When the county park was first
created, property owners were faced with either selling or having
their land condemned. In the last paragraph of a legal document
deeding part of this acreage to Washington County we find this:
“The indenture is given to
provide land for recreation, conservation, and historical
purposes, as said purposes are defined in the ‘Project 70
Land Acquistion and Borrowing Act’ approved June 22, 1964, P.L. 131”
Does this look like
recreation, conservation
or historical purposes?
Clearcut for more Marcellus Shale gas wells
in August 2011 This well pad will
include 6 wells: 48H-53H
Pa DEP Fine
Permit Num: 125-23165
Municipality: Hopewell
County: Washington
Well Name: Cross Creek County Park 14H
Company: Range Resources
Incident Date: 5/27/2009
Inspection Date: 5/27/2009
Fine Date: 2009-10-28
Fine: $23,500
Group Fine: No
Violation: Spill; a company contractor was walking along
a pipeline that was conveying hydraulic fracturing
flowback fluid from a well site located in Cross Creek
County Park to a large impoundment when he noticed that
couplings that held the pipeline together in two
locations near the well site were leaking fluid onto the
ground, down a hill and into an unnamed tributary of
Cross Creek, a high quality watershed; an inspection
found that the flowback fluid, as well as sediments that
flowed with it, entered the creek and killed both
invertebrates and fish along the length of the unnamed
tributary; the company estimated that about 4,200
gallons of the flowback fluid spilled onto the ground
and the creek; though the company contractor discovered
the spill at 1:30 p.m., state personnel weren't called
until 5:15 p.m., in violation of state law.
Response: Company said that the two couplings that
leaked both had three bolts on them loosened, though the
company could not say how or why; the company
immediately tried to contain and recover as much of the
spill as possible, setting up check dams in the unnamed
tributary and sucking up what of the flowback fluid it
could; impacted soil and sediment was excavated and
disposed of in a landfill and the areas were later
reseeded; because of this the company stopped using
couplings on its pipelines, and inspections of pipelines
were increased.
September 19, 2014
photos of the
latest driling pad inside the park
October 11, 2012 aerial view of a 6-well
drilling pad
with wells #17H-18H-19H & 45H-46H-47H
Plan for 48H-53H Six Well
Pad & Production Equipment Pad
Total Area: 10.1 acres
October 11, 2012 photo of the
excavated drilling pad for 48H-53H
UPDATES
DEP
investigating spill at Cross Creek
County Park
OBSERVER-REPORTER
By Barbara Miller
(Excerpt)
March 15, 2013 - The state DEP has
issued a notice of violation to Range
Resources Corp. in connection with a
water spill last month at Cross Creek
County Park, a DEP spokesman said
Friday. John Poister, DEP spokesman in
Pittsburgh, said workers on the
Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling
site noticed what is known as “re-use”
water entering a secondary containment
area. “It appears open-top storage tanks
were overflowing. Water flowing into
these tanks was not being monitored."
Range reported the spill to DEP, which
sent inspectors. “We consider this a
significant spill, and we will evaluate
the entire incident, response and
cleanup before we make any decisions on
a civil penalty,” or fine.
Lisa Cessna,
director of the Washington County
Planning Commission, which oversees
county parks, said the Feb. 12 spill
involved about 40 barrels of water
(1,680 gallons). She has had a
representative of the Washington County
Conservation District and parks
superintendent Kevin Garrison monitor
the site, which has been mulched. Range
drilled its first horizontal well in the
3,500-acre Cross Creek park in 2008.
2012 Lease
change
RE: Fracking
under the dam
Original
lease (2003)
No
drilling, placement of storage tanks or
accessory uses shall be permitted below
elevation of one thousand fifty (1,050)
feet to the east of the breast works of
Cross Creek Dam. No fracturing of rock
will be allowed within a 3,000 foot
radius of the dam, for all strata above
the top of the Onondaga Formation unless
otherwise approved in writing.
New lease
modification (2012)
No
fracturing of rock will be permitted
from the surface of, to 3,000 feet below
the Cross Creek Dam, within a 3,000 foot
radius of said dam, unless otherwise
approved in writing. However, fracturing
of rock shall be permitted within said
radius provided that fracturing is
performed in the Marcellus Shale
formation. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any well bore that passes
within the 3,000 foot radius of the dam,
at any depth, shall require express
written approval of the Lessor, said
approval to be an authorized county
signature on the DEP well permit plat.
