Concerns Over Disposal Wells Continue - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Concerns Over Disposal Wells Continue

Emotions were running high Wednesday night, at the Columbus Township Fire Hall.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Environmental Protection hosted a public meeting, on the two waste water disposal wells.

The plans, have upset many residents of the Bear Lake community.

"I don't want them," said Joe Sykes.  "I got a dairy farm.  We need our water, and if they have a failure, we're going to be out of business."

Bear Lake Properties plans to dispose of waste water from Marcellus Shale fracking into two old gas wells.  Those wells, are located in Bear Lake, right near the NY state line.

The EPA approved final permits for the project last month.  The plans must now be approved by the DEP.

"The process is very rigorous," said DEP Regional Director Kelly Burch.  "The mechanical integrity of the well, the pressure tests that need to be conducted, the chemical analysis of the fluids that are going down, the pressures that they must maintain...there's a lot of things that go into this."

According to Burch, the review process could take several months.