Water Contamination Concerns Linger For Shale Gas

Advances in technology have helped boost the growth of shale drilling in the United States over the past few years. But as the practice of harvesting natural gas embedded in shale rock deep below the Earth's surface has expanded, it has raised concerns about the impact this type of drilling has on the environment — especially on groundwater.

At issue is the practice of "hydraulic fracturing," which in combination with horizontal drilling is an essential part of the shale gas production process. The shale rock in which the gas is trapped is so tight that it has to be broken in order for the gas to escape. A combination of sand and water laced with chemicals — including benzene — is pumped into the well bore at high pressure, shattering the rock and opening millions of tiny fissures, enabling the shale gas to seep into the pipeline.

This fracturing technique has been in use since 1948, and industry sources say the procedure has been used in a million gas wells in the years since. But the practice has expanded in the past few years as energy companies began exploring shale formations.

The results have been so successful that energy analysts now see the development of shale gas reservoirs as a key step toward U.S. energy independence and a cleaner environment. When burned, natural gas produces about 25 percent less carbon dioxide than coal.

Full NPR article

Colorado Water Cleanups Hobbled By ‘Good Samaritan’ Legal Risks

LEADVILLE — It’s a fall morning in the mountains just outside this Lake County town. Contractors in yellow earthmovers are cleaning up acid mine drainage in the Sugarloaf Mining District. They’re part of a unique government-nonprofit-college collaboration that has made great strides in improving water quality in the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River.

Everyone involved in this feel-good project, however, is a target of potential lawsuits under the Clean Water Act.

A Clean Water Act suit has been filed successfully only once against a voluntary mine drainage cleanup project, in 1993 in California, but it was enough to scare off so-called Good Samaritan clean-up groups across Colorado, according to Elizabeth Russell, mine restoration project manger for Trout Unlimited, one of the groups involved in the Lake Fork restoration project.

“The risk is low, but there is risk,” she said.

In the case, Committee to Save the Mokelumne River v. East Bay Municipal Utility District, the court found that a landowner who attempts to clean up pollution from an abandoned mine can be found liable if the treated water does not meet Clean Water Act standards.

Lacking the funds to build and maintain million-dollar treatment plants, most Good Samaritan remediation projects succeed in stopping the lion’s share of toxic flows but fail to prevent relatively small amounts of acid drainage into the watershed, enough to be considered “a discharge of pollutants” under the Clean Water Act.

For the full story, click here.

OSM/VISTA Teams’ founder honored with Service to America Medal

For the first time the Partnership for Public Service has recognized the leader of a National Service project with its highest award.

The Partnership has awarded its 2009 Service to America Medal in the Environment category to Dr. T Allan Comp, coordinator of the Office of Surface Mining's two teams of AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service To America. These OSM/VISTAs support small community groups in addressing environmental and economic issues in some of the poorest parts of America - historic mining communities throughout Appalachia and in the West.

Comp founded and coordinates the Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team (ACCWT) and the Western Hardrock Watershed Team (WHWT). The ACCWT serves the eight-state coal region of Appalachia, while the WHWT serves mining communities in Colorado and New Mexico. Earlier this year, Comp became the first federal employee to be named a National River Hero by the River Network, and has been a Purpose Prize Fellow. Those awards also honor his work with the watershed teams.

The ACCWT includes 43 OSM/VISTAs. Since its inception in 2002, community volunteers recruited by those OSM/VISTAs have logged 122,281volunteer hours, with more than 17,000 hours in the past year alone. The Western Hardrock Watershed Team, founded in 2007, includes 30 OSM/VISTAs and has logged 4,179 community volunteer hours.

DEP, FISH AND BOAT COMMISSION MONITORING DUNKARD CREEK FISH KILL

PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced today that officials are working with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address a fish kill in Dunkard Creek, first detected in West Virginia on Sept. 1 and reported to DEP on Sept. 8.

More than 30 stream miles in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have been impacted by a discharge, which is originating from West Virginia and contains high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS). At least 16 species of freshwater mussels and at least 18 species of fish were killed by this pollution event in Dunkard Creek.

The main stem of Dunkard Creek, located in Pennsylvania, is designated as a warm water fishery.

