Marcellus Shale Wastewater Issues in Pennsylvania-Current and Emerging Treatment and Disposal Technologies - an eight-page fact sheet on treatment and disposal strategies for marcellus wastewaters. Penn State Extension
Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Analysis of Natural Gas Extraction and Delivery in the United States - presentation by Timothy J. Skone, P.E., National Energy Technology Laboratory, Office of Strategic Energy Analysis and Planning, U.S. Department of Energy. (5/12/2011)
Natural Gas Drilling: Public Health and Environmental Impacts - U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing held on April 12, 2011. View the testimony or view the archived webcast.
Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing - by S.G. Osborn, A. Vengosh, N.R. Warner, and R.B. Jackson, Duke University. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Early Edition, April 14, 2011.
Draft Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources - published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on February 7, 2011. This report covers the concerns about risks to drinking water supplies from the hydraulic fracturing process. It will be submitted to the EPA Science Advisory Board for review before being finalized. Stakeholders and the public will have an opportunity ro provide comments to the Board during the review.
Reptile, Amphibian and Small Mammal Species Associated with Natural Gas Development in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia - USDA Forest Service paper NRS-10. By: Moseley, K.R., Ford, W.M., Edwards, J.W., Adams, M.B.
How Energy Choices Affect Fresh Water Supplies: A Comparison of U.S. Coal and Natural Gas - a WorldWatch Institute Briefing Paper by Emily Grubert and Saya Kitasei (November, 2010).
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry: Background Technical Support Document - from Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emmissions and Sinks: 1990 - 2008, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 430-R-10-006) (April 15, 2010).
Fugitive Emissions - from Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emmissions and Sinks: 1990 - 2008, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 430-R-10-006) (April 15, 2010).
EPA Initiates Hydraulic Fracturing Study
Hydraulic Fracturing Research: Potential Relationships Between Hydraulic Fracturing and Drinking Water Resources - EPA (March, 2010) Information on the EPA Science Advisory Board - http://www.epa.gov/sab
Impacts on Community Character of Horizontal Drilling & High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in Marcellus Shale and other Low Permeability Reservoirs, Report prepared by: NTC Consultants for the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Modern Shale Gas Development in the U.S.: A Primer Disclaimer: The 2005 Energy Policy Act amended the Safe Drinking Water Act to exclude hydraulic fracturing fluids from its 'Underground Injection Control' provisions. The NYS DEC makes note of this amendment, but states that "..protection of groundwater resources during oil and gas extraction activities is a responsibility of state government". Visit the DEC for implications for gas development in NYS with respect to federal laws: SDWA, CWA and Community Right-to-Know.
Potential Development of the Natural Gas Resources in the Marcellus Shale - National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
Water Resources and Natural Gas Production from the Marcellus Shale - by Daniel J. Soeder and William M. Kappel, U.S. Geological Survey (May, 2009)
Dallas-Fort Worth earthquakes coincident with activity associated with natural gas production. Authors: Cliff Frohlich & Eric Potter, University of Texas, Austin and Chris Hayward & Brian Stump, Southern Methodist University. Society of Exploration Geophysicists journal (March 10, 2010).
Specific Health and Environmental Issues
Environmental Issues (New York)
Methane and the Greenhouse-Gas Footprint of Natural Gas from Shale Formations - online peer-reviewed article by Robert Howarth, Renee Santoro, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University and Anthony Ingraffea, School of Civil Engineering, Cornell University. (March, 2011)
The Role of Isotopes in Monitoring Water Quality - a review and discussion of stable isotope techniques for diagnosing the origin of methane contamination in private water wells. Water Resources Institute, Cornell University (February 17, 2011)
Evaluation of Reclamation Efforts from Pipeline Right of Way Construction Using the Cornell Soil Health Test - Robert Schindelbeck and Harold van Es, What's Cropping Up? Vol.20 No.2, Cornell University.
Using Soil Health Indicators to Follow Carbon Dynamics in Disturbed Urban Environments: A Case Study of Gas Pipeline Right of Way Construction - by Robert Schindelbeck and Harold van Es, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University. (2011) Monitoring for Water Resource Impacts: Risks and Science - a Marcellus Shale webinar. Presenter: Brian Rahm, Post Doctoral Associate, NYS Water Resources Institute, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University. To access the webinar slides as a PDF, click here. Questions may be directed to Dr. Rahm: bgr4@cornell.edu
New test assesses impact of gas drilling, pipeline construction on soil health - Cornell Chronicle (3/31/10)
New York State Water Resources Institute
Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Drilling and Water Quality Issues - Cornell Cooperative Extension
The Marcellus Gas resource by Lawrence M. Cathles, Professor, Dept. of Earth and Atomospheric Sciences, Cornell University (April 22, 2010).
Venting and Leaking of Methane from Shale Gas Development: Response to Cathles et al. by Robert Howarth, Renee Santoro, and Anthony Ingraffea, published in Climatic Change, January 2010
Robert W. Howarth, David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology and Environmental Biology, Cornell University Co-Chair, Committee on Energy & Environment, Council of Scientific Society Presidents:
A Commentary on "The Greenhouse Gas Footprint of Natural Gas in Shale Formations" by R. W. Howarth, R. Santoro, and Anthony Ingraffea written by Lawrence M. Cathles, Larry Brown, and Andrew Hunter.
Contamination of Private Water Supplies by Gas Well Drilling in New York State, by Stephen Penningroth, PhD Executive Director, Community Science Institute, 2009.
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: Marcellus Shale website
Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program - NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
The Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement.... (pdf) presentation by David Kay, Sr. Extension Associate, CaRDI (November, 2009).
Cornell University faculty and associates comments submitted on the DEC draft SGEIS:
- To view comments addressing the following: Click here
-Regional economic effects
-Land use patterns
-Generic Environmental Impact Statements, Community Character & Cumulative Impact Analysis
-DEC regulations and expectations on drilling multi-well pads
-Community character impact
- Comments addressing Cumulative Impacts
Comments submitted by Cornell University faculty and associates on the DEC draft SGEIS:
Other States - water and air quality issues in other states
Frequently Asked Questions
Environmental Issues