abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

27 Sep 2017

Author:
Jon Hurdle, StateImpact

USA: Families settle lawsuit against Cabot Oil & Gas over alleged water contamination due to fracking

"Last two Dimrock families settle lawsuit with Cabot over water," 26 September 2017

Two Pennsylvania families have settled a lawsuit against a major natural gas producer, ending an almost decade-long fight over alleged water contamination in northeast Pennsylvania... The families were among 15 who sued Cabot Oil & Gas in 2009, claiming that fracking for natural gas had contaminated their drinking water wells... All but two of the families previously settled... [and] the two remaining families went to trial and won a jury award of $4.24 million in March 2016....The verdict was hailed as a major victory for critics of the gas industry, but it was overturned in March... [One woman who previously settled]... said water from her well is still not drinkable more than a decade after signing a lease agreement with Cabot to drill on her land... She said she and her family still use well water for laundry and dishes, but that her daughter can’t bathe in it because it causes inflammation of her skin...The company has racked up more than 130 drilling violations from state regulators at its Dimock wells, but insists the methane migration in Dimock water wells is naturally occurring, pointing to tests taken after drilling had been halted in the area... A spokesman for Cabot, said, in response to the new settlement: “The case has been settled. The matter is now closed.”