8/2/2019 Testimony of L. Maher Johnson at Hydrofracking Forum

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I

Hydrogeologists on Hydrofracking(High Volume Horizontal Hydrofracking with Slickwater)

On Faults and Seismicity1. Geologist Robert Jacobi: "Not only are there more faults than previously expected ill NYS,but also, many of tbese faults are seismically active." And "most cultural facilities (e.g.,waste disposal sites, bridges, pipelines) are not far from a potentially seismic fault:'(Basement Faults and Seismicity in the Appalachian Basin a/New York Stale. p.75, 105.)2. US Geological Survey geologists wrote to the DEC about its use of an "outdated" fault mapthat "grossly under represents the number and extent of faults in the Appalachian Basin ofNew York". (Feb 2012, p. 10) They highly recommended Jacobi's maps instead.3. NYC DEP: "Recently released research has documented that low magnitude earthquakeshave been triggered by HVHF treatment of shale gas wells near Blackpool in the UK andpossibly in Garvin County, OK. In both cases, tbe wells were vertical. The Blackpool site isin a region of Iow seismicity and the fault was unknown prior to the drilling and HVHFstimulation." (H-R Tech Memo, Dec 2011, p.v)4. NYC DEP: "The Blackpool earthquakes and probably tbe Oklahoma earthquakesdemonstrate that hydraulic fracturing can reach a nearby fault and can trigger a seismicevent." (Jan 2012, p 8)5. Hydrogeologist Paul Rubin: "Much of New York State is seismically active. Excessivelubrication of faults and fractures with higbly pressurized hydraulic fracturing fluids,bolstered by repeated hydrofracturing episodes, may result in fault activation and bedrocksettlement [earthquakes],' (Jan 2012, p 14)6. NYC DEP: "Induced earthquakes from [wastewater) injection wells are a well-knownphenomenon. (Feb 2012, p.3)7. Rubin: "Ground motions from even one significant earthquake. among many that occurover time, may catastrophically shear numerous gas well casings or, at tbe very least, mayresult in fracturing and loss of integrity of well casing cement designed to isolate freshwateraquifers from deep saline waters. As such, earthquakes may instantly destroy the integrityof hundreds of gas wells, thereby forever and irreparably compromising the hydrologicintegrity of geologic formations that formerly protected freshwater aquifers. Restoration ofcontaminated freshwater aquifers is probably not possible ... ." (Nov 2010, p 1)Note on Recent Earthquakes in Albany: There have been 26 seismic events recorded betweenAug 22-28, 2011 (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) and 91 "in the Knox-Berne area datingback to the 1980s; between Feb 2009 and Mar 2012, 37 were recorded. (Times Union, Sept. 3,2011)On Groundwater Flow and ContaminationI.Hydrogeologist Arthur Palmer: "Any groundwater hydrologist knows that groundwaterflow is not limited to shallow depths. The patterns and physics of flow have been quantifiedsince the 20tb century and have been verified many thousands of times in the field. Even ifthere are no problems in and around drilling sites, the contaminants will move ... downgradient to the major river valleys .... " (Dec 2011, p 2)

