MUB Concerned About Drilling
Sends letters to energy company and state office
Morgantown Dominion Post
16 May 2011
By David Beard
The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) has sent two letters to the state
Office of Oil and Gas detailing concerns about Northeast Natural
Energy’s two Marcellus wells in Morgantown Industrial Park.
Because the wells sit within sight of MUB’s public drinking water
treatment plant, MUB General Manager Tim Ball is asking to state to
require more safeguards beyond those already covered in the permits.
In the first letter, dated May 10, Ball notes that the well pad is
about 3,000 feet from the water intake “as the crow flies,” and any
substances discharged from the site into a stream or drain pipe will
enter the Monongahela River about 1,500 feet from the intake.
“We were extremely disappointed and frustrated to learn that the
subject permits were issued without providing MUB an opportunity to
comment and to have input on the requirements to be included in the
permit,” Ball wrote.
Ball said he does not want the permits revoked and is not criticizing
the property and mineral owner, Enrout Properties LLC, or the drilling
company. Both have pledged their complete cooperation in protecting the
water supply.
In the second letter, dated May 12, Ball lists the additional
safeguards he would liked to see required in the form of a permit
addendum, including:
- A primary spill containment structure sized to capture the
entire combined volume of drilling fluids and mud, tailings and
fracking fluid present on the site.
- A secondary backup spill structure.
- A variety of spill prevention measures.
- Pressure testing of the casing pipes.
- Instead of the permitted onsite land application of drilling
residuals, MUB requests that all residuals and fracking fluids be
removed from the site, and the chain of custody be documented.
Ball notes that drilling is proposed to begin today. He asks for the
state to respond promptly, that drilling not begin until the spill
containment measures are in place, and that no other phase of work
begin until all the safeguards are in place.
“We simply want to ensure that the safety of our raw water supply is
protected, and that the permits adequately address this need,” he wrote.
Ball could not be reached Saturday for comment. Enrout co-owner Kevin
Adrian declined comment, saying it’s a matter between MUB and Northeast.
Northeast President Michael John said he was aware of the letters and
would review them. He said he expected to be talking to Ball soon. He
reiterated his pledge to be as helpful as possible. He preferred not to
comment on the letters themselves at this time.
Barry Pallay and Duane Nichols, co-chairs of the WV/PA Monongahela Area
Watersheds Compact, had previously drafted a letter to the DEP
expressing their concerns about water and air quality and making
several requests.
Asked about the MUB letters Saturday, Pallay said the compact supports
MUB’s concern that these measure be completed before drilling begins.
Pallay said the compact spoke with DEP Secretary Randy Huffman at the
end of last week regarding its letter, and Huffman said he would review
the matters they brought to his attention. “We were pleased he gave us
an opportunity to share those things.”
DEP offices were closed Saturday and Huffman could not be reached for
comment.
Pallay said the compact has additional concerns and requests, beyond
what MUB is seeking, for the Morgantown Industrial park wells.
“We would hope the DEP would provide a written copy of every inspection
visit,” Pallay said. They also want an inspector to be on site during
critical portions of the drilling and fracking process — such as
cementing of the bore hole and pressure testing of the casings.
They want the DEP to require that the bore-hole cement — which places a
protective barrier between the casings and the earth or water — cures
for 24 hours and that the cement is tested and certified by an
independent lab.
Pallay said the compact would like the DEP to review any other permit
applications not yet approved for their impact on public safety and
health.
It also wants the DEP to review a recent Duke University study that
indicates aquifers close to Marcellus wells in parts of Pennsylvania
and New York have much higher levels of methane than those outside
Marcellus areas. The compact hopes the DEP will consider what that
means to West Virginia and share its review and possible responses with
the public.