Letters: Pa. streams and rivers are not under attack

The Associated Press review of drilling water ("Can Corbett cut cash cord?" Wednesday) tries to convince readers that Pennsylvania streams and rivers are under attack by the natural-gas industry - stating that surface waters have become the "primary disposal place" for water produced in the process of developing the Marcellus Shale.

In fact, the "primary disposal place" for this water is no disposal place at all - Pennsylvania's natural-gas producers on average recycle more than 90 percent of the water that returns to the surface. The rest is delivered to underground injection sites, often in neighboring states, whose location, construction, maintenance, and inspection are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Everything else falls under the jurisdiction of the federal Clean Water Act, which regulates the type and amount of water allowed to be treated at wastewater facilities. Still, the industry is committed to being a zero-discharge operation in the state's surface waters and continues to lead the nation in recycling technologies and practices.

Thanks to advances in technology, producers today are able to access more clean-burning natural gas by drilling fewer wells, lessening impact on the land and greatly reducing the volume of water needed to do the job.

Kathryn Klaber

President and Executive Director

Marcellus Shale Coalition