Encana Says Drilling Did Not Taint Wyoming Water-Reuters

EXCERPT:
"Contamination detected by U.S. regulators in some Wyoming water wells near natural gas sites was unrelated to oil and gas operations or showed hydrocarbon levels below official action
standards, an official for the company conducting the drilling said on Thursday."


"EnCana will pay for alternative sources of drinking water for affected residents; studying the integrity of its wells, including the casings that run through aquifers, and reassessing
the remediation of wastewater pits, Hock said."


COMMENT:
• EnCana says drilling did not taint Wyoming water, but will pay for the water anyway. Since when does industry do something they are not responsible for? Just look to the Gulf of Mexico and the finger pointing. In Pavillion it is easier for industry to come out as the "good-guy" rather than have testing continue that will link their natural gas field contamination to the drinking water.

• EPA has reached no conclusion (although a water well tested in 2008 found benzene at 1200 ppb in the water) in spite of knowing that benzene is a known occurring carcinogen from industry's fracking.

• Benzene levels do exceed "federal or state levels for hazardous concentrations" (according to ProPublica report 2008 where benzene was found at 1200 ppb in a 300 foot deep water well) although this report is stating none do.

• This is another attempt to cover-up facts so that industry can continue to pollute the water with impunity! The 2004 EPA study of hydraulic fracturing exposed hazardous chemicals being injected into the ground (such as benzene), but the conclusion was that no undue harm would occur. Whistle blower Weston Wilson, EPA environment engineer, reported this cover-up to Congress.....however, the next year the Bush Cheney Administration passed the 2005 Energy Bill EXEMPTING industry from all liabilities: "Clean Water Act", "Safe Drinking Water Act", "Clean Air Act" making them above the law.

Drilling Mora County



Wed, Sep 8 2010
By Jon Hurdle
PHILADELPHIA - Contamination detected by U.S. regulators in
some Wyoming water wells near natural gas sites was unrelated to oil and
gas operations or showed hydrocarbon levels below official action
standards, an official for the company conducting the drilling said on
Thursday.

Doug Hock, a spokesman for EnCana Corp., said government tests on 17
private water wells in the farming town of Pavillion, Wyoming, showed
low levels of petroleum hydrocarbons, and inorganic substances that
naturally occur.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report from August found a
"drinking water concern" on the basis of hydrocarbons and other
chemicals found in wells tested in January...continued...