10/2/2011
Shale Gas:
Landscape Impacts
Betsey Day
Associate Environmental Scientist
Stantec Consulting Services
October 3, 2011
Shale Gas Development
Impacts – Most Attention
• Water
–
–
–
–
Hydraulic fracturing fluids
Methane migration
Spills
Surface and groundwater withdrawals
http://savethewatertable.org
• Air and Climate
– Fugitive emissions
– Equipment emissions
http://www.citizenscampaign.org
www.marcellus-shale.us
Shale Gas Development
Other Impacts - Recent Attention
• Socio-Economic
–
–
–
–
Boom-and-Bust
Public services
Infrastructure (esp. roads)
Cultural/land heritage
• Landscape
– Landforms, watersheds, and viewsheds
– Habitat quality
– Biodiversity
1
10/2/2011
Shale Gas Development
Focus on Landscape Impacts
• Gaining increased attention
– Recent comprehensive assessments
– Landscape based recommendations
• Upcoming changes
– Additional, comprehensive regulations
– Industry procedural adjustments
Shale Gas Development
Landscape Impacts
• Habitat destruction and fragmentation,
sedimentation, drainage alteration from
clearing and construction of…
–
–
–
–
–
Lease roads (access)
Water reservoirs and supply lines
Well pads
Gathering lines
Compressor stations
Wood Thrush: 9% of global
population nests in PA
Scarlet Tanager: > 17% of
global population nests in PA
Adapted from The Nature Conservancy – PA Chapter
Shale Gas Development
Mitigation Opportunities
• Avoid sensitive resources
– inventory and mapping
• Minimize impacts
– Include environmental considerations in routing
and siting of development elements
– Retain undisturbed buffers around key features
– Incorporate erosion / sedimentation control BMPs
• Rectify impacts
– Utilize or create natural visual screens
– Restore landscape features (post-development)
2
10/2/2011
Shale Gas Development
Landscape Mitigation
• Benefits for industry
– Improved environmental record
– Improved public image
– Improved working relationships
• Landowners
• Regulatory agency personnel
• Policy makers
– Opportunity for beneficial partnerships
– Competitive edge
Shale Gas Development
Landscape Mitigation
• Costs for industry
–
–
–
–
Developing and training on new procedures
Additional complications to complex process
Decreased flexibility; increased need for monitors
Longer pipelines and/or lease roads needed to
avoid impacts
– Purchasing plant material for restoration
Planning and creativity can minimize costs
Shale Gas Development
Advancing Impact Mitigation
• Effecting change from “downstream”
– Support legislation requiring impact minimization
– Share experience and successes
– Encourage sustainable production practices
• Develop sustainability goals
• Include elements applicable to fuel suppliers
• Communicate goals to suppliers
3
10/2/2011
Shale Gas Development
Bringing it home: Upstream impacts in WI
• Frac sand mining
• St. Peter Sandstone
–
–
–
–
petrified beach dunes
loosely-cemented
uniform size particles
rounded particles; "frosted" surface – result of
wind erosion
– high silica content (quartz) - crush resistance
Extent of St. Peter Sandstone Formation
http://members.socket.net/~joschaper/ssp.html
• Several recent new mine proposals
Shale Gas Development
Frac Sand Mining in WI
• 2 old underground mines
• New mines – open pit
http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs
Impacts
Benefits
– Silica dust
– Comprehensive regs are
in place
– Noise
–
Economic development
– Visual; land heritage
–
Land reclamation req’d.
– Traffic/roads
– Habitat destruction/alteration
Photo courtesy Richard Wolkowski
Shale Gas vs. Coal Extraction
Comparing Impacts - Better or Worse?
• Air
– Methane release
– Internal combustion byproducts (equipment
operation)
• Water
– Acid mine drainage
• Land
– Subsidence
– Habitat destruction
4