Responding to Concerns about Drilling for Gas in the Marcellus Shale

EMC calls on DEC for more research and improved SGEIS

Ithaca, NY—At the November 18, 2009 meeting of the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council (EMC) passed a strongly worded response to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) Draft Supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) on the Oil, Gas, and Solution Mining Regulatory Program received unanimous approval.

As stated: “Natural gas is one way to tide the U.S. energy industry over until renewable energy sources can be developed for widespread use. We recognize that natural gas will continue to be developed. However, it must be done in a way that will protect our environment, the health of the public, and our investment in other sectors of economic development. We must ensure that the deleterious environmental and human health impacts observed across our nation are not repeated in the state of New York. A variety of green options are available, and we must take advantage of all of the technologies that our scientific community is providing for us.”

The EMC response addresses concern that the dSGEIS as currently written is insufficient, and points out that studies being conducted on the effects of aquifer depletion and waste disposal—in addition to the identification of green chemical alternatives—are ongoing and should be completed before the DEC proposes regulations. The EMC also recommends that the fees for drilling permits be high enough to cover all costs that the DEC will incur in regulation of the hydrofracturing industry. “The corporations that will profit from natural gas sales should be required to pay the full costs of production.”
In conclusion, the EMC recommends that the DEC submit a more research-based and comprehensive version of the SGEIS for additional public comment and review.

• ERC Comments Nov 2009

Commenting on the Scoping Document

In December 2008 the Gas Drilling subcommittee of the EMC submitted comments to the NYDEC in response to the draft Supplement to update their Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS) on the 1992 Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program. The SGEIS will address impacts associated with the high volume of gas drilling anticipated in the Marcellus shale. We commented on the following topics: siting regulations, composition of hydrofracturing fluids, disposition of cuttings, environmental fate of contaminants, assessment of pollution events, storage of fluids in open pits, and impacts on wildlife. A final scoping document was released by the DEC on February 6 2009 and this can be found on the DEC website. The dSGEIS will be released on the DEC website later this spring for public comment.

• NYDEC http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/45912.html
• April 2009 EMC News Article
• May 2009 EMC News Article
• ERC Comments Dec 2008

May 2009: Municipal representatives are asked to help compile more data on the ecological resources of Tompkins County. Please forward maps or other information to chair Amy Risen: ajr53@cornell.edu

Resources:

Groups Addressing Gas Drilling Concerns:

• Government Organization
• NYSDEC: http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/205.html
• Pennsylvania: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/office_of_oil_and_gas_management/20291
• TompkinsCounty: http://www.TompkinsCountyNY.gov/emc-GasDrilling2008
• Tioga County Landlowners: http://www.tiogagaslease.org/
• Shaleshock: http://sites.google.com/site/nymarcellusshale/
• Go Marcellus Shale: http://gomarcellusshale.ning.com/
• Oilshalegas.com: http://oilshalegas.com/marcellusshalenewyork.html
• Catskill Mountainkeeper: http://catskillmountainkeeper.org/node/80
• Tompkins County Water Resources Council
• Tompkins County Council of Governments http://www.TompkinsCountyNY.gov/legislature/TCCOG/
• The Sullivan County Gas Drilling Task Force http://www.scgnet.us/orgMain.asp?orgId=533&sId
        Report on preparing for gas drilling
        Information for Towns including sample road laws
• Susquehanna River Basin Commission http://www.srbc.net/programs/projreviewnaturalgas.htm
• Delaware River Basin Commission http://www.nj.gov/drbc/
• U.S. Geological Survey (resources & contacts listed in section below)
• NY State Water Resources Institute http://wri.eas.cornell.edu/
• Southern Tier Landowners Coalitions, Groups, and Associations http://www.southerntierlandownerscoalition.org/

Other Resources for Local Action

• DEC Environmental Notice Bulletin (look for anticipated permits) http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/enb.html
• Fortuna releases the ingredients in their hydrofracturing fluids
• DEC Critical Environmental Areas http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6184.html
• Ecological Resources in Tompkins County
• Aquifer information from the USGS which may help planners and engineers devise plans to protect groundwater resources:

For additional information, please contact:

Todd Miller, USGS
607.266.0217 ext. 3011
tsmiller@usgs.gov

OR

Ed Bugliosi, USGS
607.266.0217 ext. 3005
ebuglios@usgs.gov