Updated with Pics: Drilling Mud Runoff in Conneauttee Creek

Did anyone see the short story on the Erie news about drilling mud discharging into a trib of Conneauttee Creek which is a trib of French Creek? The stream that runs through Edinboro University campus looked like light gray paint but the Pa DEP said everything is ok because the mud is super fine and doesn't settle out. Just try searching the effects of suspended solids on aquatic ecosystems on google and then tell me that the mud is not hurting the creeks. I'm all for geothermal drilling but do it cleanly. I talked to a friend that works at EUP and he said this has been happening 4 to 5 days out of the week and its been happening since last fall. No one seems to care. Conneauttee is a stocked trout stream and this whole thing is being swept under the rug by the people in charge of keeping our environment safe and clean. Would anybody be interested in seeing some pics if I go take some?

I would take those pics to your rep. or email them .

This is what drives me NUTS. I love the outdoors and want it protected. If your a small guy and want to log or strip mine a few acres, they will put you through the meat grinder. Now if you are a big gas company, you can just come in start drilling. They will get commissions together, a couple of years later and see if it is harmful and safe. meanwhile the DEP acts like a litte puppy around the drillers and I think they are licking them, like the puppy would.

This picture is the small stream on campus about a hundred yards down stream from the storm drain discharge.  The creek looks like light gray paint.  In person, you can see what looks like a bath tub ring of gray at the waters edge...

+1 Send those pixs to the media. Thats just not good at all!
 
 

ORIGINAL: capcity_tim

Take pics... lots of em.. email them to everyone and anyone.. newspapers.. post em here.. send them to your reps..

send them here even..

http://susquehannariverwatch.tumblr.com/eyesontheriver

It will effect gills on fish, aquatic insects and possibly the endanger clams in French Creek.  It will most likely have an impact on fish reproduction when it silts up the nests and starves the eggs of oxygen.  Only god knows what short and long term effects this will have on the streams that are involved with this whole mess.  I look at these pics and wonder why no one is taking this serious.  Isn't there a huge group that helps protect French Creek?  If so, then someone needs to tell them about this and show them these pics...

DEP top brass must OK all Marcellus regulation, memo says

Read more: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/11089/1135894-503.stm#ixzz1IAPN9jWE


http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-30/news/29362057_1_drilling-companies-marcellus-shale-coalition-dep-regions

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/11089/1135894-503.stm

Think part of the problem is the fact that everyone working for the state is afraid to make waves right now because of the new gov. budget cuts, but what if they'd put that tax on extraction for the gas drillers, then there would be more money to police this kind of stuff and less fear amongst the state employees about job security, don't think the new gov. cares too much about the enviromnment long as his buddies can drill, drill , drill!

I don't know where this is, but according to Bughawk and the original poster, this drilling is NOT Marcellus drilling. It is drillin gfor a geothermal heating and cooling system for a building at the college.

I'm anti-Marcellus drilling, just want the blame placed where it belongs.

Thanks for stepping in and clarifying that it's not Marcellus drilling. The fact is, if it were, it would not be happening. Say what you will and believe what you want but the spotlight that is on anything marcellus related right now is pretty intense. Not discouting that there need to be regulations in place but they should be enforced across the board. Timber guys get away with this type of activity all the time because they don't have an entire DEP division responsible for oversight like the O&G guys do. Wouldn't surprise me at all if this were happening as a direct result of the atention to the marcellus. While out over regulating operators who are doing the right thing, situations like this are allowed to go on every day. Good example here of the medias influence when several folks even after presented with the facts in the first posts just assumed it had to be marcellus related. Just some food for thought.

I am not all pro on the Marcellus drilling but they are being blamed for everything that is happening at this time.  Here local alot of wells are going dry because of it.   The bad part is we dont have one single  Marcellus well in the county.  We all have a habit of trying to blame things that happen on something.. Marcellus drilling is bringing a lot of money to the area and may save it.  We are in bad times with the Corbet cuts and need to find soothing to help the area.  I would rather see drilling in my area then a Nuke Plant.

Please look into things before posting and reporting the evils of items but when they are bad go at them full tilt.

This post was not intended to **** the practice of drilling in it's entirety.  I am neither pro or against any type of drilling.  Drilling can bring a much needed source of income to many areas of PA.  It needs to be done responsibly, cleanly and with the supervision of the agencies that are in charge of permitting the drilling in whatever type it may be.  I apologize if any one mistakenly thought this was about marcellus shale drilling.  My original post was meant only to bring light to the damage that the geothermal well drilling is doing to a watershed in Edinboro PA.  Speaking of damage to the stream, I did a walk of about 300 yard of the stream on campus last week, down stream of the drilling discharge which has stopped for now, and I did not see one aquatic creature in the stream.  In the past, that stream was filled with minnows this time of year.  I hope it is just a temporary thing and that this section of stream will come back to life after all the drilling is complete and the gray sediment is washed out by rain.  Right now it is just a stream with a light gray film on everything and is devoid of aquatic life.  I'm only one man so until other people on this site and in the general public decide to start making calls and getting involved, instead of just telling me to do it, then this one man is going to continued to be ignored by all the officials that are responsible for the drilling oversight...

may save the area and kill all waterlife in the area too. and i guess if thats all you care about is the area then so be it but dont come crying when the waterways and wells and stuff are ruined, and nobody was blaming marcellus drilling on this if you bother to read the post. and he has a legit complaint look at the pics what more do you need.Oh and go try to get a job with them you better know someone so that really helps the area out doesnt it.