Comment

Comment by SK Miller on March 6, 2010 at 4:26am

Let's ban current toxic fracturing drilling chemicals which are poisons injected into the subsurface of which up to 70 percent or more remain underground and do not flow back to the pits. Let's ask Congress to make gas companies use green chemicals which have no poisons in them which will escape unknowingly into drinking water supplies. Let's educate citizens in Texas and across the country who are known in past history of owning no computers and if they were fortunate enough have computers, they were not educated to surf the net to learn about the exempted toxic fracturing chemical substances being injected in the subsurface and staying underground which could be in their drinking water. (Chronic health issues such as cancer near drilling sites). Those great past historic pollution records look good across the country because those records were based on who reported the pollution and it wasn't well informed citizens who knew what fracturing chemicals were and knew how the drilling process worked. Citizens were ignorant as to what chemicals were being used in the drilling process and have recently started to learn about the 2005 exempted toxic chemicals. Let's educate the politicians (ask if they will give up the gas company campaign contributions) and put people back into government. Tell them not to believe the gas company lies and ban fracturing chemicals now being used which are known to toxic to humans, wildlife and aquatic life. Citizens aren't stupid, we know where the gas company records come from which others now base their trust in as they try to pull other citizens into their gas leasing sprees. Those gas company pollution reports are historically known to have been records based on companies who police themselves; do their own pollution reporting to the state agencies. Citizens are just beginning to get involved in those reports and learning they need to report pollution to get it on the record. Don't work with the gas company for a little tight lip money at the expense of toxic exposure. You can't buy clean air, water and soil, it remains there for hundreds of years. Let's get everyone educated, everyone watching the drilling process near the pits where hundreds of toxic chemicals are used. Watchdog citizens can help see if all those toxic chemicals go into the pit or onto the surface and THEN report it where it gets recorded for history records. Citizens who have already signed gas leases didn't have a clue toxic fracturing chemicals were going to be used in the drilling process, they likely didn't put any clauses in their gas leases to have their water pretested for fracturing chemicals or have post water testing done for fracturing chemicals or did they? Those landowners likely didn't know dep doesn't test their water for fracturing chemicals and they could be drinking water which can kill them. Citizens can help make gas companies be more careful with surface pollution: go watch near the pit and mud tanks...if you see foam or drill cuttings outside the pit, video tape it and report it to dep and make sure you report it to the new landowners hotline. The landowners hotline will pick up if DEP lets them off.
Unfortunately citizens cannot video the subsurface to see toxic chemicals injected which remain underground which can seep into drinking water supplies. Likely it would be impossible to test your water for over 500 toxic fracturing chemicals used in the drilling process and besides those chemicals are exempt. In sum when you hear others hail how great gas company pollution records have been in the past history, remember citizens years ago didn't know what fracturing chemicals; they didn't know how to recognize pollution near the pits; they didn't know they needed to report the pollution when water turned brown, black and suddenly smelled bad or they saw strange soapsuds in their streams. Citizens in the past merely complained to gas companies who never reported pollution to DEP, so who's record is past pollution reports on? Landowners need to report pollution to DEP and the new landoweners "Hotline". Government's corporate partners along with federal and state agencies have had their glorious pollution hidden based on corporate gas company candy coated lies because how many gas companies report pollution to DEP? Folks, you have worked hard for a good lease but you need to know that there is no such thing as a good lease as long as the industry continues to use toxic fracturing chemicals. Has a gas company told you how good they are at protecting the environment and look at our record? Did they say: "We don't pollute, look at what our gas company records show and we want you to know those records are based on our own reporting."
Citizens need to push Congress to: Ban toxic fracturing chemicals for an instant solution to pollution. Go with green drilling chemicals. Halliburton has mentioned they have green chemicals, why not use them? Does green mean no toxic chemicals? May we have the green list?
In the meantime ask Congress to push for solar energy, geothermal and other safe renewables. You can't buy clean air, water and soil.

Comment by BuckinghamGasMan on March 5, 2010 at 9:19am

Exactly. I want solid regulations, good inspectors and monitoring, pre and post water testing, and cooperation between the gas companies and all levels of government. There will be a few errors but overall we will be better off -- and wear those seat belts and check those brakes.

