Pennsylvania regulations partially upheld by court
Monday, July 29, 2019
Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court has issued a split decision on environmental regulations on Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling, ruling in part on the side of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, who challenged the regulations 16 days after they took effect, according to WCN 24/7.
The seven-judge panel issued a 91-page decision against the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Environmental Quality Board a week ago, determining state officials don’t have the authority to mandate restoration of sites to their original conditions within nine of months of when drilling has ended.
However, the court also sided with the DEP in its decision in other respects, including rules for liquid impoundment ponds and how drillers must respond when nearby wells are affected by their activity.
Learn more: WCN 24/7 > Court issues split decision on Pa.’s natural gas drilling rules
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.