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Research & Development Of This Presentation: Martha Goodsell and Chris & Bob Applegate
What is High Volume Hydraulic (Slickwater) Horizontal Fracturing otherwise known as Fracking?
Technologically Advanced
Industrial in Scale
Step 1.
Erie, Colorado
Lathrop, PA
Charlston Township, PA
Step 2.
Step 3.
Step 4.
Step 5.
West Virginia
Dust
Exhaust
FracNet: The PA tally over a two day
inspection blitz was 731 inspections, 824 written warnings, 421 traffic citations, 131 trucks taken off the road, and 14 drivers placed out of service.
Step 6.
Millions of pounds could be stored at one pad. Is this storage site located in a floodplain? Is there an evacuation plan?
Step 7.
Step 8.
Step 9.
Removing the Waste Drilling Mud And Rock Cuttings From the Bore Hole
How toxic are the cuttings? To what extent are they radioactive?
Cement is forced down through the well casing, out the annulus, and back up the bore hole.
methane
One quarter of all cement jobs fail immediately. Three quarters fail eventually.
Cornell Engineering Professor and Rock Fracturing Specialist , Dr. Anthony Ingraffea
Step 10.
These perfs can also damage the cement job allowing methane and fluids to migrate in the bore hole.
Step 11.
Step 12.
Step 13.
Step 14.
This waste, composed of brine AND drilling chemicals, is 5 times saltier than sea water!
Step 15.
Millennium Pipeline
A foodshed outlines a particular area from which food is grown, processed, purchased and consumed.
NY was once able to produce most of its food requirements and may need to do so again if gas reaches $5/gallon.
Notice the overlap of the Marcellus and the foodshed of the Northeast?
Red = Buffalo foodshed Green = Rochester foodshed Gold = Syracuse foodshed Blue = Albany foodshed Yellow = Poughkeepsie foodshed Purple = NY City foodshed Source: Mapping Potential Foodsheds in New York State
Drilling in the Foodshed: Impacts On Agriculture via Land, Water and Air
Chappel Unit in Hopewell Township Washington County
Farmland Impacts
Fragmentation Inaccessibility Explosions Openings for Invasive Species Compaction and Drainage
FRAGMENTATION
FRAGMENTATION
Dish, Texas
FRAGMENTATION
PA Farmland Fragmentation
Explosions and
Soil Erosion
Sedimentation
Storm water runoff and sedimentation increases total dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS) in creeks and tributaries. When TDS or TSS increase the amount of light available to oxygen producing plants decreases. Eventually the plants die giving off bacteria which uses even more oxygen. As oxygen levels are depleted aquatic life dies.
SOIL CONTAMINATION
Spills Leaks Flares
Explosions
Fires Experimental Disposal Methods Municipal sludge Soil Farming
Spills
Pipeline Leaks
A satellite image shows light reflected off of plants leaves; plants that are stressed by gas leaks reflect light in different regions of the spectrum, making it easier to detect leaks in underground methane pipelines.
Impoundment Leaks
ULLOM ROAD POND APRIL 20, 2009 Chartiers Township Washington County, Pa
Photo courtesy of Professor Mike Steven
Flares
Flaring affects soil fertility by causing the soil to become more acidic and reducing the total organic carbon, nitrate and phosphate content.
The DEC may grant a beneficial use determination for using flowback water as a road de-icer.
Radio Activity
Hazardous Chemicals
Municipal Sludge
CDC REPORT WARNS OF SLUDGE DANGER MARCH 2000
EPA cannot assure the public that current land application [of sewage sludge] practices are protective of human health and the environment. -- EPA
Soil Farming
Fracking Chemicals
Glycol ether (2-BE)
Source: Dan Volz at U. of Pittsburgh
Do you want glow in the dark pickles showing up at the farmers market?
Radiation at oil and gas facilities is not normally evaluated during site investigations and cleanup. EPA
API (1989) and other studies suggest 1/3 of all producing U.S. oil and gas wells have elevated radiation EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
Mercury 206
LEAD
http://www.periodictable.com/Isotopes/092.238/index.p.full.html
Radium 224
Radon 220
http://periodictable.com/Isotopes/090.232/index.full.html
Health risks from exposure to radon are greater than all other routine, environmental exposures to radioactive material combined. - EPA
Radon
Radon can be found in air, soils and water. Is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.
Is naturally prevalent in much of the area. Levels are exacerbated at natural gas well sites.
No stable isotope (always radioactive giving off alpha radiation).
TNORM or TENORM
Material containing radionuclides that are present naturally in rocks, soils, water, and minerals and whose radioactivity has become concentrated and/or exposed to the accessible environment as a result of human activities. Radium precipitates out at surface: pipes, separators, storage tanks, gas lines, etc. API (1989) and other studies suggest 1/3 of all producing U.S. oil and gas wells have elevated radiation
Pipe Scale
Storage Tanks
Contaminated Soils
Mercury
Bromide
The spike in bromides in Western Pennsylvania's rivers and creeks has put some public water suppliers into violation of federal safe drinking water standards. Bromide facilitates formation of brominated trihalomethanes, also known as THMs, when it is exposed to disinfectant processes in water treatment plants. THMs are volatile organic liquid compounds. Studies show a link between ingestion of and exposure to THMs and several types of cancer and birth defects.
