The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has released a position paper on natural gas drilling in our area. You can download the paper here [.pdf] or on the PWD’s Office of Watersheds website. Their recommendations include:
1. Advanced notification of accidents and spills relating to Marcellus Shale (i.e., a commitment by all dischargers, facilities and transporters of wastewater from fracturing to join the Delaware Valley Early Warning System).
2. Baseline monitoring to observe long‐term impacts with funding support
from the gas industry.3. No discharges of wastewater from fracturing above Philadelphia’s intakes on the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers.
4. Restoration and reforestation of all lands that are impacted by gas drilling and related activities, including access roads, when drilling is complete, as required on state game lands and forests.
5. A cumulative impact study of the long‐term implications of natural gas drilling for Philadelphia’s drinking water supply.
6. A task force to help guide items 1‐5. The task force should represent a diversity of stakeholders including the gas industry.
7. A commitment by DEP and DRBC to consider the recommendations from the cumulative impact study and to update regulations accordingly.
We are thankful for the serious consideration that PWD is giving to this very important issue!
