Former employees of Eureka Resources Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Co. in Williamsport have asked for a criminal investigation and related probe over alleged workplace and environmental violations.

The former workers have written to Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner asking his office to undertake a criminal misconduct investigation of alleged workplace and environmental violations of the company.

They also requested an “internal audit” of the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Wilkes-Barre OSHA Office, and the city Bureau of Codes for alleged “willful neglect related to these matters.”

The request for the investigation was made during a press briefing attended by two former employees of Eureka — Eric Steppe and Quinn Aughenbaugh — that was organized by state Sen. Katie Muth, D-Royersford, and also attended by state Rep. Christopher Rabb, D-East Mount Airy and Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Exton.

The briefing was based on a Public Herald podcast and article sharing the experiences of five workers — Steppe, Aughenbaugh, Brandon Barrett, Dalton Trahan and Alijah Kibler — who say they worked with radioactive oil and gas wastewater at the Eureka Resources wastewater treatment plant in Williamsport.

Steppe claims after cleaning up multiple spills at the plant he had to be taken to the hospital as a result of his exposure to oil and gas wastewater being treated at the plant. He alleges he and the former workers were exposed to dangerous chemicals and radiation.

“I think the one thing, regardless of how you feel about fracking or chemical manufacturing or any kind of fossil fuel energy extraction, is that the harm that happens to the public and the workers has to stop,” said Muth.

Attempts to reach Eureka Resources on Second Street in the city were not successful.