Chesapeake Working to Fix Runoff Problem in Harrison County

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From the Akron Beacon Journal:
Chesapeake Energy Corp. is working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Harrison County Health Department on a runoff problem at a drilling site in eastern Ohioin Stock Township.
Read the whole post by the ABJ here.

 Further details are shared by The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register:
The problem, as described by [Harrison County Health Department Administrator Charles] Fisher and local organic farmer John M. Luber, is that a stream near Fife Road that empties into Tappan Lake becomes discolored during periods of rainfall or melting snow.
The stream is located near the Chesapeake Energy Dodson well site, Fisher said. Both he and Luber emphasize the pollution did not happen until drilling operations began.
"I have talked to Chesapeake. They have been very cooperative," Fisher said. "When it comes to the actual drilling operations, they believe there is no risk."
"Perhaps when they laid the pad, they may have impacted the source of the water," Fisher said. "This is not normal - and it appears to be related to this activity."
Fisher said the contaminant appears to be crushed limestone, also known as calcium carbonate. Though he does not consider this material hazardous, he said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency considers any substance that causes a stream to become unclear to be a pollutant.
Fisher goes on to note that this is not a "significant pollutant," but that they are taking it seriously and endeavoring to ensure that no situation exists which could allow more significant pollution to take place and potentially affect the springs.  Chesapeake is giving the matter full attention to bring it under control.

The Ohio EPA hasn't reached a definitive conclusion on the cause of the problem.
Agency spokesman Mike Settles said the EPA is aware of the situation.
"It looked like it was related to limestone used to build the drilling pad. The company has assured us they will no longer allow stormwater to run off the site," Settles said. 
Read the whole article here. 


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