Hidden Chemicals Fuel Marcellus Debate

Shrieks of laughter pierce the stillness of many meadows, mountain streams, farm ponds, lakes, urban parks and fountains as water lovers enjoy Pennsylvania's abundant and diversified water resources. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania has more miles of inland streams than any other state except Alaska. An old pair of sneakers, "creek shoes" are essential attire in countless homes.

Water is also essential to the Marcellus Gas drilling industry. Enormous pockets of natural gas have been discovered in shale rock, called the Marcellus Shale Formation, deep within the earth throughout Appalachia from New York, through Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Tennessee. The deposits are significant and critical to meet the growing demand for energy. There are speculations about the vast wealth available to landowners, drilling companies, local municipalities and states; the deposits could be worth more than all of the oil in Saudi Arabia.

In recent years, new Marcellus drilling techniques and technologies have been developed to extract the natural gas. Wells are drilled up to 5,000 feet down and then drilled horizontally for up to two miles. Millions of gallons of water, with unknown chemicals added, are then pumped into the wells to fracture the shale and release the gas. It is a process called "fracturing".

Each Marcellus well, on average, requires 3.5 million gallons of water with the additives. The dilemma and the crux of the Marcellus debate revolves around the contaminated water after fracturing. Mountain streams and rivers have been contaminated resulting in significant fish kills; home water wells have been contaminated, and in one case, cattle on a farm had to be quarantined because they drank the contaminated water making the meat unfit for human consumption.

The list of chemicals used in the fracturing process is not entirely known; companies are protected from revealing the entire chemical list because they are protected by trade secret federal legislation. Some are known to be deadly to humans and animals. Others are hidden from view.

Many state legislatures are considering new laws forcing the companies to release the names of the chemicals used. Sen Bob Casey (D-PA) has also introduced federal legislation so that the chemical ingredients are made known. The major companies which supply the fracturing chemical additives used in the fracturing process are listed as: Halliburton, Schlumberger and BJ Services.

Some supporters of the industry claim such legislation would prove harmful to the industry which has a clean safety record. The economic benefits of continued exploration and drilling are enormous for the entire Appalachian area, according to well supporters. The economic impacts, of additional state revenues and high paying jobs within the industry and the related jobs, in an area hard hit by the current economic downturn, are important. Additionally, the much needed gas is cleaner and safer for energy use than other fossil fuels.

Clearly, the debate is a giant puzzle with many pieces. Pennsylvania is not the only state grappling with the issues. Marcellus has been on the front burner in New York, Ohio and other Appalachian states; it is also an issue in some western states such as Colorado and Wyoming. Local communities, town boards and schools districts are also dealing with the issues and the impacts as the rush to get the gas increases in intensity and greater revenues loom in the future.

Environmental groups are outraged at the clearly documented areas of environmental degradation. Appalachia is a region which does not need, nor does the country, a Deepwater Horizon Part Two catastrophe. In Pennsylvania, it is also often mentioned that clean air and water are a constitutional right.

Marcellus exploration has been a heated debate and will likely continue to be a focus of attention. Perhaps, the answer lies in a regional approached among industries, states, citizens and landowners. The end result must be continued enjoyment, laughter and the discoveries of fresh, clean water, while wearing those old creek shoes.