The Daily Athenaeum, West Virginia University.
30 January 2009
Katlin Stinespring, Staff Writer
katlin.stinespring@mail.wvu.edu
A potential resolution for regulations on natural gas drilling in the Monongahela River is in the works, Morgantown City Council announced at Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.
“We want to recommend to the state of West Virginia to look at the situation and consider regulations for water quality in the river,” City Manager Dan Boroff said.
Last year, because of drought-like conditions, the Monongahela River had low quality levels as a result of a particle detected in a Pennsylvania portion of the river, Boroff said.
He added that particles had the potential to discolor water and give it a bad taste.
Gas wells, which use water to pressurize gas discharge, could be a potential source of the particles.
Many stakeholders in the resolution came out in support of the city’s plan.
“I fully support this resolution. To us it’s a no-brainer for drinking quality as well as recreational purposes. We hope this goes forward,” said Tim Mitchem, Director of West Virginia University’s Department of Teaching and Learning Technologies Center.
But it was not only West Virginia that was represented during the meeting, as a representative from the Pennsylvania area attended Tuesday night’s meeting.
“I am happy that Morgantown is considering such a resolution because matters of water quality are of great concern to us with drilling. We would like you to consider a partnership with the Greene County Commission and allow us to be your good neighbor,” said Robbie Matesic, Executive Director of the Department of Economic Development.
She also brought concerns from Greene County, saying that the proposal was only one part of a “broader solution,” which would address what she called a “void” in the regulatory system. Matesic added that the resolution would help treat abandoned mine drainage and other pollution as well.
“We need financing strategies so potential growth of the economy and gas drilling is not at a stronghold because we don’t have a system in place,” Matesic said.
She also said that West Virginia and Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection are working well together, but a number of other stakeholders should be brought to the table to address energy conservation.
The Morgantown Municipal Green Team also discussed support and concerns for the resolution.
“We fully support the resolution because it is important to protect our drinking water and individual uses in such a way that natural gas drilling can occur in a green way. The two issues that arise are water quality and water quantity in consideration of the amount of water needed for drilling the wells and that the water coming back out of the walls needs to be treated properly,” said Evan Hansen, a member of Morgantown municipal Green Team.