Act 13 Grant Application Baseline Tesitng Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Columbia County Pennsylvania

Notice of Grant Application
The Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation & Development Council has submitted a grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that could allow our organization and its partners to use financial resources from the Marcellus Legacy Fund to implement a Baseline Water Quality Testing Program in the Council’s service area. Through this grant, we hope to complete testing in Columbia, Lackawanna, and Luzerne Counties.  As it is a requirement for this grant, we are notifying you that if we are successful in obtaining the funds, we could be working within your jurisdiction.
The Marcellus Shale underlies eight of the ten counties in the Council’s service area. Most of the residents we serve are either directly or indirectly impacted by unconventional shale gas development. In addition, approximately 60% of the residents rely on private wells for their drinking water needs, putting them at increased risk. Monitoring and documenting baseline conditions is critical to not only protecting rural water sources and the environment, but also to safeguard the larger community water supply water sources.
The main elements of the project will include:
1.      Educate private well owners on baseline water quality issues;
2.      Provide free baseline water testing, conducted by a certified testing laboratory and collected by trained samplers, for approximately 200 private well owners, giving priority to those over the age of 65 or families that have a median income of less than 2 times the poverty level in our project area;
3.      Offer free assistance to review baseline testing conducted by this project or conducted by the individual private well owner or given to the private well owner within our service area;
4.      Implement a training program for samplers conducting baseline analysis to ensure the use of proper chain-of-custody, field collection, testing, and documentation, and reporting of the data;
5.      Provide assistance to all private well owners that participated in this project by providing a “non-
technical” review of the testing results explained in plain language, a free copy of  Pennsylvania Groundwater Quality: Your Private Well: What Do the Results Mean?, and conducting regional education outreach events; and
6.      The data, excluding confidential contact information, will be maintained by the certified laboratory and the Council in a spreadsheet format that can be then added to the Citizen Groundwater and Surfacewater Database or other state and regional databases.
The Pocono Northeast R C & D Council appreciates your interest and support for this project. It will provide valuable data on the status of rural wells, as well as ensure that the participants in the study will be better off with its completion. Please contact us with any questions you may have at 570-234-3577.
http://www.pnercd.org

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law..  Unsolicited donations are appreciated.

Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization).

A Water Quality Test Protects Against Contaminated Drinking Water

A Test on Water to Ensure Safety

Summary: Examining what you may be drinking in your water and why a water quality test on water is essential.

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold glass of water. However, what if I told you that delicious glass of water could be making you sick? Yes, even water that tastes fine and looks clear may contain extremely harmful, dangerous microorganisms. While most people do not really think about having a water quality test completed for their water, it is most definitely an action you want to consider having done right away. Only information can protect you and your family, and if you know the data about the water you are drinking then you can take confidence in knowing whether your water is clean or poisoning you and your family.

Running a test on water is the best way to find out exactly what is in the water you and your loved ones are drinking. This can be done on any water source, even if you live in the city and water is provided through a water system. Although, there are some natural chemicals and minerals that are found in water that can be beneficial to us and are completely safe, there are also limits to the ingestible amounts found. If you drink the recommended water intake daily you need to be sure that you are drinking safe water.

A water quality test determines if there are any harmful bacteria in your water, such as total coliform, fecal coliform, E. coli.,  just to name a few. All of these harmful bacteria can cause you to become sick or make you susceptible to illness. There are some hazards in water that can even cause cancer and disease. While coliform bacteria is the least dangerous of the bacteria found in water, a large presence of it found in your water will lead to the need to test for other types of bacterium and contaminants. The others can cause sickness, including diarrhea, stomach cramps, low fever, vomiting, and more.

The last thing anybody wants is to end up getting sick from drinking water that they thought was completely safe. Running a test on water is important to guarantee you and your loved ones are drinking good, clean, safe drinking water. Have a professional come in and run the test for you. The reputable ones will be able to use a dependable, approved, trustworthy lab to run the test determining what is and is not in the water. It is recommended that you have your water tested routinely. Depending on the circumstances, yearly is advised, but some do test more often.

About the Author: AquaKnow.com is a trusted and affordable water quality testing service. Once you have had a test water sample taken, their laboratories will interpret those results for you. Contact them at 877-734-7661 to consult with one of their representatives.

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organiazation).

Wellness and Water 2013 WV Wesleyan College, Buckhannon,WV

Wellness and Water 2013

June 29 – 30, 3013 ~ WV Wesleyan College, Buckhannon,WV

 

Saturday Morning: Bringing concerned citizens and facts together

8:00 – 9:00 am ~ Registration ~ Continental Breakfast, Coffee & Tea available

9:00- 9:15 am ~ Welcome and Introductions

9:15 – 10:00 am ~ Plenary: Dr. Tom Darrah, Duke University

10:00 – 10:20 am ~ Q & A

For More Information

10:20 – 10:30 am ~ Break

10:30 – 11:30 am ~ Panelists:

  • Marc Glass, Downstream Strategies
  • Rob Goodwin, Coal River Mountain Watch
  • Yuri Gorby, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
  • Brian Oram, B.F. Environmental Consultants and the Carbon County
    Groundwater Educators

Each panelist will have 10-15 minutes for an initial presentation of their work related to monitoring impacts of MTR and gas drilling. Q & A will follow entire panel presentations, until noon.

 noon – 1pm ~ Lunch

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Saturday Afternoon: To whom does all this matter?