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Note on HVHHF Chemicals: Of the 632 chemicals currently being used in hydrofrackingelsewhere, 353 have federal CAS numbers and can be researched. Of these 353, 37% are knownendocrine disrupters and 25% are cancer and mutation causing. These statistics are from a peer-reviewed study published in a science journal, Sept 2011. (www.endocrinedisruptors.com)2. Palmer: "Natural fractures are widespread and unpredictable. Tbey [including verticaljoints, major fault lines, and deep basement faults] offer tbe most likely patbways for risingRoids. Most Row follows major fractures, tbe way traffic follows interstate bigbways, andtberefore much groundwater, including contaminants, is concentrated in zones of relativelybigb-velocity Row, moving much faster than average grouadwater," (Mar 2012, pi)3. Rubin: "Tbe most rapid [groundwater] flow takes place tbrougb major fissures (joints,faults), and because the hydraulic bead is lower in tbese efficient chaanels, grouBdwater insurrounding areas converges toward tbem, and they provide major cbannels forcontaminants."4. Palmer: [Existing fractures enlarged and propped open by Cracking, or newlybydrofracked fractures of] "typically 500 feet", [will also serve to move deep frackingcontaminants) "slowly but inevitably down gradient to tbe major river valleys. 10 tbeAppalachiaos, that bappens to be wbere most of the population centers and highest-yieldingaquifers are located. And "this kind of cootamination bas a vile bistory ... remember DDT,PCB's ... T" (Dec 2011, p 3)5. Palmer: "No landowner is allowed to contaminate water that flows onto ao adjacentproperty, and yet this happens regularly, out of sight below the surface. Many of tbeproblems caused by hydrofracturing have involved contamination of neigbboring wells.Worst of all, contamination affects the entire down-flow part of tbe groundwater systemand is not confined to tbe fracking site." (Mar 2012, p 4)6. Palmer: "In the bydrofracturing process, up to 5 million gallons of water are injected intoeach well over its productive life. Usually no more that 2% of the fluid consists of additivestbat retard dogging and aid in gas recovery. There are more than 700 differenteompoaents, most of them known or possible carcinogens. More than 200 are unidentifiedtrade secrets. Once hydrofracturiog is completed, the Rowback of fluids accounts for anaverage of20-70% of the total fluid, leaving 30-80% in the ground." (Mar 2012, p 2)7. Palmer offers "a crude example [of a contaminant load] based on reported concentrations,but it is the kind of approach needed if we are to assess the pros and coos ofhydroCracturiog." Using the percentage of the known carcinogen (cancer-causing) benezene inone fracked well, Palmer calculates that one square mile, 600 ft deep, of underground formationcan be initially saturated with an amount of benezene that is "more than 5000 times the EPAstandard .... This scenario considers just a single contaminant in a single well. Additionalwells will contribute." (Mar 2012, p 2)8. Palmer: "The shale itself contains a variety of materials of concern, including toxic heavymetals and radium. Radium is tbe source of radon gas; botb are radioactive. Ordinarilythese materials are not released into groundwater supplies because of the low permeabilityof sbale, but artificial fracturing tends to release them in unnatural quantities, and they arecontained in the fluids withdrawn from tbe gas well." (Mar 2012, p 2)

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9. Palmer: "While injection is taking place, (fracking) Ouids can easily be driven upwardthrough intervening beds, including aquifers. This involves water, fracking nuids, andgases. The pressure is exerted not only vertically but in all directions, so contaminants,natural or introduced, can be injected into surrounding strata, including aquifers .... Itdoesn't matter tbat typical aquifers are only hundreds of feet below tbe surface while shalegas production is thousands of feet below. While fracking is in progress, the pressure in tbeshale is enough to drive fluids as high as the land surface if the rocks are permeableenough." He calculates that "high pressures, typically about 2500 pounds per square inch atthe injection well . .. is enough to raise a column of water to rise 1.09 miles." (Jan 2012, pi)10. Retired Mobile Exe VP Lou Allstadt: "The (DEe's] draft SGEIS proposes that the top ofthe target fracturing zone must be toOO feet below the deepest drinking water aquifer or2000 feet below the surface, whichever is deeper. (But mdustry's own data for the Marcellusshale) shows some fractures extending more than 1800 feet vertically." (Jan 2012, p 11)11 . Rubin: "Numerous joints [vertical fracturesJ ... even in the absence of gas wellinstallations, provide open, functioning, avenues for upward migration of methane. Gas-rich joints encountered by exploration well boreholes may interconnect and enhancepreexisting joint pathways for methane, deep-seated saline water, radioactivity and,following development of horizontal gas wells, for contaminated LNAPL (LightNonAqueous Phase Liquids; e.g., chemicals with a density less than freshwater, such asbenezeae) fracture fluids to migrate to aquifers, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, streams, wells. andeven homes! (Nov 2010, P 4)12. Palmer: "The distribution of major fracture zones in New York has been competentlymapped by Jacobi (2002), but most fractures still remain unidentified. Most are almostimpossible to detect even witb geophysical methods. Large ones are best identified by thepresence of natural gas leaks, saline water in wells, hot springs, or highly mineralizedsprings. Also tbe world's deepest known limestone caves (karst) follow intersecting fracturesystems to depths greater than a mile .... " (Mar 2012, p 2)On Karst1. Rubin: " ... Conduit portions of karst aquifers are THE most hydrologically vulnerableaquifers anywhere Gas drilling in and under NYS carbonate should be permanentlybanned." (Jan 2012, p. 23)Nte:A band of carbonate or cavernous limestone (karst) stretches across central NYS fromAlbany to Buffalo, and another runs south from Albany along the west side of the Hudson.2. Palmer: "In typical karst areas in the East, most groundwater now is shallow. This poses aproblem for constraining the dispersion of contaminants at drill sites, e.g., from accidentalspills, routine minor leakage, or from ruptured seals around wells. Ordinarilycontamination from such spills moves slowly through low-permeability soil and rocks. Butwhere karst is present, groundwater velocities are up to hundreds or even thousands oftimes greater. This bas been shown witb innumerable dye traces." (Dec 2011, p 9)3. Palmer: ". .. avoid karst areas (which contain caves and sinkholes) because contaminantscan spread rapidly and over large distances through solution conduits (caves and shafts):'(Jan 2012, p 3)

