PA now allows dumping Fracking Fluids onto Roads and Fields. NY wants to follow

Executive Summary:
SHOCKING PHOTOS apparently of PA drilling fluids spread on roads @ Warren Center, PA.

BAD NEWS for Warren Center, also for NY residents @ Nichols/Waverly who live downstream.

BIGGER SHOCK! New NY regs allows this as a “beneficial use”!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Governor Andrew Cuomo!
Get those comments in to the DEC by Jan 11!!

The details:

Pennsylvania just changed their rules to allow the spreading of fracking flowback and production fluids on roads as a "benefical use".
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/pennfuture-accuses-dep-of-permit-dishonesty-656236/

This is apparently already happening:

These photos were taken by Pat Klotz in Warren Center, PA in mid November 2012:
(Just over the border from Apalachin NY)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.493914857295803.108363.114596215227671



This area drains North into New York. This is part of the Upper Susquehanna, Wappasening Creek Watershed which drains downstream into Nichols, Waverly.http://gis.srbc.net/WRP_FV25/





SURPRISE!
This biggest shocker is that while dumping fracking flowback on the
ground is prohibited under the new NY regs, it is allowed if there is a BUD:
Beneficial Use Determination.

750-3.12 Disposal of HVHF wastewater

(a) All HVHF wastewater must be treated, recycled, or otherwise properly disposed through the life of the well in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
(b) The discharge of flowback to the ground is prohibited. The discharge of drilling fluids, formation fluids and production brine to the ground is prohibited, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A B.U.D. (Beneficial Use Determination). 

There's a little glade behind Patty's house which a small creek which flows down from the well pad 500' behind here house. When the drilling was happening a year ago, this foamy goo came down the creek.
 

Foamy goo which came down the creek behind Patty's house, from the well pad

Patty's dog drank this, had convulsions, and finally died.

Looking out Pat Klotz' front window, at a drill rig ~500' away.

UPDATE Mar 22, 2012

While it is "legal" now in NY, so far, spreading *Marcellus waste* (flowback, brines, produced fluids, residual waste, etc) on NY roads does not appear to have been a permitted use by the NYS DEC, at least until Dec 2008, when Walter Hang FOIL'd these records.

Presently, brines from vertical, possibly fracked gas wells in non-Marcellus formations is already being spread on NY roads. See: http://toxicstargeting.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/foil-hl-110718.pdf   However, the source seem to be from NY wells sites (--therefore not HVHF, and not Marcellus--).

I have seen no evidence that PA Marcellus HVHF waste is being spread on NY roads, and so far NYS DEC have denied they are permitting this.

See: http://toxicstargeting.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/foil-hl-110718.pdf

As the blog post indicates, it IS LEGAL in PA right now to spread "produced wastes" (--I refuse to say "produced water", but it sure as shit ain't water!!--) from Marcellus HVHF wells on roads, and I have posted photographs from Warren Center PA, which appear to be just that.

Also, as I indicate in the blog post above, it appears that the NYS DEC is planning this sort of thing, because it's in the new, proposed regulations, as well as land-sprading, as a possible "beneficial use". WTF.

Lastly, it is important to note that there are several landfills in NY which are accepting "drill cuttings" at NY landfills right now.

• http://www.fractracker.org/2012/03/where-does-the-waste-from-pas-marcellus-wells-go/
• http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-definitive-guide-to-myth-of-frack.html

I have also heard many reports that PA shyster operators and taking produced brines, residual wastes, flowback fluids, and emulsifying them with sawdust. (Have you wondered about all those trees they are pulping for access roads, pipeline easements, well pads, etc?--). This turns these fluids into a semi-solid. I believe these wastes are coming into NY RIGHT NOW. These materials produce a very toxic leachate, which leaks into local streams and rivers. They are already land-spreading this leachate on fields near Elmira.

This is an extremely serious matter, especially for people living in the Chemung River basin, basically from Corning/Painted Post to Waverly. These people are getting leachate from the landfills in their river, but also have upstream fracking operations coming up the Tioga River-- a double dose.

This is an extremely serious problem for people living in NY NOW!!, despite our moratorium. This issue is NOT being covered properly in the commercial press. Basically there is still a functional MEDIA BLACKOUT.

When I first broke this story to the Binghamton press, they portrayed me as being some hysterical whacko, saying there was "no proof" of any harms done.

http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2012/09/anatomy-of-news-story.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5UIoDc3Hmc&list=PLo1TDxDrIRYow6vidwM_5-kQXUMuEtd0-&index=1

Jesus, do we have to wait for ACTUAL PROVED HARMS? e.g., if it was proved that PA frack water is entering Binghamton's water supply, and if it was proved that someone got sick from drinking it, THEN it would be a news story.

This is analogous to a guy with a gun at the shopping mall, taking random shots at people. However, to Gannett, it will only be newsworthy if he actually hits someone.

PS: the burden of proof here is extremely high, the Commercial Media News (Gannett, broadcast TV and radio, Time Warner, yes, even WSKG) are NOT looking for this story, they are doing spin to try to downplay the POSSIBLE RISKS of harm.

I hope this is helpful -- BH


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We will have ONLY 30 days to comment December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 2013. For more details, SEE:

http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2012/11/ny-new-fracking-regs-all-links-are-here.html


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