October 21,
2011 - Washington County solicitor J.
Lynn DeHaven used the term "reparations"
when announcing an agreement he reached
with Range Resources over clear-cutting
done in error at Cross Creek County Park
near West Middletown. Clear-cutting by a
Range Resources contractor was done "in
an area specifically off-limits. It was
one of the oldest stands of hardwoods in
the park, the hillside we didn't want
them touching," said Lisa Cessna.
Range had
first encroached on West Middletown
Cemetery property, then moved into an
area of the park that was off-limits.
But the mood among the county
commissioners was anything but
belligerent Thursday morning, because
Range agreed to provide $100,000 worth
of in-kind services at the park. Range
is also to reimburse the county $14,247,
which is double the value of the trees
cut, based on estimates given by the
company's forester.
(Newspaper
story link was removed)
RANGE VIOLATES PARK
LEASE
September
16, 2011 - Range Resources' violation of
a lease with Washington County on the
site of a natural gas well pad on park
property in Hopewell Township was raised
Thursday after a Peters Township
resident told county commissioners
"drilling in Cross Creek Park has run
amok."
County
solicitor J. Lynn DeHaven said Range was
told to "cease and desist." "They were
cutting trees where we had not
authorized them to cut trees, so we
stopped them. The pad site was not where
we approved," Fergus said. "It was an
engineering error on their part. They
thought they were on the county property
when they were on cemetery property.
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 5 OG WELL 125-22618 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 3-7-07
GPS: 40.25072 -80.3786
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 6H OG WELL 125-22830 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 8-3-07
GPS: 40.26283 -80.3881
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 7H OG WELL 125-22861 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 8-7-07 GPS:
40.26091 -80.3906
11/24/09 Incident- Response to Accident or Event - No violations
noted
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 8 OG WELL 125-22793 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 7-25-07
GPS: 40.26283 -80.388
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 9H-A OG WELL 125-22668 Cross Creek Twp
Well Plugging Notice Intent to Plug Single Well
Permitted 7-25-07
GPS: 40.26102 -80.3907
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 10 OG WELL 125-22860 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 8-31-07 GPS: -- --
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 14H OG WELL 125-23165 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 5-23-08 GPS:
40.24666 -80.3813
PDF
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 15H OG WELL 125-23182 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 5-29-08 GPS:
40.24666 -80.3813
PDF
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 16H OG WELL 125-23300 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 10-9-08
GPS: 40.24669 -80.3813PDF
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 17H OG WELL 125-24743 Cross Creek Twp Permitted
4-9-12 GPS: 40.263508
-80.408856
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 18H OG WELL 125-24744 Cross Creek Twp Permitted
4-9-12 GPS: 40.263567
-80.408778
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 19H OG WELL 125-24754 Cross Creek Twp Permitted
4-13-12 GPS: 40.263625
-80.408703
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 19H OG WELL 125-24054 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 4-1-10
(125-23631 3-23-09) GPS: 40.26359 -80.4088
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 20H OG WELL 125-24055 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 4-1-10 (125-23630 Permitted 2-4-09)
GPS: -- --
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 21H OG WELL 125-24056 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 4-14-10 (125-23629 Permitted 3-23-09)
GPS: -- --
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 22H OG WELL 125-24057 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 4-14-10 (125-23628 Permitted 3-19-09)
GPS: -- --
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 25H OG WELL 125-23859 Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 9-11-09 GPS: 40.26106 -80.391
11/24/09 Incident- Response to Accident or Event - No violations
noted
Cross Creek Park 35H, 36H and 39H,
next to Route 844, in the process of
