Journalists are calling attention to a spill of radioactive wastewater from a treatment facility along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. And whistleblowers say the problem has been years in the making.
On Aug. 17, the state's Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that around 16,000 gallons of wastewater leaked from a 26,000-gallon storage tank at a Eureka Resources treatment plant. The "oily" fluid ended up in the river, leaving a sheen on the water. This prompted the DEP to take action to limit the spread.
The DEP later confirmed to the Public Herald that the discharge had stopped. However, the company was already under scrutiny. In 2024, whistleblowers accused Eureka Resources of environmental crimes involving radioactive fracking wastewater, leading to an investigation from the Public Herald.
Eureka entered into a consent order and agreement with the DEP in early 2025, allowing it to continue operating. Eureka continued storing radioactive fluids even after it had stopped treatment operations. But records show the company violated parts of that agreement not long after signing it.
Former employee and whistleblower Eric Steppe said the tank involved in the spill was among the most radioactive. "We were constantly having to fix those tanks from leaking," Steppe said, per the Public Herald. "This never should have happened. Someone needs...
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