Black Water - Marcellus Shale Reality Tour Part 11

Uploaded February 2013 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

gdacoalition.org A video by Scott Cannon
Photographs courtesy of Trevor Collins trevorcollens.com
This is the story of Max Chilson. His water turned black a year and a half ago, the same day a nearby gas well started drilling about 1,200 feet from his home. He hasn't had clean well water to drink ever since.
Chief Oil and Gas, who owns 2 wells on both sides of his property, wanted him to sign an agreement that would provide him a bigger UV water filtration system, $300 worth of filters, and denies any present or future responsibilities for Max's water turning black.
The DEP told Max that the black water didn't happen because of gas drilling activies, nor did they give him any explanation of why it happened. The DEP has come under fire recently for providing test results that didn't disclose all of the contaminants found in well water samples. Additionally, In a legal deposition, a DEP employee said the department failed to provide its water specialists with training to help them interpret the lab reports and identify contaminants that could signal Marcellus Shale-related impacts. The DEP says it fully stands behind it's tests. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf

$Black Water - Marcellus Shale Reality Tour Part 11 - Fracking http://www.gdacoalition.org A video by Scott Cannon Photographs courtesy of Trevor Collins http://www.trevorcollens.com This is the story of Max Chilson. His water turned black a year and a half ago, the same day a nearby gas well started drilling about 1,200 feet from his home. He hasnt had clean well water to drink ever since. Chief Oil and Gas, who owns 2 wells on both sides of his property, wanted him to sign an agreement that would provide him a bigger UV water filtration system, $300 worth of filters, and denies any present or future responsibilities for Maxs water turning black. The DEP told Max that the black water didnt happen because of gas drilling activies, nor did they give him any explanation of why it happened. The DEP has come under fire recently for providing test results that didnt disclose all of the contaminants found in well water samples. Additionally, In a legal deposition, a DEP employee said the department failed to provide its water specialists with training to help them interpret the lab reports and identify contaminants that could signal Marcellus Shale-related impacts. The DEP says it fully stands behind its tests. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $GDAC Gas Drilling in NE Pennsylvania You Be The Judge Mary Rodriquez and Scott Cannon from the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition in Luzerne County talk about the negative issues related to gas drilling and infrastructure in NE Pennsylvania. You Be The Judge is hosted by Attorney Todd OMalley of OMalley & Langan The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $FOX 56 Dallas school mercaptan release evacuates school, businesses mercaptan dallas pa school DALLAS TWP. By Mark Guydish — Students were temporarily moved to the Dallas High School auditorium and emergency personnel were brought in Thursday morning after the odor of natural gas was smelled, but it turned out to be only the odorant added to gas, and not gas itself, from a controlled release at a nearby gas facility. District and emergency responders said the gas company had not properly notified district and township officials. A little after 10 a.m. I got a phone call about a strong, pungent odor of gas at the high school coming in through the ventilators, Superintendent Frank Galicki said. The ventilators were shut down, the students moved to the auditorium and the fire department and township emergency management called. No gas was detected, but the district learned that the odorant, added to allow people to detect the otherwise odorless natural gas, had been released by Williams, the owner of the nearby Transco pipeline. Galicki and Township Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Alan Pugh said the company had apparently made some notifications but did not follow protocol. Galicki said someone had called him Wednesday Afternoon around 4 p.m. and he had immediately directed them to call township supervisors and EMA, who would in turn give the district directions on how to handle any issue. Those communications did not occur, Galicki said. Someone dropped the ball. Galicki said the release should not have occurred during school hours even if it was only the odorant. We are going to demand that there be no type of activity during school hours, Galicki said. They can release the gas and they can control everything but the wind, Pugh said. Obviously they did smell gas here, its a concern, and we had a few other businesses in the area, including a supermarket that temporarily evacuated. Pugh said such problems can be avoided Through timely notification and following protocol. Classes resumed, but many parents came to take their children home, Galicki said, a fact made obvious when his press briefing was interrupted by an announcement over the public address system calling a long list of students to the main entrance for early dismissal. A notice from Williams pipeline company dated Sept. 20 was posted to the townships website alerting those in the area venting might occur between Sept. 23 and Oct. 1. The township said gas venting is planned for the Perry Metering Station near Demunds Road. The Department of Environmental protection sent two inspectors and an emergency-response team member from its Bureau of Air Quality to investigate, said DEP Spokeswoman Colleen Connolly. Representatives from Williams were not immediately available. