Pennsylvania regulators on Tuesday called on Marcellus Shale natural gas drillers to stop sending wastewater to 15 treatment plants, citing an increased risk of contaminating public drinking water.

The Department of Environmental Protection's action, while voluntary, will likely set the stage for a formal ban on the discharge of inadequately treated wastewater into the state's rivers.

I would be interested in knowing what rules would apply to any such wastewater in North Carolina, and also in understanding the impact of contaminated water on downstream environments.

Comments

[Billy Jones]

Being that wastewater treatment plants treat only for known toxins and drillers refuse to disclose the exact make-up of the chemicals they use when drilling, there is no telling what sort of toxins are not being caught.