EPA Enforcement Actions Help Protect Health of Vulnerable Communities from Lead Paint Hazards
WASHINGTON (October 28, 2022) – As part of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlighted several federal enforcement actions completed from October 2021 through September 2022, as well as future planned investigations. These actions ensure that renovation contractors, landlords and realtors comply with rules that protect the public from exposure to lead from lead paint. By bringing companies into compliance with these rules, EPA protects future customers and their families.
Lead-contaminated dust from chipped or peeling lead-based paint in homes built prior to 1978 presents one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to lead paint exposure because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
“Because lead-based paint is the most common source of elevated blood lead levels in U.S. children, EPA is taking action against those who violate federal lead-based paint regulations and ensuring the public understands the danger of this hazard,” said Larry Starfield, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The enforcement actions EPA took this past year send a clear message that EPA is committed to enforcing regulations designed to protect the public from lead-based paint exposure.”
Reduction of childhood lead exposures is a high priority for EPA. These enforcement actions reflect the agency’s continuing commitment to implementing the Federal Lead Strategy and EPA’s Lead Strategy and result in reducing or eliminating lead exposures, particularly to children.
Regulations under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (LHRA) apply to most pre-1978 dwellings and child-occupied facilities such as pre-schools and child-care centers. TSCA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) and Lead-based Paint Activities Rule require contractor certification and lead-safe work practices. LHRA’s Section 1018 Lead Disclosure Rule requires disclosure of information about lead-based paint before the sale or lease of most housing built before 1978. By ensuring compliance with federal lead-based paint requirements, EPA addresses a major source of lead exposure that occurs in communities across the nation.
The cases below involve alleged noncompliance with at least one of these lead paint requirements. These cases highlight the range of the Agency’s work, including:
- criminal prosecution in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ),
- a focus on geographic areas that suffer from disproportionate levels of lead exposure, and
- bringing civil administrative actions against renovators with a far-reaching influence on the compliance landscape locally, regionally or nationwide.
By ensuring compliance with federal lead paint requirements, EPA strives to address major sources of lead exposure that occur throughout the nation and particularly in areas of environmental justice concern. In addition to EPA’s actions, the Agency supports states, tribes, and territories on the implementation and enforcement of the EPA-authorized lead-based paint programs.
Although the federal government banned residential use of lead-based paint in 1978, it persists in millions of older homes, sometimes under layers of new paint. Lead exposure, particularly at higher doses, continues to pose a significant health and safety threat to children, preventing them from reaching their fullest potential for their health, intellect, and future development. Even small amounts of lead dust can cause harm to children living in the home.
Case Highlights:
GB Group, Inc. Settles to Resolve Alleged Renovation Violations
Property Management Firm Settles Alleged Lead Renovation and Asbestos Violations
Property Manager Sentenced for Failure to Properly Notify Tenants about Lead Hazards
Owner of Maryland Lead Inspection Company Sentenced
To see additional highlights of FY2022 enforcement actions involving lead, see EPA’s 2022 Lead Enforcement Bulletin.
Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. Learn more about reporting environmental violations.
Healthy Home and Health Community Articles
Lead in Drinking Water and Impacts on Wildlife
Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral created by geochemical processes within our planet. Although infamous for its link to cancer, it also has many potential beneficial properties. The difficulty is to avoid the negative aspects of this potentially dangerous mineral while enjoying its positive aspects.
Radon – Radionuclides – Cancer (Polycythemia vera (pol-e-sy-THEE-me-uh VEER-uh)) – Radon is a gas produced by the radioactive decay of the element radium whose remote parent is either uranium or thorium
Forever Chemicals – What Are PFOA, PFOS, PFAS, and PFCs ? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a grouping of man-made fluorinated organic chemicals that have a wide range of use in industrial application and commercial goods
PFAS PFOS Drinking Water Testing Forever Chemicals – PFOA, PFOS, Gen X Compounds in Drinking Water
One of the most important issues related to consumer products, the environment, and the public health is the new problem “forever chemicals” and a specific group called PFAS. PFAS are man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyls chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and others. Starting in the 1940s, these chemicals have been manufactured around the world and these chemicals historically can be found in food packaging, commercial household and personal products, manufacturing and industrial facilities, waste discharges, landfill leachate, and firefighting products and clothing. At this moment, the PFOA Stewardship Program has phased out SOME of these PFAS chemicals so they are no longer manufactured in the United States.