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $SRBC Public Comments Part 1 At a meeting on December 15, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) was to consider several water withdrawal applications from gas operators, and vote on proposed regulations that speed up approvals of gas development projects and the transport of hazardous drilling wastewater. Jay Sweeney, who testified at the hearing, filed this report: There was about an hour or two of awesome testimony. All opposing the withdrawals. After a break they began reviewing the applications one by one. One was recommended to be denied and a couple reduced volumes of water withdrawal, but, when they continued to recommend applications the crowd got confrontational. There were questions, calling out, finally a mic check. It ended in shouts of Whose water? Our water. The chairwoman called for a motion to approve the applications. There was a motion, a second, a vote and the meeting was adjourned. Then a demonstration ensued! This is what happened (see video above). People care about the river, and they care about water. Today they spoke up. Background: The Susquehanna River Basin Commission coordinates the use of water resources among Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania—the three states across which the river flows for over 400 miles—and the federal government. The Commissions work is governed by a Compact adopted in 1970 by the U.S. Congress and legislatures of the three member states. In November, the SRBC received a letter signed by more than 40 organizations across the region urging the Commission to stop its rulemaking on gas drilling until it conducts necessary comprehensive environmental studies. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Gas Well Flaring - Marcellus Shale Reality Tour Part 4 - Fracking http://www.gdacoalition.org A video by Scott Cannon Julie Sautner takes us to see a gas well flaring and talks about their current situation with water deliveries from the EPA. Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition. Some YouTube clips used by permission from YouTubers veraduerga and hammerfly. Recorded on February 17, 2012 The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Luzerne County Gas Pipeline Mud Blowout This drilling mud blowout is .2 miles behind Kunkle Motors of Route 309 in Dallas Township Pennsylvania. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Plains Twp. Fire Chief Carl Baker WBRE PennEast Pipeline 9-28/16 Description The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $SRBC Public Comments Part 3 At a meeting on December 15, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) was to consider several water withdrawal applications from gas operators, and vote on proposed regulations that speed up approvals of gas development projects and the transport of hazardous drilling wastewater. Jay Sweeney, who testified at the hearing, filed this report: There was about an hour or two of awesome testimony. All opposing the withdrawals. After a break they began reviewing the applications one by one. One was recommended to be denied and a couple reduced volumes of water withdrawal, but, when they continued to recommend applications the crowd got confrontational. There were questions, calling out, finally a mic check. It ended in shouts of Whose water? Our water. The chairwoman called for a motion to approve the applications. There was a motion, a second, a vote and the meeting was adjourned. Then a demonstration ensued! This is what happened (see video above). People care about the river, and they care about water. Today they spoke up. Background: The Susquehanna River Basin Commission coordinates the use of water resources among Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania—the three states across which the river flows for over 400 miles—and the federal government. The Commissions work is governed by a Compact adopted in 1970 by the U.S. Congress and legislatures of the three member states. In November, the SRBC received a letter signed by more than 40 organizations across the region urging the Commission to stop its rulemaking on gas drilling until it conducts necessary comprehensive environmental studies. