Report: Well drilling violations near 1,500 for Marcellus Shale
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A new report by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association said the state has identified 1,435 violations by 43 Marcellus Shale drilling companies since January 2008, prompting environmental groups to call for quick legislative action to protect water and land resources.
According to Monday's report, 952 of the violations were identified as having or likely to have an impact on the environment. Those included 100 violations of the state Clean Stream Law, 268 for improper construction of waste water impoundments; 277 for poor erosion and sedimentation plans during well pad, road and piping construction; 16 for improper blowout prevention; and 154 for discharging industrial waste, including drilling waste water containing toxic chemicals, onto the ground or into streams.
About 500 of the violations were administrative or safety violations and identified as not likely to degrade the environment.
"The Marcellus Shale drilling is obviously a big thing right now, and we want people to understand what is going on with this new industry and what is happening at the well sites," said Elana Richman, project coordinator for the Land Trust Association.
The report is based on state Department of Environmental Protection enforcement records obtained through a Right to Know Request filed by the association. The records do not include violations of drilling wastewater haulers: 669 traffic violations and 818 warnings during a three-day enforcement blitz in June.
Myron Arnowitt, state director for Clean Water Action, an environmental group, called the violations "widespread" and said they demonstrated the need for updated regulation, such as that contained in House Bill 2213, introduced earlier this year by Rep. Camille "Bud" George, D-Clearfield, to protect public resources.
That bill would mandate DEP well inspections before and after drilling, prohibit wells within 1,000 feet of drinking water wells, add protections for water supplies up to a half-mile from Marcellus Shale gas wells, and require full disclosure of all hazardous chemicals used in the drilling and hydraulic fracturing of the shale rock a mile or more below the surface.
First Published August 3, 2010 12:00 am
