Hello Claridon trustees,
[...] I got your message earlier today; thank you. Thank you all for the chance to speak last night, although I guess that's the function of local government – giving residents of their township representation and a voice.
I appreciate the sentiment expressed last night that having information is important in the functioning of democracy. That is why below I have provided you an electronic copy of part of what I gave you last night, with hyperlinks so you can go right to articles that I cite.
I spent 10 years teaching high school biology and always tried to stress to my students the importance of unbiased information, healthy skepticism, and questioning in the development of useful opinions. I do not mind that you invited a spokesman for the gas industry last night, although I might have done some things differently had I known ahead of time that he'd be there and would be following my talk with a slide show. Nevertheless, it was good practice to hear him give the industry spiel.
Let me restate: Information is important in democracy but mis-information muddles democracy.
I won't go into all that was objectionable in his presentation last night but I want to be clear that the process of gas extraction I am asking for a moratorium or ban of has not been done in tens of thousands of wells in the state and has not been done since the mid-40s. Most of the tens of thousands of wells fracked in Ohio are shallow and vertical, requiring much less fracking fluid of a different chemistry and effecting a smaller volume of rock. Last I heard, Ohio has only half a dozen fracked deep shale horizontal wells. PA has around 2000 wells, all established within the past 5 years or so. This process – combining deep horizontal drilling with fracking using “slick water” - has really only been practiced for the last decade.
Also, with regard to democracy, if you haven't seen the Common Cause report on the millions of dollars the gas industry has dumped into state and federal politics, it's worth a read http://www.commoncause.org/
Thanks again. Contact me if there is more I need to know about May 14 – like where the meeting is, for example.
Steve
I am here today to ask the trustees to consider passing a resolution asking the state government to enact a ban or at least a moratorium on the process of natural gas extraction known as slick water hydraulic fracturing of deep shale deposits using directional drilling, colloquially known as “fracking”.
I first learned of fracking around a year ago, shortly after my wife and I and our two young daughters moved to the area, bought a house and 7+ acres in Claridon Township, and began enjoying what we hoped would be a quiet, healthy, safe rural life. This was the place we hoped to put down roots, both figuratively and literally (as I am in the process of establishing an orchard).
With news of the establishment of the first deep shale gas well in Geauga county, and with a promised many many more on the way, I turned to a variety of sources to learn more about the hype surrounding the shale gas boom. What I have learned about the potential downside of the technique has greatly disturbed me and my wife and has called into question our long-term residency here in this place we so happily adopted as our new home.
The benefits of shale gas extraction have been articulated by the industry and government at all levels. Yet, in my research, all of the supposed benefits - from job creation, to land-owner prosperity, to national energy security - have all been reasonably and effectively challenged. This evening I will not be addressing the controversies surrounding the alleged benefits of shale gas recovery.
Instead I want to present a summary of my reading of the downsides of fracking (real and potential) because these risks or dangers are or should be of the immediate and utmost importance to the residents of this township and, therefore, I believe, to their elected officials. My argument for a ban or moratorium is based on quality investigative journalism (ie ProPublica), what scientific evidence exists, expert opinion on likely or potential risk, and anecdotes from those residents and landowners who have already experienced or are experiencing the shale gas boom in their home place. I will focus my argument on water contamination, although health officials site air pollution from fracking as a more immediate and sure threat to human health.
Water Contamination
Perhaps you've seen images of people lighting their tap water on fire. This phenomena has been demonstrated by at least dozens of residents of gas extraction areas from WY and CO to PA. Indeed, some water wells and even houses in areas of intense gas extraction have exploded (see news article links below). The industry has largely denied responsibility but mounting scientific evidence and expert opinion suggests that natural gas can and has migrated from gas wells into local aquifers.
Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing
Stephen G. Osborn, Avner Vengosh, Nathaniel R. Warner, and Robert B. Jackson
Last May Duke University researchers published a widely-cited paper describing a relationship between methane concentration in water wells and proximity to active fracked gas wells in eastern PA and NY. They found a clear correlation: water wells located within one kilometer of active gas wells had, on average, 17 times more methane than water wells located further from active gas wells. The levels of methane in many of these water wells posed an explosion hazard. While they did not link contamination to specific wells, the chemical signature of the methane, as well as the presence of larger hydrocarbons, indicated that the source of methane was deep formations rather than shallow biological sources.
Review of Phase II Hydrogeologic Study Prepared for Garfield County
Geoffrey Thyne 12/20/2008
Whereas the Duke study looked at correlation in space, Geoffrey Thyne's 2008 paper described a correlation over time between methane concentration in well water and increasing numbers of gas wells in Colorado. Over the span of 7 years (2000-2007), as the number of gas wells increased from 200 to over 1300, the number of water wells with methane above their baseline of 1ppb rose, as did the concentration of methane in the well water. Looking at the chemical signature of the methane Thyne concluded that the methane originated from deep geological deposits and was not of shallow biological origin.
Thyne also noted an increase in chloride (salts) in these wells over time.
(See paper at http://s3.amazonaws.com/
Another, perhaps more pressing question, is whether the chemical-laced frack water can migrate up from shale deposits thousands of feet below the land surface into the water table. The industry has always said, without a doubt, that the answer is a definitive NO, but circumstantial evidence, expert opinion, and landowner experience casts doubt on this confident assertion.
