Awareness coalition raises concerns about gas drilling

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Awareness_coalition_raises_concerns_about_gas_drilling_10-06-2010.html

Posted: October 7, 2010
Updated: Today at 12:30 AM

Awareness coalition raises concerns about gas drilling
Consultant says WVSA is contemplating expansion to process drilling frack water.

By Sherry Long slong@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

HANOVER TWP. – Hanover Township and other parts of the Wyoming Valley have not been affected by the gas drilling centered in the Back Mountain region.

Yet, some might be affected in the future if the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority expands its Hanover Township plant to serve the needs of drilling companies.

Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition members Janine Dymond and Scott Cannon each gave presentations Wednesday night on: gas drilling; the fracking process and the dangers involved with the chemicals used; air and water pollution and heavy truck traffic. The coalition is a nonprofit volunteer member organization that works to educate people about gas drilling.

Cannon told the 40 people in attendance at the township building that if the gas drilling companies tap into vast underground gas pockets in Luzerne County as planned, a frack water treatment center might be constructed in Hanover Township by the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA).

Addressing the crowd, John Minora, a consultant for the WVSA, said the authority is considering expanding its facility to treat used water from the drilling sites or possibly selling wastewater to the drilling companies. No decision has been reached, he said.

He said if an addition is built to process frack water, it would process 50,000 to 100,000 gallons daily. He added that public speculation that a million-gallon-a-day plant may be built is not on the drawing board.

“The water has to go somewhere. It can’t sit out there in those pits (at drilling sites),” Minora said, adding anything the WVSA does will be environmentally friendly and also generate revenue in hope of keeping residential rates low.

In a video shown by Cannon, state Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Kingston, stated she introduced a bill to put a one-year moratorium on issuance of new gas-drilling permits, but the state did not enact a moratorium.

Citizen Dave Gutkowski said state lawmakers should pass a moratorium.

He said he doesn’t understand why there is a big rush to start drilling for the gas when he said the shale has been around for 300 million years and will supply gas to the country for decades.

“Let it sit there a bit until we know how to do it safely,” Gutkowski said.

Dymond said a moratorium is a step in the right direction. Yet once one is passed, then lawmakers and state agencies need to begin working to establish new guidelines to monitor and regulate these gas drilling companies and protecting residents’ rights, Dymond said.

Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.