DEP is collecting water quality data which will track the progress of the pollutant and its impact on Dunkard Creek, while the PFBC has established multiple sampling stations to conduct biological assessments that include counts of dead aquatic life and the condition of living fish in the stream.

“The damage done to Dunkard Creek is substantial and tragic. DEP will continue to monitor water quality so that when the responsible party is determined by West Virginia and EPA, we are positioned to take appropriate enforcement action,” said Acting Southwest DEP Regional Director Ronald Schwartz. “We appreciate the continued cooperation and efforts by West Virginia and EPA officials.”

“Our staff has documented numerous species of gamefish killed by the pollution event, including muskellunge, smallmouth bass, and flathead catfish, and various species of redhorses, minnows, darters, freshwater mussels, and mudpuppies – also known as aquatic salamanders,” said PFBC Southwest Regional Law Enforcement Manager Emil Svetahor. “We are working closely with DEP and other partners to conduct the ongoing investigation.”

The West Virginia and Pennsylvania forks of Dunkard Creek merge in Shamrock, Pennsylvania, to form Dunkard Creek, which meanders nearly 38 miles along the southwest border of the commonwealth and West Virginia, before its confluence with the Monongahela River just downstream of Point Marion.

EPA REGION 3 LAUNCHES ELIZABETH RIVER PRIORITY PROJECT WEBPAGE

EPA Region 3's internet site has launched a Web page dedicated to the Elizabeth River Priority Project whose goal is to revitalize one of the most severely polluted rivers in the nation and protect human health and wildlife. The Web page identifies the projects and objectives to improve the river's water quality (such as reducing toxics and nutrients from storm water runoff); provides information on the various EPA programs coordinated for cleanups, pollution prevention, and wildlife habitat restoration; and will also supply information on the brownfield and superfund redevelopment/reuse programs to restore the river's environment. The Elizabeth River Priority Project webpage can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/region03/elizabethriver

Urban streams contaminated by road salt

Study: Urban streams contaminated by road salt

By STEVE KARNOWSKI (AP) – 1 day ago

MINNEAPOLIS — Many urban streams have become salty enough to harm aquatic life, largely because of salt used for deicing roads in the winter, according to a new government study released Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey studied urban streams and groundwater for levels of chloride, a component of salt, in 20 states spanning from Alaska to the Great Lakes and Northeast.

It found chloride concentrations above federal recommendations designed to protect aquatic life in more than 40 percent of urban streams tested. The highest levels were measured in those streams during the winter — as much as 20 times the federal guidelines — when salt and other chemicals are commonly used for deicing.

Read the rest of the story here.

EPA revamping rules for toxic releases from coal plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced yesterday that it plans to revise the existing standards for wastewater discharges from coal-fired power plants.

The news came one day after three environmental groups announced they intend to sue the agency for failing to properly regulate such discharges. Many of these releases come from coal ash ponds like the one that failed catastrophically last year at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston plant in eastern Tennessee, an incident that released more than a billion gallons of toxic sludge into a nearby community and river.

Read the rest of the Grist article here. Read the EPA announcement here.

Virginia Water Central August 2009 issue

The latest issue (August 2009, Issue #50) of Water Central is now available at the Water Center's Web site: http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/watercentral.html.

Please note that I have moved to a one-column-only version. I hope this is satisfactorily readable if you choose to print off the publication, rather than reading it online.

In this issue (in order of appearance):
Editor’s Comment
Feature: Confluence of Water Quality Policies
For the Record: Waterway Condition Reports
Water Status Report
In and Out of the News
Special News Items: Hardware River Research
Water Quality and You (también en español)
Va. Govt. Water Issues Overview
Notices
At the Water Center
2009 Virginia Water Research Conference
Teaching Water
You Get the Last Word

Previous issues (beginning June 1998) are also available on the newsletter Web site.

Toxic Waters - NYT

By CHARLES DUHIGG
Published: September 12, 2009

Jennifer Hall-Massey knows not to drink the tap water in her home near Charleston, W.Va.

In fact, her entire family tries to avoid any contact with the water. Her youngest son has scabs on his arms, legs and chest where the bathwater — polluted with lead, nickel and other heavy metals — caused painful rashes. Many of his brother’s teeth were capped to replace enamel that was eaten away.

