Nearing anniversary of Williamsport river spill: Eureka Resources sells operations at all three sites, fracking waste still present at July 22 inspections and company facing new set of charges

Nearing the one-year anniversary of an Aug. 17, 2025, spill from its Second Street facility in which 16,000 gallons of fracking waste wound up in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, Eureka Resources has sold its business operations at all three of its central Pennsylvania properties despite not having all remaining waste removed yet.

In response to a recent request from the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association to the Northcentral office of the Department of Environmental Protection, agency regional communications manager Megan Lehman reported that Eureka sold all its assets at its Second Street, Williamsport, and Standing Stone (Bradford County) facilities to Select Water, the owner of a mud plant in Ohio where waste fluid was being transported from the Second Street site for disposal.

​According to recent inspection reports, the properties at Standing Stone and Second Street are technically still physically owned by Ertel Associates, Inc.

“DEP is in communication with Select Water regarding appropriate documentation and permitting for its future plans for these two facilities,” she said. “Select Water has stated that its operation will include the reuse of material from the natural gas industry, with no discharges from the sites.”

​DEP’s Waste Management Program is waiting for a request from Select Water to take over the relevant waste permits for these sites, according to Lehman.

“DEP has terminated the permits relating to treatment and discharge through DEP’s Clean Water Program, and Select Water removed the membrane bioreactor operation at the Standing Stone site,” she said.

In addition, Eureka Resources is facing a new set of charges, filed July 29, 2026, with the Magisterial District Court. These are focused specifically on the Aug. 17, 2025, spill in which 16,000 galls of fracking waste leaking from the Second Street facility -- some of it winding up in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. 

Meanwhile, on June 1, Eureka sold its Catawissa Avenue (Reach Road) property to a company named Myers Water Transfer (DBA Hydro Edge), according to Lehman. 

“DEP permits for this site have been transferred to Hydro Edge (read this letter),” she said. “This site has been substantially emptied, with one partial frac tank of sludge remaining to be disposed of.”

From June 17, 2026, to July 17, 2026, a total of 228.02 tons of sludge have been removed from the Second Street site, according to the July 22 inspection report.

The sludge from the site is being taken to Select’s Water Mud Plant located in Cambridge, Ohio.

From May 13, 2026 to July 2, 2026, a total of 1,390 barrels of waste oil have been removed from the Second Street site’s white tanks, however: “Outside the building some waste remains in the large white tanks on the eastern side of the building.”

At the Standing Stone site in Bradford County, where Eureka was cited for fracking waste leaking into the local environment, from June 2, 2026, to July 17, 2026, a total of 386.31 tons of sludge have been removed. While there was a lot of activity evident during the July 22 DEP inspection of this site that showed old tanks being disassembled and stacked outside to go to scrap recycling, new barrel tanks installed and new electrical put in place, according to the inspection report, some waste still remains on site.

“Outside the building the Department noted there were 14 vac containers with sludge waiting for disposal,” according to the report. “The roll-off containing waste, located in the storage shed up on the hill, south of the main plant, that was observed during the June 9, 2026, inspection was profiled and is awaiting approval for disposal. The chemicals that were to be picked up by Cycle Chem were still onsite during the inspection. A temporary EPA ID number is being obtained so Cycle Chem can come to pick up the waste.”

DEP issued an executive order to Eureka originally on Aug. 19, 2025, (two days after the river spill) to have all fracking waste removed from the Second Street facility within 30 days. It received a second executive order on Sept. 2, 2025, to remove all fracking waste from the Standing Stone facility within a similar timeframe.

Eureka was charged with seven counts of criminally violating three different sections of the Solid Waste Management Act, according to a June 9, 2026, story on Pennlive. The accusations included:

• Permitting wastewater to leak from tanks and containment areas on Feb. 6, Oct. 4 and Dec. 12, 2023, Sept. 4, 2024, and Jan. 29, 2025.
• Allowing leachate from a roll-off and runoff from a pil e of salt and soil to get onto the ground.
• Operating a storage facility without a permit by storing wastewater for more than a year.
• Turning off high-level alarms that prevent tanks from overtopping.
• Failing to comply with DEP’s Jan. 29, 2025, consent order to empty tanks that had been leaking since February 2023.
• Failing to comply with DEP’s Sept. 2, 2025, administrative order to remove all waste from the Standing Stone facility within 30 days. As of May 7, 3,000 barrels remained in a tank.

According to Lehman, on July 6, 2026, Eureka paid the $100,000 in fines it had been penalized for infractions at both its Standing Stone ($40,000) and Second Street ($60,000) sites.

“DEP will continue to ensure that Eureka Resources achieves full compliance with all environmental regulations and court orders that apply to the three sites,” she said. “DEP will also continue to use all available enforcement tools to protect public health, ensure proper waste handling, and hold operators accountable when violations occur.”

Check out official documentation provided by the DEP concerning this case for more details and information:

• DEP’s June 3 letter to Myers Water Transfer, LLC, of Canonsburg, PA, concerning the Catawissa Avenue (Reach Road) facility and its permits.
• July 22, 2026, inspection report for the Second Street, Williamsport, facility
• July 22, 2026, inspection report for the Standing Stone (Bradford County) facility

Previous coverage of the situation from the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (with links to provided reports and other info):
Sept. 13, 2025: Update: DEP report suggests that 8,400 of 11,400 gallons of spilled fracking waste recovered, shares outline for three Eureka facilities cleanup, closure
Sept. 2, 2025: Williamsport spill update (9/2): DEP shares new inspection reports, files Administrative Order for Eureka's Bradford County facility
Aug. 27, 2025: Riverkeeper column: Five observations about the Williamsport river spill situation as we continue to monitor things 10 days after the first report
Aug. 22, 2025: Regional DEP provides end-of-week statement, inspection reports, other updates on Williamsport spill situation
Aug. 21, 2025: More than 1.3 million gallons of wastewater stored at Williamsport facility in tanks without required alarms among violations DEP issued 10 days prior to river spill
Aug. 20, 2025: Riverkeeper update: Initial radioactivity scan shows no elevated levels, but oily residue still prevalent near Williamsport river spill site
Aug. 19, 2025: Riverkeeper: Play it safe and avoid recreational use of river below Williamsport dam as spill cleanup continues