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On the general principle that it’s better for everyone and less expensive for the taxpayer to deal with an environmental problem before it happens, PCEC is launching an educational and policy-oriented campaign to address the potential problems caused by fracking for natural gas in Park County. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technique was developed decades ago by the oil industry to deal with depleted oil fields. Recently (2000 and later) fracking was combined with horizontal drilling to reach natural gas that exists not in pools but dispersed within a layer of rock. The industry is still refining this method. The technique involves drilling a borehole down to a geologic layer of shale where gas is located. This is often a mile or more deep. From there horizontal drilling is used to reach areas thousands of feet within the layer. After the borehole is complete and a well casing is put in place, a perforation gun creates small explosions to punch holes in the well casing to access natural fractures in the shale. Fracturing fluid, a mixture of water, sand and chemicals, is pumped through the perforations at extremely high pressure into the fractures, causing them to expand and crack even further. The cracks are held open by a proppant, typically sand or ceramic particles. The enlarged cracks allow the gas to seep (under reverse pressure) into the well pipe. This process is usually repeated several times in each borehole. From the driller’s perspective the key is the nature of the rock layer (geologic formation) that contains the gas. Some shale fractures predictably, some doesn’t. Careful analysis is used to determine the most effective mixture of fracturing fluid that can pressurize or shock the cracks into opening. While the fluid is mostly water (usually 2-9 million gallons), a variety of chemicals (around 12,000 gallons) are used to increase the rate of expansion and lubricate the flow. The added chemicals are a potential problem for the environment. Most of the chemicals are hydrocarbons, for example: dioxane, toluene, acetone, acrylamide, and formaldehyde. Many of them are known pollutants, some are toxic. The exact mixture and quantities used at any particular site is classified by the industry as proprietary information (trade secret). This means they typically will not disclose which chemicals are used, which makes monitoring difficult. Even though this type of well is deep, there is a chance for the fracking fluids to percolate into groundwater. During gas production, fluids in the well are withdrawn. They often contain not only fracking fluid but dissolved salts, heavy metals and radioactive material found in the shale. At the surface, events such as well blow-outs, sediment pond leaks and transportation accidents can release toxic material into the air and water. Only a small percentage of wells have produced obvious environmental problems, however the effects can include serious health issues. PCEC actively supports efforts to establish a baseline of contaminants for ground and surface water in regions of Park County – before drilling operations begin. Without a water monitoring baseline it is difficult to prove that the sudden appearance of a toxic chemical didn’t come from another source. Keep in mind that the oil and gas industry has drilled hundreds of thousands of wells using one fracking technique or another. It is the fear of litigation in potentially thousands of cases that drives much of the industry’s tendency toward stonewalling and pre-emptive lobbying. PCEC hopes to mitigate both the industry’s concern and the public interest by vigorously promoting the use of Best Management Practices (BMP). As in other industries these are protocols or prescriptions for the ways of doing things that cause the least number of problems while still providing profitable returns. In this case, it means specifications for handling of fracking fluid, well casing standards, placement of wells, and a host of other process-oriented considerations. The idea is that using BMPs will avoid most of the environmental risks of fracking. However, BMPs are not a magic formula. The details are often controversial and are almost always negotiated. Adherence to BMPs may be fully voluntary, or backed at least in part by regulatory policy. In short, developing effective BMPs is also a political process. For economic reasons, gas extraction will probably not begin in Park County for another year or two. PCEC sees this as a rare occasion to deal with the issues ahead of time – through work on BMP definition, promoting baseline monitoring, and an education program for the people of Park County. Meanwhile in 2012, the federal Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to deliver a landmark re-study (superseding a 2004 study) on the impact of hydraulic fracturing.
