Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- February 17, 2009

Pennsylvania's natural-gas rush is creating water-pollution problems (:50)

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Suggested Intro:

RECENT NATURAL-GAS WELL DRILLING IN PENNSYLVANIA IS CAUSING A PROBLEM FOR THE STATE'S WATER SUPPLIES, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. SAM SCHELLER HAS THE STORY:

Story:

(:19) MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF SALTY WASTE WATER COULD SLOW THE CURRENT BOOM IN NATURAL-GAS DRILLING IN PENNSYLVANIA. ENERGY COMPANIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND WAYS TO TREAT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF WASTE WATER THAT WILL BE PRODUCED WHILE TAPPING GAS DEPOSITS IN THE MARCELLUS SHALE.
PENN STATE WATER RESOURCES EXTENSION SPECIALIST BRYAN SWISTOCK SAYS THE STATE JUST DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE THE NECESSARY TREATMENT CAPACITY :

Swistock Actuality:
(:08) "WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TREATMENT FACILITIES SO THEY'VE BEEN TAKING IT TO, JUST NORMAL SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, WHICH AREN'T REALLY CAPABLE OF HANDLING VERY MUCH OF IT, IF ANY OF IT."

(:10) SWISTOCK SAYS THE FLUID USED IN FRACTURING THE SHALE CONTAINS METALS AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS, AND CAN'T BE DISCARDED JUST ANYWHERE.

Swistock Actuality:
(:12) "THE IDEAL SOLUTION IS TO RECYCLE IT AND REUSE IT ON THE SITE, SO IF THEY TAKE A BATCH OF WATER TO A WELL SITE, USE IT FOR FRACKING, THAT THEY CAN RECOVER HALF OF IT MAYBE AND RECYCLE IT, CLEAN IT UP AND THEN RE-USE IT AT THE NEXT SITE."

(:01) FROM PENN STATE, I'M SAM SCHELLER.

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Learn more:

Natural Gas Impacts: Environmental Issues

 

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