The Better Path Coalition is asking the public to sign a petition to DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell to keep ALL oil and gas drilling wastewater off our roads.

A policy brief by the Coalition uncovered the fact 2.3 million gallons of conventional oil and gas wastewater has been spread on dirt and gravel roads from 2018 through 2020.  [Read more here.]

The road spreading had been done under a loophole in DEP's Residual Waste regulations allowing the use of wastes as Coproducts.

DEP recently determined the justifications for road spreading submitted by conventional oil and gas drillers do not meet the Residual Waste regulations, however, that will not stop road spreading in the future.  [Read more here.]

DEP officially lists 84 townships as “Waste Facilities” where conventional oil and gas wastewater has been disposed of by road spreading.  [Read more here.]

DEP banned the road spreading of drilling wastewater from unconventional (shale) gas operators in 2016.

Wastewater from conventional oil and gas operations has a very similar chemical make up and presents similar threats.

Since August of last year, Penn State and others have added to a growing body of research results documenting the potential harms to public health and the environment from road spreading oil and gas drilling wastewater.   [Read more science here.  Read more science here.]

The Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies has advised townships for years that road spreading oil and gas wastewater is not only an “environmentally unsound practice,” it can cause water pollution and damage roads.  [Read more here]

“Yea, it does suppress dust, but so would plain water for a while without all the potential side effects,” said Steve Bloser, Executive Director of the Center.  [Read more here]

Eric Chase from the Center added, “Any liquid you put on the roads is going to suppress dust for a little while, right?  But, the fact of the matter is the high sodium brines are just not very effective.”  [Read more here]

Townships have been advised to do their due diligence on any company offering to spread drilling wastewater on their dirt and gravel roads to make sure they comply with DEP’s Residual Waste regulations.  [Read more here]

DEP recently made public a draft regulation increasing environmental standards for conventional oil and gas drilling, however it had no provision banning road spreading of wastewater.  [Read more here.]

Conventional oil and gas drillers are pressing DEP to reduce environmental safeguards for drilling across the board.  [Read more here.]

Click Here to review and sign the petition.

(Photos: Road spreading, Taking Samples After Spreading.)

NewsClip:

--  The Allegheny Front - Reid Frazier: Despite Moratorium, 2 Million Gallons Of Conventional Oil & Gas Waste Spread On PA Roads Since 2018

Related Articles This Week:

-- Better Path Coalition Presents Jan. 12 Webinar On Road Spreading Drilling Wastewater, Why Hasn't It Stopped?

-- DEP Draft Rule Does Not Ban Road Spreading Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater; Industry Objects To Waste Reporting Provisions

-- Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drillers Press DEP To Reduce Environmental Safeguards For Drilling And Treat Them The Same As Wind, Solar Energy Facilities

-- Environmental Health Project: Feb. 22 Shale Gas & Public Health: Translating Science Into Policy Public Health Summit

Road Spreading Archive:

-- PA Environment Digest: All Road Spreading Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Articles

Related Articles:

-- Millions Of Gallons Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Spread Illegally On Dirt Roads, Companies Fail To Comply With DEP Waste Regulations

-- DEP Lists 84 Townships As ‘Waste Facilities’ Where Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Has Been Disposed Of By Road Spreading; Municipalities Need To Do Their Due Diligence

-- The Science Says: Spreading Conventional Drilling Wastewater On Dirt & Gravel Roads Can Harm Aquatic Life, Poses Health Risks To Humans - And It Damages The Roads

-- Preliminary Results From New Penn State Study Find Increased Cancer, Health Risks From Road Dumping Conventional Drilling Wastewater, Especially For Children

-- Penn State Center For Dirt & Gravel Road Studies: Road Dumping Of Oil & Gas Wastewater To Control Dust Is Environmentally Unsound Practice

-- A First-Hand Account Of How Repeated, Unlimited Road Dumping Of Oil & Gas Drilling Wastewater Is Tearing Apart Dirt Roads And Creating Multiple Environmental Hazards

[Posted: January 6, 2022]

1/10/2022