Gas at a glance

BUS TRIPS FOR DUELING CITIZEN RALLIES IN ALBANY PLANNED

The cost to claim a seat on the bus to the citizens rally and lobby day to “protect New York’s air, land and water from the consequences of hydro-fracking” has been reduced to $10. Busses will depart from Narrowsburg and Livingston Manor, NY on January 25. The rally will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by meetings with legislators. Visit www.catskillmountainkeeper.org for more information.

On the other side of the issue, landowners are planning to travel to the capital on the same day for a counter event called the “Say YES to Marcellus, Stop the Frackin’ Lies” rally. The event is being hosted by Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York and various landowner groups. Busses are leaving from various spots around the state. For more information visit www.cnylandcoalition.org.

DEP FINES M.R. DIRT FOR WASTE SLUDGE SPILL

The PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has fined M.R. Dirt Inc. of Bradford County $6,000 for a residual waste sludge spill last September at the Avis exit of U.S. Route 220 in Pine Creek Township, Clinton County. “M.R. Dirt was clearly negligent because a company employee drove away even though he observed that the seven tons of gas well drilling wastewater sludge had spilled from his vehicle,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell. A nearby PennDOT work crew witnessed the incident and contacted the county emergency management agency that, in turn, notified DEP. After investigating the spill, DEP requested M.R. Dirt to hire a cleanup contractor and the company complied. The fine was paid to the Solid Waste Abatement Fund that is used to pay for cleanups across the state.

DEP FINES ATLAS FOR VIOLATIONS

The DEP has fined Atlas Resources, LLC $85,000 for violations of the Oil and Gas Act, the Clean Streams Law and the Solid Waste Management Act at 13 well sites in Fayette, Washington and Greene counties. The violations, which occurred between December 8, 2008, and July 31, 2009, fall into three categories: Atlas failed to implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures to prevent off-site discharges of silt-laden runoff onto the ground at six well sites; Atlas failed to restore two well sites by establishing the appropriate perennial vegetative cover within nine months of completion of drilling; and Atlas discharged residual and industrial waste, including diesel fuel and production fluids, onto the ground at seven of the 13 well sites. For more information visit www.depweb.state.pa.us or call 412/442-4000.

COLLEGE OFFERS MARCELLUS JOBS TRAINING

Pennsylvania College of Technology, through its Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center (MSETC), will offer training targeting the needs of the oil and gas industry at its North Campus near Wellsboro starting in January. The first offering will be a 160-hour pre-employment program providing the safety and technical skills necessary for an entry-level position as a roustabout. A 180-hour commercial-driver training course will be offered in February. Topics include close-quarter maneuvering, operating class “A” equipment on lease roads, and high-center loads, in addition to common skills necessary for a typical commercial driver. Other classes will include Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety training, programmable logic controllers, roughneck training and well-operator training. Penn College also has resources available for oil and gas companies that are new to the region. For more information visit www.pct.edu/msetc or call 570/724-7703 or e-mail msetc@pct.edu .

SRBC TO INSTALL WATER MONITORS

In response to growing concerns about water quality impacts from natural gas drilling, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) has announced it will establish an enhanced water monitoring system throughout the basin. The devices will monitor temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and water clarity to help pinpoint sources and times of polluting discharges. According to The Times Leader, the system of monitors would report in real time to a website, where the public could check various water conditions. East Resources, Inc., a natural gas company based in Warrendale, PA will contribute $750,000 to the cost of the monitors. The SRBC is allocating $250,000 of its own funding toward the project. Each monitor station costs at least $20,000.