Comment by BuckinghamGasMan on March 5, 2010 at 2:46am

I agree with John Reed. 50,000 people die in cars each year and there is no movement to ban automobiles or even reduce the speed limit which has been documented to save lives. People are willing to accept the risk because of the reward and realize that a huge number of auto trips don't result in death or even accidents.

Comment by John Reed on March 5, 2010 at 2:42am

I find it hard to believe that anyone would fail to see the big picture here. Yes, there is a potential for things to go wrong, well contamination, methane gas escape etc. Let's step back and look at the big picture here. Yes there are documented cases of these things happening that very well may be a result of hydro fracing or another part of the well drilling process. However, by a large large margin natural gas drilling and hydro fracing is a safe practice. There are several shale plays across the country that utilize hydro fracing. In each play there have been mistakes made by the gas companies. The key is to educate yourself as a landowner or neighbor and take the necessary steps to ensure your land and water are protected. This can be done by signing a protective lease agreement. Many of our neighbors in PA signed boiler plate leases with no protections and they are now paying the price. Natural gas exploration is a logical step in this nations energy future. The plus side far outweighs the negative. Why are we not hearing of all the horrific things hydro fracing has caused in the Barnette, Haynesville and other plays ? It's because they have been successful plays that have actually proved Hydro fracing to be sage and economical. Let's get educated, sign a protective lease, educate our neighbors, boost the nations economy, put people to work, end dependence on foriegn oil, reduce carbon emissions and stop funding terrorism by supplying middle eastern nations with the funds needed to support terrorists. It's a no brainer here people. Wake up !!! Believe it or not I'm a democrat...

Comment by SK Miller on March 5, 2010 at 2:01am

What do you know about MBAS? If there is zero MBAS in your water prior to drilling and it shows up after drilling...what is it?

Comment by hunter777 on March 4, 2010 at 2:57pm

I hate to be repetitive but I'm just quoting what I said last April, and still believe:

"It was mentioned before, but it bears repeating - let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Not all drilling is bad, and it doesn't always yield bad results. Our water well is within 1000' of a gas well, has been tested by an independent agency twice, and is still pristine. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, however drilling is a legal, highly regulated process. The DEP is not issuing permits to allow "an intrinsically contaminating process". It has been a good experience for us, even though we live less than three miles from the Carter Road incidents."

Concerning the statement:
"There is no water testing done for fracturing chemicals,therefore your water will never be safe, will it?",
here is a list of the items included in the first two tests test:
TSS
TDS
Iron
Magnesium
Aluminum
Strontium
Manganese
Barium
Sulfide
Chloride
MBAS
Oil and grease
Total coliform
Fecal coliform
Benzene
Toluene
Ethylbenzenes
m,p-Xylenes
o-Xylene
MTBE
pH
LEL
Ethane
iso-Butane
Methane
n-Butane
Propane

All were within acceptable limits.

We just had our water tested again over the weekend. As soon as the results come back I'll be glad to report them - either good or bad.

I wanted to add a voice of reason from one with first hand experience.

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 4, 2010 at 8:31am

SK Miller-
You totally lost me with the binders.
But I have a feeling there is way too much hysteria going on in your group and a little less freaking out would help the educational process.

Comment by Robin Fehrenbach Scala on March 4, 2010 at 8:27am

Buckinghamgasman-
I was lucky enough to get the article from Kilgour, who actually went to the paper and got a hard copy there. He remembered reading it but had no other way to get it.

Comment by Tom Copley on March 4, 2010 at 8:08am

Some of the concern over water contamination from hydraulic or hydro-fracturing (fracking) has reached hysterical pitch without doubt. However, there is something to be said for the old adage "Better safe than sorry." Chesapeake Energy acted wisely in making its own self-imposed limitation not to drill anywhere in the New York City watershed. Just as until recently we didn't realize the potential for developing shale gas before the various innovations cane along, such as 3-d seismic analysis, horizontal drilling, rig technology (walkers), fracing fluids, etc. that have made developing the Marcellus shale possible, we haven't fully plumbed the potential downsides to all of these technologies.

However, just as new technology has liberated this bountiful new found supply of energy--shale gas--most if not all of the downside risks of utilizing this resource as well can eventually be controlled through technological means.