But wait, we are a global community and these compounds can bioaccumulate and can now be found in the environment and US (That is right You and me!) and the available studies suggest that these PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) can adversely impact human health. In animal studies, these chemicals have shown to cause tumors, adversely impact the liver and kidney, reproductive system, impact developmental,
The most-studied PFAS chemicals are PFOA and PFOS. Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animals. Human epidemiology studies have shown these chemicals increased cholesterol levels and the available data suggests these compound also negative influence infant birth weights, reduced immune system, thyroid hormone, ulcerative colitis, and potentially cause cancer.
The routes of exposure to this compounds includes are work environment, foodborne routes, commercial products, and our drinking water. If you work in a facility using PFAS or producing products made with PFAS you can be exposed direct exposure or contaminated air. Foodborne routes included contaminated equipment used to process food, food packaging (coated cardboard / fast food paper), cookware (use PFOA Free Cookware) and/or the environment and conditions under which the food is grown. PFAS exposure can come from consumer products like water-repellent, nonstick cookware, stain-water repellants, cosmetics, cellphones, lubricants and much more. Since these chemicals are not routinely tested in drinking water and they are difficult to breakdown, PFAS has been found in drinking water sources that include streams, lakes, groundwater, well water, springs, and even city water. “Testing by the EPA has determined that 6.5 million people have been exposure to PFOA in their drinking water and the chemical has been detected in over 94 public water supplies in 31 different states” and in 2004 99.7% of Americans had detectable levels of PFOA in their body”. The EPA advisory limit, not enforceable, for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water at 70 parts per trillion (Update).
The Keystone Clean Water Teams goal is to provide resources to help you get your water tested and to provide fact based information. Since this testing is normally not readily available, we have partnered with a national testing company to provide you with some testing options. We are offering these 4 informational testing packages.
Go to ResinTech is a global leader in ion exchange for water purification, helping distributors and operators worldwide (Forever Chemical Testing)
Note: Informational Testing (Level 3): “Results are not intended to be used to meet any regulatory requirements or for litigation purposes. Results are for informational and educational purposes only and are useful in determining general water quality and safety”. “Laboratory tests were conducted by methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or variations of these EPA Methods”. Informational Water Testing conducted through a partnership between the Keystone Clean Water Team, B.F. Environmental Consultants, and Resin Tech Inc. The results of this testing are intended for an educational or informational purpose only and not used for a regulatory function or litigation. If you are looking for Well Water or City Water Testing.
Get Treatment
EPA officials recommend NSF and ANSI Certified filters to reduce PFOA and PFOS. ” P473: Drinking Water Treatment Units – PFOA and PFOS — to verify a water treatment device’s ability to reduce perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to below the health advisory levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).”
Treatment Options: (Point of Use Filters meets P473 and other standards)
Aquasana OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis Under Sink Water Filter System
Drinking Water Problems Corrosion Lead Copper Metals – My Drinking Water is it Safe?
Article for: private well owner, spring user, city water customer, regulated water supply, water utility customer, homeowner, landlord, tenant, drinking water
The Flint water crisis reportedly started in 2014 and ended in 2019, but in reality the “crisis” started prior to 2014 and probably has not ended. Why? The problem with corrosion within the water system and individual’s homes clearly started prior to 2014 and the customers and users within the system were not aware of the short-comings in their drinking water quality, the need for corrosion control, need to replace service laterals, plumbing within their homes, the need to be proactive in protecting your personal and families’ health, lack of public outreach and education, and not knowing the wrong signs of a corrosion problem The main purpose of this article is to help identify the warning signs of a potential corrosion problem with your drinking water. The signs of a corrosion problem come in many forms, but it is important for the user to take responsibility for keeping their eyes open. Corrosion of our drinking water supplies is a very common water quality and public health issue that is related to not only the raw water quality, level of pretreatment, status of the community distribution system, the internal plumbing for a building, the usage and management of water within the building, and the fixtures used within the system. This sounds overwhelming, but there are clear warning signs you may have a problems.
The most common signs of a problem with corrosion included the following:
- Blue-green or greenish water or even reddish brown or brown water that may be intermittent and worse in the hot water than the cold water.
- Staining of porcelain fixtures, such as sinks, drains, or tubs that appear green, blue-green, and reddish brown.