final permitting during Spring 2011 NOTE: This pad will now have 6 wells #48H-53H
CROSS CREEK WELL SITE 35-39H
ESX10-125-0105 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 1-10-11 & 9-30-11
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 35H OG WELL
125-24404 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-13-2011 GPS: 40.24378 -80.411
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 36H OG WELL
125-24405 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-13-2011 GPS: 40.24385 -80.4111
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 39H OG WELL 125-24376 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 2-28-2011 GPS:
40.24371 -80.411
CROSS CREEK WELL SITE 41-44H
ESX11-125-0078 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 1-7-13 GPS: 40.255872 -80.373256
CROSS CREEK COUNTY PARK 41H OG
WELL 125-26980 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 3-4-13 GPS: 40.254722 -80.378031
CROSS CREEK COUNTY PARK 42H OG
WELL 125-26928 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 1-7-13 GPS: 40.254772 -80.377906
CROSS CREEK COUNTY PARK 43H OG
WELL 125-26981 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 3-4-13 GPS: 40.254847 -80.377956
CROSS CREEK COUNTY PARK 44H OG
WELL 125-26982 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 3-4-13 GPS: 40.254919 -80.378003
CROSS CREEK COUNTY PARK 45H OG WELL 125-24745
Cross Creek Twp
Permitted 4-13-12 GPS: 40.263433 -80.408753
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 46H OG WELL 125-24746 Cross Creek Twp Permitted
4-13-12 GPS: 40.263489
-80.408678
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 47H OG WELL 125-24747 Cross Creek Twp Permitted
4-13-12 GPS: 40.263547
-80.4086
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 48H OG WELL 125-24720 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.243936 -80.411025
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 49H OG WELL 125-24721 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.244006 -80.411081
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 50H OG WELL 125-24722 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.243994 -80.410903
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 51H OG WELL 125-24723 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.244078 -80.411139
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 52H OG WELL 125-24724 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.244133 -80.411017
CROSS CREEK COUNTY
PARK 53H OG WELL 125-24725 Hopewell Twp
Permitted 4-2-12 GPS: 40.244064 -80.410958
We learn from this New York Times
article that radiation levels in the wastewater from Cross Creek
Park 6H OG Well were off the chart! Some of the locations for
dumping that brine (wastewater) were listed, but the largest amount
of brine was disposed of at a location NOT LISTED.
Cross Creek Park 6H had these alarming
levels of liquid radium:
Federal drinking water
limit: 5 pC/iL
Level from this site: 2,260 pC/iL
Below is part of
a table from a DEP Production Report.
The largest
quantity of this highly radioactive brine
went to an
unknown location:
CROSS CREEKCOUNTYPARK
6H
Drilling
510
ADVANCED WASTE - NEW CASTLE
CROSS CREEKCOUNTYPARK
6H
Brine
65
PA BRINE TRT - FRANKLIN
PLT
CROSS CREEKCOUNTYPARK
6H
Drilling
595
TUNNELTON LIQUIDS COMPANY
CROSS CREEKCOUNTYPARK
6H
Brine
4008
NOT LISTED
The sampling report below, dated
4-21-2009 from the West Virginia DEP, indicates that at least some
of the "Unlisted" brine
went to Liquid Assets Disposal (LAD) in Wheeling, WV
LAD Liquid Assets Disposal, Inc. in Wheeling, WV
Cross Creek Park wells 6H & 8H
July 2011 Tanker truck draining condensate tanks at
Cross Creek Park wells 6H & 8H
NO TRESPASSING signs have been moved back from the access road
gate closer to the 6H & 8H well location area, but the gate is still
kept locked
Radium Content of Oil- and Gas-Field Produced
Waters in the Northern Appalachian Basin (USA)
Excerpts below: Cross Creek 6H is Well/Sample ID 11.1 and 11.2
Flowback & Produced
Water (Brine)
from Cross Creek County Park 6H
PA DEP Permit #125-22830
Date of Samples: 4-9-2009 & 6-29-2009
Radium 226 in Brine (pCi/L) 951
Radium 226 in Brine (pCi/L) 1,280
Radium 228
in Brine (pCi/L) 703
Radium 228
in Brine (pCi/L) 1,110
Total Radium in Brine (pCi/L) 1,654
Total Radium in Brine (pCi/L) 2,390
TDS (mg/L) 157,000
TDS (mg/L) 200,000
Uranium 238 in Brine (pCi/L) 90
Benzene 880 ppb
SLUSH PIT ON 6H & 8H WELL PAD What happened to the drill cuttings from the
slush pit on 6H & 8H? They got 'teabagged' and buried onsite!
