People all across the Mid-Atlantic Region are talking about the Marcellus Shale natural gas reserves, a topic which has stirred up controversy in recent years. Marcellus shale is a geologic formation deep beneath the earth which underlies parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Through a process called hydraulic fracturing, energy companies can extract natural gas from the formation. Proponents of this process say that not only will this shale decrease our dependence on foreign oil; it will also stimulate the economy and create jobs. However, the hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") is not benign, and many throughout the region are concerned with the impact it will have on the environment and water quality.
The hydraulic fracturing process is done in several steps. First, land is clear cut to make way for the drilling of a well, which is often over a mile deep. Then, thousands of gallons of water mixed with sand and chemicals are pumped down into the well in order to fracture the rocks of the shale formation. When fractured, the rocks allow natural gas to escape, and that gas is forced up another well to be collected by the drilling company. Finally, the fracking liquid is extracted and stored in holding ponds or tanks on the site. The fracking liquid has generated the most concern since there are generally more than 100 chemicals injected into the water, and some of them are known to be hazardous and carcinogenic. Both the injection and storage of this waste water create the potential for aquifer and surface water contamination, and the chemicals found in that water can also make their way into the air, contributing to dangerous air pollution.
What this means for Delaware:
While Delaware is not a part of the Marcellus Shale formation, much of the State lies within the Delaware River Basin watershed and our location downstream of headwater states like Pennsylvania and New York makes any water contamination that occurs there a threat. Chemical leakage, water and air pollution, and radiation could all potentially reach Delaware, degrading drinking water supplies, rivers and streams, and even the State's commercial food chain.
DNS's position on the issue:
The Delaware Nature Society has many concerns regarding water and air quality impacts from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation. Since there is a possibility that fracking could cause significant pollution upstream that would migrate down to Delaware, the Nature Society believes that regulatory agencies like the Delaware River Basin Commission and the EPA must proceed with the utmost caution in order to protect the environment and public health. Decisions on whether or not to allow and how to regulate hydraulic fracturing must be based on sound science and cumulative impact analyses. While it is important to stimulate economic growth where opportunities exist, that growth should not come at the expense of local environmental and social wellbeing.
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