Boom In Marcellus Gas Drilling Brings Calls For Tighter Controls
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March 9, 2010
CHARLESTON, W. Va. - Surface landowners and environmentalists are asking state and federal officials to more closely control natural gas drilling, as more wells are sunk into the Marcellus Shale.
Beth Little is a member of the Sierra Club's West Virginia chapter and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. She says the two organizations are among those asking the feds to not issue gas leases in large tracts of the Monongahela Forest, including part of the proposed Seneca Creek Wilderness Area.
Marcellus drilling can release large amounts of salt water, and Little says one well already had a terrible impact in the Fernow Experimental Forest.
"In a forested area, it killed all the vegetation, including several large trees, and the scientists there were very unhappy that permission was given for the drilling."
The U.S. Forest Service has said it must try to balance protection with economics, adding that the agency does not own the mineral rights in about one-third of the Monongahela Forest.
Although it might not apply to federal land, Little says one bill which has passed the House of Delegates would monitor the brine that comes with Marcellus drilling.
"It will track how the waste is disposed of – where and who does it – and disclosure of the chemicals that they use, so people know, especially if there are any spills or accidents."
The bill may face strong opposition in the state Senate.
A separate proposal in the House could make drilling easier, by reclassifying Marcellus wells as shallow, rather than deep. It was the subject of a public hearing on Monday night.
Dave McMahon, a founder of the West Virginia Surface Owners Rights Organization explains if wells are classified as deep, their neighbors can petition for a share of the proceeds. If they are classified as shallow, however, neighbors could lose that right to petition, which could mean losses of up to $1,000 a day.
"It would be legalized stealing of your gas if this bill passes. They can put a well right next to your boundary, drain the gas out from underneath you, and there is nothing you can do about it."
Industry defenders describe natural gas as having much less environmental impact than other energy sources, such as coal.