I Know Contamination, And There’s None in Dimock!
Loren Salsman
Dimock Landowner
Recently, some folks over the hill from my Dimock home decided to solicit some funds from the folks at Catskill Citizens for Clean Energy to erect a billboard that states “Fix Dimock Water” and shows a pitcher of brown water. They also thought it was appropriate to hire a plane to fly over the very well received Cabot community picnic, dragging a banner saying “Fix Dimock Water.” This accusation is borderline outrageous and I’d like to tell you my side of the story, which paints a far different picture about the pitcher. I know contamination, and there’s none in Dimock!
For those of you who don’t know me, Penn State decided that I earned a BS in Environmental Engineering Technology back in 1992. I have traveled all over the United States conducting site assessment at various facilities including Superfund sites, military bases, Bulk Petroleum Storage facilities, gas stations, industrial plants, and even the PanTex Nuclear facility in Amarillo, Texas. I know contamination. I’ve chased contaminant plumes over a mile at some facilities. By the way, I’ve also served as a Public Health Sanitarian specializing in residential well water.
Enough about me (I don’t want to bore you to death), so let’s discuss Dimock. Unless you live under a rock, the Pennsylvania DEP began to investigate reports of water quality changes in some Dimock wells around November, 2008. The investigation included the wells of complaining residents along with all wells in the area surrounding gas drilling activity.
My well was included in the sampling starting in February, 2009. From February to July, 2009, my well water contained between 4 to 6 mg/l of methane, which is quite insignificant. It then jumped up to 35 mg/l and averaged around 25 mg/l for the next 12+ months. DEP subsequently added my well to the Consent Order with Cabot. I don’t know when this happened because I was never notified.
I accepted bottled drinking water from Cabot free of charge because my water was coming out of the faucet white with the supersaturated gas, and my Mom, who shares my well, was nervous about drinking it. I was offered a water buffalo, but I declined it because I saw no inherent danger with methane contamination. I never took my well off line and I still use it today.
John Smelko of Cabot contacted me in August, 2009, about installing a treatment system on my well. He visited my wife and I with Brent Brelje, a Professional Engineer with SLR Corp. Brent was (and still is) in charge of designing the treatment systems for Cabot. I was very impressed with their presentation and we immediately accepted the system, again, free of charge. The system utilizes a methane separator with blower, storage tank with blower, ozonator and several filters. Here’s a video where I describe the system:
Upon installation of the system, we immediately discontinued bottled water delivery. We like our tap water better than bottled water. Its an outstanding system, and even though they are not obligated to, Cabot continues to maintain the system for me as well.
Obviously, I am happy with the treatment system, but ultimately I wanted the aquifer that feeds my well fixed. After a three month battle with DEP over their proposed water line from Montrose to Dimock to serve 18 of us with what DEP felt were methane impacted wells, Cabot and DEP came to an agreement that Cabot would take various actions (including specific well improvements) and providing all 18 families with treatment systems and a financial settlement worth twice our property values. My last two sample results show the methane in my well is back down to 7 mg/l, right back where I started and proving that issues can be successfully resolved.
Loren Salsman
Now, back to that billboard. Some 11 of the 18 folks in the Consent Order happen to be litigants in a major lawsuit against Cabot. These folks haven’t allowed sampling at their residences since December, 2010. I understand they may have recently allowed some sampling, but no results are available yet. Could it be they don’t want data showing the water is fixed?
Unfortunately for them and perhaps attorneys everywhere, DEP’s original Consent Order mandated the plugging of three wells deemed beyond repair. The wells were plugged by April of 2010. When you look at the data of the two worst wells on Carter Road prior to well plugging, you will find iron levels of 5 mg/l and methane level of 20 mg/l at one residence, and iron levels of 11 mg/l but no methane at another. These are extremely high levels of iron and consequently, these families had brown water.
However, after the wells were plugged, the iron and methane levels fell immediately to barely detectable and insignificant levels. It is important to note these results are from homes that are about 100 yards apart. One resident is a litigant and one is a non-litigant. The non-litigant family has been using their well for over a year now with Brent’s first treatment system. Indeed, all non-litigants use their wells; only litigants have water buffaloes.
