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August WREN Feature is Posted
Is Hydrofracking Worth The Risk?
Controversy surrounds the current implementation of hydraullic fracturing technology in the United States. Environmental safety and health concerns are being debated at state and national levels. The American Water Works Association July 2011 issue of Opflow magazine featured an article by Paul R. Easley on hydrofracking. Read more about hydrofracking concerns from a public water utility perspective on the WREN Features page.
Our thanks to AWWA for allowing us to share the article with our readers. Reprinted from Opflow Vol. 37 No. 7, by permission. Copyright � 2011, American Water Works Association |
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Tracking the Frac
Launched in April, The Ground Water Protection Council and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission collaborated to compile a registry for chemicals used in the extraction of natural gas through hydraulic fracturing and offer the data at the website: www.fracfocus.org. Participating companies post their data on a voluntary basis, with 57 companies now posting. The site allows users to choose the state, county, operator, and well name, and see a list of the chemicals that were used to fracture the well. FracFocus will soon add a Geographic Information System (GIS) interface that will assist in locating and viewing hydraulic fracturing records, expected to be released at the end of September.
For guidance with shale drilling and private water supplies, register for Penn State Cooperative Extension's seminar Sept. 19th 7pm - 9pm Lake Wallenpaupak by Peter Wulhorst, Marcellus Drilling and Your Private Water Supply. Fee $5. |
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Local Coalitions Forming to Make a Difference for Drinking Water Protection
"Our success has been due to partnerships," stated Tobias Nagle of the Altoona Water Authority about protecting their drinking source waters which serve around 70,000 customers in Blair County.
Water systems rarely own all or even much of the land within their drinking water supply area making partnerships an essential tool to protect and fix water pollution problems that present risks to drinking water and public health.
New drinking water protection coalitions have been springing up around the Commonwealth, some with the support of a WREN Source Water Protection Grant, the DEP Source Water Protection Technical Assistance Program (SWPTAP), and PA Rural Water Assocation support, like the new Tioga County Source Water Protection Coalition. Led by 2011 WREN Grantee and Project Leader Tioga County Conservation District, with Erica Tomlinson at the District and Jim Weaver in County Planning guiding the process, along with Carl Cox at Knoxville Borough:
"The Tioga County Source Water Protection Coalition was formed by 7 local drinking water suppliers along with state and county representatives to utilize our strengths and resources to protect our drinking water sources for now and future generations. What are our goals? Our goal is to get all 24 community drinking water suppliers to participate in the Coalition. We know that by making a commitment to work together and plan ahead we can have balanced business, a healthy community, and enough clean water for our family and children." Source: Tioga County Source Water Protection Coalition Brochure
Potter County, Centre County, and Lycoming County have also formed new Source Water Protection Coalitions. Centre County Planner Sue Hannegan recently stated "It's a technical assistance grant that does the work... They (DEP) provide that service at no charge to the municipality. What that's going to do is identify the sources of your local drinking water sources and define the recharge areas."
These new collaborations among local officials, counties, planners, conservation districts, watershed groups and public water systems offers a constructive forum to address concerns about natural gas development.
Rather than allow Source Water Protection Plans to gather dust on a shelf, these new collaborations are taking action to make a difference in their communities through regular joint meetings, providing input to oil and gas permits, training, education and outreach. They are working to leverage the collective wisdom and decades of expertise in each local area to address challenges and protect our vital water supplies for now and for future generations. For more information, contact Julie Kollar at WREN juliekwren@verizon.net. |
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PA Chapter APA offers Webcast: Natural Gas Extraction - Planning Implications
9/23/11 1:00pm - 2:30 pm
Beginning with a review of the community impacts from shale gas drilling: water, transportation, environment, and economic, the session will outline the appropriate planning process for communities to deal with these impacts. A case study featuring Lycoming County will be presented, as the county expects 1,000 new wells will be completed by Spring 2012. Speakers: Peter Wulfhorst, Neal Fogle, and Kurt Hausammann, Jr. Free. To register, visit http://www.utah-apa.org/webcasts.
PA Chapter American Planning Association is offering a variety of water resource sessions including PMPEI training on how to integrate water protection into comprehensive plans at its annual conference in Scranton this October. For details see the conference schedule.
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The federal Drug Enforcement Agency announced that it will conduct a Third Nationwide Drug Collection Day to collect unwanted, expired, and unused drugs on October 29th from 10:00 am to 2:00pm. Scientific evidence shows that a growing number of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are ending up in waterways across the country. While the potential for harm to human health is not known at this time, because drinking water is drawn from these same sources, there is a growing concern about how these drugs and other substances may be affecting people, especially with long-term exposure. To protect drinking water and public health, it makes sense to stop flushing these products, and find alternate disposal methods. Local police departments are partnering with the DEA to host collection sites across the nation until a long term solution can be developed. Collection sites are expected to be posted by mid-September.
