0716@yahoo.com Twp. Manager, Mary Perez: maryperez@penntwp.org Zoning Officer, Adam Hlad: ahlad@penntwp.org Not sure what ward you are? Click here for a map State and Federal Contacts DEP (state) and EPA (federal) oversee shale gas development regulations. For some tips on how to best document and report a problem, click here for Environmental Integrity Project's complaint guidelines. DEP Complaint Hotline: Kurt Smith 412-442-4184 or 1-866-255-5158, or file an online complaint here . EPA’s Eyes on Drilling Hotline: 877-919-4372 (877-919-4EPA)

Protect PT is conducting air monitoring for our Clean Air for All (CAFA) study, beginning in late 2024 through 2027. This project focuses on communities in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties that are likely impacted by air pollution emitted from three local facilities. Clean Air For All (CAFA) Air Monitoring Plan Protect PT is conducting air monitoring for our Clean Air for All (CAFA) study, beginning in late 2024 through 2027. This project focuses on communities in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties that are likely impacted by air pollution emitted from the following facilities: Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill Monessen Coke Works a.k.a. Cleveland Cliffs Plum Injection Well a.k.a. Sedat Injection Well a.k.a. Penneco Injection Well. Each monitoring site hosts a particulate matter (PM) air monitor, which will collect data for approximately 2 years to account for variables in weather patterns and industrial activity. In addition to the PM air monitors, the study is also utilizing one Summa canister and SPod deployment systems around each of the three facilities to collect information on volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is so the best air samples can be captured. The Summa canister — a specialized metal canister that collects a single sample of air — will be triggered by the SPod during high pollution events. Our goal with the SUMMA canister is to determine what kind of VOCs are present at the time of a pollution event and determine how much of each pollutant is present. There are no commercially available VOC monitors on the market, which makes measuring them extremely difficult. And because some VOCs are naturally occurring while others are not and have serious health impacts, it's important to determine what specific pollutants are present in what quantity. Shown: 2 of 3 monitoring sites in Monessen and Belle Vernon Shown: Monitoring area in Plum Equipment We're Using Pictured: SPod Pictured: Particulate Matter Monitor (Purple Air) Pictured: Summa Cannister Community Engagement To keep the community informed on the progression of this study and its findings, Protect PT will hold an annual resident meeting to go over the data we've collected and break down the most important information. To see if we have an upcoming meeting, please go to our events page. To request past community reports, please complete the form linked below. Events Report Request Form Have any questions? Contact Us