Residents fault DEC over claims of gas drilling impact on water wells, DEC says drilling not to blame, but assemblywoman doubts investigations’ thoroughness

Residents fault DEC over claims of gas drilling impact on water wells, DEC says drilling not to blame, but assemblywoman doubts investigations’ thoroughness by Liz Lawyer, November 2, 2011, Ithaca Journal
Landowners who believe their drinking water has been affected by drilling activity in central and western New York said they have had trouble getting the state Department of Environmental Conservation to thoroughly investigate their cases. David and Kelly Ferrugia, a couple in Chautauqua County in the far western tip of the state, have been unable to get their questions answered about why their water quality changed six years ago. … Fred Mayer of Candor is also without an explanation as to why his well began producing methane three years ago, after a gas exploration company dynamited a hill on his 96-acre property. … “The DEC has walked away from its responsibilities. They did not do a full investigation there.” … Barium increased from 0.181 ppm to 1.12 ppm. … Boria notes that the county had no water well complaints during the 1990s, when there was no drilling activity in the county. In 2000, when drilling started again, so did complaints, about one to two a year, he said. Hang said, “I think the key thing is that the local health department, which has investigated this matter, essentially said this is a well-documented case showing drinking water impacts that are seemingly related to gas well development, but the DEC simply refuses to acknowledge the concern, investigate the concern, or provide clean water to the family.”