It’s Like We’re Losing Our Love…

This video documents Simona Perry’s research on the emotional and traumatic effects of the natural gas drilling, specifically in Bradford County, PA.

http://mediasite.cidde.pitt.edu/mediasite/SilverlightPlayer/Default.aspx?peid=689293c50f404f12b8c628b8f2285780

Learn the FACTS about Marcellus Shale

Thurs. Nov. 3rd at 7 PM

GAS TRUTH OF YORK is sponsoring  the YORK MARCELLUS SHALE FORUM so that you can learn what you need to know about Shale Gas drilling in Pennsylvania.  In South Central PA we do not have Marcellus Shale drilling but the Oil & Gas Industry is affecting our water, land, and the integrety of our politics.

On Thursday, November 3rd we will bring experts in the field to you so that you can get your questions answered.  The following people will speak at this SHALE FORUM:

Rep. Eugene Depasquale

Kathy Martin, Sierra Club and STRONGER

Simona Perry Ph.D. – expert on effects of drilling on life in Bradford County, PA

John Trallo, Sullivan County Citizen Activist and affected landowner

Ralph Kisberg, Responsible Drilling Alliance of Lycoming County

Guy Alsentzer, Staff Attorney, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper

Nathan Sooy, Clean Water Action

 Professor David Fyfe from York College will be the MC and moderator.

DATE & TIME: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD – 7 PM Till 9:30 PM

 LOCATION: SPRINGETTS FIRE HALL

                               3013 E. MARKET STREET

                               YORK, PA

Video: Natural gas blow back in Bradford county

Frac fluid spills from well for 20 hours at Chesapeake site near Canton. Fluid flowed into a creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna. For more details, see

http://www.wnep.com/wnep-brad-leroy-gas-drillingemergency20110420,0,1884646.story

Letter to the Editor, Aug. 29, 2010

A Letter to the Editor, Towanda, PA:

Loss of one resource for another?

EDITOR: Being a licensed Pennsylvania water well driller for the past 40 years and being born and raised in the Towanda area, I feel I must respond to the stories I keep reading about the gas drilling companies shifting the blame of water well problems to poor well construction and local water well drilling.

One such story was in this week’s Sunday Review (Aug. 22, 2010). And before I begin I want it known that any subsequent mention of the Chesapeake company shows no hostility towards them or their representatives. With mutual respect and dual acknowledgement of experience, I do believe that natural gas extraction and water well drilling can harmoniously coincide in Northeast Pennsylvania.

First of all, if a water well is not constructed properly, there are problems from day one and not 10, 20 even 50 years later.

Referring to Sunday’s article, Brian Grove of Chesapeake stated he does not believe, the facts, implicate its drilling operations is causing the water issues at hand. We have not spoken with any of the Paradise Road residents, but, the fact is, we have recently received many calls from local homeowners regarding disturbances in their water wells that began after nearby gas drilling activity had started. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize the time line coincidence and figure out gas drilling activity probably has caused these water well issues.

Again referring to the Sunday article, Mr. Grove wrote, affected water wells are drilled into shallow aquifers. Most of our calls pertain to rock wells, but our answer to his comment is, this is Pennsylvania, not Texas! In many local areas, residents depend on the shallow aquifers because the deeper water is salty, or sulfury, and not compatible to human consumption. What a shame to disturb their only potable water resource.

And Mr. Grove’s insinuation that poor water well construction could be causing current water well issues is a direct disrespect to me, my father before me, and other local reputable water well drillers. Speaking for myself and my father’s memory, we have drilled thousands of water wells during decades of business in Northeast Pennsylvania. Our continued good reputation is testimony that we do successfully construct quality water wells. I invite Mr. Grove to call me to discuss well construction but not to come into my hometown and discredit my work. Mr. Grove stated that Chesapeake has offered to drill replacement water wells of “superior construction standards.” A recent telephone conversation with Chesapeake representative Larry Wooten makes me question what he means by “superior construction standards?”

Mr. Wooten called in regards to me drilling a replacement well on my neighbor’s property. He quizzed me about my practices and prices. When I told him I use a steel drive shoe on the bottom of my casing to seal contaminates from entering the well, he told me they never use them and thought this contaminant seal was an unnecessary added cost. Again, this is Pennsylvania, not Texas. I believe embedding a steel drive shoe into rock formations is necessary to superiorly construct a Pennsylvania water well.