First let's ask why this question is important? An April 2011 U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Energy and Commerce report demonstrated that many of the chemicals used by the gas industry are known to be harmful to human health, including organ toxins, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and disruptors of embryonic development. Between 2005-2009 the leading 14 energy companies used 29 chemicals that are carcinogens and/or regulated under the Safe Drinking Water and Clean Air Acts, which the industry has been exempt from since 2005. At least 60 products used contained BTEX chemicals.
(see: http://www.
While these chemicals make up only a small percentage of the fluid injected into a well, the total volumes of fluid injected – millions of gallons typically – means that at each injection well tens of thousands of dangerous chemicals will be placed beneath our feet, right here in Claridon Township.
Now the big question: can these chemicals migrate from a mile below the surface into shallow aquifers? Residents of Pavilion, WY first contacted the U.S. EPA in 2008 to complain of well water that smelled of gas and looked oily. The agency's investigation confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in the water of many of thier wells, including petroleum distillates like benzene, phenol, phthalates, naphthalene, and other hydrocarbons known to be used in fracking, especially 2-butoxyethanol. It also found lead and other salts and metals and methane of deep geologic origin. In a report issued in December of 2011 the EPA finally concluded that the contamination was likely due to hydraulic fracturing as all other explanations were carefully considered and deemed unlikely.
See the report at: http://www.epa.gov/region8/
But how could chemical-laced water migrate up through a mile or more of rock into an aquifer? Experts agree it's not impossible. The more I've read about the expert opinion of what happens to the frack water that remains in a well the more I realize that there is no scientific consensus of the behavior of fractures in the rock or the movement of water within those cracks and along faults. Of the experts who believe there is reason to be concerned about the many gallons of contaminated water remaining below, most site the potential for migration up along faults to shallower rock layers and/or up other well bores.
In a widely circulated op ed (http://www.
Paul Hetzler, an experienced environmental engineering technician, siting faulty well seals and the variable nature of geological strata, said:
“Hydraulic fracturing as it’s practiced today will contaminate our aquifers. Not might contaminate our aquifers. Hydraulic fracturing will contaminate New York’s aquifers. If you were looking for a way to poison the drinking water supply, here in the Northeast you couldn’t find a more chillingly effective and thorough method of doing so than with hydraulic fracturing”.
Dr. Michel Boufadel of Temple University in PA sites the importance of fractures and faults in geological strata. He has generated computer models in which the pressures exerted during hydraulic fracturing can push frack water up along a fracture to within a couple of thousand feet below the surface. He asks what might happen during subsequent fracks as wells are often fracked more than once.
See his talk at http://mediasite.cidde.pitt.
http://go.to/stopmarcellus for a slide show citing other expert opinion.
And finally, the Environmental Working Group recently revealed a case of aquifer contamination that occurred WV during the 1980's. The gas well was fractured at 4000 feet and nearby water wells were found to be contaminated with a gel used in the fracking process. The EPA investigated and concluded that the contamination had been caused by the fracturing process, perhaps pushing the frack gel up deteriorating abandoned gas wells. (see http://www.ewg.org/reports/
In 2006 a water well in Garfield County, CO erupted in chemical-laced spray when a nearby gas well was fracked, indicating that the pressures generated during fracturing can sometimes reach the surface.
(see: http://www.propublica.org/
And, of course, ground water contamination can come from above and there have been numerous reports of containment ponds and trucks leaking frack fluid and (radioactive) produced water in all gas-drilling areas. The industry has been sited for violations on thousands of occasions (See http://www.propublica.org/
Ground water contamination would be devastating for Claridon Township. Can ground water be cleaned up? How long would it take for contamination to disperse? Would we buy our own water? Have a city pipe put in? Sue the gas companies for water? Rely on the EPA to supply us water?
Is there a plan???
While water pollution seems like the significant threat, many health officials seem to be more concerned with the immediate health impacts of air pollution. Fracking contributed to air pollution via many different routes, including blowouts, condensate tanks, diesel engines, containment ponds of produced water/brine, and various emissions. In March of 2011 the Upper Green River Basin – a rural area of WY with thousands of gas wells – the ozone count (smog) hit 124 ppb, topping the dirtiest air day in LA the previous year of 114 ppb.
Indeed, most health complaints by residents of gas-drilling areas are related to air pollutants and the effects have included nose bleeds, rashes, loss of taste and smell and other neurological disorders, blacking out, and cancer. Doctors have told people to leave their house and, indeed some residents have walked away from their homes and belongings. The stories are really too many to tell so I'll direct you to http://www.propublica.org/
Are health professionals worried? From the American Academy of Pediatrics to the CDC the answer is a resounding YES. See for yourself:
So what's in store for Claridon Township? Are residents aware of the reports I've been reading?
I conclude by asking my trustees to pass a resolution asking the state for a ban or at least a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in our state until shale gas can be extracted safely.
Hey, there is a broken link in this ariticle, under the anchor text - http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/wy/pavillion/EPA_ReportOnPavillion_Dec-8-2011.pdf
ReplyDeleteHere is the correct, working link so you can replace it -https://selectra.co.uk/sites/selectra.co.uk/files/pdf/Groundwatercontamination.pdf