Mayor Larson emailed today to say that he has been in contact with Bill Hartnett, Governor Strickland's legislative assistant. It seems the governor's office is aware of the Bainbridge boondoggle (see earlier post on that issue).
Mr. John Christopher of the CF water department also called today; he is attempting to determine the exact longitude and latitude of the proposed drilling site to see if it falls inside the five-year safe zone for our water well field. If anyone has the exact GPS coordinates, please forward them to Mr. Christopher at:
christopherjs@cityofcf.com
In the meantime, thanks for all the hard work by many local volunteers.
Have a safe and blessed Christmas.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Could a gas/oil well in Munroe Falls affect your drinking water?
Nobody knows for sure, largely because HB278 eliminates all local control over drilling, and does not require any formal, independent evaluation of a drill site. If ODNR says it's okay, then it's okay.
The proposed drill site being discussed on this blog is located in a delicate spot, very close to the Cuyahoga and adjacent to the well field that supplies drinking water for almost 50,000 residents in Munroe Falls, Cuyahoga Falls, and Silver Lake.
It is my position that no well should be drilled without a proper site evaluation performed by an independent professional, an Ohio EPA study, and a public comment period. HB278 eliminates these safeguards.
Please contact your local government or state representative to share your views on this issue.
The proposed drill site being discussed on this blog is located in a delicate spot, very close to the Cuyahoga and adjacent to the well field that supplies drinking water for almost 50,000 residents in Munroe Falls, Cuyahoga Falls, and Silver Lake.
It is my position that no well should be drilled without a proper site evaluation performed by an independent professional, an Ohio EPA study, and a public comment period. HB278 eliminates these safeguards.
Please contact your local government or state representative to share your views on this issue.
Contact with Cuyahoga Falls
Debby Ritzinger, a Cuyahoga Falls council member, is contacting other members of CF council and asking them to support us with a resolution.
Thanks for the help, Ms. Ritzinger. It all helps. And we are all drinking from the same water supply.
Thanks for the help, Ms. Ritzinger. It all helps. And we are all drinking from the same water supply.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thanks, Cathy and Amy!
Cathy Laubaugh is really working hard on this issue, for which I am very grateful. She has asked Amy to draft a formal resolution opposing the gas/oil drilling. She and Amy will also contact Silver Lake and Cuyahoga Falls to see if they wish to support us or draft similar resolutions.
Not to put too fine a point on this, but these fine ladies could use some support! There are two ways for us to find out if the proposed drilling poses a significant danger to our water:
1) Force an independent study
2) Take our chances. I hope no elected official needs to explain why a contaminated water supply might have been avoided with a more proactive approach.
You don't need to be an MIT grad to handle that choice.
Finally, I find it odd that the local paper has not seen fit to print any of the editorials sent to them on this issue.
Not to put too fine a point on this, but these fine ladies could use some support! There are two ways for us to find out if the proposed drilling poses a significant danger to our water:
1) Force an independent study
2) Take our chances. I hope no elected official needs to explain why a contaminated water supply might have been avoided with a more proactive approach.
You don't need to be an MIT grad to handle that choice.
Finally, I find it odd that the local paper has not seen fit to print any of the editorials sent to them on this issue.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
December 18 Munroe Falls Council Meeting
At tonight's council meeting:
Mayor Larson referenced the news item from Bainbridge about problems traced to a recently drilled gas/oil well. (For more detail, please see yesterday's post on this blog.)
Councilman-elect Ron Meyer spoke before council and suggested that the city pass a resolution signed by the mayor, opposing the proposed gas/oil well. He also suggested that we contact the CEO of Sonoco; send a letter to the editor of the local paper in their home city of Hartsville, S.C.; and circulate a petition opposed to the drilling, signed by at least 500 Munroe Falls residents.
A petition might be particularly effective. However, gathering 500 signatures on such short notice would be difficult enough without the holiday season, so I suggest that we consider the following:
Pass a resolution in Munroe Falls co-sponsored by CF and Silver Lake that opposes any drilling until:
1) the issue is opened to a 90 day public comment period with at least two public meetings;
2) a more detailed site study is completed by an impartial third party;
3) Ohio EPA is consulted for a thorough evaluation of the proposed drilling site to assess any potential threat it may pose to our water supply.
