by Curt Ashenfelter, Executive Director
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently released its much-anticipated Shale-Gas Monitoring report. The 266-page report covers a lot of ground, and I would encourage all hikers to read it.
The report is chilling in many ways...some for what it reports, and some for what it does not report.
It is discouraging that despite a public hearing DCNR held in June of 2013, during which the Keystone Trails Association reported on four areas of shale gas impacts to hiking trails, only one item from that public testimony found its way into the report. If DCNR is only reporting on 25 percent of the impacts statewide, they are badly missing the mark.
Last June, I reported that hiker/gas driller conflicts included the following:
1. Overzealous security guards who chase hikers off trails.
2. Stream pollution on the Quehanna Trail and Mid State Trail, which prevents hikers from purifying stream water for cooking and drinking. This becomes a potentially life-threatening situation for backpackers who depend on restocking water supplies on the trail.
3. Seismic (dynamite) charges placed directly on the Donut Hole Trail.
4. Loud sounds of compressor stations, that has introduced industrial-level noise pollution to wilderness settings.
Of the four impacts to hikers, only one, the loud sounds of compressor stations bringing industrial-level noise pollution to wilderness settings, found its way into the report.
Concerning noise, the report states that because of the size of their land base, state forests
provide a unique opportunity for dispersed, low-density outdoor recreation that cannot be obtained from small forest areas or from private ownership. The undeveloped wild character of state forests offers peace, solitude, and a feeling of remoteness for many users.
Ambient noise can dramatically affect a user’s recreational experience and generate conflict. Gas compressor stations produce continuous noise and thus have the potential to greatly impact the experiences of the recreating public.
The Bureau’s objective is to maintain and perpetuate a visitor’s anticipated recreational experience on state forest lands, and to maintain the wild character of the state forest.
The Guidelines for Administering Oil and Gas Activity on State Forest Lands include recommended thresholds for compressor noise levels. When no suitable alternatives exist, and a compressor station must be sited on state forest lands, the operating noise level of the compressor station should not exceed an Ldn of 55 db(A) at any distance greater than 300 feet from the compressor building.
The Bureau measured noise levels of compressor stations on state forest lands. The operating noise level of compressors was measured at 300 feet or greater.
The sound level meter (SLM) was set to collect db(A) data for 24 hours, recording one reading every five seconds. The Ldn, which is a standard weighted average of the noise level, was calculated.
The SLM was positioned at human ear level, using a strap to attach the meter to a tree or other suitable object. A GPS point for the location of the meter and a photograph and/or physical description were recorded so the same point can be found for repeat measurements.
The same protocol could be used to measure other noise sources. The SLMs were deployed when weather conditions were appropriate for SLM data collection.
Although the SLM is fitted with a windshield under all circumstances, the preferred wind speed limit is 10 mph, with an upper limit of 15 mph. The weather conditions during data collection were recorded.
Measurements were avoided in rainy or dense foggy conditions. Objects that generate wind-derived noises were avoided in SLM placement.
Measurements at six compressor stations monitored on state forest lands were louder than the 55db(A) guidelines.
The six compressor stations, their locations and their readings --which all exceeded the limits -- are as follows:
1. Tiadaghton State Forest Lease Tract 289 Leq db(A) 55.61
2. Tiadaghton State Forest Lease Tract 685 Leq db(A) 59.15
3. Tioga State Forest Lease Tract 587 Leq db(A) 61.85
4. Tioga State Forest Lease Tract 595 Leq db(A) 60.47
5. Tioga State Forest Lease Tract Leq db(A) 839 60.2
6. Sproul State Forest Lease Tract 285 Leq db(A) 69.63
Other areas of interest to hikers in the report include:
1. The Pennsylvania State Forest Visitor Use Monitoring Program surveyed state forest visitors, who reported that shale-related activity had negatively impacted their use and enjoyment (mainly by causing them to avoid drilling locations or causing them to visit the forest less often).
2. Gas development activities resulted in 30 miles of new road construction, and the upgrading of 131 miles of state forest roads.
3. The chapter entitled Forest Landscape Conversion, Wild Character, Fragmentation and Restoration addresses forest values and impact of shale-gas activities. One assessment of the current impact of gas infrastructure in Tiadaghton State Forest showed the loss of 318 acres to pads, 68 acres to roads and 144 acres to pipelines. The Tiadaghton State Forest lost over 3,250 semi-private non-motorized acres that are now classified semi-developed and/or developed. To learn more about impacts on the Moshannon, Sproul, Elk, Susquehannock, Tioga and Loyalsock State Forests, see Part Two of the report.
4. Other chapters of interest to hikers include Infrastructure, Flora (Plants), Forest Health, Invasive Species, Water, Soil, Air, Incidents, Fauna (Wildlife), Recreation, Community Engagement, Timber, Energy and Revenue.
5. This is only the beginning. With 673,000 acres available for gas development, 568 wells have been drilled with over 5,000 additional wells anticipated in the future.
6. The Department of Environment Protection has issued 308 notices of violation.
The impact of shale gas on hiking trails in Pennsylvania is both real and significant. Please call the Keystone Trails Association and your state legislators when you are impacted by shale gas activities. Together we can work to protect our trails.
Click here to read the entire report.