Now one final note. Back in August of 2010, the EPA held a public meeting on hydraulic fracturing in Binghamton, NY. One of the litigants announced at the meeting that she had hydraulic fracturing chemicals in her water. Although I haven’t seen the actual analytical laboratory report, the local paper reported the well contained glycol and toluene. Cabot responded on their website stating that only trace amounts of the chemicals were found which were well below the drinking water standards. Cabot had not done any hydraulic fracturing by this residence in 1½ years, so other causes seem likely.
Interestingly, the chemicals identified were constituents in gasoline and anti-freeze. It should not be a big surprise to find constituents of gasoline and anti-freeze in a gravel aquifer down gradient from a repair garage and towing storage yard that routinely contains wrecked cars and there is one a mere ¼ mile upstream from this site. Moreover, DEP responded by conducting their own sampling of our wells to ensure none of us had chemical contaminants in our wells. They tested for the full volatile/semi volatile range of chemicals. Every result was “non-detect” except for one constituent in one well at a very minute concentration that is well within the drinking water standard. DEP, in fact, has repeatedly declared there are no hydraulic fracturing chemicals in Dimock water.
It seems to me the cries of “Dimock” that we have heard so many times have been more about money than water. Ironically, some of the people crying the loudest and pursuing that money, have accused me, on more than one occasion, of taking money from industry for my opinions on Dimock. This is far from the truth. I haven’t received a dime for telling the truth. I have received royalties and a settlement, the same things offered the litigants. Our country is in one heck of a mess right now, and natural gas is a big part of cleaning up that mess. I would like to thank Scott Perry and his entire staff in Oil and Gas at DEP, and Mike O’Donnell, the supervisor out of the Scranton office. I would also like to thank Cabot for getting back to the negotiating table with DEP and working this mess out with Secretary Hanger and then helping to fix our water. Hopefully, we’ll see some drill rigs back in the “affected area” very soon.
lOOK AT THIS. A spark of truth lights up the facts in dimock PA. a resident and apparently an educated one who tells it like the data reads and is not being coached by a lawyer to benifit monetarialy. I am sure action news 12 or the Binghamton press will not interview this man and report his story, as it goes against all the anti propaganda they report to sway the public opinion against drilling. As for the Sautners on Carter Road… and their claims, I suggest you meet them and talk with them, and if you listen to them you will understand what is to talk with greedy litigants who think getting rich means sitting in an easy chair, eating pizza and suing .
Vic, Stop using other peoples names! it aint nice!
Thats funny! He uses other towns as his residence too…when it seems necessary. Everyone has Vic’s number…except poor Vic!
I Have met the Sautners, and Tim Rugerio, Calvin Tillman, and several other Real, Honest Folks whose lives and health have been impacted by sloppy Gas Drilling and the resultant air and water contamination. These people are just a few of the thousands of injured parties that Gas Liars try to pay-off or dis-credit. EID, MSC, Cabot, Chesapuke,and all the other Ind. Shills repeat the same lies hoping the “Gullible Hicks” will buy it! Your days are numbered in the Marcellus…we are Not Going away!
Dean, your distortions will have no impact on the New York State DEC permitting process. Per the interview linked below, Martens tells ProPublica that he sees the rhetoric of you and your kind for what it is–distortions, and he will permit gas wells based on facts.
http://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-environment-commissioner-expects-little-from-epa-fracking-study
Stick a fork in it, it’s done!!!
Do YOU live in the affected area Dean?
Have YOU seen the water test results, Dean?
Do you know anybody BUT the Sautners in the effected area, Dean?
Dean and Friends.
You are nothing more then desperate little dweebs who not only use your anti drilling propaganda to scare little old ladies and children, and those who can be led around by the nose because of the inability to see through the bull s_ _ t.
I sadly admit to meeting and chatting with the Sautners, The Debunked Mayor of 201 people in the town of Dish Texas, by the way a town that sold it’s heritage for free dish TV if they called themselves DISH. and Victoria Switzer the Auto Dump Dweller who lives in a nice home but built it within a few hundred yards of a toxic waste site/auto dump and expected it to be worth what it cost to build. Sad very Sad….
As far as the thousand of injured parties your refering to please provide a list, Someone who can show that they were made ill by drilling and not by Radical, Misinformed, NYkers sticking there nose into the private lives of others egging them on to litigation under false pretenses.