1 – 1:15 pm ~ Gathering time

Please be in your seats by 1:15 pm. Announcements may be made between 1 and 1:15 pm.

1:15 – 2:00 pm ~ Plenary: Leslie Fields, Sierra Club
2:00 – 2:15 pm ~ Q & A

2:15 – 3:15 pm ~ Affected Resident Panelists:
Coal mining affected:

  • Nada White, Boone and Kanawha counties, WV
  • Danny Cook, Boone County, WV
  • Lorelei Scarbro, Raleigh County, WV

Gas drilling affected:

  • Leann Kiner, Harrison County, WV
  • Donna Herd, Doddridge County, WV
  • Jeanne Moten, Washington County, PA

3:15 – 3:30 pm ~ Q & A

3:30 – 3:45 pm ~ Break and workshop set-up

3:45 – 5:15 pm ~ Workshops:

  • Rob Goodwin, Coal River Mountain Watch ~ Mapping of slurry impoundments and coal mine sites
  • Elisa Young ~ Problems of waste disposal and water extraction affecting the Ohio River
  • Brian Oram, B.F. Environmental Consultants ~ “Working as a Community – We ALL Live Downstream” on the need for proper baseline testing and the most likely types of influence or adverse impacts associated with natural gas development
  • New Visions Solar ~ Solar powered water filtration system and “homemade” solar power

5:30 pm ~ Dinner

Saturday Evening: Music & Socializing – Main Meeting Room, Student Center

7 pm – ??? ~ Featuring music by East Run (Bluegrass band)

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Sunday Morning: What can we do about the problems created by extreme fossil fuel extraction in our region?

 8:00 – 9:00 am ~ Registration ~ Continental Breakfast, Coffee & Tea available

9:00 – 9:15 am ~ Welcome and Announcements

9:15 – 10:00 am ~ Plenary: Grant Smith, Civil Society Institute

10:00 – 10:15 am ~ Q & A

10:15 – 11:15 am ~ Solution Focused Panelists:

  • Pam O’Brien, New Visions Solar, Solar power and solar powered water filtration devices
  • Sam Malone, FracTracker: Exploring data, sharing perspectives, mapping impacts of the gas industry
  • Aaron Sutch, Energy Program Manager for the Mountain Institute
  • Laura Rigell, Swathmore College Divestment Campaign

Each panelist will have 10-15 minutes for an initial presentation of their work. Q & A will follow entire panel presentations, until 11:30 am.

11:30 – 11:40 am ~ Break

11:40 am – 12:30 pm ~ Roundtable Discussions (facilitated by Bill Price, Sierra Club)

12:30 – 12:45 pm ~ Wrap Up & Evaluations

12:45 – 1:45 pm ~ Lunch

For More Information

If you are in Pennsylvania, you can contribute to the Citizen Groundwater Database and help track change for FREE and if you would like to learn about our Natural Gas Related Information, please visit us at http://www.private-well-owner.org

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Environmental Protection Agency Releases EIA Releases Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources

EIA Releases Report on Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources — The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report titled World Shale Gas Resources: An Initial Assessment of 14 Regions Outside the United States which provides an initial assessment of shale oil and updates a prior assessment in 2011 of shale gas resources.  This new assessment expanded the shale formations examined from 69 in 2011, to 137 in 41 countries outside the United States. Additional geologic research and well drilling results not previously available allowed for a more informed evaluation of the shale formations.  This new report also highlights the role of shale formations and other tight plays as sources of crude oil, lease condensates, and a variety of liquids processed from wet natural gas.  Of the shale plays reviewed, the United States is listed second in shale oil resources and fourth in shale gas resources.  To learn more, please see the following link:

http://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/

If you are in Pennsylvania, you can contribute to the Citizen Groundwater Database and help track change for FREE and if you would like to learn about our Natural Gas Related Information, please visit us at http://www.private-well-owner.org

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Methane in Groundwater in Pennsylvania – Published Report

Journal Article Evaluates Methane Sources in Groundwater in Pennsylvania— Opponents of shale development have pointed to cases of alleged methane contamination of water wells in northeastern Pennsylvania as evidence of hydraulic fracturing contaminating water. A new study in the journal “Groundwater” suggests that naturally-occurring methane is ubiquitous in northeastern Pennsylvania as the region’s groundwater is contained in a hydrocarbon bearing rock that is interspersed with water wells that lack structural integrity (Carbon County Groundwater Guardians Support this Effort) of the private water well construction standards bill discussed above).  Additional information can be found via the following link:

http://www.ngwa.org/Media-Center/press/2013/Pages/2013-05-24-groundwater-.aspx

If you are in Pennsylvania, you can contribute to the Citizen Groundwater Database and help track change for FREE and if you would like to learn about our Natural Gas Related Information, please visit us at http://www.private-well-owner.org

Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.

Everything we do began with an idea.

We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.

For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.

Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.