Since the permit is already issued, time is of the essence. The resolution needs be passed quickly and forwarded as soon as possible to Sonoco and Governor Strickland's office with a request that the actual drilling be delayed until these conditions are met.
I have talked with a CF council member and the head of the CF water department, and they are concerned. I suspect their cooperation is available for the asking.
Mayor Larson referenced the news item from Bainbridge about problems traced to a recently drilled gas/oil well. (For more detail, please see yesterday's post on this blog.)
Councilman-elect Ron Meyer spoke before council and suggested that the city pass a resolution signed by the mayor, opposing the proposed gas/oil well. He also suggested that we contact the CEO of Sonoco; send a letter to the editor of the local paper in their home city of Hartsville, S.C.; and circulate a petition opposed to the drilling, signed by at least 500 Munroe Falls residents.
A petition might be particularly effective. However, gathering 500 signatures on such short notice would be difficult enough without the holiday season, so I suggest that we consider the following:
Pass a resolution in Munroe Falls co-sponsored by CF and Silver Lake that opposes any drilling until:
1) the issue is opened to a 90 day public comment period with at least two public meetings;
2) a more detailed site study is completed by an impartial third party;
3) Ohio EPA is consulted for a thorough evaluation of the proposed drilling site to assess any potential threat it may pose to our water supply.
Since the permit is already issued, time is of the essence. The resolution needs be passed quickly and forwarded as soon as possible to Sonoco and Governor Strickland's office with a request that the actual drilling be delayed until these conditions are met.
I have talked with a CF council member and the head of the CF water department, and they are concerned. I suspect their cooperation is available for the asking.
Stuff Happens
This news item from WKYC suggests that drilling is not risk-free (12-17-2007).
BAINBRIDGE -- There are still more questions then (sic) answers as to what caused a natural gas explosion in the home of a Bainbridge family Saturday.
Thelma and Rick Payne say they thought it was an earthquake when the were startled from their sleep by a natural gas explosion that rocked the Payne's home off it's very foundation.
No one was injured but 10 to 13 families had to be evacuated.
Through a news release Ohio Valley Energy says there is a natural gas build up in the water table in the English Road neighborhood just off of Bainbridge Road.
The company believes the gas came from a nearby well it drilled about one month ago.
The gas was drawn up into a number of water wells.
Those residents are still without water until the leak can be located and sealed.
Ohio Valley Energy is feeding and housing the families that are evacuated.
The company hopes to have the problem solved by Wednesday.
WKYC-TV
BAINBRIDGE -- There are still more questions then (sic) answers as to what caused a natural gas explosion in the home of a Bainbridge family Saturday.
Thelma and Rick Payne say they thought it was an earthquake when the were startled from their sleep by a natural gas explosion that rocked the Payne's home off it's very foundation.
No one was injured but 10 to 13 families had to be evacuated.
Through a news release Ohio Valley Energy says there is a natural gas build up in the water table in the English Road neighborhood just off of Bainbridge Road.
The company believes the gas came from a nearby well it drilled about one month ago.
The gas was drawn up into a number of water wells.
Those residents are still without water until the leak can be located and sealed.
Ohio Valley Energy is feeding and housing the families that are evacuated.
The company hopes to have the problem solved by Wednesday.
WKYC-TV
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Please Join In -- and Email a Friend
I am new to blogging, so additions and improvements to this site will come in fits and spurts, as time allows. If you tried to comment but had difficulty in doing so, accept my apology. Please feel free to comment. That means everyone, pro and con.
The entire purpose of this site is to open a public discussion.
Today, we added the "email a post" feature. At the bottom of each post, you'll see a small envelope; click on it to open the email window where you can select recipients for a given post.
The entire purpose of this site is to open a public discussion.
Today, we added the "email a post" feature. At the bottom of each post, you'll see a small envelope; click on it to open the email window where you can select recipients for a given post.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Where HB278 Fails
If there is a good part to this little gas/oil drilling drama, it's that an awareness is growing about the rather serious flaws in Ohio HB278. If you assume that our legislators have built in safeguards -- formal environmental studies, public discussion, and EPA oversight -- you are in for a shock.
