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Contaminated mud from Marcellus Shale gas drilling spills in state forest; Rendell may be changing mind on additional leasing
Constance Merriman, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture)
Contaminated mud from Marcellus Shale gas drilling spills in state forest; Rendell may be changing mind on additional leasing
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| Constance Merriman, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) |
Just a week ago, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a budget which relies on more than a $100 million in revenue from new leasing of state forest for drilling in the Marcellus Shale (a third of the state forest has already been leased for drilling).
That decision, as I reported in February, ran contrary to the advice of former Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary Michael DiBerardinis, who warned shortly before resigning that further leasing would "scar the economic, scenic, ecological, and recreational values of the forest," as well as overburden the Department's limited staff.
Among the dangers associated with Marcellus Shale drilling is the potential for spills — a danger heightened by the rapid pace at which the industry has developed.
Yesterday, the Scranton Times-Tribune reported that 8,000 to 12,000 gallons of contaminated mud were spilled at Sproul state forest in Clinton County, Pa. — a site operated by Anadarko E&P Co. Inc. that was part of the governor's most recent lease of forest land for drilling, in January.
While about half of the mud spilled over the boundary of the well pad, it didn't spread far enough to contaminate any surface waters, ground water or wetlands in the area, said Mr. Spandoni. A contractor began cleanup work Friday night. DEP officials have taken mud samples to determine a proper disposal method.
The mud is used as a cooling agent in drilling operations. Since the mud that spilled is synthetic-based, it doesn't contain any diesel fluids as some other agents do, said Mr. Spandoni.
Comforted yet?
This certainly isn't the first case of "errors" resulting from hydraulic fracturing operations: There were 56 "illegal discharges" in 2008 and 2009.
Nor is this the first spill affecting state forest land: City Paper has learned of two more incidents (confirmed with the Department of Environmental Protection) at a site adjacent to state forest in Clearfield County. In August 2009, a drilling pit utilized by EOG Resources Inc. leaked drilling fluids into a nearby spring; in October, there was a spill of "a water/chemical mixture used for cleaning wells" at an adjacent well, also operated by EOG.
These spills resulted in impacts to Alex Branch and Little Laurel Run streams, which are wild trout fisheries, and a freshwater spring used by local hunters.
Representative Greg Vitali, working with a coalition of environmentally-minded House representatives, has sponsored a bill calling for a moratorium on the leasing of more state land for drilling.
Despite what he says was a deal made between House "green dog" Democrats, who opposed such leasing, House leadership, and Governor Ed Rendell, the governor came out in favor of leasing additional land for this year's budget.
But, according to the Times-Tribune, he was singing a different tune yesterday:
Mr. Rendell expressed optimism Monday the state can meet next year's revenue target without leasing additional acreage of state forest land. He said more details will be forthcoming. Mr. Rendell also said for the first time he supports a moratorium bill.
If this is true, it's big news. Maybe Rendell has decided he doesn't want his legacy to have been pillaging the state forest to plug budget holes, after all.
[...] that these ponds (like the one pictured above) are mostly storing freshwater - yet I reported on a toxic mud spill resulting from a similar pond last week, and, before that, on an incident of pollution in [...]
167 MILLION ACRES of federal land open to - OFFSHORE DRILLING!!?!!! The Obama Legacy: Healthcare Reform & OFFSHORE DRILLING!!!! HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!!! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/science/earth/01energy.html?hp
I need to write it again because the reality is still setting in.... The Obama Legacy: Healthcare Reform & OFFSHORE DRILLING!!!! HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!!!
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