- Coatings on aeration devices that appears greenish-gray or bluish green and particles on the screen of the aerator that appear green, bluish-green, greenish-gray, reddish-brown, yellow-brown, or even bluish-gray.
- Discoloration of water piping near solder joints and/or pin-hole leaks in piping and the premature failure of water appliances and water heaters.
- Old piping in a home that may include lead pipes or piping that was installed using high lead solder, such as lead service lines and galvanized piping.
- The first flush of the water from the tap may have a bitter taste.
What is the age of your home, when was the house last remodeled, and the piping in your home?
YOUR household plumbing may be the cause for lead in your drinking water. In older homes, lead was used to make the piping and/or solder. In homes, built prior to 1930’s water pipes were primarily made from lead. These pipes can be identified because the piping tends to have a dull gray color, can be scratched with a key, and a magnet will not stick to the piping. In buildings built between the 1930’s and early 1980’s, copper pipes were often used, but the solder contained elevated levels of lead. The primary source of the lead includes the use of lead pipes, lead lined tanks, and use of 50/50 lead/tin solder. Because of the concern with lead, the EPA banned the use of high lead solders in 1986.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s galvanized water lines was utilized in new home construction. Currently, this type of piping is not widely used, but it is more commonly used with well water applications. This piping is steel piping that has a zinc coating to reduce the tendency for the piping to corrode. When this pipe corrodes, the pipe rust from the inside of the pipe and then works outward. When this occurs, the water may produce intermittent discolored water that tends to be brown, yellow, or reddish brown, and the piping will likely clog with rust and most likely collapse over time. This does not mean that a newer home is safe from lead contamination; in fact, the available data suggests that buildings less than 5 years old can have high levels of lead.
In fact, buildings built prior to 1986 likely contain some lead plumbing. Prior to 2014, the legal definition for “lead free” was plumbing fixtures with a lead content of less than 8 %. In 2014, the term was redefined to include only fixtures with a lead content of 0.25% and newly installed fixtures must use the “lead free” materials, but this did not apply to fixtures currently in use.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Your Family?
After getting this information, you should do the following:
- Inspect your plumbing system for signs or evidence of a corrosion problem and low cost lead screening testing (water) or (paint,dust, soil).
- Take note of the visual and aesthetic signs of a corrosive water problem.
- Try our Free Drinking Water Diagnostic Tool.
- Order the Drinking Water Guide.
- Get Your Drinking Water Tested and the Results Reviewed by a Professional. At a minimum, we recommend the “Corrosion Check” Water Test Kit.
- Act to improve your drinking water quality by reporting problems to your local water authority for public water supplies or if your water comes from a private water source take the necessary action to reduce the risk to the health of yourself and your family and to reduce the potential costs associated with the premature failure and/or invalidating the warranty of water related appliances, water leaks and associated damage, and/or the additional operational costs associated with inefficiencies associated with clogged or corroded piping/equipment.
- Update fixtures and piping and consider the use of point-of-use filters or a whole-house water treatment system. Before installing a water treatment system, please get a comprehensive water quality test (City Water) or (Well Water).
Our Motto is ” Learn / Diagnose / Test “
Learn – learn about your source and system.
Diagnose – determine the warning signs or symptoms of a problem and get the water tested and problem diagnosed.
Test – implement an approach to mitigate the problem and test to make sure the problem is corrected.
Source: Oram, Brian; “Lead In Drinking Water – Is There Lead In My City Drinking Water ?”, Water Research Center / Know Your H20 Program, 2020.
Recommended Reading:
The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water
More on Lead
Podcast Pike County with Brian Oram Septic and Environmental Issues
On September 19, 2019, the Pike County Conservation District hosted a 2-hour informational work and training session. The topic – Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic System. In January 2020, I visited with Pike County and did a podcast. When Pike County Informs Me – I will post a link to the Podcast here. In the interim, this was the information on the September Talk.
To help Pike County residents keep local lakes and ponds clean, the Pike County Conservation District is hosting a free three-part workshop series titled “How your Backyard Activities Affect your Lake.”This is the third workshop in the series. It will be held at the Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road. Presenter Brian Oram, a Professional Geologist with Water Research Center and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., will discuss the basic functionality of an on-lot system and best practices to help prevent water pollution.
