Muszynski - concerns about groundwater and surface water

MONTICELLO – A Delaware River Basin Commission engineer says the two states that share the upper Delaware River are reasonably up to speed with Marcellus Shale exploration.  

William Muszynski said they are paying particular concern to water resources, and the chemicals used in the gas extraction process.

“We want to make sure, again, that the groundwater structure and the surface water in the area are protected, not just from withdrawal aspect, but that if you withdraw water, you may injure that stream, just by taking water out.  But, also, as they inject, and take this material out of the ground, that it is handled properly and not reintroduced either in ground or surface water.”

Muszynski and County Legislature Chairman Jonathan Rouis say they believe the state is keeping pace.

“We need to balance the economic opportunities for landowners with making sure it is done in a responsible manner, which, I think is one of the things you heard today that was …  We have to watch this.  There’s probably a mechanism to move forward in a way that is proper and safe.”

The vast Marcellus Shale formation underlies most of the Catskills

Legislator Dave Sager said what Rouis is talking about is not happening.  He contends both the DRBC and state Department of Environmental Conservation are dropping the ball.

“I feel that we’ve been sold out by the DEC and our local enforcement agencies.  You can have strict enforcement and yet still have the project go forward, and on an issue like self-containment with these steel tanks or whatever else, I think that it has got to be a lot more cost effective for the initial purchase of several steel tanks to go with the well.”

Sager said the states, and the DRBC seem to be accepting a model that includes constructed in-ground containment ponds.

The DRBC and most Sullivan officials, Rouis and Sager included, say the exploration and drilling will happen.  The concern is over how to make it happen in the least invasive way.