CBF, Partners: Federal Government Must Assess Regional Impacts Of Shale Drilling

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its partners took actions today to call on the federal government to conduct a comprehensive scientific analysis of the cumulative impacts of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation in the six Bay states, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia.
The first action was to file a legal petition, under the National Environmental Policy Act, calling for that comprehensive analysis, called a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, of the risks and cumulative impacts of the extraction of natural gas from the Marcellus shale formation in the Chesapeake Bay states. Once the analysis is complete the petition calls on the government to make appropriate decisions about the need for new regulatory action. Along with CBF, the petition was signed by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Shenandoah Valley Network, The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, and Friends of the Upper Delaware River.
CBF also sent a letter to President Obama in support of the legal petition, signed more than 120 businesses, organizations, elected officials, and individuals who are extremely concerned about the unknown consequences and cumulative impacts of natural gas extraction from the Marcellus shale formation on the environment, drinking water and human health, and America’s treasured lands such as our national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges. Signatories to the letter include Audubon Pennsylvania, Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), the Mid-Atlantic Council Trout Unlimited, The Garden Club of America, and American Rivers.
“Ensuring clean, safe drinking water, healthy aquatic ecosystems, and healthy air across a multi-state ecosystem cannot be done without an unbiased and comprehensive assessment of all the impacts, and that assessment is the responsibility of the federal government,” said CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director Matt Ehrhart. “Where drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus shale formation is concerned, that responsibility has been unfulfilled. If we are to have healthy rivers and streams along with the economic activity of natural gas extraction, we must fill the gaps in the science that now exist.”
While natural gas in the Marcellus shale offers an abundant source of domestically-produced energy that can create jobs and provide income, the history of resource extraction in this country is littered with long-lasting environmental degradation and risks to human health.
Drilling is already causing damage, to both human health and the environment. There has been contamination of drinking water wells, gas bubbling up into the Susquehanna River, spills of fracking water and diesel fuel, fires, blowouts, and explosions.
“The law is clear that the federal government is required to undertake a comprehensive study if activities like Marcellus drilling are likely to affect the environment through the release of hazardous substances, result in significant cumulative adverse impacts on local air quality, or significantly affect important resources including wetlands, aquifer recharge zones, or fish or wildlife habitat,” said CBF attorney Amy McDonnell. “It is good science and good business to get the facts and that is what we are seeking. Nothing less than human health is also at stake.”
In many of the Bay states, most notably in Pennsylvania, natural gas wells are being permitted at breakneck speed with scant regard to the cumulative damage that is occurring, or support for the affected communities. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the state issued over 1,900 permits for Marcellus shale drilling in 2009. In 2010 it issued over 3,300 more. And, in the first two months of 2011, Pennsylvania issued an additional 590 permits. If that pace continues, Pennsylvania will approve over 3,500 new permits this year alone.
A preliminary report from the Academy of Natural Sciences tested water, and looked for sensitive insects and salamanders in areas with no wells, few wells, and high numbers of wells. It found that as the number of wells in an area increased, water quality deteriorated, and the number of insects and salamanders decreased by 25 percent. In a press statement Dr. David Velinsky of the Academy of Natural Sciences said, “This suggests there is indeed a threshold at which drilling—regardless of how it is practiced—will have a significant impact on an ecosystem.”
“With 35 national parks within or near the Marcellus Shale formation, including nine in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the threats to our national treasures are great,” said Cinda Waldbuesser, senior program manager for NPCA’s Pennsylvania field office. “The economic benefits of natural gas development must not compromise the long-term benefits of protecting water quality and preserving our national parks, which are already economic generators for local communities.”
The Executive Order issued by President Obama in 2009 says, “Restoration of the health of the Chesapeake Bay will require a renewed commitment to controlling pollution from all sources as well as protecting and restoring habitat and living resources, conserving lands, and improving management of natural resources, all of which contribute to improved water quality and ecosystem health. The Federal Government should lead this effort.”
And though there are several risk assessments underway, none is comprehensive or complete. The cumulative effects of pollution from Marcellus shale drilling activities currently underway or proposed in the future have not been assessed or factored in to any of the state plans to reduce pollution.
For more information, visit the CBF Announcement webpage.

Monday NewsClips

Column: Corbett Unwilling To Engage Voters On Proposed Budget Cuts
Rendell Not Quick To Criticize Corbett
Former Rendell Officials Defend Use Of Stimulus Money
Is Protecting Corbett Worth $3 Million A Year?
Penn State's Spanier Among Highest Paid College Presidents
PSU President Among Highest Paid In Public Colleges
Colleges Spending On Administrators
Kutztown: Minority Students Will Be Hurt By Budget Cuts
Even Wealthier School Districts Are Scambling
John Bear: Could Stashed Funds Help PA Schools In Crisis?
Editorial: Fine Tune Voucher Plan For True Need
Editorial: LCB Should Give Customers What They Want
Editorial: State Store Sobriety Test
Editorial: PA Earns A Dubious Infrastructure Rating
County Officials Debate Fate Of County Nursing Homes
Op-Ed: Why Corbett Is Silent On Union Benefits, Cooper
Op-Ed: Maintain Safety Net For Needy
Court Could Name Final Member Of Reapportionment Panel
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Sunday NewsClips