During the session – Mr. Brian Oram promised to post a few items:
- Here is a color copy of the presentation septicsystemspresentation92019. Please note copyright terms and conditions.
- Here is a copy of a document the presenter found available on the local agency website on septic systems.
- The Keystone Clean Water Team on-line store, get a copy of our educational booklet, order a neighborhood hazard report, mail order water testing program, at-home water screening and more.
- Keystone Clean Water Team new diagnostic tool and free phone app for drinking water issues. Go To – http://www.drinkingH20app.com
Other Training On Septic Systems (ONLINE)
1. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Systems Management
2. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Processes and Systems
Reading Recommendations
Wells and Septic Systems Paperback
The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback
Drinking Water Quality Phone Apps
The Keystone Clean Water Team with assistance from B.F. Environmental Consultants, Inc and the Water Research Center have developed and updated 2 phone apps. The apps work on both the Android and the Apple iphone platform. Know Your H2O? is an educational tool that can help you diagnose the problem with your water. This app will lead you through a series of questions to pinpoint the issues with your water. Unlike other apps that just remind you to drink water, these apps actually help to diagnose a water quality problem and/or provide insight into water quality contaminants may be a concern based on a variety of activities.
Know Your H2O
Know Your H2O? is an educational tool that can help you diagnose the problem with your water. This app will lead you through a series of questions to pinpoint the issues with your water. You can reach your diagnosis through describing symptoms that are effecting your home, your health, or the water itself. Once you receive your diagnosis result(s), the app is designed to educate you by displaying full lists of symptoms, causes, and solutions, as well as links to other educational sources. The app will then show you various testing kit options specifically designed to treat those results. If the problem is more extensive and in depth testing is required, Know Your H2O? will also connect you with featured local professionals. What’s in YOUR Water?
Recommendation: Wells and Septic Systems Paperback
PA Baseline Testing
The PA Baseline Testing mobile app is an educational tool for residents of Pennsylvania who are impacted by Oil & Gas Development, Subsurface Coal Development, and other common environmental hazards. By selecting which factor impacts your region, you can discover various Recommendations and Tiers of water testing that can help bring you piece of mind about the safety of your drinking water. Got Data? You can also submit your own testing data and results to help continue to build the PA Clean Water Team’s database.
To learn more go to Download the Free Drinking Water Quality Mobile Apps
Lead in Drinking Water Part of the Problem Awareness
Lead in Your Drinking Water
Prepared by Guest Author – Samantha Oram
Despite measures taken by the EPA and many states, lead poisoning is still a serious concern. Lead can be found in old water taps as well as interior and exterior piping. As water sits in these pipes, the water can react with the piping and based on a combination of corrosion or physical dislodging of chemical coatings the lead and metal content of the water can increase. Drinking water high in lead can contribute to lead poisoning, but most sources of lead in the blood are related to the exposure to lead in paint, dust, soil, and consumer products that contain lead. Individuals at most risk to lead include those living in older homes that have not been remodeled, individuals in mining or smelting towns and communities, young children, pregnant women, and the elderly. If your tap water has lead levels exceeding 15 ppb (0.015 ppb), you should take action immediately to minimize your exposure and if your our on a private well or private source if the level is above 5 ppb (0.005 mg/L) you should act.
Lead in Home (Dust, Paint, and Soil Test Kit)
Lead in Drinking Water Test Kit is designed to test for lead in water and corrosion related issues. This test is compatible with municipal water and private water systems. If you live in a home with older pipes or frequently drink from a water fountain where lead piping could be used, you should check the lead levels. This fast acting Lead in Drinking Water Test Kit includes all the instructions and supplies you need to quickly test your drinking water for the presence of lead. In only 10 minutes, the Lead in Drinking Water Test will let you know if there are harmful elements in your water.
This simple test kit can easily be used in your home, classroom, office and anywhere else where you would need to test water quality. Quickly and accurately test well water, city/municipal water, tap water, residential drinking water, groundwater, and spring water sources. The results are fast and easy to read by following along with the included color chart and instruction manual.
Learn More – Corrosive Water and Lead
Lead and Corrosion Testing of Your Drinking Water – It is important to Know Your H20 !
Suggested Reading:
Pike County Pennsylvania – Private Septic Systems Need Maintenance???
