Time an ally
Delays in drilling rules allow time to ensure care in process
stargazette.com
July 10, 2009
Landowners, economic development leaders and even local governments are getting itchy for New York to update its gas-drilling regulations that would allow horizontal hydraulic fracturing into natural gas deposits. With lucrative lease payments, royalties and taxes at stake, it's no wonder that residents and officials across the Southern Tier and ranging north into Central New York are eager for the state Department of Environmental Conservation to get the new rules finished.That job was expected to be done by end of this summer. Now the timeline could stretch into next year. The eagerness of those who would benefit from drilling into the gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation is understandable. Gas drillers and exploration companies, such as Schlumberger Technology Corp. that is planning an 87-acre Horseheads complex, are eager to for a return on their investment. Property owners, too, want to see larger checks rolling in.
But patience, please. The state's cautious approach is not a bad thing, especially in protecting the environment and the public from potential problems that could arise from horizontal drilling. There's something to be said for taking time to look at how the process has worked elsewhere, and then applying that learning to structuring a strong regulatory and monitoring system in New York.
The delay in the final regulations also buys time for communities to consider how they might handle extra truck traffic involved in gas drilling and how, or whether, they are equipped to handle any wastewater that might come their way from hydraulic fracturing, which involves shooting a mixture of water and other elements into the shale and then recovering it for treatment.
Warnings about where that water gets treated came up during a meeting Wednesday of a committee that oversees the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Plant. A consultant with the MRB Group, an engineering and architectural firm based in the Rochester area, advised caution about accepting wastewater from hydraulic fracturing. Jimmie Joe Carl noted that some treatment plants that have done so in Pennsylvania have caused an increased presence of solids and certain chemicals in downstream areas.
His warning should be heeded. Despite the allure of extra revenue for treating the fracturing mixture, it can sometimes be more than a plant can handle. The potential harm is another reason why this drilling process, while common in states such as Pennsylvania, should be thoroughly understood and regulated before New York gets deeply involved.
There are alternatives available. For example, a Williamsport company earlier this year had its eye on an old factory building in Waverly that could be used to treat the fracturing fluid and extract some of the contaminants for other uses, such as road salt. The remaining water could then be reused for drilling.
Options such as a standalone treatment plant could minimize risks to the environment, and they're worth exploring while the state finalizes regulations. Time is on New York's side in this matter. Officials would be wise to use it to their advantage. |