To end, we believe Northeast Pennsylvania is both blessed and cursed by the Marcellus Shale mineral deposits which lie underneath our homes. The excitement of gas lease funding and large drilling rigs coming to our area has been replaced by damaged roads; delayed travel and traffic snarls; streams sucked dry by convoys of trucks, driven by persons foreign to our area, who may skillfully drive Texas flatlands but have difficulty maneuvering our hilly serpentine roadways; residential sweet water invaded by methane that is blowing off well caps; local families displaced by gas workers; and other changes affecting our work and lifestyles.

Unlike cautious New York state, we think Pennsylvania jumped the gun and has allowed natural gas drilling companies into our area too soon, in too large of numbers, and with too few regulations in place. The saying, you don’t know the worth of the water until the well is dry, sounds like a reality to us. Our drinking water is being affected and millions of gallons of water are being extracted from our streams, rivers and municipal wells with insufficient recharge. Well, Sen. Casey, we agree it is high time to protect our water, our people and our future.

Thomas and Loraine Cummings Water Well Drilling

Towanda

http://thedailyreview.com/opinion/letters/letter-to-the-editor-aug-29-2010-1.980232

Eminent Domain Issues…

Check this link for a map that corresponds to the pipeline information below.

Central New York Oil And Gas Company Proposed MARC I Hub Line Project (tentative)

Central New York Oil & Gas (CNYOG) company has applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to build and operate  a 39-mile long, 30-inch diameter natural gas pipeline that would run through parts of Bradford and Lycoming Counties in PA. There are compressor stations involved, also. This pipeline will probably involve eminent domain issues.

To read  information about this proposed project on the FERC website, click here:

http://www.ferc.gov/for-citizens/projectsearch/SearchProjects.aspx?Region=Northeast

Scroll your way to page 18 of the 22 pages on the site. Below is a copy of the section on that page pertaining to the project (MARC I Project).

Central New York Oil And Gas Company Proposed MARC I Hub Line Project (tentative)

Boldness must arise locally to save roads

This issue is just one of many that will arise. Classic freeze/thaw cycles in PA already compromise our secondary and tertiary roads without heavy truck traffic. Many of these roads have 10 ton weight limit bridges as well as weight limitations for the roads themselves, and much of the truck traffic greatly exceeds those limits. Not only does the question of “who will pay to fix these roads” come up again and again but the quality to which they are fixed may become an issue. Elk Run Road in Gaines, PA is being attended to daily by the company whose trucks destroyed the road. The gas company’s trucks, with a high clearance and/or 4-wheel drive, might be able to manage this fix of gravel and muck but the people who live on this road are struggling to get their every day vehicles in and out.

Published: March 14, 2010

It’s nearly spring and the secondary roads here are in poor shape. Some of the main roads, as well. It’s an annual occurrence. But, this year there is a dramatic difference More roads are in far worse shape than perhaps ever before, in large part because of the battering from heavy trucks, many of which are in the area tending to the burgeoning natural gas industry….

Inconvenience is an issue for motorists, of course. But far more important is safety for drivers. Safety for cars, safety for small trucks, safety for school buses carting children, and safety for big trucks, farm equipment and other vehicles.

Residents were warned about such looming hardships two years ago by county commissioners who saw early on some of the pros and cons of the natural gas boom resulting from exploitation of the Marcellus Shale play under Bradford County.

But, no one foresaw such a rapid expansion of prospecting and drilling – and infrastructure deterioration. Oversight, direction, regulation, control all lagged while the county was being transformed for better or for worse. Virtually all the mineral rights in Bradford County have been leased to gas companies, according to the Shirley Rockefeller, county register and recorder. Permits for 430 wells were issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection in 2009 for Bradford County alone, and 113 new wells were drilled. The rapid pace continues this year with 29 more drilling permits issued in January, second in the state only to Tioga County.

Plans for pipelines to transport the gas to markets are in the works. PennDOT, which only last week warned of a regional problem, says more than 60 roads in the county have been posted with weight restrictions. It is hard-pressed to keep up.