On September 19, 2019, the Pike County Conservation District hosted a 2-hour informational work and training session. The topic – Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic System
To help Pike County residents keep local lakes and ponds clean, the Pike County Conservation District is hosting a free three-part workshop series titled “How your Backyard Activities Affect your Lake.”This is the third workshop in the series. It will be held at the Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road. Presenter Brian Oram, a Professional Geologist with Water Research Center and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., will discuss the basic functionality of an on-lot system and best practices to help prevent water pollution.
During the session – Mr. Brian Oram promised to post a few items:
- Here is a color copy of the presentation septicsystemspresentation92019. Please note copyright terms and conditions.
- Here is a copy of a document the presenter found available on the local agency website on septic systems.
- The Keystone Clean Water Team on-line store, get a copy of our educational booklet, order a neighborhood hazard report, mail order water testing program, at-home water screening and more.
Other Training On Septic Systems (ONLINE)
1. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Systems Management
2. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Processes and Systems
Books
Wells and Septic Systems Paperback
The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback
Harvest the Rain, How to Enrich Your Life by seeing Every Storm as a Resource
Master Watershed Steward Program and Training in Watershed Management
The Keystone Clean Water Team has been involved in watershed training and citizen based science programs since the foundation of the organization. We have conducted rain barrel workshops, training sessions on low impact development and rural/urban landowner stormwater management, citizen science and stream and lake monitoring programs, education on conservation of water, resources, and energy, private well owner outreach, groundwater/watershed education, and stream and watershed assessments.
In June and July of 2019, we were asked by the Penn State Master Watershed Steward Program to conduct 2 training sessions for their education efforts.
Program 1: “Earth- Was Not Always a Big Blue Ball”
Program 2: “Pennsylvania – Balancing Natural Gas/Development/ Groundwater and the Environment ”
If you are looking for other resources on these topics, please consider the following:
Educational Booklet on Drinking Water In Pennsylvania
Know Your H20 Store – Neighborhood Hazard Reports (Nationwide) and Water Testing Services
Interesting Reading: The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water
Training Courses
Natural Gas and Fracking – Environmental Consequences
Stream Restoration (Course 1 of 6)
Stream Monitoring Program – Use our Surface Water Quality Index Calculator (give your stream or surface water a Grade)
You can find information on the Penn State Master Watershed Steward program was established to educate and empower volunteers to protect environmental resources. Training and volunteer service are coordinated at the county level by extension staff, partners, or trained volunteers. Generally 15-20 people are selected for the program each year. Those accepted to the program attend training classes that focus on a broad range of water resource topics, including groundwater, stream ecology, wetlands, invasive plants, water recreation and stormwater management. There is a one-time registration cost to those accepted into the program. This is to cover the cost of the manual, name tag, and cost of the meeting facilities. Master Watershed Stewards work with the community to improve the health of our streams, rivers and other natural resources.
Example projects
- Organizing educational events such as rain barrel building workshops and seminars on backyard stormwater management.
- Participating in stream restoration projects.
- Sampling water quality and stream assessments.
- Coordinating and conducting stream clean-ups.
- Working with municipal officials on stormwater.
- Planning and carrying out habitat improvement projects.
- Teaching adults and children about the environment.
On Climate, I do recommend:
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Climate Change (The Politically Incorrect Guides)
Global Warming-Alarmists, Skeptics and Deniers: A Geoscientist Looks at the Science of Climate Change Paperback – Illustrated, January 20, 2012.
The New Year Has Started, and We Need to Change How We Address Water Issues.
Penn State Extension to Provide No-Cost Drinking Water Testing for Lead and Other Pollutants in a Limited Number of Private Wells, Springs and Cisterns
Community Announcement
Have you ever had the drinking water from your well, spring or cistern tested for lead and other health-related pollutants? If not, here is your chance.
Penn State Extension has received funding from the Pennsylvania Water Resources Research Center and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide no-cost drinking water testing to a limited number of homeowners using private water wells, springs or cisterns in Luzerne County. The testing is for private water supplies that are actively being used for drinking water in the household. Camps or seasonal households that are not continuously used are not eligible for this program. The commercial value of this water testing would be $100.