It's important not to lose sight of the big picture, and dwell overly on a few localized problems that may have cropped up from time to time. There are always going to be issues that need to be addressed with any new development such as shale gas that potentially can power a country the size of the United States for the next 100 years. Let's not get wrapped around the axle about it. If there are problems, fix them, but, please, if someone's well or water tank blows up in Dimock or Houston, let's try to keep this in perspective.
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Comment by SK Miller on March 4, 2010 at 7:57am

RFS:

We find it totally unbelievable to find individuals who go to every

extent possible to degrade an individual opposed to projecting a

worthwhile truth regarding fracturing chemicals, known poisons

injected underground, of which up to 70% can remain underground,

seeping into drinking water supplies or streams.

It is also amazing that we find no conversations objecting to the toxic

fracturing chemicals being injected into the Marcellus Shale subsurface

formations. There is no water testing done for fracturing chemicals,

therefore your water will never be safe, will it?

Perhaps leases should state - we want our water tested for fracturing

chemicals before drilling begins and after it is finished. We want to use

a state lab of our choice and have all the water testing paid for by the

gas company? That would be better use of your time than spending it

on degrading humans.

Please comment on what you know about fracturing chemicals, that is

our only focus.

The Clearville Natural Gas Meeting is about environmental education.

We knew pollution and fracturiing chemicals long before we knew Ron

Gulla. Sorry you read the invitation incorrectly and attacked the meeting

format which is strictly educational and focuses on fracturing chemicals.

We had educational meetings before we knew Ron Gulla. We never had

a meeting on water pollution.

We ran across Ron Gulla's story and found his story interesting in that

it matched the same experiences landowners found occurring here after

drilling commenced.

We know the heartaches and burdens fracturing chemicals brings with

them. We need to be with those who care about the environment and

have the same platform we have which is "Environmental Education and

Protection and Justice".

One needs to live through an experience in order to understand it.

Have you lived through horizontal drilling with fracturing chemicals in

your back yard or do you speak on the basis of opinions?

Do you wish to place us in your bad boy binders along with Ron Gulla,

who have first hand experiences, and know fracturing chemicals

pollute the environment? What is wrong with the truth and educating

others? We know we don't have many friends in Pennsylvania who cares

about the environment, at least it seems that way when we see a post

attacking a citizen who has experienced the loss of a farm and a

polluted fish pond near natural gas drilling. He knows what he did

wrong and like us, we believe he he desires to help educate others so

they don't make the same mistakes. You can never be sure fracturing

chemicals won't pollute your drinking water supplies. You can never

have water tests on over 500 chemicals to ensure your water is

safe to drink, or can you? Ban fracturing chemicals, use newer

technology to drill with which uses no chemicals.

In Clearville, PA, prewater tests and post water tests showed changes in

neighbors water supplies near natural gas drilling.

Before drilling, water was clean; we had no

soapsuds in water, black gook, brown water, rotten egg smelling water;

farmers who lost drinking water for cattle; cattle dying and other

animals; people had sores and their skin was red and burned

...then we found humans have other health issues known to be related

to fracturing chemicals. This all occurred in a specific time frame.

Fracturing chemical MSDS sheets show the toxic substances used in the

drilling process. We have videos to show the fracturing chemicals

being used at the well site spilling onto the surface. We could not

video the chemicals which remained in the subsurface and did not flow

back; facts which will not be uncovered and remain underground.

We know the environment is exposed to the hazards of fracturing drilling

chemicals which takes 24/7 oversight. Gas companies self

report most everything they do so how much polluttion is reported and

how accurate has the past history been? Do you have fracturing water

testing to prove it?

We could care less if Ron Gulla; if you; or anyone else makes billions

on any thing you choose to do.... but we care and get upset when

our community meeting is attacked by a personal grudge by those

we are trying to connect with and extend a helping hand.

Let's forget whatever grudges you have and focus on our meeting's

content: Environmental Education Natural Gas Drilling and what

landowners need to know to protect their water.

endocrinedisruption.com

http://www.earthworksaction.org/FracingDetails.cfm

We pray you will have peace one day with with your grudge.

There is peace for the soul for those who make the right decisions then

there is none for those who chose and invent fracturing

chemicals lies; keep them a secret under 2005 exemptions and legally

inject those poisons into the environment.


May God have mercy on those who despise..persecute and hate you.

Keep the binder of opinions you have acquired against Ron

Gulla. That binder of opinions won't kill you,

but fracturing chemicals, in your drinking water, can surely do the job.

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