It is in those high concentrations that strontium poses a risk of bone cancer, cancer of the soft tissue near the bone, and leukemia.
Bioaccumulation is the process by which compounds accumulate in organisms faster than they can be broken down by the liver. Toxic chemicals, heavy metals and radioactive elements taken up by and accumulated by plants are passed on to animals & humans when they eat them.
Heavy metals accumulate in bones. Milk and meat products may contain heavy metals and radiation.
Yet there is NO food safety inspection in place for testing agricultural products produced in gas fields for these contaminants.
The typical NY farm needs thousands of gallons of water a day for livestock and irrigation.
Can you imagine operating a farm using this water replacement system? This is NOT a replacement for this
Most rural NY properties depend on private water wells both shallow & deep for all of their personal & agricultural needs.
Underground aquifers are as vulnerable as open surface aquifers. All water sources must be protected.
The NYC watershed and Delaware River Basin combined - provides water for more than 15,600,000 people - the largest unfiltered water source in the world. The natural gas industry has leased hundreds of thousands of acres within the watershed and the river basin. That could mean 50,000 gas wells in the combined watershed area.
Class of Additive
Typical Use(s)
System(s) Adversely Affected (at high exposure levels) Gastro intestinal Central nervous Skin - blistering or peeling
Kerosene Naptha
Nervous system Liver Kidneys Blood forming tissues Leukemia Reproduction/ still births
Glycols
Crosslinkers Breakers Clay and iron controllers Scale inhibitors Corrosion inhibitors Surfactants Friction reducers Foaming agents Corrosion inhibitors Surfactants Iron and scale inhibitors
Glycol Ethers
Monomethoxyethanol
Monoethoxeyethanol Alcohols
Ethanol Methanol
939 3
Class of Additive
Typical Use(s)
Amides
create polymers friction reducers scale inhibitors corrosion inhibitors corrosion inhibitors cross-linkers friction reducers iron and clay controllers corrosion and scale inhibitors friction reducers and surfactants
Acrylamide Formamide
Amines
liver
kidneys
Organic Acids
corrosive to skin
Microbiocides
Controversy
respiratory system gastrointestinal tract Kidneys and liver nervous system Severe pain, vomiting, coma and death nose and throat cancer
Biodegrade ?
Formaldehyde
1,4-dioxane
Hydrochloric Acid
949 4
45 products with incomplete ingredients listed 40 compounds with unknown ingredients because theyre mixtures Some chemicals not submitted to DEC DSGEIS) (chapter 5
Experts suggest that, over time, most of the toxic underground water will find its way to the surface through fissures, rusted pipes and cracked cement, and through the conduits of missing and unplugged water and gas wells.
Of Particular Concern
Ozone Fugitive Methane Hydrogen Sulfide Volatile Organic Compounds Noxious Chemicals
Other Hydrocarbons
Ozone (O3)
Ozone is three oxygen atoms joined together. Ozone is ready to react with whatever it meets. It can cause lung damage and illness. Ozone can also corrode building materials, statues and monuments, and natural rock features in the landscape.
Sublette County, Wyoming is a gas drilling zone with a population of 2 people per square mile Yet is has an ozone levels equivalent to Los Angeles
Plants, such as grapes, soybeans, alfalfa, clover, and grazing grasses suffer decreasing crop yields from ozone.
Condensate tanks
Same Image
Franklin, Texas
Venting
Blowouts
Hydrogen sulfide is most commonly obtained by its separation from sour gas, which is natural gas with high content of H2S. It is a colorless, flammable gas that is very poisonous.
Carbon Disulfide
Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Noxious chemicals
from diesel driven trucks and compressors can have serious health consequences on people, animals and plants. For humans this includes asthma, stroke, cardio vascular disease and irritable bowel disorders.
Sound wall
You expect our animals to eat the grass when its covered with dust? Dairy farmer
Silicosis
Silicosis is caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust. Effects include lung cancer, Bronchitis/Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, Scleroderma and possible Renal Disease.
Silicosis makes an individual more susceptible to TB. Because of their susceptibility, cattle and farmed cervids (deer and elk) are routinely tested for TB.
Research on insects, turtles, birds, fish, reptiles, and other wildlife species shows that light pollution can alter behaviors, foraging areas, and breeding cycles.
Noise affects hatchability rates of birds and poultry, small ruminant metabolism, and human endocrine systems. Studies indicate that it also increases blood pressure and stress levels in all animals.
Impacts on Livestock
At least 40% of fracking chemicals are endocrine disruptors and can cause falling reproductive rates, stillbirths, and birth defects. Small spills can have huge effects on livestock, who often drink from surface water sources and are attracted to the salty taste. There are growing, documented reports of livestock illness and death from acute toxicity.
