CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Violations with a gas pipeline project in Butler County has brought a $1.5 million fine against a company by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The DEP levied the fine against Stonehenge Appalachia LLC for nearly 200 violations of the 2012 Oil and Gas Act, Clean Stream Law, Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, and the Solid Waste Management Act.

DEP says the company caused “uncontrolled and unpermitted discharges of sediment,” along the 18-mile pipeline known as Moraine East Gathering pipeline, which caused a large landslide of sediment into a stream and filled two wetlands with sediment.

The violations took place between November 2015 and March 2016, according to the DEP, during the project, which was an agreement between Stonehenge Appalachia LLC.

The DEP says the company agreed to a consent order taking responsibility for the damage.

Acting DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell called the agreement a positive step by Stonehenge, which initially appealed DEP stop work and environmental remediation orders.

McDonnell said, “This type of man-made ecological impact is both egregious and avoidable, and never should have occurred. By this action, Stonehenge accepts both environmental and financial responsibility for their actions.”