Morgantown Dunkard Creek’s Demise Still Needs Clarification

Letter to the Editor


Morgantown Dominion Post
27 September 2009

The Dominion Post should be commended for providing coverage of the recent biological disaster that has occurred in Dunkard Creek. Some 131 species of aquatic organisms comprising a unique aquatic ecosystem that was enjoyed by generations of anglers and nature enthusiasts has been wiped out. Many of the species of fish, mussels and amphibians take years to establish and grow, so it will be decades before this stream resembles anything “natural” again.

I am disturbed by the lack of clarity by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection in reporting on this situation. Statements by the DEP recently published imply that the cause of the disaster was pollutants originating from coal mining or from an algal bloom. This is clearly not the case. Total dissolved solids and chloride levels reported by the Pennsylvania DEP from creek samples are at highly toxic levels, thousands of times higher than normal and saltier than the ocean.

These toxins are not produced by coal mining, nor are they produced by algae; TDS and chlorides are classic toxins associated with the drilling of natural gas. While it remains to be identified whether haulers have been illegally dumping waste brine from drilling operations or if the toxins originated from the “injection site” operated by an energy company at the former Blacksville mine, the evidence strongly points to gas drilling.

The fact that the West Virginia DEP has not clarified this makes me wonder whether this agency can be trusted at all to provide scientifically sound information.

Natural gas is attractive in many ways as a source of energy. Its combustion produces virtually no toxic materials and carbon emissions are lower than most other energy sources. However, if the gas industry, the DEP and EPA cannot produce natural gas in an environmentally sound way, then drilling should be suspended.

Similarly, dumping of toxic material at the energy company’s injection site should be suspended until it can be shown that it can safely operate.

The natural gas industry spent millions of dollars this year lobbying Congress against the “frac bill,” which would have introduced additional oversight of environmental contamination associated with gas drilling. Just think how different things might have been if the gas industry acted as responsible citizens and spent this money monitoring where their toxins were being dumped — Dunkard Creek could have been saved from destruction.
   
Andrew Liebhold   
Mount Morris, Pa.