Wastewater Disposal: Iron Cumberland Cited for Waste Disposal Violations by DEP 
On August 12, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Iron Cumberland, LLC, under 58 Pa.C.S. §3203 of the Oil and Gas Act, relating to two conventional gas wells in Greene County. According to the notice, the operator was disposing of produced fluid from the two wells at Coal Refuse Disposal Areas in violation of 25 Pa. Code §§ 78.54, 78.55(a), and 78.55(b). This section of Pennsylvania law require operators to manage residual waste in a manner that prevents pollution and to develop a preemptive waste disposal plan consistent with the Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. §§ 691.1–691.1001) and the Solid Waste Management Act (35 P.S. §§ 6018.101–6018.1003). Another violation was cited under Section 301 of the Solid Waste Management Act, which prohibits unauthorized storage, transport, or disposal of residual waste without a valid permit. The notice calls for a response within 15 days, including a full list of affected wells and supporting documentation.
Pipelines: Minnesota Felony Conviction of Obstruction Arrest at Pipeline Construction Reversed and Remanded
On August 18, 2025, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a district court’s felony conviction of a woman accused of obstructing arrest, reasoning that pervasive prosecutorial misconduct occurred. State v. Vialard, No. A24-1222 (Aug. 18, 2025). In August of 2021, Mylene Vialard and others created an ariel obstruction on the road leading to the Line 3 pump station, which is part of a natural gas pipeline. Law enforcement was called, and after an extraction process involving a bucket truck, she was removed from the blockade. She was subsequently charged with felony obstruction of legal proceedings or arrest, and trespass, the latter of which was dismissed. She was found guilty of the felony charge, but she appealed, reasoning that prosecution sought to elicit and use evidence that was previously ruled as inadmissible by the district court. The appeals court reversed and remanded the conviction, agreeing that prosecution “failed to meet his ‘affirmative obligation to ensure that” Vialard received a fair trial, and instead sought “a conviction at any price.’” As such, the case is reversed and remanded back to the district court.
Offshore Drilling: DOI Releases Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling Schedule
On August 19, 2025, the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) released the offshore oil and gas “long-term schedule.” The two areas where sales will take place are the Gulf of Mexico and the Cook Inlet, which is along Alaska’s south-central coast. Six Cook Inlet sales will take place periodically in March from 2026 to 2032, while twenty sales in the Gulf will take place in March and August yearly through 2040.
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CENTER PROGRAMS & RESOURCES
On Friday, September 12, 2025, from 11:30am–12:15pm, staff attorney Audry Thompson will present “Immigration and Farm Workers: Employer Rights and Responsibilities.”
- September 12th from 11:30-12:15 PM. More Information and Registration Here
2025 Pennsylvania Agricultural Law Symposium
On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law will host the 2025 Pennsylvania Agricultural Law Symposium in-person at Penn State Dickinson Law, Lewis Katz Building in University Park, Pa.
This day-long symposium will offer 1 ethics and 5 substantive PACLE credits for Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys. Lunch and refreshments provided!
- September 18th. More Information and Registration Here
Understanding the Basics of U.S. Grain Dealer Statutes
On Friday, September 26, 2025, from 12 noon–1:00 pm ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), will present the next webinar in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law.
- September 26th from 12 noon-1:00 PM. More Information and Registration Here
Follow us on Twitter @AgShaleLaw to see the latest with our #ShaleLaw HotLinks
Connect with us on Facebook.
Penn State Farmland Energy Legal Podcast: Listen to the latest episode here.
Oil & Gas Law & Policy Resources:
Akin Gump, Akin Advises Producers Midstream in Strategic Commitments for Phase Two Expansion in Delaware Basin (August 25, 2025)
Sartain, Texas Royalty Owner Bears Postproduction Costs on Gas Sold at the Wellhead (August 27, 2025)
Markowitz, Mitchell, Oelz, Maloney, Purdy, Petty, and Smith, California Climate Reporting Laws: CARB Provides New Guidance (August 27, 2025)
McFarland, Coffeyville Resources v. ExxonMobil Pipeline Company: What is the effect of a “void” assignment? (August 28, 2025)
Boshoff and Damtew, Can Africa Still Drill? What the ICJ Climate Opinion Means for Oil and Gas Exploration in Africa (August 28, 2025)
Frydlinger, Closing the Silences: Using the ICJ’s Interpretive Method to Read Its Climate Opinion (August 29, 2025)
FEDERAL ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PRESS RELEASES
DOE Grants Lake Charles LNG Additional Time to Commence Exports (August 22, 2025)
U.S. Department of Energy to Distribute Next Round of HALEU to U.S. Nuclear Industry (August 26, 2025)
Energy Department Announces Actions to Secure American Critical Minerals and Materials Supply Chain (August 26, 2025)
Energy Department Announces Over $35 Million to Advance Emerging Energy Technologies (August 29, 2025)
Energy Department Issues Final Export Authorization to Commonwealth LNG (August 29, 2025)
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESS RELEASES
EPA Announces Action on Small Refinery Exemptions, Continues Work to Get Renewable Fuel Standard Program Back on Track (August 22, 2025)
EPA selects new site for Lower CDA Basin cleanup waste (August 27, 2025)
EPA announces $1.7M for transboundary watershed grants (August 27, 2025)
In Ceremony with Wyoming Governor, EPA Proposes Approval of Wyoming Coal Residuals Permit Program (August 28, 2025)
EPA Administrator Zeldin Visits Wyoming, Announces WY CCR Proposed Approval, Visits Data Center, Tours Mine Site (August 29, 2025)
FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Federal Register August 23–30, 2025)
Environmental Protection Agency
90 FR 41391 Notice: “Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal Collection and Request for Comment; Consolidation of Methylene Chloride; Regulations Under TSCA § 6(a)” (August 25, 2025)
90 FR 41676 Rule: “Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Review and Renewal of Eligibility for Application-Specific Allowances (August 26, 2025)
90 FR 41508 Rule: “Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units: Temporary-Use Incinerators and Air Curtain Incinerators Used in Disaster Recovery” (August 26, 2025)
Energy Department
90 FR 41279 Rule: “Implementing Voluntary Agreements Under the Defense Production Act” (August 25, 2025)
Land Management Bureau
90 FR 42329 Rule: “Revisions to Regulations Regarding Locating, Recording, and Maintaining Mining Claims or Sites-Failure To Comply” (September 2, 2025)
90 FR 42328 Rule: “Rescission of Regulations Regarding Plans of Operations for Mining Claims” (September 2, 2025)
Natural Resources Revenue Office
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
90 FR 42506 Notice: “Pipeline Safety: Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees” (September 2, 2025)
STATE ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE
PENNSYLVANIA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PRESS RELEASES
DEP Plugs Two Actively Leaking Abandoned Wells in Erie County, Supporting the Shapiro Administration’s Historic Well Plugging Campaign (August 27, 2025)
PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Pa. Bulletin Vol. 55, No. 35 – August 30, 2025)
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
55 Pa.B. 6387: Natural Gas Service
Written by:
Benjamin Aronovitch, Research Assistant
Caden Dean-Sauter, Research Assistant
Jackie Schweichler, Staff Attorney
