Coterra Energy Inc. to Resume Drilling in Pennsylvania's Dimock Township

Despite past water pollution issues, the company has received state approval to drill 11 gas wells, promising to monitor drinking water supplies and mitigate risk.

Coterra Energy Inc. has received permission from Pennsylvania state environmental regulators to drill 11 gas wells underneath Dimock Township, a rural community where it was previously banned for 12 years due to water pollution.
The company, which pleaded no contest to criminal charges last year, has agreed to monitor drinking water supplies within 3,000 feet of the new gas wells and take other steps to mitigate risk.
Dimock's natural gas could be worth $2.5 billion to $3.8 billion, according to a retired Penn State geologist, and the drilling is seen as an economic boon by many in the area.
However, some residents are concerned about the return of the industry, citing worries about truck traffic, noise, and the potential for new contamination.
The public water system Coterra agreed to pay for, as part of a plea agreement, is still years away from being operational, and faces numerous obstacles.