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4. Rubin: "High pressure fluids in shale will leak into any limestone formation in the vicinity[even if DO caves and siakholes are present). Once in tbe limestone, contaminants willspread in most directions." (Jan 2012, P 24)5. Rubin: "People and bats [endangered species} in caves may potentially be ovenvhelmedby tbe build up of methane and other toxic cbemicals." (Jan 2012, p 25)6 Rubin: "Cootaminated karst streams resurge as springs where their adverse impact tostreams, lakes, reservoirs, ecosystems, and wetJand species and water quality may berapid." (Jan 2012, p 25)On 500 Year Flood Plains1. Rubin: "Gas drilling sbould not occur within SOD-year floodplains" (which are not yetmapped). "Excursion of fracking fluids from breached flow-back wastewater containmentstructures, whether via rupture, leakage, or overflow, poses a real threat to groundwaterquality." (Nov 2010, p 14.) Note: Slow infiltration to groundwater becomes rapid duringflooding and through karst.On Valley Aquifers1. USGS: "Nearly all domestic wells in upland areas tap the fractured bedrock aquifer. Thelow storage io these aquifers relative to a sand and gravel aquifer [valley aquifer] meansthat changes brought about by drilling, including water quality cbanges, can be felt rapidlyat significant distance from a disturbaaee- especially if a domestic well is down gradient of awell pad." (Feb 2012, P 7)2. Palmer: "It is well known tbat natural groundwater follows long curving patbs tbatextend deep below tbe surface and rise into valleys ... It has been well documented tbatmore than 75% of tbe flow in nearly all surface rivers is delivered by groundwater." (Mar2012, p 3)3. Palmer: "Valley aquifers are tbe greatest sources of groundwater for municipal, domestic,and industrial use, because tbat's where tbe greatest population centers are located in thegas-rich plateau regions of tbe state. That is also where the most productive saod-and-gravel aquifers are located, as well as all reservoirs, including those that supply New YorkCity. The concept of "offset" from water supplies (e.g., 4000 feet) [NYC Watershed setbackproposed by the DEC] is entirely inappropriate for this kind off contaminant transport."(Mar 2012, p 4)Map Note:a-USGS geologists mapped the largest valley aquifers of NYS in 1988 (Bugliosi et al). Thesemaps depict valley aquifers as broad underground rivers of groundwater flowing beneath and inthe same down-gradient direction as the major surface creeks and rivers, but much wider than thesurface water above. These aquifers flow beneath and recharge surface reservoirs, rivers andlakes through seepage into their beds and banks, and through underground springs. Groundwaterand surface water are interconnected.b-USGS indicated that the small scale of these Bugliosi maps allows for up to 30% inaccuracy ofaquifer boundaries (Feb 2012)c-The DEC plans to permit HVHHF into these valley aquifers, calling for site review for the firsttwo years of permitting.

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00 the Long Term1. NYC DEP: "HVHF has only been ill widespread use for about ten years." (Jan 20]2, p 13)2. Myers: "Preferential flow [from shale] through natural fractures and fracking-inducedfractures could .[take] as little as just a few years to ten years to reach aquifers."3. Rubin: "Long term aquifer contamination is assured." (Jan 2012, p 34)4. Rubin: "Radioactive radium present tbe the Marcellus may be mobilized in Ouids aodthus become available for transport in the groundwater Row system In addition, uraniumtainted flow back water poses tbe risk of contaminating streams, wetlands, and ecosystems!'(Nov 2010, P 14)Legislative Note: To prevent toxic fracking wastewater from being returned to surface water andthen infiltrating their aquifers, Long Island Republican Senators have recently united to sponsor abill to ban frack wastewater treatment there, i.e., in areas of sole source or primary aquifers.

s. Rubin: "Existing sealant materials (i.e., cement and steel), under the best of conditions,may maintain their integrity for less than 100 years, often far less. The concept of usingmultiple cement and casing barriers to "protect" freshwater aquifers fails to acknowledgethat the well-documented failure mechanisms of cement sheaths and casing material willoccur regardless of the number of barriers .v.," (Jan 2012, p 2)6. Rubin: "Once the integrity of gas well cement sheaths, casing, and plugging material hasbeen breached through corrosion and assorted failure mechanisms. then upward hydraulicpressure gradients will result in natural gas and contaminant migration into overlyingaquifers." (Jan 2012, p 13)7. Palmer: "Poorly sealed (or entirely unsealed) wells allow mucb greater leakage. There arethousands in New York that are abandoned and mostly undocumented. Leaks all the way tothe surface are possible." (Mar 2012, p 3)8. Rubin: "Even if all fracking fluids were composed of non-toxic cbemicals, the risk ofinterconnecting deep saline-bearing formations and lor radioactive fluids with freshwateraquifers is great" (Nov 2010, P 14)9 " . Rubin: "The population driokiog tbe water will continue to have low-level chronicexposure to a suite of toxic and carcinogenic hydrofracking chemicals with untested andunknown health impacts." (Jan 2012, p 29)10. Palmer: " .there is real potential for contamination in surrounding river valleyswithin our own lifetimes." (Dec 201 I, P 5)

* * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * AA . Palmer: Professor Emeritus of Hydrology and Geochemistry and former director of the Water Resources program. SUNY Oneonta;SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chancellor 's Award for Research. lie is a fel low of ti le Am Asso for the Advancementof Science, National Speleological Society and Geological Society of Am, as well as a GSA Kirk Bryan Award recipient (based on hiswork in groundwater hydraul ics of limestone caves). He has also worked as a consul tant to oil and ga s companies.P. Rubin: See hllp.1I hydroguesl.oorn for a full resume R. Jacobi: See University of Buffalo websitePapers and maps by hydrogeologists at ht!p:/lbydmques!.coml : www.ruraicornmunjties.org:hgp:/lbydroques!.com/hvdrofracl;ing/Compilation prepared by L Maher-Johnson, SI.,:yHil1 Fann, mahcriohnsonfalgmail.com, 312112

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USGS Valley Aquifer Map - Finger Lakes Region Segment(BugUosi et ai, 1988)

Valley groundwater aquifers (darkened) flow beneath lakes (rivers and reservoirs},supplying more than 75% of the surface water.

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Faults & Fractures Abound in the NYC WatershedCan Act as Underground "Interstate Highways" for Fracking ToxinsOne Toxin from One Fracked Well: SOOOXEPA Limit Over A Square MileOf more concern than earthquakes---is pressurized fracking contaminants moving rapidly through ourunderground grid or "interstate highways" of "earthquake" faults and fractures.Palmer, hydrologist, geochemist and former head of Water Resources at SUNY Oneonta, is concernedabout pressurized fracking fluids moving rapidly through these underground highways, even undermountain top divides and into adjacent valleys, where toxins will then move more slowly into the valleyaquifers that provide more than 75% of the groundwater for reservoirs, lakes and rivers.So fracking outside the NYC Watershed could fast track contaminants beneath the topographical divideprotecting the Watershed and they could then seep up into any of the six NYC reservoirs in valleys at theedges of the Watershed.The NYC DEP is also concerned and has called for a seven mile setback outside the boundaries (while theDEC proposes less than a mile). But Palmer says ''the concept of 'offset' from water supplies is entirelyinappropriate for this kind of contaminant transport."Using the percentage of the known carcinogen benzene in one fracked well and the average amount offrack fluid left in the earth after fraeking, Palmer roughly calculates that one square mile, 600 ft deep, ofunderground rock formation can be initially saturated with an amount of benzene that is "more than 5000times the EPA standard .... This scenario considers just a single contaminant in a single welL" Indeed, theDEC is asking for eight wells on a single well pad.This saturation will then move through fractures and, eventually, down gradient toward valley aquifers invalleys where most people, farms and industries locate.The DEP has taken on the task of mapping faults and fractures in and around the WS, using logs fromconstruction of its water tunnels, etc. But "most fractures still remain unidentified. Most are almostimpossible to detect even with geophysical methods." And the DEC doesn't plan to require detection. Arethe fractures and the contaminants they will bring to our drinking water tomorrow's problem?"Preferential flow [from shale] through natural fractures and fracking-induced fractures could ... [take) aslittle as just a few years to ten years to reach aquifers," according to a new hydrological study just acceptedfor publication. Palmer says "there is a real potential for contamination in surrounding river valleys withinour own lifetimes."One of our larger river valleys is the Capital District, where the huge flowing valley aquifer not far beneaththe Mohawk River moves slowly down gradient toward and merges with the aquifer below the HudsonRiver.So Albany will get to play tap-water roulette along with every town and city in our small watersheds andlarge river basins. Farm and wild animals, pets and crops and industry can also play this water roulettegame of mostly "low-level chronic exposure to a suite of toxic and carcinogenic hydrofracking chemicals,"far into the future.Re spectfu 1 1y,L.Maher-Johnson, SkyHiIl Farm, maherjohnson@gmail.comAttachments:Quo te s o f Hyd ro -Geo log i st sTh re e m a ps of faults and f ra c tu re s i n a re a of NYC Wa te rs he dM a p o f v all ey a qu if er s in F in ge r L ak e r eg io n, d ep ic tin g a qu if er s m o vin g b el ow la ke s to r ec ha rg e th em ,

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