Marcellus Workshop Offered at W&J

Washington PA Observer Reporter
1 January 2011

A project to involve citizens in the monitoring of Marcellus Shale gas drilling activities kicks off with a training session this month at Washington & Jefferson College.

The Marcellus Citizen Stewardship Project is an initiative of the Mountain Watershed Association and the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities at the University of Pittsburgh. The project, which is being piloted in the Youghiogheny River watershed but is expected to spread throughout the Southwestern Pennsylvania region, provides citizens with tools and knowledge to responsibly monitor Marcellus Shale development to aid in community and environmental protection.

The training will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 27 in Room 114 of W&J's Burnett Building.

Participants will learn to use their senses of sight, hearing and smell to identify potential issues resulting from drilling operations.

Data gathered through this visual assessment process is uploaded using simple online forms and eventually is integrated into FracTracker, an interactive data platform providing citizens with a common place to learn about and share information on Marcellus Shale gas operations.

Participants will have the opportunity to sign up for further instructions in air or water monitoring.

"While the Department of Environmental Protection has increased inspection and enforcement, it's impossible for their inspectors to be everywhere at once," said Veronica Coptis, Mountain Watershed Association's community organizer. "Citizens can play a very important role in monitoring Marcellus development, and our trainings give citizens the tools necessary to safely and effectively provide oversight."

The association is partnering with such organizations as Clean Water Action, Group Against Smog and Pollution, Three Rivers Waterkeeper and PennEnvironment.

For more information about the Marcellus Citizen Stewardship Project or to inquire about other scheduled trainings, visit http://www.mtwatershed.com or call Coptis at 724-455-4200.