**Here is an update from Lisa A. McClung of the WV Department of Environmental Protection on the STUDIES mandated by the WV Natural Gas Horizontal Well Control Act enacted by the West Virginia Legislature at §22-6A on December 14, 2011**
The new Natural Gas Horizontal Well Control Act enacted by the West Virginia Legislature at §22-6A on December 14, 2011, directs the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) to conduct three studies regarding impacts from horizontal well drilling activities on air quality as well as the safety of pits and impoundments in order to collect information and report back its findings and recommendations.
The WVDEP is collaborating with West Virginia University (WVU) to design and implement these studies. The results of the study may determine if more stringent regulations are required for these operations.
WVU will conduct research into the literature as well as conduct environmental monitoring, and provide WVDEP with data and reports, including a summary and conclusions as well as any observations of control technology or emission reduction practices to lower emissions. WVU’s efforts will inform policymakers in order to support WVDEP in addressing the legislative mandates of §22-6A-12(e), §22-6A-22, and §22-6A-23.
These legislatively mandated studies are on tight timelines with two due effectively by the end of 2012: the dust, volatile organic compounds, light, and noise study; and the pit and impoundment safety study. Another air quality report on whether additional regulations may be necessary is due by July 1, 2013.
The majority of multi-media monitoring and sampling efforts will take place during June through August 2012. WVDEP is in the process of identifying horizontal well drilling sites for monitoring.
The air quality study will include monitoring results of dust, volatile organic compounds, light, and noise during drilling activities associated with horizontal wells as they relate to the well location restrictions regarding occupied dwelling structures.
The five stages to monitor will be site clearing and preparation; vertical drilling; horizontal drilling; hydraulic fracturing; and flowback and completion. The pit and impoundment study will focus on structural integrity, radioactivity, drilling waste, and groundwater associated with centralized pits.
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