This testing is limited to the first 40 households using a private well, spring or cistern that register at https://extension.psu.edu/safe-drinking-water-workshop
Once you register, you can pick up your drinking water test kit at the Luzerne County Extension office at 16 Luzerne Ave, Suite 200 West Pittston, PA 18643 starting on June 10. Instructions on how to collect the water sample are included in the kit. Water tests kits will be collected at the Luzerne County Extension office on July 22 & August 8, 2019.
Individual water samples will be analyzed for numerous drinking water parameters including total coliform bacteria, E. coli bacteria, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, corrosivity, nitrate, arsenic, copper and lead. Results of your testing will be available during two separate one-hour workshops to be held at 2:00 PM or 6:00 PM on August 27 at the Dallas Emergency Services Building, 3593 State Route 118 Dallas PA 18612. You will be asked to attend one of these workshops to get your water test results. A brief presentation will also be given including professional interpretation of your results and information on how to solve drinking water problems.
Diagnose a Drinking Water Problem
Other Water Testing Products
1. City Water Users (lab test)
2. Well Water Users (lab test)
3. Home Screening Test
UDRBC Seminar Next Week; Water Quality and Legislative Update
Next Thursday, May 2, the Upper Delaware River Basin Citizens or UDRBC will be holding a seminar in Lookout, Pennsylvania to talk landowner rights and more.
Be there! The UDRBC, lead by Ned Lang and a large group of Upper Delaware River citizens will be conducting an in-depth discussion of natural gas exploration and development. The Upper Delaware River Basin Citizens (‘UDRBC’) has announced the topic of its Spring Seminar scheduled for Thursday, May2, 2019 at the Lookout Fire Hall, 2625 Hancock Highway, Equinunk, Pennsylvania.
The seminar will be held from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, with lunch provided and will feature numerous speakers. Registration is online at https://udrbc.com under “EVENTS” and space is limited.
UDRBC Seminar Speakers- May 2, 2019
Major speakers will include:
BRIAN ORAM: Brian is a Professional Geologist and Soil Scientist for B.F Environmental Consultants. He is also a Private Well Owner Educator at PACleanwater and Managing the Keystone Clean Water Team. Water quality education is both and expertise with this entertaining expert. He knows Northeastern Pennsylvania water and geology like no one else.Brian’s specialties include well migration issues, natural gas, hydrogeology, carbon sequestering, brine water treatment and water reuse. He will address the relationship between natural gas development and water quality.
During this presentation, we will discuss water quality, groundwater, environmental issues with natural gas development, and activities that landowners/royalty owners can do to protect themselves, their community, and the environment. We will announce the free phone App that is available from the Keystone Clean Water Team on Baseline Water Testing and encourage citizens to participate in a citizen based groundwater assessment using their baseline data. (Slide Presentation – pdf version baselinetestingwaynecounty2019slide )
NOTE: Please consider supporting the Keystone Clean Water Team (501C3) in PA – some of our PSAs.
PAT HENDERSON: Pat has over 20 years experience in legislative and executive branches of government, and with leading nationally-recognized energy advocacy trade organizations. Pat is currently employed at the Marcellus Shale Foundation. He is an expert on Marcellus Shale development policy and knows government inside and outside. Pat will address the latest shale gas issues from the perspectives of both industry and policymakers.
JEFF BELARDI: Attorney Jeffrey Belardi practices out of Scranton, PA and has been licensed for 25 years. He attended Widener University and handles cases in Corporate & Incorporation, Criminal Defense, State, Local And Municipal Law, Litigation. Jeff is also one of three attorneys handling the Wayne Land and Mineral Group lawsuit against the DRBC and in defense of landowner rights.
It is important to Learn, Diagnose, and Test. Public outreach is part of the Mission of the Keystone Clean Water Team. To learn more about this Organization and support their efforts, please go to http://www.pacleanwater.org
Other Items:
- Training Programs:
Modern Shale Gas Development
Mud Logging Sensors
Shale Gas and the Global Market
Introduction to Groundwater Contamination
Groundwater Hydrology
Petrochemical Training for Engineers - Learn about the facts and not the fear – Scare Pollution (must read):
- A book on climate and climate change – a must read:
Please Get Your Water Tested – At a minimum, an comprehensive Informational Water Quality Test to at least determine your general well water quality and learn about the hazards in your community. This is not certified baseline testing, but it is a low cost means of evaluating your drinking water source. It is important to KNOW Your H20! Get Your Water Tested and order a Neighboorhood Hazard Reports for your Home.