Below is part of the well completion report on
file with the Pa. DEP:
March 10, 2003 Lease – Page 35 & 36
Burial of slush pits aka
‘Alternate Waste Management’
was a clear violation of the park's original lease:
“All trash, rubbish, or waste materials
from each drilling site shall be removed and disposed of in a
properly licensed solid waste site. All pits shall be filled
with earth and developed per County specifications at Lessee’s
expense upon completion of each well.”
What are they, how are they managed, and should we be
concerned? (1:09:24)
Cross Creek Park 14H-15H-16H
April 2009
Horizontal drilling of the three Cross Creek County Park
Marcellus Shale gas wells 14H - 15H - 16H. Fracking of
these wells resulted in a
spill and fish kill in the park
July 2011
14H - 15H - 16H well pad and battery of condensate tanks.
Production from these 3 wells dropped an average
of 25%
during the 18 month period ending December 2010
Cross Creek Park Well #5
First well permitted in the park - March
7, 2007
July 2011 No Trespassing signs have been removed from the
gate area to #5 but the gate remains locked
Production from #5 dropped to a trickle 3 years after it was
drilled, as indicated in the production reports below. The well was
permitted by the Pa. DEP to be plugged in late-2013.
Source:
Pennsylvania DEP Production Reports
Farm Name
Well No.
Product
Vol.
Days
Avg/ Day
End Date
CROSS
CREEK
5
Gas
13,345
365
37
6/30/10
Gas
5,801
182
32
12/31/10
Gas
5,286
179
30
6/30/11
4,274
181
24
12/31/11
36%
drop-off in 36 months
3,906
166
24
6/30/12
27% drop-off in 38
months
1,269
47
27
12/31/12
32% increase in 44
months
2,257
46
49
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
5
Oil
10
365
.03
6/30/10
Cond.
103
182
.57
12/31/10
Oil
101
179
.56
6/30/11
13
181
.07
12/31/11
Cond.
82
166
.49
6/30/12
13
47
.28
12/31/12
22
46
.48
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
6H
Gas
183,713
365
503
6/30/10
Gas
62,491
171
365
12/31/10
Gas
57,761
151
383
6/30/11
62,443
179
349
12/31/11
38% drop-off in 35
months
56,415
182
310
6/30/12
40% drop-off in 41
months
55,114
184
300
12/31/12
34% drop-off in 47
months
60,289
181
333
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
6H
Oil
12,529
365
34
6/30/10
Cond.
3,082
171
18
12/31/10
Oil
2,749
151
18
6/30/11
2,205
179
12
12/31/11
Cond.
2,885
182
16
6/30/12
2,363
184
13
12/31/12
2,482
181
14
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
7H
Gas
136,353
78
1,748
6/30/10
Gas
248,129
176
1,410
12/31/10
Gas
200,147
164
1,220
6/30/11
192,966
179
1,078
12/31/11
43% drop-off in 26
months
179,157
182
984
6/30/12
47% drop-off in 32
months
171,451
184
932
12/31/12
60% drop-off in 38
months
54,377
77
706
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
7H
Oil
4,232
78
54
6/30/10
Cond.
10,287
176
58
12/31/10
Oil
7,202
164
44
6/30/11
7,277
179
41
12/31/11
Cond.
6,509
182
36
6/30/12
2,363
184
13
12/31/12
1,602
77
21
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
8
Gas
233,174
365
639
6/30/10
Gas
80,393
172
467
12/31/10
Gas
74,309
152
489
6/30/11
80,432
180
447
12/31/11
36% drop-off in 35
months
74,600
182
410
6/30/12
40% drop-off in 41
months
69,908
184
380
12/31/12
39% drop-off in 47
months
70,720
181
391
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
8
Oil
12,908
365
35
6/30/10
Cond.
3,201
172
19
12/31/10
Oil
3,197
152
21
6/30/11
2,753
180
15
12/31/11
Cond.