Selling His Budget, Corbett Takes Aim At Rendell
Corbett Blames Rendell For Budget Woes
Editorial: Deep In Heart Of... Taxes
PA Revenue Collections Remain On Target
Farmers: We'll Begin To Fail If Penn State Ag Research Is Cut
Penn State Warns Of Staff Layoffs
Lawmaker: 6 School Districts Work As 1
Western PA School District With Flush Bank Account
Op-Ed: Why Do Politicians Blame Teachers, Students For Busted Budgets?
Bumsted: Can this House Be Cut?
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Saturday NewsClips

Hughes Proposes Rescue Plan For State's Schools
PA School Districts Grapple With Potential Budget Cuts
March Revenue Collections Bring In $4 Billion, But Fall Short
Rep. Saccone Expects State Spending To Hold At $27.3 Billion
No More New Prisons, Auditor General Says
Bill Urged To Find New Ways To Reduce Prison Population
Slash Prison Rolls State Official Urges
Editorial: State Must Step Away From Liquor Sales
Editorial: Examining State Vehicle Fleet Good Start
Mine Workers Rally to Protect Bargaining Rights
Editorial: Corbett News Conferences Media Only
PA Could Allow Gas Drilling On Prisons' Properties
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April 4 PA Environment Digest Now Available

April 4 PA Environment Digest now available. Click here to print this Digest.

Senators Yudichak, Erickson Introduce Bipartisan Marcellus Shale Severance Tax

Sen. John T. Yudichak (D-Luzerne) this week announced legislation-- Senate Bill 905-- that would implement a severance tax on the extraction of natural gas in Pennsylvania saying it is time for a fair and responsible severance tax on natural gas.

Joining Sen. Yudichak at the news conference were Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware) and Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna), co-sponsors of the bill, Larry Williamson, Renew Growing Greener Coalition, and Chris Carsia, Executive Director Greater Hazleton Joint Sewer Authority. Click Here to read more…

March Revenue Collections $10.5 Million Below Estimates

Pennsylvania collected $4 billion in General Fund revenue in March, which was $10.5 million, or 0.3 percent, less than anticipated, the Department of Revenue reported. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $19.2 billion, which is $232.7 million, or 1.2 percent, above estimate.

            Sales tax receipts totaled $621.3 million for March, $26.5 million above estimate. Year-to-date sales tax collections total $6.2 billion, which is $126.5 million, or 2.1 percent, more than anticipated.

            Personal income tax revenue in March was $894.9 million, $52.7 million above estimate. This brings year-to-date PIT collections to $7.2 billion, which is $118.4 million, or 1.7 percent, above estimate.

            March corporation tax revenue of $2.2 billion was $112.3 million below estimate. Year-to-date corporation tax collections total $3.6 billion, which is $8.3 million, or 0.2 percent, below estimate.

            Inheritance tax revenue for the month was $85.5 million, $15.8 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $586.2 million, which is $24.2 million above estimate.

            Realty transfer tax revenue was $19.7 million for March, meeting estimate, bringing the fiscal-year total to $207.5 million, which is $33.4 million less than anticipated.

            Other General Fund tax revenue, including cigarette, malt beverage, liquor and table games taxes, totaled $120.1 million for the month, $3.2 million below estimate and bringing the year-to-date total to $1.1 billion, which is $19.6 million below estimate.

            Non-tax revenue totaled $41.7 million for the month, $10.1 million above estimate, bringing the year-to-date total to $405.6 million, which is $25 million above estimate.

            In addition to the General Fund collections, the Motor License Fund received $194.6 million for the month, $4.6 million above estimate. Fiscal year-to-date collections for the fund total $1.9 billion, which is $165.2 million, or 9.7 percent, above estimate.

Friday NewsClips

Legislature Winds Up 3 Weeks Of Budget Hearings
Zogby Takes Tough Questions From House Panel
That's a Wrap For Budget Hearings
Corbett Nominates Labor And Industry Secretary
Corbett Nominates Chester County Lawyer For Labor Secretary
Column: State Education Secretary Misses His Calling
HACC Announces Tuition Increase For Next Year
PA Courts Call For More Funding In Governor's Budget
School Voucher Pros, Cons Debated
Dahlkemper May Run For Old Congressional Seat
DeWeese Challenges Cost Of AG Investigation
Mine Workers To Rally In PA For Public Employees
Editorial: Sprinkler Appeal The Right Move
Legislation Aims To Address Distracted Driving
Pittsburgh Casinos Cut Back On Slot Payouts
Bad Times For Health Care, Good Times For Highmark
Highmark's Profit Surges 146 Percent
Gas Prices Jump 14 Cents In 2 Days
Harrisburg Debt Talks Convene On Lancaster Waste Offer
Top-Level DEP Approval Of Drilling Actions Under Fire
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