If you turn on the TV you might see a couple of commercials relating to the two main environmental issues we are dealing with here in Park County. One shows the BNSF Railroad in a friendly light, describing how they are helping to clean up the county. It would make me a lot happier if they were telling us exactly how and when they will clean up an estimated 1.6 million gallons of fuel and solvent floating under Livingston. The other commercial shows a cartoonish bit with the natural gas industry removing gas with no effect to the environment. They also say they are helping the county. At PCEC we take both of these issues very seriously, and we take issue with these sugar-coated presentations. While it’s uphill work in today’s world of environmental protection, it’s what I like to do. I am honored to be your Executive Director and to do this work for our area. Park County has so much to offer and for us to enjoy. I’m fortunate that my wife puts up with me and this non-stop work. I find myself a representative of the environment wherever I go. People often want to talk about one issue or another; sometimes it’s casual, sometimes heated. I always try to listen to both sides and put myself in their shoes to understand their issues. If you’ve met me, you know I’m not polished but I try to be straight and honest, and that seems to get respect. Besides ‘issues’ PCEC is also involved in what I consider ‘feel good’ projects, such as Park County’s first electronics recycling program, which starts April 30th. We are very involved with the $3.1 million Lower Fleshman Creek restoration project within the city of Livingston. I started working on this project over three years ago and now it looks like construction will start this fall. PCEC will also be organizing several noxious weed pulls within the county this spring and summer. Our goal is education and community involvement with noxious weed control. I would like to thank all of our members for their kind words of support, and for their support of all kinds. We’re in for some rough years and our conservation work needs your involvement and donations to keep running uphill. You know me, I’ll run my tail off all the way to Helena and back. Kerry Fee PCEC Executive Director kerry@envirocouncil.org (406) 222-0723 We’ve been busy at PCEC. In addition to our anti-fracking campaign, you’ll see we’ve been working on a host of county and state-level projects. While PCEC is taking the lead in the natural gas issue, we are also more actively tracking state legislative activities in what is proving to be the most challenging session for the environment in recent memory. The Breaking News section of this newsletter outlines (some) of the bills and provides some information on what you can do about them. Along with our advocacy work, we recently welcomed two new board members to PCEC, Nelson King and Janet Barwick. They will be filling the remaining terms of departing members Lisa Sukut and Steve Caldwell. Nelson brings a wealth of writing experience to the board and Janet has served as Research Associate for the Natural Resources Defense Council for the past nine years. Both new board members are experienced advocates with strong ties to Park County. Welcome Nelson and Janet! Later this month, keep your eyes out for our “e-newsletter” in your inbox. By making our newsletter accessible via email we hope to offer a convenient way to keep abreast with of important conservation issues in Park County. If you would like to receive our newsletter via email, please send your email address to: kerry@envirocouncil.org. This escalation of our program work - detailed in this newsletter - would not be possible without your generous support. Please join me in making a contribution to PCEC this Spring so we can continue to advocate effectively for Park County’s spectacular natural heritage. Best, Sarah Orms Help preserve Montana’s clean and healthful environment and the laws that protect it. Join your fellow Montanans in the LARGEST legislative event this year, For the Love of Montana! February 21 Schedule: 11:00 Welcome, Rally begins 11:30 Music by Greg Keeler, and more 12:15 Speeches 1:00 Fill the Capitol Galleries ** Free coffee and hot chocolate for those who bring a reusable mug! ** Carpooling and busing options available. Please call Northern Plains at (406) 248-1154 to sign up. Please join PCEC and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for a public meeting to provide information on investigation and cleanup activities at the Burlington Northern Livingston Shop Complex. WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 3rd, 7-9 pm WHERE: Community Room, City/County building, 414 E Callender For more info, contact Kerry @ 579-7734 or kerry@envirocouncil.org. Don’t fail me now! That’s what most of us probably used to think when we crossed the old 9th Street Bridge as we looked down at the roaring Yellowstone river below. It did fail and luckily no one was on it or below it when it did. Then it cost the tax payers plenty of money to reconfigure the banks of the Yellowstone , build ramps for the temporary Bailey bridge, have law enforcement direct traffic and of course pay for the temporary bridge. This is what happens when you don’t fix something that you know needs it; it usually ends up costing more. After all, infrastructure isn’t the top priority on a lot of people’s minds and it costs a lot of