PA-DEP Secretary Issues Open Letter to Citizens of Susquehanna
County Community Impacted by Ongoing Gas Migration Issues
PA-DEP release
19 October 2010
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg PA., 17120
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jamie Legenos , Department of Environmental Protection, 717-787-1323
HARRISBURG -- Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John
Hanger today issued the following open letter to residents of Dimock,
Susquehanna County:
To Whom It May Concern:
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced a
permanent solution to the drinking water problems in Dimock caused by
gas migration from Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation wells. DEP was
forced to take action since Cabot continues to deny responsibility for
the contamination, despite overwhelming evidence of its responsibility.
Since that announcement was made, Cabot has launched a public relations
campaign and much misinformation has been brought forth concerning who
will be party to that solution and who will end up paying for it.
Cabot is responsible for the gas migration that has caused families to
be without a permanent water supply for nearly 2 years and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will seek court orders to make Cabot pay
for all costs. But we cannot wait for Cabot to fix the problems it
caused and to do the right thing. In the interim, PENNVEST, an agency
that finances water and sewer infrastructure projects, will be asked to
provide funds to pay the estimated $11.8 million cost for Pennsylvania
American Water Company to construct a new, 5.5-mile water main from its
Lake Montrose treatment plant to provide water service to the residents
of Dimock. Again, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will then
aggressively seek to recover the cost of the project from Cabot.
No one in Dimock or Susquehanna County will pay for it and local taxes
will not be increased as the result of it.
Residents along Route 29 will have the option to tap into the line if
they so choose. No one will be forced to hook up to the new public
water supply. The new water line will also boost the value of homes and
businesses near it.
This action is being taken based on overwhelming evidence that proves
the Cabot wells are the source of the contamination. DEP has collected
ample evidence tying methane found in private water supplies to Cabot’s
wells.
We have witnessed and chronicled bubbling gas and high pressure
readings from a number of wells that prove poor well construction, and
taken readings that show excessive gas levels that could only exist in
wells that are leaking.
Sophisticated testing has “fingerprinted” gas samples and matched the
gas found in five homes to the gas leaking from the nearby Cabot wells.
Additionally, the gas wells in many cases are less than a thousand feet
from the homes where, by law, it is presumed gas drilling caused any
pollution of water wells that may result.
The residents of Dimock have already paid a high price for Cabot’s
unwillingness to accept responsibility and provide a satisfactory
solution. Cabot will be the one paying the final bill. Perhaps next
time Cabot will do the job right the first time and avoid expensive
repairs.
Sincerely,
John Hanger, Secretary