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Our look at
SEEPS, LEAKS & SPILLS
Some negatives of
drilling for natural gas
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Natural Gas, as an end fuel, may burn cleaner than coal, but don't
let anyone tell you that drilling for natural gas isn't dirty.
The air pollution from thousands of trips by heavy diesel trucks,
the constant running of diesel-powered equipment and extensive travel by drilling personnel in
full-size pick-up trucks, all add to the air pollution problem that
already existed in Washington County, Pennsylvania before they got here.
The main reason residents have to burn that special fuel every
summer in their vehicles.
Just as gas drilling has created new problems with our drinking water,
adding to our existing air pollution problem is yet another case of
tipping the apple cart. Washington County and Allegheny County are
two of worst 35
counties in the United States for air pollution. All this drilling
activity seriously impacts an existing problem.
When you add to this all
the water pollution caused by drilling activities, you begin to
understand that you are looking at a heavy industry, with many of the
traditional pollution problems, as well as many others you might
never
expect.
We'll call this Marcellus-Shale.us page Seeps, Leaks & Spills. Stuff you
probably didn't see before, not even in the newspapers or on the TV
news (..is anyone
covering this story??).
Newcomers to Marcellus Shale from the gas drilling industry need to know that
Engaged Citizens in Pennsylvania and other states are watching their every move, and
that we demand accountability and responsibility. Nothing less will do.
If you aren't already an Engaged Citizen, become one now.
Begin monitoring suspicious looking activity around drilling sites
and streams. Report all suspicious incidents
you see to 911 or the Pennsylvania DEP right away. Keep
asking the right questions. Stay alert.
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Ten Mile Creek Tributary
NOVEMBER 10, 2009
Jefferson Township,
Washington County, Pa
(Reported to PA DEP, uncertain of follow-up)
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Some bubbles occur
naturally in streams, but this type floats 'down in the
water' instead of on top of the water like most suds. Similar suds
to these have been seen in fish kill areas, like Brush Run Creek
(below)
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BRUSH RUN CREEK FISH KILL
OCTOBER 6, 2009
Brush Run Creek, Hopewell Township
Washington County, Pa
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October 10, 2009
OBSERVER-REPORTER
Range Resources said Friday that a temporary above-ground water
transfer line connection failed Tuesday night and discharged about
250 barrels (10,500 gallons) of partially recycled flowback and
fresh water into a small, unnamed tributary to Brush Run on private
property in Hopewell Township. The company said the water, which
contained about 1 percent chloride salt, killed between 200 and 300
minnows but other aquatic species living in the tributary survived.
Helen Humphreys, a spokeswoman for the state Department of
Environmental Protection, said species including crawfish and frogs
also were observed to be impaired or dying. DEP officials inspected
about four-tenths of a mile of Brush Run in the area of the spill.
Brush Run is a high-quality stream under Pennsylvania law, meaning
it meets standards of chemical and biological makeup that warrant
special protection.
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NOTE: Fines for this incident have not yet been published,
but should be announced in Spring 2010. |
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DUNKARD CREEK FISH KILL
SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
Dunkard Creek, Mason-Dixon Line
Greene County, Pa & West Virginia
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Click photo to view web page |
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CHARTIERS RUN & ULLOM RD SPILL
AUGUST 13, 2009
Ullom Road, Chartiers Township
Washington County, Pa
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Ullom Road near Route 519
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Temporary fluid line appears to be
leaking... what is it carrying?
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This vehicle was parked in the same area and carries a fuel tank in back
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Weavertown Environmental Group (WEG) vehicles handling
the spill
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Absorbent material placed on the surface of the
polluted stream
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Plastic-lined dumpster onsite to collect the
cleaned-up
hazardous materials
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Absorbent material along side of Ullom Road
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The red color could indicate diesel fuel... from
where?
Clean-up personnel weren't even sure when they were asked.
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More of that weird looking mud like you see near
other local gas drilling sites
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Rainbow-colored water a few hundred feet
downstream from the spill
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Weavertown Environmental Group crew scans the stream in
front of the Washington County Firefighter Academy for signs of
pollution from the
spill downsteam
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The crew won't have to look very far... this
polluted water is just upstream from where the environmental
clean-up crew is looking
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WEG dumpster loaded and tarped
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CROSS CREEK LAKE FISH KILL
MAY 26, 2009
Cross Creek Lake, Hopewell Township
Washington County, Pa
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Great Lakes is now Range Resources but the old sign hasn't been
changed. These three horizontal wells are on the same drilling pad
in this Washington County Park.
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Cross Creek County Park
Washington County Parks & Recreation
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Cross Creek Lake is the premier fishing lake in Washington County
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When these three gas wells were being hydraulically fractured, a
spill of "a couple thousand gallons" killed fish and aquatic life in
Cross Creek Lake.
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October 9, 2008 letter from the DEP reminding Range Resources they
were drilling in a Special Protection Watershed before the
drilling and fracing began.
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