Dimock Locals File a Lawsuit Against Cabot Oil and Gas for Water Contamination From Drilling
By Pat C.
In late September, natural gas drilling in Dimock, Pa. took a turn for the worst.
Numerous toxic spills contaminated Dimock residents’ streams and groundwater. At that time, Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation agreed to pay a $120,000 fine in addition to the $56,000 fine the company received in September for the three spills at the Stevens Creek well. As a further result of the contamination, 15 Dimock families filed a lawsuit against Cabot on Thursday, November 19.
Cabot has drilled 63 wells in a nine square mile area in Susquehanna County and the lawsuit could potentially jeopardize the company’s permit to frack about 60 more.
The families’ complaint is that Cabot allegedly ruined their drinking and household water, polluted their land, and caused many health problems.
“I have a letter from the DEP [Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection] stating that Cabot has indeed contaminated my well…I don’t want anybody to go through what we’ve been through. It’s just a horrible experience for me and my family,” said Julie Sautner, a Dimock resident who joined the lawsuit against Cabot.
Presently, Cabot has been ordered to supply 13 families with replacement water, six of whom are not a part of the lawsuit. The DEP confirmed that 13 wells were polluted early this month.
The 15 families signed leases with Cabot after being approached with a promise of royalty checks and an environmentally safe operation. Unfortunately, the company’s safety promise wasn’t good.
The affected families filed the lawsuit to get justice for the damages done to their property and water.
“Absolutely, absolutely!” Sautner said when asked if she thinks the families have a chance to win the case against Cabot.