2,833
182
16
6/30/12
2,785
184
15
12/31/12
2,536
181
14
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
9A
Gas
96,123
78
1,232
6/30/10
Gas
175,055
176
995
12/31/10
Gas
152,495
175
871
6/30/11
137,872
179
770
12/31/11
44% drop-off in 26
months
124,267
182
683
6/30/12
49% drop-off in 32
months
116,739
184
634
12/31/12
59% drop-off in 38
months
65,723
130
506
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
9A
Oil
4,232
71
60
6/30/10
Cond.
10,287
176
58
12/31/10
Oil
6,723
175
38
6/30/11
5,679
179
32
12/31/11
Cond.
5,199
182
29
6/30/12
4,668
184
25
12/31/12
2,488
130
19
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
14H
Gas
315,977
365
866
6/30/10
Gas
110,153
184
599
12/31/10
Gas
100,299
168
597
6/30/11
94,925
183
519
12/31/11
45% drop-off in 36
months
86,061
182
473
6/30/12
48% drop-off in 41
months
65,266
144
453
12/31/12
66% drop-off in 47
months
6,551
22
298
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
14H
Oil
14,060
365
39
6/30/10
Cond.
3,699
184
20
12/31/10
Oil
3,056
168
18
6/30/11
3,422
183
19
12/31/11
Cond.
3,135
182
17
6/30/12
2,296
144
16
12/31/12
297
22
13
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
15H
Gas
288,824
365
791
6/30/10
Gas
115,458
184
627
12/31/10
Gas
96,737
167
579
6/30/11
71,297
183
390
12/31/11
43% drop-off in 36
months
81,279
182
447
6/30/12
53% drop-off in 41
months
57,170
154
371
12/31/12
78% drop-off in 47
months
31,047
181
173
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
15H
Oil
11,797
365
32
6/30/10
Cond.
3,657
184
20
12/31/10
Oil
2,696
167
16
6/30/11
2,934
183
16
12/31/11
Cond.
2,667
182
15
6/30/12
1,648
154
11
12/31/12
862
181
5
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
16H
Gas
350,051
365
959
6/30/10
Gas
133,222
184
724
12/31/10
Gas
113,621
168
676
6/30/11
105,123
183
574
12/31/11
46% drop-off in 36
months
93,547
182
514
6/30/12
47% drop-off in 41
months
78,608
156
504
12/31/12
60% drop-off in 47
months
69,508
181
384
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
16H
Oil
12,439
365
34
6/30/10
Cond.
3,951
184
21
12/31/10
Oil
3,267
168
19
6/30/11
2,915
183
16
12/31/11
Cond.
2,834
182
16
6/30/12
1,762
156
11
12/31/12
1,736
181
10
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
17H
Gas
142,049
67
2,120
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
17H
Oil
7,864
67
117
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
18H
Gas
135,990
66
2,060
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
18H
Oil
8,850
66
134
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
19H
Gas
114,338
65
1,759
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
19H
Oil
7,151
65
110
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
25H
Gas
63,501
77
825
6/30/10
Gas
130,215
177
736
12/31/10
Gas
117,711
162
727
6/30/11
109,528
179
612
12/31/11
33% drop-off in 26
months
100,072
182
550
6/30/12
38% drop-off in 32
months
93,835
184
510
12/31/12
44% drop-off in 38
months
32,109
69
465
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
25H
Oil
4,232
77
55
6/30/10
Cond.
10,287
177
58
12/31/10
Oil
5,925
162
37
6/30/11
5,251
179
29
12/31/11
Cond.
4,889
182
27
6/30/12
1,762
156
11
12/31/12
1,449
69
21
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
45H
Gas
157,946
70
2,256
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
45H
Oil
8,247
70
118
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
46H
Gas
127,111
67
1,897
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
46H
Oil
6,950
67
104
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
47H
Gas
150,207
70
2,146
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
47H
Oil
7,409
70
106
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
48H
Gas
299,444
109
2,747
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
48H
Oil
14,239
109
131
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
49H
Gas
254,027
108
2,352
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
49H
Oil
11,207
108
104
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
50H
Gas
301,247
108
2,789
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
50H
Oil
13,708
108
127
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
51H
Gas
235,561
104
2,265
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
51H
Oil
10,707
104
103
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
52H
Gas
236,785
95
2,492
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
52H
Oil
10,880
95
115
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
53H
Gas
220,096
99
2,223
6/30/13
CROSS
CREEK
53H
Oil
10,888
99
110
6/30/13
The entry sign may still say Great Lakes Energy Partners, LLC
but these are now Range Resources gas wells. Range Resources
purchased FirstEnergy's 50% share of Great Lakes in 2004, ending a
5-year joint venture.
