DEP: Eureka still responsible for cleanup obligations despite sale of operations at each site; 'Alternative enforcement measures' considered

​Riverkeeper's note: This is a follow-up story on what we posted Aug. 3, 2026, in relation to the Eureka sites and cleanup effort. DEP shared the following responses via regional communications manager Megan Lehman in an email to our association on Aug. 20. If you have specific additional questions or information to share, please do so at [email protected]

Eureka Resources is still responsible for cleanup obligations at both the Second Street (Williamsport) and Standing Stone (Bradford County) sites even after selling the operations and equipment recently to Select Water, according to Megan Lehman, Regional Communications Manager for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

In a response to several questions after the early August release from DEP which shared July 22 inspection reports and news that Eureka was selling operations at both sites, Lehman recently assured that Eureka is still on the clock to finish cleanup of those sites and that DEP “is considering alternative enforcement measures.”

“The existing Eureka permits for the Standing Stone and 2nd Street Williamsport facilities have not been transferred, and all cleanup obligations remain with Eureka Resources for those sites,” shared in an Aug. 20, 2026, email to the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association.

“While the Catawissa Avenue (Reach Road) Williamsport site has been sold, Eureka Resources remains the responsible party for the tank remaining at that site, as stated in the DEP’s letter confirming transfer of the permit for that site (shared in the MSRKA's Aug. 3 blog post).  The original deadlines for removal of material from the sites remain in effect.”

According to Lehman, DEP has met with Select Water, the new owners of the Standing Stone and 2nd Street Williamsport operations, to discuss the process of transferring the permits. 

“The modification to transfer the Standing Stone permit was received electronically by DEP on August 19 (not yet reviewed at the time of Lehman’s email to the MSRKA), and no request has been formally submitted to DEP to date for the 2nd Street Williamsport facility,” she said.

As previously stated, Select Water intends to operate for the reuse of material from the natural gas industry, with no discharges from the sites. 

“DEP terminated Eureka Resources’ permits relating to treatment and discharge of any of the reuse materials through DEP’s Clean Water Program and Select Water has removed the membrane bioreactor operation at the Standing Stone site,” said Lehman.

As shared in the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s Aug. 3 post, Eureka Resources sold the Catawissa Avenue (Reach Road) Williamsport site to a company named Myers Water Transfer (DBA Hydro Edge). 

“As noted in the previously provided permit transfer letter, the WGMR123 permit allows for the storage of oil and gas liquid waste that can be reused to develop or hydraulically fracture oil or gas wells,” said Lehman. “Changes to the facility operation, as described in the approved applications, will require a permit modification to be submitted to DEP, and the maximum allowable storage for the facility is 1,500,000 gallons.”

As for how much waste remains at each site, Lehman referred back to the Second Street and Standing Stone inspection reports for July 22.

“DEP understands that shipping of material from the sites has continued since the most recent inspections, so the current amount remaining at the sites is less than what is documented in those reports,” she said. “For a comparison, when the cleanup of the sites began, the Standing Stone and 2nd Street Williamsport facilities were at their permitted capacity of 4,093,750 gallons and 820,000 gallons, respectively.”

Again, for more details, please reference the following:

• Previously shared overview from Aug. 3
• July 22 inspection report for Second Street
• July 22 inspection report for Standing Stone
• Letter and general permit to Myers Waste Transfer, LLC, for the Catawissa Avenue site

"We are watching this situation closely, especially that the waste is properly removed from these sites and looking ahead to permits for what happens next at each location," said Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper John Zaktansky. "We are committed to making sure information continues to be available and transparency a priority, especially considering the magnitude of the event that happened a year ago and the ongoing cleanup efforts at each site."

Send your questions or any information you may have on this situation to [email protected]