A lengthy discussion of gas drilling issues at the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) Thursday night, showed different viewpoints from the public on how safe the practice will be on the environment. The UDC, meanwhile, is yet to decide on a formal position. UDC Director William Douglass stressed that a statement in the Spring/Summer UDC newsletter that natural gas drilling in the scale envisioned is incompatible in the River Corridor, was a comment generated by staff. The opinion was based on the 1986 River Management Plan and was issued to New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). That agency was seeking written comments for their environmental impact statement. This document was part of a process of updating gas drilling regulations. In the meantime, New York has a moratorium in place on issuing any permits for the natural gas exploration.
The question of who will pay for testing private water wells in vicinity of planned gas drilling came up after a Wayne County property owner inquired. Lucille Giffone sent a letter to the UDC stating that she had her well tested at a cost of $450. Noting that to create a baseline before drilling begins, one should have their water tested two or three times and test every few months once drilling begins, she asked who would pay for it.
"Who is gong to pay for this? I cannot afford to have my water tested at $450 a pop. This will cost a person thousands of dollars a year," she writes. Wondering of the county would assist people, or the gas companies would pay, she also asked who would help land owners if an accident contaminated the wells.
"I think this is a very risky business, since people cannot live without drinking water," Giffone writes.
The Pa. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) advises requesting the well operator to hire a certified lab to test the water supply before drilling starts. This is to document the pre-drill conditions in case drilling for gas adversely affects the water. DEP also advises that if the gas operator declines to do this, the land owner should consider hiring a laboratory approved by DEP to do the testing, at the landowner’s expense.Don Hamilton, National Park Service, suggested that the gas company will generally pay for the testing within 1,000 feet of a well through private labs, since the gas company is presumed responsible. Fred Peckham, UDC delegate for the Town of Hancock, added that the companies don’t want to be held liable if something happens, so they will do the testing...
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