CROSS CREEK PARK WELLS OWNED IN PART
BY WASHINGTON COUNTY June 7, 2009 Photo shows the drilling pad for 14H, 15H and 16H in
Cross
Creek Park. The three Marcellus wells are being
flared
in this photo. Frac tanks line the drilling pad.
December 23, 2009 through July 15, 2014 -
This modified water plan was approved December 23, 2009 by the Pensylvania DEP:
Range Resources Water Management Plan summary: 200,000 gallons per day from Brush Run 200,000 gallons per day from Cross Creek 800,000 gallons per day from
Cross Creek Lake 200,000 gallons per day from Chartiers Run 665,000 from Connoquenessing Creek 250,000 from a Marion Twp Water Tank 200,000 gallons per day from Whiteley Creek 1,656,000 gallons from three PAWC Pittsburgh-McMurray hydrants
(Monongahela River source) Total = 4,171,000 gallons of water per day from all sources
Over 4-million gallons of
water per day (4,171,000) is DEP-approved to be withdrawn from the Ohio River Basin
by Range Resources through July 15,
2014. Ohio River Basin
water withdrawals by Range and 28 other drilling companies
brings the grand total to 48.5 million gallons per day
through mid-2014 or early 2015.
Eastern American Energy Corp. also has an
approved water plan for withdrawal of 500,000 gallons of
water per day from Whiteley Creek, a waterway that has been detected
as having Golden Algae present, and is therefore very vulnerable to
any situation increasing TDS (total dissolved solids).
Range Resources' DEP-approved water plan allows for withdrawing
800,000 gallons per day from Cross Creek Lake, a prized fishing lake
in Washington County, PA.
FOUR MONTHS
AFTER APPROVAL See how the new water withdrawal plan
is going in 'before and after' photos below. The Washington County
Parks and Recreation Department indicated in mid-November that part
of the water level drop was due to a "leaky gate" which had
temporarily been repaired.
Cross Creek Lake
BEFORE: Spring 2009 above
AFTER: Fall 2009 below
This 244 acre Washington County owned
lake is managed under the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Big Bass and Panfish Enhancement programs. Besides
bluegills, crappies and largemouths, it also yields saugeyes.
Cross Creek Lake
BEFORE: Spring 2009 above
AFTER: Fall 2009 below
Webmaster's
note: This article was written before the fish kill
occurred at Cross Creek Lake. Photos were added later to
illustrate the various areas mentioned in the article.
Politicians should
remember that Cross Creek Lake belongs to the people
By George H. Block
Observer-Reporter, Outdoors Editor
If you were down to your last pair of
shoes you would hardly go out to the barn wearing them
and shovel manure.
With that idea in mind is it any wonder that outdoorsmen
and women are so protective of Cross Creek Park? In past
years I would walk from the upstream bridge, which used
to be a covered bridge, sit along the bank and enjoy the
beauty around me. Sometimes I would spot a soaring
osprey and marvel as it did a better job of catching a
fish than my futile attempts. We complained under our
breath as we walked in the swampy areas stepping on an
occasional skunk cabbage or soft spot, but wouldn't have
it any other way.
Now we sit and listen as the trucks go in and out and
the pumps whine as they draw huge amounts of water from
the lake. Trees and plants that were once green are gray
with dust. The lane leading down to the lake was once a
quiet walk but now one has to dodge large trucks and
uncaring workers. You see my friends, the almighty
dollar has won out again, proving that anything can be
bought if you have enough money.
I was thinking all this as I entered the
park and saw for the first time the No Trespassing signs
on land that as a citizen of Washington County I thought
was mine along with the rest of the populace. Instead of
the birds I listen to the roar of the pumps and the
jabber of the workers. This has been a dry spring as
most have noted and on entering the park and passing the
first swampy cove I noted how little water was running
into the lake.
