The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) has issued a letter of concern about the proposed withdrawal of 700,000 gallons of water a day, from the narrow West Branch of the Lackawaxen River, in northern Wayne County.
Approved at their meeting in Narrowsburg Thursday night, the UDC is responding to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) regarding Stone Energy Corporation. The natural gas firm had a public hearing before the DRBC February 24th. The firm has applied to operate a gas well in Clinton Township, and withdraw the water from the river in adjoining Mount Pleasant Township. The water is needed for the fracking process, to force natural gas from the Marcellus Shale deep below the Clinton property.
The UDC exists to oversee the River Management Plan put in place to protect the resources of the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River. Although the proposed water withdrawal site is located outside of the Upper Delaware corridor, they are located within the watershed area of concern.
“We are particularly concerned about the cumulative impacts of all development and activities associated with natural gas extraction, and the potential industrialization of the watershed, as thousands of natural gas wells could be proposed in the future,” UDC Chairman Harold Roeder states in the letter. “There does not appear to be any master plan for all the necessary infrastructure, which could have a profound effect on the environment.”
Concerned that as many as 10,000 wells could be drilled in the portion of the Marcellus Shale within the Delaware River Basin, the UDC notes that 40 billion gallons or more of water for hydrofracking could be required. “This represents a tremendous additional burden on the high quality water resource of the Delaware Basin,” Roeder states. The UDC is calling for a thorough cumulative impact study of how water withdrawal and transfer of waste water will affect the basin.
They also question the minimum pass-by flow in the West Branch of the Lackawaxen in low water conditions, is based on scientific studies. Stone Energy is allowing for a flow of 5.9 cubic feet per second, or 25 percent of average daily flow. Whether this is enough to support aquatic life needs to be known.
“We find it difficult to understand why the applicant would propose a 0.7 million gallon per day water withdrawal on this small tributary at a site which represents only an 11.45 square mile drainage area, especially when there are larger water bodies closer to the well site where this water will be utilized,” Roeder penned.
Also being questioned is whether the high volume of truck traffic needed by the project will transfer more invasive species.
The UDC advises that a time limit be placed on how long wastewater may be stored on the site before it is removed and disposed of. “We recommend that all wastewater be enclosed and not stored in open pits,” says the letter.
Finally, the UDC urges that nothing be constructed in the Lackawaxen flood plain.
A copy of testimony from the hearing, given by the Lackawaxen Conservancy, asks the DRBC for protection of water quality and temperature on the Lackawaxen, an important trout stream. The DRBC is asked to defer approval until stringent protective regulations are in place and that the gas industry is made to comply with the regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act, from which it is currently exempt.
Comment by April 12
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has extended the period for submitting written comments on the proposed Stone Energy Surface Water Withdrawal and Natural Gas Well Site dockets to 5 p.m., April 12, 2010.
E-mail: Paula.Schmitt@drbc.state.nj.us
Fax: (609)883-9522
US Mail: P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360
Include: The name, affiliation (if any) and address of the commenter and the subject line “Public Comment – Stone Energy Dockets.”
Info (including the draft dockets): www.drbc.net
