NYCDEP Calls for Prohibition on Drilling in the New York City
Watershed
Report finds gas drilling poses unacceptable risks to the
unfiltered drinking water supply for nine million New Yorkers
NYC Department of Environmental Protection News Release
23 December 2009
NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
59-17 Junction Boulevard, 19th Floor
Flushing, NY 11373
CONTACT:
Mercedes Padilla / Angel Roman (718) 595-6600
Natural gas drilling and exploration are incompatible with the
operation of New York City’s unfiltered water supply system and pose
unacceptable risks for more than nine million New Yorkers in the City
and State. Drilling in the watershed requires invasive
industrialization and creates a substantial risk of chemical
contamination, and infrastructure damage, according to the Final Impact
Assessment Report prepared for the New York City Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP). After reviewing the report, DEP
has called for a prohibition on any drilling in the New York City
watershed, located upstate.
“Based on the latest science and available technology, as well as the
data and limited analysis presented by the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC), high-volume hydrofracking and
horizontal drilling pose unacceptable threats to the unfiltered fresh
water supply of nine million New Yorkers,” said Acting DEP Commissioner
Steven W. Lawitts. “New York City has invested $1.5 billion to
protect the watershed and prevent degradation of the water supply, and
to maintain its Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD). The
known and unknown impacts associated with drilling simply cannot be
justified.”
Since 1997, the City has been granted a Filtration Avoidance
Determination by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This
designation recognizes the high quality of New York City’s West of
Hudson water supply. Since that time, the City has spent or
committed approximately $1.5 billion to protect these pristine
waters. Gas drilling in its current form, is inconsistent with
ensuring both the protection of these source waters and the
continuation of the FAD. The inherent environmental impacts and
risks of gas drilling could result in the need to construct a
filtration plant at a minimum cost of $10 billion, which would
translate into a 30 percent increase in water rates.
In addition, in comments submitted yesterday, the City called on DEC to
rescind the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement
(dSGEIS) that was released on September 30, 2009 because it does not
adequately address the risks of drilling in the New York City
watershed, which supplies drinking water for nine million New Yorkers.
DEP Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush today briefed the New York City Water
Board on the Report, which the City initiated in fall 2008 when DEC
commenced its dSGEIS addressing horizontal drilling and high-volume
hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale formation. The
Marcellus Shale formation runs through parts of Virginia, West
Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. In New York State
alone it extends for approximately 18,700 square miles, including under
the City’s entire 1,585 mile West of Hudson watershed.
As part of their review, DEP’s consulting team, Hazen and
Sawyer/Leggette, Brashears and Graham, studied the unique hydrological
and geological conditions of the watershed, the technology and
chemicals necessary to conduct hydrofracking, the experience of other
jurisdictions that currently allow hydrofracking, and the scientific
literature, and found the following risks:
- Industrialization: Gas drilling brings with it an industrial
infrastructure with inherent environmental risks: as many as 3,000 to
6,000 wells would result in millions of truck trips, thousands of acres
of site clearing and grading, millions of tons of fracking chemicals,
and millions of tons of waste from produced water, all of which can
contaminate water.
- Chemical Contamination: The chemicals used as part of the
process are injected into subsurface rock formations and can travel
along underground fissures to ground water and ultimately streams that
feed reservoirs; extensive subsurface fracture systems and known
“brittle” geological structures exist that commonly extend over a mile
in length, and as far as seven miles in the vicinity of NYC
infrastructure. In addition, the resulting wastewater – potentially one
billion gallons per year – can also contaminate water
supplies. Currently, there is no way to locally treat
this wastewater.
- Infrastructure Damage: High-volume hydraulic fracking could
damage the City’s water supply infrastructure; of greatest concern are
our tunnels which are located both inside and outside the New York City
watershed. Naturally occurring fracture systems have been demonstrated
to transmit fluid and pressure, as evidenced by saline water and
methane seeps encountered at grade and in shallow formations near the
City’s infrastructure during and since its construction.
In addition to explaining the impacts and risks identified in the
Report, the City states in its comments that the dSGEIS does not meet
the requirements of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law
because it does not include critical and necessary analyses,
including: cumulative impacts of the industrialization necessary
for drilling, waste disposal, air quality, pipeline construction, and
ancillary infrastructure. The document does not
sufficiently address public health concerns. Also, a separate impact
assessment on public health is needed given the hazardous chemicals
that are proposed for use, the potential radioactivity of the waste
products, and the rate and scale of the drilling and related
activities. The City has previously requested that the New York
State Department of Health undertake such a study.
Following are the City’s comments on the dSGEIS, the cover
letter, and Final Impact Assessment Report. In addition, the
following presentation was made by Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush at a
Water Board meeting on December 23.
NYCDEP's comments on the dSGEIS (PDF)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/natural_gas_drilling/nycdep_comments_final_12-22-09.pdf
Cover letter for comments on the dSGEIS (PDF)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/natural_gas_drilling/12_22_2009_impact_statement_letter.pdf
Final Impact Assessment Report (PDF)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/natural_gas_drilling/12_23_2009_final_assessment_report.pdf
NYC Water Board Presentation 12/23/2009 (PDF)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/natural_gas_drilling/12_23_2009_natural_gas_briefing.pdf