Neighbors apply special lotions after showering because their skin burns. Tests show that their tap water contains arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system.

Read the rest of the article here.

EPA Suspends 79 Mountaintop Removal Coal Permits

By Jim Efstathiou Jr.

Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- The Environmental Protection Agency said today that 79 permits to mine coal by removing mountain tops and discarding the debris in neighboring streams must be held for further review.

In a preliminary decision involving sites mainly in Kentucky and West Virginia, the EPA found unresolved water quality issues near the mining projects, the U.S. agency said today in a news release. Earlier this year the EPA said it would review all pending permits for mountaintop removal in the Appalachia region, citing concerns over water pollution and the health of nearby rivers, streams and aquifers.

See the rest of the article here.

Poll: Environmental Involvement Tied to Empowerment, Confidence

Now here’s a survey that goes beyond the same old same old questions and answers! It’s the Civic Health Index, brought to you by the National Council on Citizenship. The bad news is they found that the tough economy is suppressing everyday citizens’ involvement in community affairs. The good news is that they have some specific recommendations about what to do about it — which corroborate a fundamental tenet of the Water Words That Work method:

"As in much previous research, we find a positive relationship between a citizen’s feeling of empowerment and whether he or she is civically engaged"

Click here for the rest of the article.

Crews turning old SW Ind. coal mine to wetland

Associated Press
5:25 a.m. CDT, September 9, 2009

BRUCEVILLE, Ind. - State crews are turning a long abandoned southwestern Indiana coal mine into a wetland area that officials hope will improve water quality.

The Enoco mine near Bruceville, about 50 miles north of Evansville, closed in the mid-1960s after being an active coal mine for a half century.

It's been an environmental concern ever since, with pollutants leaching into nearby water systems and farmlands.

But the state Department of Natural Resources' Division of Reclamation is trying to address concerns by installing a wetland area.

The site will first be covered with a mixture of compost, hay, and lime to soak up the pollutants. It will then be planted with wetland plants, shrubs and prairie grasses.

EPA PROHIBITS SEWAGE DISCHARGE INTO CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHEDS

EPA is prohibiting sewage discharge from vessels into the Chesapeake Bay watersheds of Broad Creek, Jackson Creek, and Fishing Bay Watersheds in Middlesex County, Va. and designating these waters as 'no discharge' zones to protect water quality and human health. There is a need for greater environmental protection than the federal standard since the watersheds are host to many human contact activities including water skiing, and swimming, as well as boating, fishing, and crabbing. The EPA action will protect the rare, threatened and endangered plant species, animals, marine mammals, sea turtles, and waterfowl dependent on good water quality for their survival. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/oceans/regulatory/vessel_sewage/vsdfaq.html

CONFERENCE PROMOTES BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT TO RE-ENERGIZE WEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITIES

The fourth annual West Virginia Brownfield Conference took place on Sept. 1-2, at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, W.Va., hosted by Marshall University, West Virginia University and others. The conference presented attendees with the opportunities and challenges that can be mustered to revitalize local communities through the redevelopment of Brownfield properties. EPA representatives presented a grant writing workshop and participated in panel discussions with developers, regulators, and community members, providing tips and case studies on how to bring communities back to life. For more information, go to http://www.wvbrownfields.org/conference.cfm

EPA SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON NATIONAL ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES THROUGH ONLINE FORUM

EPA has launched an online discussion forum for public input on the future priorities for EPA's national enforcement program. The public will be able to provide feedback through the EPA Web site until Dec. 1, as a forum to submit ideas for EPA to consider as a focus for new areas of enforcement. All ideas will be evaluated and considered for recommendation to the EPA administrator about the future direction of EPA's national enforcement and compliance priorities. The current enforcement priorities through 2010 focus on significant environmental problems, including pollution from stormwater runoff, air toxics, concentrated animal feeding operations, and mineral processing. To submit suggestions for potential priorities, go to http://blog.epa.gov/enforcementnationalpriority/ For information on the enforcement priorities, go to http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/planning/priorities/index.html

U.S. finds water polluted near gas-drilling sites

From: Jon Hurdle, Reuters
Published August 27, 2009 04:51 PM
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - U.S. government scientists have for the first time found chemical contaminants in drinking water wells near natural gas drilling operations, fueling concern that a gas-extraction technique is endangering the health of people who live close to drilling rigs.

