By: Shaylin McGuire
On October 31, 2025, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that he has filed criminal charges against Seneca Resources, LLC (“Seneca”), citing violations of state environmental laws.[1] Seneca is a large natural gas company that has produced and provided energy to several counties in the Appalachian Basin for over 100 years.[2] Its wells are considered some of the largest water producers in Pennsylvania.[3] Yet, a Seneca employee noted that most of the business is focused on managing the water, describing the company as “always being seven days away from disaster.”[4]
Three separate criminal complaints were filed by the state Office of Attorney General following the recommendation of two statewide grand juries.[5] The complaints allege improper waste management practices and policies, leading to pollution incidents across eight counties.[6] So far, Seneca has been charged with 72 counts of violations of the Solid Waste Management Act and at least 42 counts of violations of the Clean Streams Law.[7] The Solid Waste Management Act is a Pennsylvania law that “provides for the planning and regulation of solid waste storage, collection, transportation, processing treatment and disposal.”[8] The Clean Streams Law is another Pennsylvania law that was created to “regulate the discharge of sewage, industrial waste or any substance, which causes or contributes to pollution.”[9] The Attorney General specifically aimed to address Seneca’s “continued inaction and lack of response to warnings and orders from state agencies.”[10]
One set of charges against Seneca involves the company’s disposal methods in the Pennsylvania counties of Lycoming, Tioga, Potter, Clearfield, Elk, McKean, Jefferson, and Cameron.[11] These set of charges claim that Seneca violated the Solid Waste Management Act by permitting the dumping of well cellar fluids onto the grounds of those counties.[12] According to the complaint, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) directly warned Seneca that its operations were not in compliance with Pennsylvania law, but those warnings were disregarded or disputed.[13]
Another set of charges involves water contamination in Cameron County using the county’s well pad.[14] The charges stem from a ruptured pipeline in Cameron County that discharged wastewater from fracking operations into the waters and on the ground of Cameron County.[15] These offense violated both the Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Streams Act, and it was noted that Seneca’s unlawful conduct continued after the DEP warned it to stop.[16] This rupture soon affected the private water wells of residents in the area that use well water for drinking.[17] Seneca responded quickly to the spill and even supplied a family living downslope from the well pad with a freshwater tank.[18] However, the complaints allege that Seneca then began injecting wastewater into unconventional gas wells on a well pad to dispose of the wastewater.[19] Officials have said that this practice was designed to aid in reducing waste volume rather than following environmental procedures that were approved by the DEP.[20] Although the DEP told Seneca in writing to stop this practice until further investigation could be done, the company ignored those instructions and continued its flushing practices.[21] Seneca’s actions in Cameron County ultimately spread more contaminants into the surface waters and ground water in the area.[22]
Attorney General David Sunday made it clear that “every Pennsylvanian has a constitutional right to pure water,” which is why he filed charges for violations of those rights.[23] He also referenced the Cameron County incident, stating that such outcomes will not be tolerated.[24] The case against Seneca is being prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz and hearings are scheduled for December 10, 2025.[25]
[1] AttorneyGeneral.gov, https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/attorney-general-sunday-announces-charges-against-seneca-resources-for-natural-gas-companys-illegal-waste-dumping-across-northern-pa/ (last visited Nov. 18, 2025).
[2] National Fuel, https://www.nationalfuel.com/integrated-upstream-gathering/ (last visited Nov. 18, 2025).
[3] Marcie Schellhammer, Seneca Resources Charged in Cameron County for Wastewater Dumping, Olean Times Herald (Oct. 31, 2025), https://www.oleantimesherald.com/2025/10/31/seneca-resources-charged-in-cameron-county-for-wastewater-dumping/.
[4] Id.
[5] AttorneyGeneral.gov, supra note 1. See also, The Progress, https://www.theprogressnews.com/news/local/ag-announces-charges-against-seneca-resources/article_9fcc9d58-d51f-45d7-8d13-5b9ebe5ae891.html (last visited Nov. 18, 2025).
[6] Susan Phillips, Pa. Attorney General Files Criminal Charge Against Fracking Company, Whyy (Oct. 31, 2025), https://whyy.org/articles/pennsylvania-attorney-general-fracking-criminal-charge/.
[7] Id.
[8] Department of Environmental Protection, https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/waste-programs/statutes-and-regulations (last visited Nov. 19, 2025).
[9] 3 Rivers Wet Weather, https://www.3riverswetweather.org/about-wet-weather-issue/wet-weather-regulations/state (last visited Nov. 19, 2025).
[10] AttorneyGeneral.gov, supra note 5. See also, The Progress, supra note 5.
[11] Schellhammer, supra note 3.
[12] Id.
[13] Gavin Fish, Seneca Resources Faces 114 Criminal Charges for Illegal Waste Disposal Throughout Region, Explore Jefferson (Oct. 31, 2025), https://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/state-news/2025/10/31/seneca-resources-faces-114-criminal-charges-for-illegal-waste-disposal-throughout-region-169964/.
[14] Schellhammer, supra note 9.
[15] Id.
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
[18] Id.
[19] AttorneyGeneral.gov, supra note 8. See also, The Progress, supra note 8.
[20] Id.
[21] Schellhammer, supra note 12.
[22] Id.
[23] AttorneyGeneral.gov, supra note 17. See also, The Progress, supra note 17.
[24] Id.
[25] Schellhammer, supra note 19.