Waterfall Back In Wetzel County
Company also told to fix slip at Marshall County site
Wheeling The Intelligencer
10 December 2011
By Casey Junkins, Staff Writer
NEW MARTINSVILLE - Even though the weather is getting a little
colder, Ed Wade is glad he can again enjoy the Blake Run waterfall
in Wetzel County.
Following orders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Chesapeake Energy restored the waterfall that subcontractors
working on the company's behalf removed as part of Chesapeake's
drilling activities. The agency continues to investigate
Chesapeake for allegedly violating the federal Clean Water Act in
Wetzel County between January 2007 and November 2010.
Just up the road in Marshall County, Chesapeake officials continue
working to stabilize the soil at the Ray Baker well pad, as
directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Wetzel County Action Group member Ed Wade is glad Chesapeake
Energy restored the waterfall in Blake Run. Federal officials
continue investigating Chesapeake for this and other earthwork
involved with the company’s operations.
According the orders, EPA has the ability to fine Chesapeake as
much as $50,000 per day for allegedly removing the waterfall to
create a gravel road in the stream channel of Blake Fork, about
2.4 miles north of the intersection of W.Va. 89, near Proctor.
Agency spokeswoman Donna Heron said this week that no fines have
yet been levied against Chesapeake, but the investigation is
ongoing.
"EPA issued an order that directed Chesapeake to restore a
waterfall in Blake Fork in Wetzel County, West Virginia.
Chesapeake has been complying with that order," Heron said,
declining to comment further.
Wade is a member of the Wetzel County Action Group, local
residents concerned about how natural gas drilling impacts the
community. He is thankful to see the waterfall return.
"Everyone did a wonderful job putting the waterfall back together.
It is very similar to the way it was," Wade said.
Stacey Brodak, director of corporate development for Chesapeake,
said the driller is "in compliance with all of the EPA orders."
"Once the EPA approved these plans and we obtained all federal,
state and local permits, Chesapeake engaged a contractor to
conduct the EPA-approved work," she said.
Meanwhile, Chesapeake officials are working to stabilize the soil
at the Ray Baker well pad in southern Marshall County after slips
that are causing some concerns among residents.
Scott Hans, chief of the regulatory branch of the Pittsburgh
District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said this is the
second time his agency has required Chesapeake to make repairs at
this drilling pad.
"There is a pretty significant slide with fill material migrating
down a slope. We have required them to stabilize the site back to
being a free-flowing tributary," he said.
Brodak said Chesapeake is working "around the clock to reinforce
and restore the Ray Baker site in a safe and environmentally
responsible manner."
"We are confident that the three wells on-site, which are drilled
but not yet completed, are located in a safe, stable area on the
pad," she said. "Chesapeake remains committed to safe and
protective methods of operation and continuous improvement in all
of our processes."