Livestock Poisoning from Oil Field Drilling Fluids, Muds and Additives, appeared in
the journal Veterinary & Human Toxicology in 1991. It examined seven instances where oil and gas wells had poisoned and/or killed livestock. In one such case, green liquid was found leaking from a tank near a gas well site. The studys authors found 13 dead cows, whose postmortem blood was chocolate-brown in color. Poisoning cases involving carbon disulfide, turpentine, toluene, xylene, ethylene, and complex solvent mixtures are frequently encountered, the study concluded.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality: Cato Parish - spilled fluid killed 17 cows.
Tioga County PA- May 2010 28 Cows quarantined after drilling fluid (heavily laced with strontium) leak.
Food Safety?
Most food is not adequately inspected for chemical contamination. There is no system in place to test affected crops, meat, or dairy, even when exposure by fracking chemicals is suspected. The National Residue Program, which monitors known chemical residues, is missing key heavy metals & chemicals.
Since key information is missing on what chemicals are used in gas production, its impossible to monitor their presence in the food chain.
A Fukushima Analogy?
We know radiation affects agriculture and fisheries, and travels through the foodchain. With radiation you must worry about your total dose over a lifetime, wherever it may come from.
NY ranks in the top 5 states for production of dairy, cherries, apples, cabbage, potatoes, onions and maple syrup.
The counties covering the Marcellus Shale formation include an agricultural region called the plateau country which is known for its production of dairy, beef, vegetables, wine, potatoes, and many other foods. New York has numerous award-winning vineyards and breweries. The number of NOFA-NY certified organic farms has increased steadily in the last decade with a concentration of organic farms in the Shale Gas region. Most upstate farms are small, compared to farms in other regions, yet are the most threatened from HVHHF.
Other Impacts
Property values Insurance rates Heavy traffic congestion (between 5850 and 8905
truck trips per pad)
Health impacts
Security and safety
12 Unintended Consequences
Shortages of sawdust and bedding material for farm use. Shortages of gravel, concrete and other supplies for agricultural use. Difficulties in finding open repair shops or on-call mechanics for agricultural equipment as many technicians are working for or catering to the gas companies first. Difficulties in finding rendering options for deceased animals. Who wants to take a potentially contaminated animal?
1311 31
Tim and Christine Ruggiero Denton, Texas Drilling mud spread on property.
Condensate tanks.
"Cattle vs. Conoco: How Gas Fields Are Crowding Out New Mexico Ranchers (issue: living conditions and affected livestock) Eminent Domain Power Granted to Private Pipeline Companies
New technology + lax regulations = profits Lack of oversight Federal, state, and local Nearby energy markets Stealth leasing Ignorance by design
Appalachia
Milk pricing
Why are we talking about drilling impacts without talking about agriculture?
Farming in the Northeast is a constant struggle. Most farm families need off-farm jobs to make ends meet & pay for health insurance. Gas bonuses & royalties can feel like winning the lottery. Farming involves a lot of hoping for the best and the safety of gas drilling is no exception. Buyers are increasingly wary of leased & developed land and mortgages can be hard to secure. In Pennsylvania, its estimated that 25% of farmers with gas wells have abandoned farming. Will farmers be stuck with useless farmland?
WARNING: gas drilling near your home may put you at risk for possible exposure to carcinogens, neurotoxins, and endocrine disruptors by inhalation, ingestion, and absorption; elevated ground level ozone and air pollution in gas production areas due to toxic fumes and diesel exhaust; disease caused by chemicals, hydrocarbons, radium, and heavy metals in your drinking water; adrenal gland dysfunction from the low frequency noise of compressor stations; and potential for explosion due to methane accumulation in your home. KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, THE ELDERLY AND PETS. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to, headaches, nose bleeds, eye and skin damage, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory problems, dizziness, and confusion.
Physicians report that methane, Ethylbenzene, m,p-Xylene, Hexane, 2 Methylpentane, and 3Methylpentane have been detected in their patients blood.
Related serious side effects in gas extraction, processing, and production areas can be expected, including permanent neurological damage, cancer, brain damage, and endocrine system disruption.
For a comprehensive review of Public Health Effects TEDX The Endocrine Disruption Exchange
What Not To Do
If you are now planning to avoid food grown in gas drilling areas who could blame you?
But what will that accomplish?
Where will your food come from when all the farms are gone?
Get involved on a local, regional & national level. Support local grassroots organizations. If you dont have time to volunteer then consider making a financial contribution. Get to know your local farmer and his/her needs. Support sustainable farming practices and policies. Demand Farm Bill reforms. Contact your local representatives. Demand accountability. Push local zoning, and other protective municipal laws. Show up at meetings. Call state and federal representatives often.
Many thanks to those who shared their photos, experience, knowledge, professional talents and other resources; especially the folks at www.Marcellus-Shale.US.
Contact Us
Martha Goodsell
deerfarm6@frontiernet.net Christine and Bob Applegate ninibob@frontiernet.net