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Tar Sands Destruction from Above A video by Scott Cannon http://www.gdacoalition.org Google Earth flyover of a section of tar sands in Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada Google Earth Pro Animation The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Wilma Subra - Human Health, Exposure from the Development of Shale Gas Plays http://www.gdacoalition.org A video by Scott Cannon Wilma Subra presents Human Health Impacts Associated with Chemicals and Pathways of Exposure from the Development of Shale Gas Plays on July 10, 2012, Kingston Pennsylvania Wilma Subra graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in microbiology, chemistry and computer sciences. She worked for the Gulf South Research Institute (GSRI), served as vice-chair of the EPA National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), President of the Subra Company and was in the 2010 documentary Gasland. Awards: 1999 MacArthur Fellows Program 2004 Volvo for Life Award finalist 2011 Global Exchange Human Rights Awards Honoree Presentations/powerpoints can be foundat www.earthworksaction.org The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the views of Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Atlantic Sunrise Surprise Marcellus Shale Reality Tour Part 12 This video shows the struggle of two women of very different means, dealing with a pipeline company who wants to use eminent domain to build a gas compressor station 500 feet from the farmer’s family home, and a pipeline that will go through both the home and the business of a horse veterinarian, shutting her business down for a year and a half. These problems mirror the issues of many of the land owners along the 178 mile stretch of the proposed Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline and the 108 mile stretch of the PennEast Pipeline. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$ $Vera Scroggins vs Cabot Oil & Gas Hearing 3/24/14 By Scott Cannon (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge could rule as early as this week on whether to modify his five-month-old injunction banning an anti-fracking activist from approaching lands leased by a Texas-based natural gas producer that effectively prohibits her from visiting the local hospital or grocery store. Judge Kenneth Seamans suggested at a hearing on Monday in the Susquehanna County Court of Common Pleas that he was not inclined to lift the injunction against Vera Scroggins, 63, of Brackney, Pennsylvania, but he was skeptical about the 150-foot (46-meter) exclusion zone from active drilling sites and access roads requested by Cabot Oil & Gas Co. What is the significance of 150 feet? Seamans asked. Cabot leases about 40 percent of the land in Susquehanna County, where Scroggins lives, and the broad scope of the companys holding, coupled with the exclusion zone, made much of the county along Pennsylvanias northern border off-limits to her. Amy Barrette, a lawyer for Cabot, said the figure for the zone takes into account the length of the large tractor-trailers that bring in supplies and equipment to drilling sites along narrow country roads. Scott Michelman, a lawyer with Public Citizen Litigation Group in Washington, D.C., representing Scroggins, noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has limited protest exclusion zones around abortion clinics to as little as 15 feet. Michelman argued that Cabot was attempting to send a message to anti-fracking activists that they risk punishing injunctions if they challenge the gas industry. Cabot denies that claim. Fracking is the controversial process of injecting water, chemicals, and sand into the underground shale formation to extract oil and gas. It has brought about a gas boom in recent years in northeastern Pennsylvania, but also concerns about its impact on the environment. Nearly 100 friends and foes of Scroggins crowded the 19th century courtroom to hear arguments by opposing lawyers. Tammy Manning of Dimock, Pennsylvania, a town with flaming tap water that was highlighted in Josh Foxs Academy Award-nominated Gasland documentary, said her water supply had been contaminated by gas drilling. Tom Shepstone, a drilling advocate from neighboring Wayne County, called Scroggins a public menace for her fracking tours that included celebrity activists such as Susan Sarandon and various public officials. Vic Furman of Shenango Forks, New York, claimed that Scroggins, who shoots video to document the activities of the fracking industry, was feeding the public misinformation. Scroggins, a short, grey-haired grandmother, greeted Furman cheerily before the hearing. His curt response: Please stay away from me. Scroggins said at a news conference after the hearing that she would not stop her activism against gas fracking, no matter what the court said. Asked if she was willing to go to jail, Scroggins said she was, if it was necessary to protect friends and family from the contamination of the shale gas industry. The entire list of Pennsylvania water contaminations from fracking. https://files.dep.state.pa.us/OilGas/BOGM/BOGMPortalFiles/OilGasReports/Determination_Letters/Regional_Determination_Letters.pdf$