Behemoths lumber down the highways, some oversized, some overweight and, in too many cases, going too fast. They include 5,500 gallon and larger water tankers, flat beds to haul equipment, and dump trucks to haul material, all of which clog the roads, and grind the pavement. Crashes are more and more common. State police are levying unheard of fines for illegal loads running in the tens of thousands of dollars.

The roads, especially the secondary and tertiary roads are being pounded and pulverized into pot holes, gullies and broken shoulders. Driving is a hazard. Residents are growing impatient, even angry. Township supervisors and other municipal officials are at wits end.

It’s a crisis….

To read the full article, click here:

http://thedailyreview.com/opinion/boldness-must-arise-locally-to-save-roads-1.678530

Potter County’s next meeting

From: Commissioners

To: Potter County Natural Gas Task Force

Next meeting of the Potter County Natural Gas Task Force will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the Gunzburger Building. This should be a very interesting meeting. A news release and an agenda are attached.

Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith will be our guest speaker.

Additionally, Judy Bear from our Water Quality Committee will be making a presentation on the field visit to the Marshlands area in Tioga/Potter counties, where she and others observed an environmentally responsible pipeline project.

We’ll also hear details on the local Natural Gas Expo, scheduled for March 17-18, and reports from our study committees on Pubic Education; Township/Borough Impacts and Planning Issues; Taxation; Public Safety/Law Enforcement; Water Quality; and Employment/Training and Industry Technical Issues.
To provide some background on Commissioner Smith’s presentation, here’s a link to the story that appeared in a local newspaper in Towanda:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/boom-towns-gas-drilling-quickly-changes-smalltown-life-in-pa-1.362954

Please feel free to forward this material to anyone who might be interested in attending or otherwise remaining informed of the Task Force activities.
You might also want to bookmark the following websites to keep abreast on local developments pertaining to the natural gas industry in Potter County:
–Potter County Today (updated daily) at http://today.pottercountypa.net
–The Potter County Government website (see Marcellus Shale/Natural Gas link at top) at http://pottercountypa.net/

We’re looking forward to seeing you on Jan. 12 (7 pm) and thanks again for your interest.

NCRO Weekely Report Nov 23rd-Dec 4th 2009

NORTHCENTRAL REGIONAL OFFICE-WILLIAMSPORT

WEEKS OF NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 4, 2009

Issues Requiring the Governor’s (or Governor’s staff) ACTION

Nothing new to report

Issues Requiring the Governor’s (or Governor’s staff) ATTENTION

Nothing new to report

Management and Productivity

Nothing new to report

Recovery Activities

Nothing new to report

What’s Hot/Major Actions

IntelliWatt Renewable Energy, Mount Carmel Township, Northumberland County: On Nov. 17, IntelliWatt submitted the complete response to the third deficiency letter sent by the Air Quality program for their plan approval application to construct a 12.5 megawatt wood biomass fired combustion turbine.  DEP staff provided guidance to IntelliWatt regarding the emissions calculations and suggested that IntelliWatt reduce carbon monoxide below 100 tons per year from the proposed project in order to move from a major to a minor facility.  Air Quality program staff is currently finalizing the technical review of the plan approval and hopes to submit a notice of intent to issue for publication within two weeks.  (Muhammad Zaman 570-327-0512)

First Quality Products, Wayne Township, Clinton County: On Nov. 16, the Air Quality Program received a plan approval application from First Quality Products for a new production line for adult incontinence products.  The volatile organic compounds and particulate matter emissions are major concerns for the proposed project.   Particulate matter emissions will be controlled by a three-stage, high-efficiency dust collector. (Muhammad Zaman 570-327-0512)

Susquehanna Health System/Williamsport Hospital, City of Williamsport, Lycoming County: Susquehanna Health submitted an Air Quality plan approval application for construction a 1.9 MW co-generation unit at its Williamsport campus.  The project has received a $1 million PEDA grant funded by ARRA.  The application review is complete and draft plan approval conditions sent to the Pa. Bulletin for public comment.  The notice should be published on Dec. 5.  Unless there are significant negative comments, the plan approval may be issued the week of Jan. 4, 2010.  (David Aldenderfer 570-327-3648)

