Citizen's Commission Hearing This Wednesday

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RDA - Responsible Drilling Alliance

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Sep 20, 2011, 10:10:08 AM9/20/11

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Dear RDA Members,

The Citizen's Marcellus Shale Commission hearing in Williamsport will be this Wednesday, September 21st, from 6 – 9 pm in Lycoming College’s Heim Hall Room G-11. Free parking is available in the lot off Mulberry Street. If you would like to share your opinion or talk about how you have been impacted by the gas industry, you can sign up to participate at:
http://citizensmarcellusshale.com or by calling Stephanie Frank at 717-255-7181.

Our apologies go out to those 15 or so RDA members who showed up last week for the hearing originally scheduled for last week. We were not able to get the newsletter with the announcement of the postponement out until late Tuesday evening. We are in the process of switching the format of our website (www.responsibledrillingalliance.org) and will soon be able to send out messages when needed, as well as the newsletter, without going through our webmaster, as is the current procedure.

Our webmaster, Micah Myers, was also a victim of the flood. His cabin on Muncy Creek, alongside his Grandmother’s farm, was hit hard and he had a mess to clean up as well as keeping up with his college studies and work. Our thoughts go out to Micah and his family and wish them the best in their efforts to get the family’s property and retreats back in shape.

Two other Citizen's Marcellus Shale Commission
hearings have also been rescheduled: Wysox , Thursday September 22, Wysox Fire Hall, 6-9 pm,
and Harrisburg, Monday September 26, Widener Law School or Calvary Methodist Church (waiting for confirmation), 3-5 and 6-pm.

If you have the inclination to send the Governor a note regarding the recommendations before him from the advisory committee he put together, please do so ASAP. There are 96, so unless you suffer from insomnia, good luck wading through them. There are many to oppose, many to enhance, but there are some to support and encourage adoption. For a full look at the report, go to:
http://teampa.com/2011/07/commission-releases-marcellus-shale-report/
If anyone wants advice on more of the 96, please e-mail us. For now here is a short list of no brainers to support:

9.1.7
Class l area pipeline safety, on gathering systems, for the establishment of safety standards for design, construction and installation (rural area gathering systems are unregulated currently).
9.1.11 and 9.1.12
Provides for the use of high quality steel for gathering and transmission lines and well casing. Ensures quality steel and perhaps will bring some manufacturing back here.
9.1.18
Requires smaller well pad sites to meet the same standards required of sites 5 acres or larger.
9.2.4
Allows DEP to to revoke, suspend, or deny permits in a more timely manner, for example, when an operator fails to comply with the Oil and Gas Act, statutes, or does not correct violations.
9.2.5
Pre-drilling notification should be extended from 1,000 ft. to 2,500 ft. of the proposed well, and include all landowners and water purveyors. In addition, notification shall be made to host municipality or adjacent municipalities within 2,500 feet.(better, but still not good enough)
9.2.6
Expand an operator’s presumed liability for impaired water quality from within 1,000 ft. of a well to within 2,500 ft. of a well, and from 6 months to 12 months of completion or alteration of the well. In addition, the presumed liability should be applied to well stimulation. (a big improvement).
9.2.7
Requires to tracking and reporting on the transporting, processing and treatment or disposal of wastewater.
9.2.10
Authorizes DEP to enter into contracts with well control specialists for emergency response.
Impose additional conditions for locating well sites in floodplains, including prohibiting where appropriate.
9.2.14
Amend well stimulation and completion reporting requirements to include

Pump rate, pressure and total volume used for Hydraulic Fracturing;
List of all hazardous chemicals used for Hydraulic Fracturing;
Identification of all water sources used for hydraulic fracturing
Depth of potable aquifers encountered during drilling.
Whether methane was encountered at other than target formation during drilling.
Radioactive or other industry standard logs, if appropriate.

9.2.15

Requires enhanced inspection and notification of activity on well sites, including fracking (no notification to DEP presently).
9.2.16
Require DEP to post, and regularly update, well inspection reports online.
9.2.23
Provides for DEP, DCNR and industry to continually review and examine a wide range of best management practices.
9.2.27
Conduct an engineering analysis of spill containment systems at unconventional shale gas well sites.
9.2.29
DEP to develop an environmental assessment checklist as part of the permit application process to locate and construct a drilling site. Identify all the features to which setbacks are applicable; all natural features that DEP is authorized to consider; and identify Areas of High Ecological Value.
9.2.30
Invasive Plant Species introductions should be avoided by utilizing techniques such as: thorough cleaning of construction equipment; minimization of soil disturbances; timely re-vegetation of sites using native, non-invasive species; annual surveillance to detect and control early infestations.
9.2.35
Facilitates coordination of pipeline infrastructure.
9.2.41 (and all DOH related: 9.2.37 – 9.2.43)
The Department of Health should establish a system to provide for the timely and thorough investigation of and response to concerns and complaints raised by citizens, health care providers or public officials.

One big NO to the Governor among many; No more leasing of state forest land for the rest of his term. Continue the moratorium.

Email addresses:
TO: Gove...@state.pa.us Gove...@pa.gov
Cc: your legislators (see RDA website for access to addresses).