Scientists predict increased rain, floods for Pennsylvania

Flooded well pad in Towanda, PA, September 2011

 

My dear Susquehanna is being so affected by industrialization, especially the natural gas industry which is accelerating climate change by leaps and bounds. "Last year, drilling companies created more than 300 billion gallons of flowback from fracking operations in the United States...In Pennsylvania, drillers are still allowed to mix up to 10% of the volume of large freshwater pits with flowback water."  Spills and leaks happen all the time.  Rain, snow, and wind move toxic chemicals into groundwater, streams, and rivers.  "Increased rainfall also increases the probability of pollution from spills from our decaying pipeline systems. About half of all oil and gas pipelines are at least a half-century old."  Increased truck and train accidents are also causing a huge increase in spills, many of which are in wetlands and flow into groundwater and streams. "A primary reason for increased rainfall is because of man-made climate change, the result og increased carbon dioxide from fossil fuel extraction and burning."  We don't have much time left to reverse this dangerous course.

Read article here.

 

A house floats down the river in Tunkhannock in September 2011.  It hit the bridge.