Friday, January 7, 2011

Drilling Wastewater Goes Into PA Rivers

ProPublica reports on the dire situation regarding the disposal of wastewater from gas drilling operations in PA.  One-fifth of the wastewater is apparently unaccounted for.

"As gas-drilling operations proliferated in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale over the past couple of years, most of the hundreds of millions of gallons of briny wastewater they produced was eventually dumped into the state's rivers. Much of the rest is unaccounted for. That news, from a detailed look [1] at the state's management of drilling wastewater by the Associated Press, should come as no surprise....."

Read more...

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!
In memory of Karen Korell
Splashdown

2 comments:

smurfette said...

Hey! It's only 1/5 of the wastewater that they don't have any idea where it is- the rest they KNOW where it is- in the rivers. Well, even the gas companies call it "BRINE" which means salt water (they never seem to mention the other chemicals in it, but I sure smelled those chemicals when I got too close to that nearby waste pit). Even as SALT WATER, they'd need to take the salt out, which several desert nations have learned is pretty tricky and expensive business. AND, since they are in business to make money, I'm assuming it is going into the rivers salt and all.So, what about the fish and other animals who don't do well in water with a bit extra salt? They'll be washing up on shore and stinking up the edge of the river and they may become endangered or extinct.And what about people who swim in the rivers or get water for animals and/or themselves from the rivers? This whole fracking fiasco has to stop until the companies can give people a straight answer about what will happen 5 years; 20 years; 50 years down the line. They know exactly what these chemicals will do and it's about time they disclosed the truth. Of course, if they did reveal the truth, people would be horrified about fracking and the gas companies would make less money. I would be satisfied if just the CEOs of the gas companies and their families had to live near their own gas wells and frack pits and compressor stations. If they would do that from now on, and drink the water from wells in that area at their dinner tables, it would prove that their words were not all lies. As it stands now, all they do is tell lies, run away from responsibility, buy politicians, and rake in the big
bucks. How can they sleep at night?

Anonymous said...

Well put, smurfette!

Peacegirl