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Wayne/Susquehanna R.E.S.C.U.E. Public Meeting
on Gas Exploration and Our Drinking Water Attracts Large Audience

At a September meeting in Forest City about 128 people attended a meeting presented by the environmental group Wayne/Susquehanna R.E.S.C.U.E. to learn more about the effects of gas drilling on our water from three speakers, Craig Lobins and Jennifer Means from the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Oil and Gas Management Division, and Bryan Swistock, Water Resource Extension Specialist, from the Penn State Cooperative.

Speakers: left to right, Bryan Swistock of Penn State Cooperative,
Jennifer Means and Craig Lobins of DEP.
Photo courtesy of Roy Morsch.

Craig Lobins, DEP Northwest Regional Manager for the Oil and Gas Program, whose office is responsible for issuing gas drilling permits for 27 counties, including Wayne and Susquehanna Counties, drove 333 miles from his Meadville office to give an in-depth presentation of the process of issuing permits. The amount of permit applications has increased 25% every year for the last 5 years so their office is really busy. The yearly increase might subside a bit as the price of gas decreases.

The process to get a permit, Lobins explained, begins with the gas company's getting an erosion and sediment plan and then a water management plan for the millions of gallons of water needed to frack the shale layers and then to dispose of the water that is discharged from the well. The treatment of wastewater is probably the biggest challenge. Neither the fracking liquid nor the waste water should ever come into contact with the groundwater table. Additional permits must be issued from either the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) www.srbc.net for that particular river drainage or from the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) www.state.nj.us/drbc or call 609-883-9522. (Since the DRBC has postponed the hearing for the Cutrone site on the West Branch of the Delaware River for a permit for Chesapeake Appalachia to withdraw one million gallons of water a day for 30 days over the course of 5 years, there is still time for informed citizens to post their concerns.) A chapter 105 encroachment permit is needed for access roads that cross wetlands. Any dams need to be permitted. Either Penn Dot or local townships need to grant occupancy permits for road or highway entry.

Gas wells must be at least 100 feet from streams and wetlands greater than an acre, 200 feet from an existing building or water well without giving written consent. Contact Mr. Lobins at 814-332-6860 for more information.

Jennifer Means, the Regional Manager of the Northcentral Office of Oil and Gas Management, from the new Williamsport office, deals with all water management issues, including waste water disposal and is responsible for monitoring and compliance of gas wells, including inspections. With the rapid rate of increased gas leasing, the development of the new technology of fracking, and the monitoring of waste water treatment, there is much for the new staff to accomplish.There are only 4 inspectors and still unfilled vacancies in the department! Contact Ms. Means at 570-321-6550.

Bryan Swistosk's presentation focused on the pollutants in the waste fluids and strategies homeowners can use to protect their drinking water supply in areas where drilling activity is occurring. Swistock first explained that PA is the second highest state in the amount of private water wells after Michigan and at least 40% of all water wells fail at least one safety drinking water standards. Alaska and Pennsylvania are the only two states with no safety requirements for well water. So it is up to the landowners to do more to protect their water supply from contaminants in their everyday lives by doing simple things like keeping all possible pollutants like pesticides, fertilizers, domestic animals, manure, etc. away from their well heads for a radius of at least 100 feet and making sure the well head cap is sanitary.

"Marcellus shale drilling is a recent thing, and we need more time to research what the effects will be", he said. He stated that there were 400 Marcellus drilling sites begun last year and that the number has risen to about 1,200 so far this year. By year's end, the number should be around 1,600. Testing the water supply for property within 1000 feet of a gas well is the responsibility of the gas company. Landowners should require a copy of the water test as part of their lease. Whether or not the land is in a lease anyone with property near a gas well site should test the water supply before any gas drilling is done and then again within 6 months after completion of the well.

Although it would be extremely expensive to test for all the possible pollutants from the fracking process, there are some indicators that can be tested. Firstly, a test for total dissolved solids (TDS), barium, and chloride, which would cost about a $100.00 would be a great indicator of problems. A fairly simple test for TDS can be made with a TDS meter which can be purchased online for about $50.00. For example, recent sample tests from Northeast PA where there has been little fracking, contain LOW to non-existent barium, chloride or TDS. In comparison, water testing in McKean County, which has had heavy gas drilling, has very HIGH levels of these pollutants.

Depending on the level of concern and how much the landowner can afford, the next more comprehensive test would be for methane, iron, manganese, total organic carbon, and turbidity. A certified water lab can be found through the local Penn State Cooperative. It is very important to stipulate water protection measures such as setback distances, seismic testing, water testing, waste fluid handling, in any gas well lease for the landowner. More information on water testing and other invaluable information can be found by contacting Mr. Swistock at 814-863-0194 or BRS@psu.edu or www.water.cas.psu.edu.

Craig Lobins, DEP Regional Manager
Photo courtesy of Roy Morsch.

There was a wealth of information to be shared. After nearly two hours of presentations, there were still lots of questions from the audience with the meeting ending at 10:30 p.m. One questioner asked if it was not known what chemicals were in the drilling fluid, how could a treatment plant operator be sure that the chemicals were safely removed. This is a very complex issue which necessitates that all landowners become as informed as possible. Our government officials will act according to our interests if we let those concerns be known. A petition to Senator Casey and Congressman Carney to enact the Frac Act was signed by 79 people in the audience. The frac act (S.1215 and HR 2766) would repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the Safe Drinking Water Act and require public disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing fluids.

Please take the time to read the petition to ask our U.S. Senator Casey, who is co-sponsor of the bill ( casey.senate.gov ) and Senator Specter ( specter.senate.gov ) to pass Senate Bill S1215 and our U.S. Representative Chris Carney ( carney.house.gov ) to pass House Bill 2766. Act now, copy this petition, and send an email or a hard copy to our legislators. Click here for a copy of the Frack Act Petition.

R.E.S.C.U.E. Sponsors Delaware Valley Raptor Center Program
R.E.S.C.U.E. once again sponsors the Delaware Valley Raptor Center (DVRC) program at the Forest City Regional annual 6th grade science camp.
Photo courtesy of Joann Morsch
	In keeping with the mission of Wayne/Susquehanna R.E.S.C.U.E. to "protect, preserve, and restore the environment. Our purpose, achieved through volunteer activism and education of the public, is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the benefits of clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment," the chapter recently sponsored "Close Encounters With Birds of Prey" by the Delaware Valley Raptor Center (DVRC) at the Forest City Regional School's 6th grade annual science camp. The DVRC's licensed raptor rehabilitator Jan Lucciola awed the students at science camp with a presentation featuring five live birds: a kestrel, a 7 inch saw-whet owl, a barred owl, a red-tailed hawk and a mature bald eagle.
During the hour-long presentation Ms. Lucciola covered predator/prey relationships, wildlife rehabilitation, specific adaptations of the birds present, and various issues facing wildlife today. Most of the birds treated at the DVRC are returned to the wild. The birds featured in the educational programs are birds that were either "imprinted" on humans or were injured so badly that they could not survive in the wild. The young students were saddened to hear that too many of the injured birds brought to the center, unfortunately, are the result of intentional shootings. The shooting of any bird, other than game birds, which are regulated by the Fish and Game Department, is illegal.
Fortunately, many good citizens who find injured raptors do the right thing and bring the birds as soon as possible to qualified rehabilitators like the DVRC. To minimize stress the birds should be placed in a ventilated cardboard box with no food or water. To learn more about the center and all their wonderful work go to www.dvrconline.org or call the DVRC at 570-296-6025.