A Rice Energy Inc. subsidiary has filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board to contest a nearly $500,000 fine the state Department of Environmental Protection issued for alleged violations of the Clean Streams Law and other state statutes. It’s unclear when the purported violations occurred, but DEP claims Rice Poseidon Midstream LLC failed to protect surface water sources during the construction of one of its projects in Southwest Pennsylvania. It also said the company failed to implement practices to prevent erosion and issued a $493,760 fine. Rice claims that the disturbances were not caused by its work and said the penalty was calculated incorrectly. No hearing has been scheduled.