Toxic Contamination From Natural Gas Wells
The New York Times collected data from more than 200 natural gas wells in Pennsylvania. Many of them are tapping into the Marcellus Shale, a vast underground rock formation. But a method being used to stimulate wells, called hydraulic fracturing, produces wastewater containing corrosive salts and radioactive and carcinogenic materials. In Pennsylvania, this wastewater has been sent through sewage treatment plants that cannot remove some of the contaminants before the water is discharged into rivers and streams that provide drinking water. The Times was able to map 149 of the wells.
Source: NYTimes (2/27/110) Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers
Response to NYTimes Article
See former Secretary of PA DEP, John Hanger response at http://johnhanger.blogspot.com/2011/02/statement-regarding-sunday-nyt-february.html
Insights to Pennsylvania Marcellus Wastewater Treatment (Penn State University -- Marcellus Edu & Outreach Center)
Pa.'s attempts to track gas drilling waste flawed / Wall Street Journal (3/10/12)
http://online.wsj.com/article/AP846de77b9e4c41dbb94ddb76dca74dd6.html