Public land drilling OK’d in Pennsylvania, no limits set on lease money
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Now that the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has ruled that all public lands can be leased for gas drilling, conservation groups are fighting back.
CBS Philly reports that on Jan. 7, the Commonwealth Court decided that public lands could continue to be leased to gas companies. Also, the court ruled that there are no stipulations as to how the lease money is spent. The Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation (PEDF) has sued in order to stop any further leases on public land.
According to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), gas drilling has been detrimental to forest and wildlife areas, and has also brought invasive species to the state. The case could be taken to the Supreme Court, but Governor-elect Tom Wolf opposes drilling on public lands.
Via: CBS Philly > A Blow to PA Conservationists on Public Land Drilling
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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.