Public Meeting to Address Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling Concerns

Saturday, January 10, 2009, from 10 a.m. – 12 noon, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Parish House,West Genesee Street, Montour Falls, New York.

Panel presentation co-sponsored by: Finger Lakes Progressives, Democracy NY, Schuyler County Environmental Management Council.

Speakers include:
Autumn Stoscheck, Van Etten Neighborhood Listening Project
Chris Burger, Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition
Jack Ossont, Democracy NY

A public question and answer/discussion period will follow.

Contact person:
Pamela Quattrini
607-739-1762
pquattrini@gmail.com

Background:
Currently New York State is waiting for the results of a DEC Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) as to the potential threats to upstate water, air and soil. Citizens in several other states, notably Pennsylvania and Colorado, are experiencing pollution of their water resources. These states’ officials and citizens are evaluating the extent that regulators should play in the process and if regulation alone will be enough to protect their natural resources.

One of the sticking points for those potentially affected by the drilling process is the presence of chemicals that are either undisclosed by name and concentration or are known to cause adverse human health effects. The gas drilling corporations are claiming that they do not have to release this information to state governments or to citizens. They are claiming that their formulas are proprietary information and are thus their corporate property. Chemical analysis on available drilling fluids (“hydro fracing”samples) used in other states show high percentages of chemicals that adversely affect human health.

Another main concern is the use of high volumes of fresh water in the process. As much as 4 million gallons of water is used in one “hydofracing” of a well that may to a depth of over 9,000 feet. Wells are frequently “refraced”. In one study wells were redone an average of 17 times in a five-year period. The refracing is necessary to break up the shale layers in which the natural gas is trapped.

The drilling companies attempt to recollect this water and do, in fact, recover varying percentages of it. The rest of the water remains in the ground at various depths threatening wells and aquifers. Water recovered is either reused, stored in above ground pits or treated as hazardous waste.

Some elected officials are calling for an acceleration of the approval process along with regulations that don’t threaten the near term commencement of drilling.

Water is one ofthe Finger Lakes most treasured resources. This public meeting is for learning more about the environmental, financial and legal issues and what can be done to protect our communities.