How Can I Help?
To find a collection site near you, visit www.dea.gov. Please help publicize collection spots in your area. To see how your county fared with the last collection in April, check out the list for the state on the WREN website at Take-back Day Report. For more information and publicity tools see WREN's March Feature and examples from Lawrence County Pharmaceutical Collection Program and Outreach (2010 WREN Project). For EPA Pharmaceuticals page - Click here;
See Penn State Coop Extension webpage for Fact Sheet and taped webinar on the topic.
For free public ed materials to use in your community from RCAP and NESC about PPCPs and water Click Here. |
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 Dauphin County Conservation District launches new WREN Streamside Buffer Watershed Education Project with Briefing for Derry Township Supervisors
Dauphin County Conservation District's Gil Herschel and Michael Yanchuk know the meaning of persistence, and are seeing the rewards. They succeeded in winning a $2,970 WREN Watershed Education Grant this Spring on their second round attempt for the Spring Creek Riparian Buffer Project that will benefit the residents of Derry Township, home to Hershey. The project also garnered a $3,000 Environmental Grant from Pennsylvania American Water which has a drinking water intake in the area, allowing the District to expand the project area.The expected result? The streamside areas by the public pool, library, and high school athletic fields near Cocoa Avenue in Hershey will soon be transformed with a new streamside buffer to be filled with colorful native plants, shrubs, and trees designed to do double duty: delight the eye of the many walkers ambling through the area, and also do the hard work of filtering out polluted runoff from the parking areas before reaching the stream, a tributary to the Swatara.
Mike and Gil heeded guidance WREN offered to grant project leaders at the June Orientation Meeting to reach out to local municipal officials, and kicked off the project with a short informational briefing on August 23rd at the regular meeting of the Derry Township Supervisors, who are also partners in the project. Matt Mandia, Director of Derry Township Parks & Recreation gave a brief introduction to the 4400 foot stream buffer project, followed by an overview by Mike and Gil of the project partners, goals, and planned activities which include training school and park maintenance departments on upkeep for the buffer, and installing educational signage detailing the environmental benefits of riparian buffers. Julie Kollar, WREN Project Director, was on hand to award funds and congratulate the partnership for their willingness to take action and their leadership in recognizing that clean water is one of the most fundamental community assets. Mike Salvo, Senior Director of Pennsylvania American Water, presented a ceremonial check to the District, and reiterated the importance of the benefits of streamside buffers from a public water supplier perspective: increased stream protection, reduced sediment, reduced flooding, and water quality improvements through natural filtration which aids water treatment. As an added bonus, the site will serve as an Outdoor Classroom for the nearby Hershey High School. WREN Grant Partners include: Derry Township, Derry Township School District, Derry Township Environmental Action Committee, Pennsylvania American Water, and Swatara Watershed Association.
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Lehigh Valley Clean Water Summit - September 29, 2011
 WREN Grantee Northampton County Conservation District and partners will host the Lehigh Valley Clean Water Summit on 9/29/11 4:00pm - 8:30 pm at the Lower Mount Bethel Township Welcome Center located at 7701 Martins Creek-Belvidere Highway, in Bangor, PA with tools and solutions that local officials, communities, public water systems, residents and conservation groups can use to protect their drinking water. Registration Fee $10 includes workshop, materials and dinner. Details on the WREN Calendar page. |
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Lancaster County Continues 2011 Clean Water Consortium Series
With a seminar series planned for September 20, October 18th, November 8th, and December 2nd, the mission of the Consortium is the development of a proactive, efficient and cohesive countywide strategy to restore the waterways of Lancaster County. Sessions will include Implementation of MS4s throughout the County, Stormwater BMPs and Infrastructure,Sustainable Stormwater Financing, and wrap up with the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council Conference. Read more at http://www.lccwc.com/home.htm.
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Philadelphia to Host Stormwater Conferences for 3 Days in September
19th National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop, 5th National LID Conference, Pennsylvania Stormwater Symposium
September 25-28 promises to be a valuable three days for anyone working on stormwater and polluted runoff issues in PA. Save the dates, and look for more information on the conferences on the WREN Calendar. |
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Quick Links
PFBC Fish kill hotline1-855-FISH-KIL (1-855-347-4545) to report suspected pollution incidents or fish kill. More info at: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/newsreleases/2011press/fish_kil.htm
EPA Nonpoint Source (NPS) Outreach Toolbox - examples for public ed tools that address polluted runoff
PA Environmental Council MarcellusFacts website. Water Words that Work website.
WREN websites: http://wren.palwv.org and www.sourcewaterpa.org |
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