Pa. Releases List of Drinking-Water Wells Contaminated by Drilling
Pennsylvania has released a list of drinking-water wells contaminated by oil and gas drilling, ending a standoff with environmental groups, which have been requesting the information for years.
The state Department of Environmental Protection yesterday published an online list of 243 drinking water wells that state regulators found were contaminated by methane gas, wastewater spills and other pollutants.
The cases from 2008 to 2014 coincided with the spike in drilling in the Marcellus Shale play. Green groups and news organizations had sought information on drinking water contamination for years but had been rebuffed by the state until yesterday's document dump.
"I guess this is a step in the right direction," said Thomas Au of the Pennsylvania Sierra Club chapter. "But this is something that should have been made public a long time ago."
The records show water contamination in 22 counties, with the highest concentration in northeastern Pennsylvania. The state's auditor general said in a report last month that DEP's response to drilling-related complaints has been "woefully inadequate."
Still, industry groups pushed back on the findings, saying oil and gas companies shouldn't be blamed for the pollution.
"Our industry works closely and tirelessly with regulators and others to ensure that we protect our environment," said Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer
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