Fracking in Public Forests Leaves Long Trail of Damages, Struggling State Regulators

Cornell University Professor Anthony Ingraffea recently reviewed state data on environmental violations in Pennsylvania state forests, including the 100,000-acre Loyalsock forest in the north central part of the state, a popular tourist destination and the focus of a local controversy over fracking.  Over 59 percent of the Marcellus wells already drilled in the Loyalsock had never been inspected, Prof. Ingraffea found, and over a quarter of wells on state lands had no inspection reports available to the public.

Of the wells that were inspected, at least six Marcellus wells in Pennsylvania’s state forest had begun leaking, including at least 2 of the 86 Marcellus wells in the Loyalsock.  These leaks developed despite a long list of additional restrictions for drillers on state land, and promises from state officials to keep an especially sharp eye on drilling on public property.

In fact, across Pennsylvania, the data show that Marcellus wells have been leaking at a disturbing rate.  Up to 13 percent of shale wells drilled before 2009 have already developed leaks in their casings, the protective layer of cement and steel that is designed to isolate oil, gas, wastewater and chemicals from the surrounding rocks and aquifers, Mr. Ingraffea said in a December 12 TEDx talk.

Fracking in Public Forests Leaves Long Trail of Damages, Struggling State Regulators