Northeastern ITS LLC, Mercer, Venango, Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield, Centre, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Columbia, Schuylkill, Lehigh and Northampton Counties: On Nov. 30, the Watershed Management program received responses from Northeastern ITS to DEP’s Chapter 102/NPDES technical deficiency letter for this fiber optic line project.  Staff is presently reviewing these responses and completion is anticipated this week.  Eight of twelve Chapter 105/Water Obstruction and Encroachment permit applications were published in the Nov. 28 edition of the Pa. Bulletin.  The 30-day public comment period for these applications has now commenced.  (John Twardowski 570-321-6523)

White Pines Landfill, Pine Township, Columbia County: On Nov. 30, an employee of White Pines Corporation notified the Waste Management program that the Borough of Millville told the White Pines Landfill on Nov. 27 to cease discharging leachate to the borough’s sewage treatment plant.  The landfill was verbally informed by the borough that it was in violation of the Landfill Leachate Treatment Agreement by exceeding concentration levels for copper. White Pines has requested permission to temporarily truck leachate to the Montgomery Borough wastewater treatment facility and to store greater than 25 percent of total leachate capacity on-site, which DEP intends to approve.  The department will inform White Pines Corporation that if it cannot resolve the issues with Millville Borough, it will have to submit to DEP within 60 days a permit modification application with plans to modify its leachate treatment plan.  (Patrick Brennan 570-327-3651)

Sandy Ridge Wind LLC, Taylor and Rush Townships, Centre County, and Snyder Township, Blair County: On Nov. 23, the Watershed Management program held a public meeting and a public hearing on an NPDES stormwater construction permit application submitted by Sandy Ridge Wind LLC. About 50 people attended the two sessions with equal balance between supporters and opponents of the project. There were nine people who testified at the public hearing, with seven opposing the project and two in favor of it.  This permit application was submitted in June, and a second technical deficiency letter was sent to the applicant last week.  (David Garg 570-321-6581)

Potential Problems/Potential Major Actions

Emergency Response, Stevens Township, Bradford County: On Nov. 20, Emergency Response Team Member Dave Engle responded to a report of discoloration in Rockwell Creek in Stevens Township.  Engle determined that Johnson’s Quarry was disposing of saw yard dust in a manure impoundment on property owned by Salanka.  The impoundment was breached and discharging to Rockwell Creek.  Engle documented the release for compliance action and the incident was referred to the Water Management program for follow-up.  (Gerald McKernan 570-327-3722)

Emergency Response, Armenia Township, Bradford County: On Nov. 22, Assistant Emergency Response Manager John Erich responded to a 6,000 gallon spill of frack flow back water to the well pad by Fortuna Energy in Armenia Township.  Erich documented the release for compliance action and addressed control measures to stop the release from entering a wetland.  The incident was referred to the Oil and Gas program for follow-up.

(Gerald McKernan 570-327-3722)

Good News/Major Accomplishments

Nelke #1 Orphan Gas Well Plugging and Abandonment Project, Delmar Township, Tioga County: Well cleanout operations have been in process with the service rig through Nov. 20.  The well bore has been cleaned out to about 4,000 feet deep.  Diagnostic logs were run and evaluated.  A mechanical plug was set at a depth of 4,000 feet and a cement plug placed on top.  The plugs appeared to stop the gas flow to the surface.  Plugging operations are currently shut down to monitor the well and plug seal.  Uphole plugging should resume Dec. 7.  (Bruce Jankura 814/342-8134)

GEC Enterprises Inc./Sandra Cooper, Richmond Township, Tioga County: On Nov. 18, the Waste Management program issued a $15,000 civil penalty to GEC Enterprises Inc. and Sandra Cooper for violations of the Pa. Solid Waste Management Act.  Sandra Cooper is the president of GEC Enterprises Inc. and GEC operates The Sign Shop located in Richmond Township. During a March complaint investigation at The Sign Shop, Waste Management staff observed the burning of solid waste in a burn barrel at the business and there was a container of hazardous waste that was not properly labeled.  James Cooper, president of The Sign Shop, informed DEP that hazardous waste generated at the facility is normally disposed at his brother’s body shop at another location or burned at his residence with his household trash, both of which constitute illegal disposal.  Samples were collected from the ash in the burn barrel and the analytical results indicated that toluene was present in the ash.  During the investigation, Waste Management staff found that toluene is used to clean painting equipment at the facility.  James Cooper eventually disposed of the ash from the burn barrel as a hazardous waste and all issues have been resolved at the site.  (James E. Miller 570-327-3431)