Little did I know that on my return trip I would have to
cross a stream of mud flowing into the lake. It hadn't
rained so the mud could only be coming from one place.
Before the drilling we were assured this wouldn't
happen. So much for assurances. No matter what the
reason, accident or deliberate. I wasn't supposed to
happen. Of course there is always the money. The economy
is bad so lets sell the county.
We are assured that the drilling does
little damage to the environment and yet at every turn
in the road we see signs warning us of seismic crews
working. If the drilling does no damage then why do we
need to waste resources on seismic crews and such? Don't
believe me? Just take a Sunday drive through Chartiers,
Mt. Pleasant or Cross Creek Townships and see the
beautifying of your county - and I should emphasize your
county.
We have but one lake in the county that is worth fishing
and that is Cross Creek. Is protecting this one piece of
water too much to ask or is anything and everything for
sale. Tom Campbell said it best when he said, "Why can't
they just leave us alone? Allow one small piece of land
and water be, where I can relax and get away from the
pollution and noise of society."
Cross Creek Park and Lake used to be a place of renewal.
Now it's a place of noise and dirt and a definite threat
to the quality of the lake itself. For some years now
the Pennsylvania Game Commission has stocked pheasants
on Cross Creek Park property. Will hunters now face No
Trespassing signs?
What of those who hunt turkey, coyote and woodchucks?
Will they still be allowed to utilize the park property?
Or will the wells and drilling activity supersede the
public's use of the park?
Of course there is always the money.
All one has to do is walk along the bank of the upper
lake to hear the opinion of what is happening at the
park. I can't repeat what is said about the drillers and
the politics that have allowed this to happen.
I can't help but remember that stream of mud flowing
into Cross Creek Lake on a clear dry day during a dry
month. It makes one sick.
A couple of years ago the lake was
lowered to install water lines. The problem was that the
lowering was done in the spring, right after panfish had
spawned. The eggs were left high and dry hanging from
the brush and grass along the shoreline.
We certainly do not need a repeat performance of this.
Hopefully the fish have not spawned yet this year.
Here is where anglers could keep an eye on the shoreline
and report any above-water spawn to the Fish and Boat
Commission or Department of Environmental Protection.
While the public cannot control, nor should they control
the resources on private land, public land is an
entirely different matter. The public is the owner and
the politicians merely the caretakers. You must ask
yourself, are they taking good care of what you own?
Along the above lines or just thinking.
I don't remember my first dollar but I do remember my
first trout. I don't remember my income for 1965 but
remember an eight-point buck. I don't remember my hourly
rate for 1973 but do remember a quiet trout stream in
McKean County full of brook Trout. I don't remember how
much money was in my pocket that day four years ago as I
sat on the patio with my 94-year-old mother. I was
pointing to a Baltimore oriole in the apple tree and she
was thrilled to see it.
That was the last time we sat on the patio.
Do you remember such or do you remember the money?
PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESPASSING
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED
RANGE RESOURCES
Drilling sites may take away precious hunting spots
August 8, 2010 by
George Block
Observer-Reporter
I think most readers would agree with me that the No. 1 thing
that would bring about a decline in hunter numbers is the loss
of a place to hunt.
Here in my home area of Eighty
Four we have witnessed a tremendous loss of open hunting land over
the last 20 years. With that in mind, I can't help but wonder how
many hunters will go to their deer stands this year only to find a
gas well or drilling operation there. Certainly with the thousands
of wells being drilled in Western Pennsylvania, some of them will
fall around someone's deer stand. When looking at this situation one
must consider that there is a 150-yard safety zone surrounding the
drilling operation.
Also, to be considered is the
human and vehicle activity that could change game movement. When you
look at ponds built to store water, roadways for access and the
drill site itself, they do take up quite a bit of land.
On top of that, most drilling is
done in rural areas, where most hunting takes place. With all of
that in mind, hunters would do well to check their deer stand well
before the season.
Another interesting statistic
would involve the number of non-resident licenses sold this year.
Will there be a significant jump in sales? Remember many of these
men working on the drill sites are from Texas, Oklahoma and even
Canadian provinces. And they hunt.
'Pig launcher' located
near some of the newer wells
