Item 4. Controls and Procedures
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Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, our principal executive officer and our principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
As noted under Item 9A, "Controls and Procedures," contained in EQT's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, management's assessment of, and conclusion on, the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include internal controls of the entities acquired in the Equitrans Midstream Merger on July 22, 2024. Under guidelines established by the SEC, companies are permitted to exclude acquisitions from their assessment of internal control over financial reporting during the first year of an acquisition while integrating the acquired company. The Company is in the process of integrating Equitrans Midstream's and the Company's internal controls over financial reporting. As a result of these integration activities, certain controls will be evaluated and may be changed.
Except as noted above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the first quarter of 2025 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. 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.
Other than as described below, there are no material updates to the matters previously disclosed in the "Legal Proceedings" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.
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 Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration of the Department of Transportation (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 open.
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 March 4, 2025, Equitrans, L.P. was granted 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.
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