Francis J. Palo Inc., Lamar Township, Clinton County: On Nov. 18, the Waste Management program received a $1,652 civil penalty from Francis J. Palo Inc. for the unpermitted burning of solid waste.  While in the field on Sept. 16, Waste Management staff observed black smoke blowing from the old Valley Ag and Turf property in Lamar Township. During the investigation, DEP staff learned that employees of Francis J. Palo Inc. were burning solid waste in a burn barrel at the site.  Palo later informed DEP that the solid waste being burned was office waste from an office trailer that Palo was maintaining for the PennDOT roadway inspector.  Palo removed the burn barrel and disposed of the ash.  Additionally, Palo will be conducting training for its employees regarding unpermitted burning of solid waste.  (James E. Miller 570-327-3431)

Thomas Benjamin, Benton Township, Columbia County: On Dec. 3, the Waste Management program received the final payment of a $1,382 civil penalty from Thomas Benjamin for violations of the Pa. Solid Waste Management Act.  During an April complaint investigation at Benjamin’s property in Benton Township, DEP staff observed that Benjamin had dumped about 125 cubic yards of construction/demolition waste that consisted primarily of shingles and dry wall and had also burned solid waste.  Also, there were about 100 waste tires dumped on his property in another location.  Benjamin told DEP that the solid waste at the dump was from three separate roofing jobs.  He cleaned up the solid waste and disposed of it properly using a licensed waste hauler.  (James E. Miller 570-327-3431)

Outreach/Upcoming Events

Lycoming County Oil and Gas Committee Meeting, Loyalsock Township, Lycoming County: On Nov. 19, Emergency Response Manager Gerald McKernan attended the Lycoming County Oil and Gas Committee meeting at the Lycoming County Emergency Operations Center in Loyalsock Township.  The meeting focused on industry input on safety training for responders and event categorizing for response levels.  Industry representatives from Anadarko, Chief Oil and Gas, East Resources, KTO, Pa. General Energy, and Range Resources were represented at the meeting.  Several others sent letters of support.  The intent is to develop a training program for emergency service organizations responding to drilling and pipeline incidents.  (Gerald McKernan 570-327-3722)

Act 2

MK Express/Altmire Trucking Act 2 Site, College Township, Centre County: On July 23, an MK Express/Altmire Truck crashed on U.S. Route 322 during a heavy rainstorm and lost about 20 to 50 gallons of diesel fuel to the soil along the shoulder of the road.  Emergency personnel placed absorbent booms near stormwater drains to prevent any further contamination.  Minuteman Spill Response excavated more than 59 tons of contaminated material and five confirmatory soil samples were collected from the excavation.  All soil samples came back below DEP’s Statewide Health Standard, and an Act 2 relief of liability for the Statewide Health Standard for soil was granted on Nov. 25. (Randy Farmerie 570-327-3716)

Steam Valley Sunoco Act 2 Site, Lewis Township, Lycoming County: On Nov. 20, the Environmental Cleanup program approved a Remedial Action Completion Report submitted on behalf of Sunoco Inc. for the former Steam Valley Sunoco facility, which documented the remediation of a 1997 unleaded gasoline release. A Statewide Health Standard was attained for gasoline constituents in soil and groundwater, and an Act 2 relief of liability was granted for the regulated substances identified in the report.  (Steve Webster 570-327-3429)

NPDES Majors Backlog Status

Number of Overdue Permits-0

Number of Permits Issued This Week-0

Number of Permits Newly Expired This Week-0

(Chad Miller 570-327-3639)

Items for the DEP Planning Calendar

EQB Public Hearing—Outdoor Wood-Fired Boiler Regulations

December 3 at 1 p.m.

NCRO

I-99 Partners Meeting

December 10 at 10 a.m.

Patton Township Building

Northern Tier Solid Waste Authority LMIP Meeting

December 10 at 2 p.m.

NCRO

(Daniel Spadoni 570-327-3659)