The Environmental Protection Agency found chemicals that researchers say may cause illnesses including cancer, kidney failure, anemia and fertility problems in water from 11 of 39 wells tested around the Wyoming town of Pavillion in March and May this year.
The report issued this month did not reach a conclusion about the cause of contamination but named gas drilling as a potential source.

See the rest of the story at http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/40407

Climate Change Makes River Restoration More Important than Ever, Paper Concludes

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 1, 2009 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Restoring river ecosystems and riparian corridors can play an important role in combating climate change impacts to ecosystems by connecting one area to another, enabling plants and animals to move as the climate shifts. It also will create places that shelter fish and wildlife from hotter temperatures, which ecologists call "thermal refugia."

Those are among the conclusions of a new peer-reviewed paper by seven organizations that evaluated how protecting and restoring river ecosystems and riparian areas can enhance the ability of these ecosystems to cope with climate change. This work appears in the September issue of Ecological Restoration with a collection of articles dedicated to the theme of restoration and climate change. In the paper, the scientists discuss the importance of replanting riparian vegetation and ensuring that rivers have sufficient water to maintain flows that benefit birds, fish and other wildlife, and human communities. Based on these and other benefits of riparian restoration, the authors recommend that river restoration activities continue and expand as the climate changes.

"I often hear people ask: 'if climate change is going to disrupt natural systems, why should we bother to restore them?'" explains Nat Seavy, terrestrial research director at PRBO Conservation Science. "Restoration, especially of riparian areas, is a critical step toward protecting the integrity of ecosystems and the benefits they provide - including clean water, pollination, and flood protection - to wildlife and humans in a time of rapid climate change."

The authors also discuss the need to modify restoration strategies to prepare for the uncertain conditions predicted to accompany climate change, and for ongoing research and monitoring to evaluate and improve restoration practices. Recommendations include planting a mix of riparian plants that are both drought and flood tolerant, ensuring that rivers have sufficient water to provide for periodic flooding of natural areas, and increasing habitat restoration on private lands.

"Protecting genetic diversity and native biodiversity with restoration projects will boost the resilience of society and nature to potentially catastrophic climate change impacts," says paper co-author Stacy Small, conservation scientist with Environmental Defense Fund's Center for Conservation Incentives. "Working with landowners to restore private lands will also enhance restoration efforts on adjacent public lands."

For decades, conservationists have been aware that increasing human populations, development, and changing land use threaten biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ecological restoration was originally developed to help speed the recovery of landscapes disrupted by human activities. Today, there is a growing awareness that ecological restoration also must look ahead to consider the potential consequences of a changing climate.

"Because dams and water diversions have disrupted natural water regimes, simply protecting the river isn't enough," explains Thomas Griggs, senior restoration ecologist with River Partners, an organization that has led restoration efforts along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. "Over the last 20 years, we've learned how to speed the return of birds and other wildlife to these important habitats by planting the vegetation that would have come back as a result of natural flooding. In the next 20 years, we will need to look ahead to understand how climate change will impact these systems, and ensure that our efforts are successful into the future."

Working collaboratively with partners across disciplines is increasingly important for effective restoration. The authors that collaborated on this project work for government agencies (the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management), academic institutions (University at California Davis), and non-profit organizations (PRBO Conservation Science, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon California, Environmental Defense Fund, and River Partners).

"This paper exemplifies the importance of partnering to prepare for climate change," explains Ellie Cohen, executive director of PRBO Conservation Science. "By building diverse teams with unique knowledge and on-the-ground experience we can develop practical solutions supported by sound science."

Authors were Nathaniel Seavy, Thomas Gardali, and Christine Howell (PRBO Conservation Science), Gregory Golet (The Nature Conservancy), Thomas Griggs (River Partners), Rodd Kelsey (Audubon California), Stacy Small (Environmental Defense Fund), Joshua Viers (UC Davis), and James Weigand (Bureau of Land Management).