Many are still unaware that ODNR in Columbus now assumes total control over drilling of gas and oil wells. In addition to superseding local regulations and zoning limitations :
1) HB278 requires no environmental study of a proposed well site.
2) HB278 does not obligate ODNR to seek the advice of EPA on the environmental impact of a well.
3) HB278 sets no precise standards for site assessment. The final decision making process is granted to the “chief” of the division. This lack of proper research, combined with absolute regulatory power, leads us to hope that the individual tasked with this responsibility will be both omniscient and infallible.
If you expect relief from the Federal Clean Water Act, you will be similarly disappointed. Per the EPA website, “Wastes generated during the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and geothermal energy are categorized by EPA as "special wastes" and are exempt from federal hazardous waste regulations under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/oil/index.htm#state
If you are concerned that this legislation has eliminated the safeguards provided by local control and public discussion, please share those thoughts with your elected representatives.
Ralph Birnbaum
12-14-07
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Sonoco Response
Today, I spoke with Mr. Ragland Coxe who handles Sonoco's real estate holdings and their development; he was kind enough to respond to a voice message left regarding the proposed drilling.
Mr. Coxe was interested and attentive, requesting additional information about my concerns, and providing an overview of Sonoco's position. He agreed to study EPA support materials about the susceptibility of the CF water field aquifer and expressed a willingness to act responsibly in this matter.
-Ralph Birnbaum 12-13-07
Mr. Coxe was interested and attentive, requesting additional information about my concerns, and providing an overview of Sonoco's position. He agreed to study EPA support materials about the susceptibility of the CF water field aquifer and expressed a willingness to act responsibly in this matter.
-Ralph Birnbaum 12-13-07
Talk First
A permit has been issued to drill a gas/oil well on Sonoco property in Munroe Falls, adjacent to the Cuyahoga River. My best guess is that the actual drilling is imminent. The proposed well is close to both the river and to the well field at Water Park that supplies drinking water to approximately 49,000 residents of Cuyahoga Falls, Munroe Falls, and Silver Lake. There is a problem with the water well site that makes it vulnerable to surface contamination. According to the Ohio EPA, the water reservoir --or "aquifer" -- from which we pump our public water "is not covered by low-permeability material, which means that there is no protection from contamination... A chemical spill in this zone (the drinking water source protection area) poses a greater threat to the drinking water, so this area warrants more stringent protection." An Ohio EPA official goes a bit further, stating that "ODNR's pollution potential map also shows the area of the well field and the area of the proposed oil and gas well to have one of the highest susceptibility ratings in Summit County."
In his email response to the caution, Mr. Steve Opritza, ODNR geologist replied to EPA that same day: "...it is our intention to impose special permit conditions for the Sonoco #1 well. These will require the producer to adhere to strict pit construction and wellbore casing standards." Mr. Opritza reiterated those sentiments to me in a phone conversation 12-11-2007, but could not guarantee the continued safety of the aquifer after drilling the Sonoco well, proposed safeguards notwithstanding. It is also my understanding that ODNR did not actively seek EPA input, which one would think would be an essential component of any permit procedure.
As stated in detail in the sidebar, HB278 removes all local control and oversight from the drilling process. However, this particular instance presents special issues that deserve our collective and closest scruntiny. At a minimum, this issue should be opened up for public discussion and addressed by the citizens whose drinking water may be affected. An independent assessment of associated risk should be conducted by an impartial third party expert. In pure dollars, the potential costs related to "cleaning" a contaminated water supply would seem to far outweigh any potential revenue generated by the well site. While the statistical probability of a catastrophic contamination can be reduced by imposing procedural guidelines and strictly monitoring the drilling process, we currently have no published or openly discussed risk assessment to consider.
I am sure that responsible local municipalities welcome the input of both the ODNR and EPA in making any assessment of a proposed drilling site. But removing all local input runs contrary to the best traditions of representative government.
I have contacted our local representatives. Mr. Coughlin has not deigned to respond to my email on this issue, sent 12/6/2007. Mr. Widowfield (a co-sponsor of HB 278) called me to defend his position supporting the bill, and promised a follow up (11/30/2007). I have heard nothing from him since.
