Expert says all Pa. oil, gas waste needs treatment
PITTSBURGH — A former top environmental official says Pennsylvania's successful efforts to keep Marcellus Shale wastewater away from drinking water supplies should be extended to all other oil and gas drillers.
George Jugovic Jr. (YOOG'-o-vich) says conventional wells produce the same salty contaminants as the Marcellus wells. He's now president of PennFuture, an environmental group.
An analysis by The Associated Press found that a loophole still allows potentially harmful oil and gas wastewater to end up in drinking water supplies. An AP analysis of state data shows that in the second half of 2011, about 78 million gallons of drilling wastewater from conventional wells went into treatment plants that discharge into rivers.
DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday says the agency encourages wastewater recycling. He didn't say why Pennsylvania allows the loophole.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. George Jugovic Jr. (YOOG'-o-vich) says conventional wells produce the same salty contaminants as the Marcellus wells. He's now president of PennFuture, an environmental group.
An analysis by The Associated Press found that a loophole still allows potentially harmful oil and gas wastewater to end up in drinking water supplies. An AP analysis of state data shows that in the second half of 2011, about 78 million gallons of drilling wastewater from conventional wells went into treatment plants that discharge into rivers.
DEP spokesman Kevin Sunday says the agency encourages wastewater recycling. He didn't say why Pennsylvania allows the loophole.
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- The reason the loophole exisits is because of oil company pressure and political donations.Lobyist for the oil companies wield money like a sword to control state and federal lawmakers to reach their goals in legislation. This madness must stop. We should ban all lobyist everywhere in the nation so that have no incentives to vote for any perks for organizations, business or non-business alike. As long as lobyist can ply their trade we the people lose at every turn.
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