Yough River Gas Well Trouble?

bprush

bprush

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Saw this today while fishing for smallies near dawson. I saw at least 30 of these trucks fill up with water in about an hour of fishing. I was under the impression that they were supposed to take this water from municipal sources. How bad of a thing is this? Or should we only be concerned if they are dumping frac water? I also had a guy threaten to take my camera when i tried to take some pics so i waited til i caught a fish and put them in the background. Comments?
 

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Perhaps they were drawing water illegally without a permit, thus the threat about taking pictures. I would contact the DEP about what you saw. I don't have a contact for southwestern PA but the EPA hotline may be able to help. 1-877-919-4EPA. Good luck and thanks for noticing. People need to be vigilant about these kind of incidents.
 
I've noticed two Marcellus drilling rigs in the Yough watershed already. Hopefully these trucks were just drawing water and did have a permit. Thanks for your concern.
 
I suggest reporting the threat to take your camera. They have no right to do that.
 
Yeah, they take water from surface water sources. Supposed to be a permit system, in the Ohio drainage I think the DEP handles the permits. In a stream that big, I don't know that it matters, but in smaller streams I'd like to know whether there are flow restrictions on when they're allowed to withdraw water.

I see nothing illegal, except the threat to take your camera. Troutbert is right, they have no right to even threaten you about it.
 
Good that you were vigilant. When a truck like that pulls up and places a hose in the water, there is no way of knowing from a distance whether they are discharging a liquid or solid or only drawing water. With the threat about your camera and the general tendency of these outfits to cut corners, I'd say there was a good chance they were up to no good. If they were legal, you only wasted a phone call.

I would give DEP the locqation, a description of the vehicles, the names, if any on the sides of the vehicles, license plate numbers and any other information you could gather, including the pictures. DEP will check and make sure there is an existing permit to draw in that location.

As for whether they discharged (or "rinsed" their tanks), you would need more proof before DEP will make any such assumption. They know about illegal draws and if the outfit wasn't permitted, they'll follow the suspicion of an illegal discharge as far as they can. Unfortunately, proof-wise, you almost have to catch them red-handed.
 
Please call!!!!
 
Absolutely make the call! You have every right to take whatever picture you want on public land...
 
Called the eyes on drilling hotline yesterday. They told me those guys do have a permit. As for the threats about the camera, basically its a he said she said kind of thing. I was also told many of these guys are on edge from all the media pressure especially after hbo ran the gasland documentary. He said that there wasno excuse for that. They looked top see if there were any other complaints with this crew and all that was listed were some noise complaints about the vacume trucks and increased truck traffic in town. He encouraged me and others to keep an eye on any of the drill crews we encounter and said that they could never have enough people to help watch them.
 
Thank you for following up and making the call. So the heat is on from the Gasland documentary. Truth hurts doesn't it.
 
YES YES YES, call and report it. also report the threat to take your camera. no one has any right to make that threat. if they were doing something legal, why the threats??
great job getting a pic, hopefully some action will take place.
 
sorry, just read you already reported it, great job!! as for those threats about taking your camera, they should only be given if a kick in the b@((S is expected back!!
these guys should be on edge, and we should be watching!!! it's our resources at risk!
 
Just curious, Do the drillers pay anyone for the water drawn from the stream? Supposedly the water is owned by the Commonwealth, you and me. I understand a permit fee but does it mean as much as they need as often and what about low pool?

Also, drillers are looking at a spot on the West Branch of the Susquehanna near Hyners Run State Park to withdraw up to a million gallons a day for shale drilling. Permit declined by Chapman Township zoning and of course, Anadarko Petroleum is appealing. The PABFC has already turned down two spots on Pine Creek as unacceptable for withdrawal sites and the drillers are looking at other spots currently.

Jim Kearney
 
I'm glad NY still doesn't allow fracking. No offense, but you guys are screwed. No one should have to put up with this stuff.
 
There was a recent fish kill in this area and any suspicious activity should be reported immediately.
 
albud1962.............where in the Mechanicsburg area was there a fishkill? I'm not rying to be a smartass , it's just that after moving back out west here i don't get the news on stuff like that and i'm really concerned and interested in what happens in all of our states waters and woods , was the problem in the Susky? or was it a smaller water like the Conodoguinnet or Breeches? I'd appreciate any info , thanks.
 
albud, did you mean on the Yough?

There was a fish kill right below where these guys are taking water in Dawson at the beginning of the summer: my brother discovered and reported it, but when he heard back he was told that there was no way to determine what exactly had caused these fish to die. Apparently--for roughly 300 yards--on the bank just below the put-in at Dawson, there were lots of dead fish. Suckers, carp, bass, bait fish, etc . . .

I was at the Dawson ramp the other day putting a boat in and passed nine trucks waiting in line for water. There were already four loading up. I spoke with one of the drivers and he said that they were running water for this outfit 24 hours a day and that each truck held 4,000 gallons of water.

But

I will say that I haven't seen any noticeable impact on the fish or the fishing down there this summer. Nevertheless, best to keep a watchful eye.
 
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