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Item 3. Legal Proceedings

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Item 3. Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, various legal and regulatory claims and proceedings are pending or threatened against us. While the amounts claimed may be substantial, we are unable to predict with certainty the ultimate outcome of such claims and proceedings. We accrue legal and other direct costs related to loss contingencies when actually incurred. We have established reserves in amounts that we believe to be appropriate for pending matters and, after consultation with counsel and giving appropriate consideration to available insurance, we believe that the ultimate outcome of any pending matter involving us will not materially affect our financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Environmental Proceedings

Pratt Storage Field Matter, Morgan Township, Pennsylvania. On October 31, 2018, a gas explosion occurred in Morgan Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania (the Pratt Incident), close in proximity to Equitrans, L.P.'s (one of our subsidiaries) Pratt Storage Field assets. Following the explosion, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission and the PHMSA began investigating the Pratt Incident. The PADEP issued a final report and closed its investigation in August 2022, and we do not expect further inquiry from the PADEP on this matter; however, the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission and PHMSA investigations are still pending.

On October 23, 2023, Equitrans, L.P. received permission from the FERC to plug and abandon the AH Hupp 3660 storage well (Hupp Well) in the Pratt Storage Field that was the subject of the PADEP's investigation of the Pratt Incident. On October 22, 2024, Equitrans, L.P. received from the FERC an extension until January 31, 2025 to complete plugging and abandonment of the Hupp Well. On January 24, 2025, Equitrans, L.P. requested an additional extension of time, until July 31, 2025, to complete the plugging and abandonment of the Hupp Well.

On October 30, 2023, Equitrans, L.P. received a criminal complaint from the State Attorney General's Office charging Equitrans, L.P. with violations of Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law (the Pratt Complaint), and generally alleging that: (i) natural gas leaked from the Hupp Well and into a water well and (ii) Equitrans, L.P. failed to conduct a stray gas investigation of the Pratt Incident. The Pratt Complaint carries the possibility of a monetary sanction, that if imposed could result in a fine in excess of $300,000; however, we expect that the resolution of this matter will not have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Rager Mountain Storage Field Venting, Jackson Township, Pennsylvania. On November 6, 2022, Equitrans Midstream became aware of natural gas venting from one of the storage wells, well 2244, at Equitrans, L.P.'s Rager Mountain natural gas storage facility (the Rager Mountain Facility), located in Jackson Township, a remote section of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Venting at the Rager Mountain Facility was halted on November 19, 2022. Since the time of the incident, the PADEP has concluded its investigation and the PHMSA and other investigators are continuing to conduct civil and criminal investigations of the incident, and we are cooperating in such investigations.

On December 29, 2022, the PHMSA issued Equitrans Midstream a Notice of Proposed Safety Order that included proposed remedial requirements related to the Rager Mountain Facility incident, including, but not limited to, completing a root cause analysis, and subsequently, on May 26, 2023, the PHMSA issued a consent order to Equitrans Midstream requiring the completion of a root cause analysis and a remedial work plan and providing that Equitrans Midstream may not resume injection operations at the Rager Mountain Facility until authorized by the PHMSA. In August 2023, Equitrans Midstream submitted a root cause analysis to the PHMSA and later submitted a remedial work plan and injection plan seeking authority to resume injections at the Rager Mountain Facility using all wells in the facility except three, which remained disconnected from the storage field. On October 2, 2023, the PHMSA approved Equitrans Midstream's injection plan and Equitrans Midstream restarted injections at the Rager Mountain Facility on October 5, 2023, subject to certain pressure restrictions and other requirements in the PHMSA consent agreement. On November 16, 2023, the PHMSA issued a letter to Equitrans Midstream approving Equitrans Midstream's request to remove all pressure restrictions at the Rager Mountain Facility. On May 30, 2024, the PHMSA approved resuming operations for one of the three remaining wells excluded from the injection plan.

We plan to continue working with the PHMSA, pursuant to the consent order between PHSMA and Equitrans Midstream, regarding the remaining two disconnected wells at the Rager Mountain Facility. If additional penalties are pursued and ultimately imposed related to the Rager Mountain Facility incident, the penalties, individually and/or in the aggregate, may exceed $300,000; however, we expect that the resolution of this matter will not have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Plugging and Abandoning of Wells at the Holbrook Storage Reservoir, Center Township, Pennsylvania. One of our wholly owned subsidiaries, EQT Gathering, LLC, is the owner of fifteen inactive storage wells within the Holbrook storage reservoir located in Center Township, Pennsylvania. The wells have been inactive since 2021. On June 10, 2024, we were notified by the PADEP of alleged violations of the 2012 Oil and Gas Act, which requires wells located in Pennsylvania which are inactive for a period of twelve months to be reported to the PADEP as "inactive" and plugged. We are actively working with the PADEP to plug the inactive wells in accordance with the 2012 Oil and Gas Act and resolve this matter, and in connection therewith, we may be assessed a monetary penalty in excess of $300,000. We expect that the resolution of this matter will not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

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