The Chesapeake Bay Foundation won a victory over environmentally sloppy natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania this week. It was a first step in making sure that the wave of drilling across the state is handled responsibly.
CBF had filed legal challenges to three erosion and sediment control permits for gas wells being drilled in northern Pennsylvania. One of the wells is in the Tioga State Forest, the other on private land in Tioga County. All three sit atop the vast, gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation, which has seen a surge in new gas wells.
CBF was concerned that the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was rubber stamping drilling permits, and fast-tracking approvals, without a thorough environmental review to protect streams and water supplies.
On Wednesday, DEP revoked the permits for Ultra Resources Inc. and Fortuna Energy Inc. because of what the state agency called “numerous technical deficiencies discovered after our approval of the permits.”
To read more about the state decision, check out this article.
I'm not sure how drilling was ever allowed in that portion of the Tioga State Forest. The sites are within less than 1/4 of a historic town and all the sites are situated literally on top of already sensitive watershed areas. I'm very happy that these permits were revoked. The truck traffic up there has slowed significantly, which is nice, even if it is just temporary.
Thanks CFB for fighting the permits.
Posted by: Sarah | 11/03/2009 at 02:04 PM
This fracking business should be likened to a frontal lobotomy for the earth.
We exist only because we can get clean water out of the ground and the streams. The idea that we allow a company to come in and break the age old layers into a homogenized mess just so they can siphon off the oil or gas should be inconceivable.
Talk about befouling our own nest.
Hank Boschen
Posted by: Hank Boschen | 12/10/2009 at 02:53 PM