Mud Blowout in Exceptional Value Watershed: Susquehanna County, PA

Laser Pipeline mud and bentonite blow out into exceptional-valued Laurel Lake Creek, Silver Lake Township, Susquehanna County, Pa. Videotaped 8-1-11. Rockford company drilling and drill bit came out into creek spilling the mud. Company pumped and contained the spill into a containment pond but it's still seeping downstream into the creek as we witnessed. DEP has been there and investigating. The latest impact on our delicate environment.

To read the Pennsylvania Code for High Quality or Exceptional Value Waters, click HERE.  This accident has impacted a body of water designated as exceptional value.

(Click on map to enlarge.)

From the DEP website:

The highest quality streams are rated as ‘EV’ and DEP testing must show a high biotic integrity and health with test data from over a year period to obtain this rank. EV streams include all streams that flow through state natural areas, or federally protected wilderness areas, other waters that receive a score of 92% biotic integrity ranking, and wilderness trout streams. Once a stream has been defined in such a way, the stream is protected in that DEP regulation does not permit uses along the stream that would lead to any degradation of the stream quality. The ‘HQ’ streams are the next level of quality (slightly degraded) and must show a macro-invertebrate community score of 83% or better, or be a state designated class A trout stream. HQ streams are defined as still sustaining cold water fisheries. The EV streams are mostly found in undeveloped areas of a watershed and represent, perhaps, some of the more pristine streams remaining in the state. One road block in this designation system is the number of streams that are untested or evaluated. Evaluations are usually made by DEP staff although the public can petition for a review. Because of staff limitations, many streams remain unevaluated.

IS THERE A SAFE WAY TO DRILL?

CAN A MESS LIKE THIS BE REVERSED?