money to fix. We have some other things that need attention and they are along Fleshman Creek. The culverts are undersized and very old and there are old sewer lines that need to be replaced and dropped under the creek. The big thing with Fleshman Creek is that we have the money to fix them now. If we don’t address these problems we could have property damage from flooding of homes and schools along the creek. High water and/or ice could damage the sewer lines and the Montana DEQ would not look very kindly on effluent running down stream to the river. The county commissioners tell me that they are responsible for health and safety; I think broken sewer lines and flooding fit with in these parameters. Once the creek is restored, it will flow much better which will help prevent the build up of silt. This improved water quality will benefit fish habitat. All the grants for this project emphasize about doing it in a “holistic manner”, which includes stream restoration. The next phase of this project will to complete the project design and holding public meetings to share the design and construction plans. I have been involved with this project for about three years and there are many community members that should get a pat on the back for helping get the funds for this project. People like Lori Benner and Kristen Wester with for their great grant writing work, the guys at Oasis for all the free work they have already done and Todd Wester and Kevin Fochs with Livingston Schools for their support. I would encourage anyone who has questions about this upcoming project to contact me at PCEC or Phillip Fletcher with the county’s Community Development Department. There is a short video about the project on You Tube (search Fleshman Creek), or look on the county web page www.parkcounty.org /community development/Fleshman Creek for more info. I want to commend the commissioners and everyone involved in moving forward on such a great project for our community. Kerry Fee Dear Friends of PCEC: I’m writing to pass along some exciting news and to let you know about an important opportunity to support the Park County Environmental Council. First, I’m excited to let you know that PCEC has named Kerry Fee as our new Executive Director. Many of you already know Kerry, who was President of the Joe Brooks Chapter of Trout Unlimited for the past three years. Kerry’s effective leadership of the Joe Brooks Chapter speaks volumes about his commitment to Park County residents and our rich natural resources. In that role, Kerry worked hard to protect and restore the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. As director of PCEC, Kerry will expand that work to protect all of the resources that make Park County such a special place to live. Kerry’s leadership could not come at a better time. PCEC is mounting a campaign to address one of the greatest threats to our health and livelihoods that Park County residents have seen in decades: impending natural gas development in the Shields Valley. Hydraulic fracturing—or “fracking”—is the process used to extract natural gas from deep shale deposits such as the one the underlies the Shields Valley. The process involves injecting chemicals, water, and sand into the shale to release the natural gas. Communities throughout the country where fracking is common are suffering from its harmful impacts, including pollution of ground and surface water. You will be hearing from PCEC in the coming weeks as we ask for your help ensuring that natural gas extraction does not harm water quality or existing uses of private and public land. Please help us be as effective as possible and contribute. The Cinnabar Foundation has generously offered PCEC a $5,000 challenge grant to support our education and advocacy, but only if PCEC raises an additional $5,000 before December. We are honored that the Cinnabar Foundation has chosen to support PCEC. Please help us meet this challenge by donating today. You can donate online at www.envirocouncil.org or mail us a check. Park County Environmental Council is the only locally based, grass roots conservation organization in Park County. In addition to natural gas development, PCEC focuses on responsible development, public health issues (including technical oversight of the Livingston rail yard cleanup), and rivers and public lands. Kerry Fee may be reached by e-mail at kerry@envirocouncil.org, or by phone at 222-0723 (office) or 579-7734 (cell). Thank you, Jenny Harbine A Bird’s Eye View: PCEC and American Wildlands Team up to Create a Landscape Assessment for Park CountyIn a vast county with a patchwork of ownership spanning federal, state, county, city and private lands, it can sometimes be challenging to prioritize conservation efforts. Without ready access to spatial information, it can be difficult to assess the ecological value of a particular landscape and identify the desired conservation outcomes. That’s why we’re working with staff in American Wildlands’ GIS department to create a series of “bird’s eye” maps that combine critical fish and wildlife habitat, existing conservation easements, growth patterns and other information so we can better understand Park County’s resources and develop strategies to protect them. We are excited about this effort, and will feature these maps on our website to enable easier access. Stay tuned! |
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