There is a larger issue having to do with gas/oil drilling in general. A recent study presented by the National Resources Defense Council to a House committee in October listed several ominous health and environmental concerns related to gas and oil drilling--in general. One of the more sobering observations was that, "Among the toxic chemicals that can be released during oil and gas operations are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, radioactive materials, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, and mercury." I am not an expert in these matters, but the combination of potential toxins and the unique susceptibility of the water well field suggest that we proceed with extreme caution.
We have placed the NRDC report and several other support documents at the links below.
7701012 City of Cuyahoga Falls.pdf is a study of the Cuyahoga Falls water fields:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/7701012%20City%20of%20Cuyahoga%20Falls%20.pdf
Water. A report by the Natrural Resources Defense Council on drilling in western states:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Water.pdf
HB278. An overview of Ohio HB278
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/HB%20278.pdf
A map of aquifer susceptibility:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Aquifer%20Susceptibility.jpg
A map of Cuyahoga Falls depth to bedrock:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Cuy%20Falls%20Depth%20to%20Bedrock.jpg
Comments are open to any stakeholders. I'll do my best to use this space to keep all concerned parties informed of the situation as it evolves.
Ralph Birnbaum
Munroe Falls, OH
In his email response to the caution, Mr. Steve Opritza, ODNR geologist replied to EPA that same day: "...it is our intention to impose special permit conditions for the Sonoco #1 well. These will require the producer to adhere to strict pit construction and wellbore casing standards." Mr. Opritza reiterated those sentiments to me in a phone conversation 12-11-2007, but could not guarantee the continued safety of the aquifer after drilling the Sonoco well, proposed safeguards notwithstanding. It is also my understanding that ODNR did not actively seek EPA input, which one would think would be an essential component of any permit procedure.
As stated in detail in the sidebar, HB278 removes all local control and oversight from the drilling process. However, this particular instance presents special issues that deserve our collective and closest scruntiny. At a minimum, this issue should be opened up for public discussion and addressed by the citizens whose drinking water may be affected. An independent assessment of associated risk should be conducted by an impartial third party expert. In pure dollars, the potential costs related to "cleaning" a contaminated water supply would seem to far outweigh any potential revenue generated by the well site. While the statistical probability of a catastrophic contamination can be reduced by imposing procedural guidelines and strictly monitoring the drilling process, we currently have no published or openly discussed risk assessment to consider.
I am sure that responsible local municipalities welcome the input of both the ODNR and EPA in making any assessment of a proposed drilling site. But removing all local input runs contrary to the best traditions of representative government.
I have contacted our local representatives. Mr. Coughlin has not deigned to respond to my email on this issue, sent 12/6/2007. Mr. Widowfield (a co-sponsor of HB 278) called me to defend his position supporting the bill, and promised a follow up (11/30/2007). I have heard nothing from him since.
There is a larger issue having to do with gas/oil drilling in general. A recent study presented by the National Resources Defense Council to a House committee in October listed several ominous health and environmental concerns related to gas and oil drilling--in general. One of the more sobering observations was that, "Among the toxic chemicals that can be released during oil and gas operations are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, radioactive materials, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, and mercury." I am not an expert in these matters, but the combination of potential toxins and the unique susceptibility of the water well field suggest that we proceed with extreme caution.
We have placed the NRDC report and several other support documents at the links below.
7701012 City of Cuyahoga Falls.pdf is a study of the Cuyahoga Falls water fields:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/7701012%20City%20of%20Cuyahoga%20Falls%20.pdf
Water. A report by the Natrural Resources Defense Council on drilling in western states:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Water.pdf
HB278. An overview of Ohio HB278
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/HB%20278.pdf
A map of aquifer susceptibility:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Aquifer%20Susceptibility.jpg
A map of Cuyahoga Falls depth to bedrock:
http://www.picsellation.com/blog/Cuy%20Falls%20Depth%20to%20Bedrock.jpg
Comments are open to any stakeholders. I'll do my best to use this space to keep all concerned parties informed of the situation as it evolves.
Ralph Birnbaum
Munroe Falls, OH
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