Here is the way I see it Dean… for nearly 4 years you and your so called Green (color of envy ) friends have kept NYS from making billions off the backs of Dimock Residents spreading your lies and fear from Montrose To Albany. Problem is Dean… Albany doesn’t believe… and the proof of that is the head of NYS and the DEC have come out in favor of drilling. That day things changed for you anti’s. The PRO DRILLING ENVIRONMENTALIST went from being the fighters for right to drill to the LAND OWNERS WITH RIGHTS RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE, and you and your buddies just simply became unbelievable extremist who distort the facts and lie to anyone who will listen. Now I hope this site doesn’t reject what I wrote but people are learning what your all about and your all about falsehoods and fear, so kiss me where the sun don’t shine and get ready cause drilling is comming to NY
Well if theres no problem then why don’t you give back the$settlement from Cabot and get rid of the water treatment system they installed for you! 200.00
Mr. Salsman is extremely pleased with his settlement, his system, DEP, Cabot and his water. I must also tell you I drank a glass of it directly from the well source, before filtering, and it tasted very good!
I assume that Mr. Salsman will be returning his DEP settlement money of close to $200,000. I also assume that he will be disconnecting his water treatment system.
Mr. Salsman is extremely pleased with his settlement, his system, DEP, Cabot and his water. I must also tell you I drank a glass of it directly from the well source, before filtering, and it tasted very good!
It is indeed appropriate to hire a plane to tow 5′-high letters around the picnic of a company that doesn’t even respect the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION enough to allow my jug of very good water labeled “Southwestern Energy leasehold water – still the best” IN ONE-INCH HIGH LETTERS, into the gate of its picnics. I’ve been going to the Harford fairgrounds for 44 years (how long have you been a Susquehanna Countian, Mr. Salsman? I mean, not counting the time that you went off to be a COLLEGE BOY?), and NOT ONCE in those 44 years did I feel like I was in the SOVIET UNION at the gate thereof EXCEPT the time that CABOT was having its picnic there. That’s all that anybody with average intelligence needs to know about your favorite company, to deduce that your claims are based partly on a non-disclosure agreement that you had to sign as part of the deal of allegedly having your water fixed.
1. “It is indeed appropriate to hire a plane to tow 5′-high letters” – especially if its your plane, huh, DCC?
2. On the allegation they wouldn’t “allow [your] jug of very good water labeled ‘Southwestern Energy leasehold water’ into the gate of its picnics. I’m guessing that would be a home-printed label. I can think of plenty of reasons for not letting in an unidentified, self-printed bottle of liquid. Also, how do you conveniently ignore the fact people in your area are blaming Southwestern for the same methane migration issues you call Cabot responsible for in Dimock?
3. “non-disclosure agreement that you had to sign” – The Consent Order and Settlement Agreement was between Cabot and the PA DEP. There was no mention of a non-disclosure agreement in the document, nor do I think a state agency would issue one. That would be a part of a legal action. Since there has been no settlement between your litigants and Cabot, there is no existing non-disclosure agreement. The ones having problems with disclosure appears to be your litigants who won’t allow water testing done on their wells.
1. I hate to stick a pin in your balloon, but I don’t own a plane, nor did I have any other pecuniary interest in the hiring, which was done by me, thereof.
2. Perhaps my 50 paratroopers that ought to be able to get jugs in next year, will teach you and Cabot something about the United States Constitution. But if they don’t, chuck what I’ve said about how I’d like Cabot out of my county, because I want them out of my COUNTRY.
And as for the accusers of SWN, it doesn’t surprise me that you’d stoop to some of my “anti” friends’ tactics of prematurely assuming that SWN is guilty. You obviously haven’t talked to Ordie Price. But I’m not “ignoring” the accusers, nor calling them liars, either. If I was, I’d have “GO SWN!” on the other side of the “FIX DIMOCK’S WATER” sign that I have in my yard.
3. Do you really think we’re stupid enough to believe that we’ve been told about all of the deals that Cabot has made with its groundwater-ruining victims and representatives thereof?
I do not understand why Cabot paid all this money out to people when the agreement was that any water damaged would be fixed, which they did. If they had to pay money out what should of been done is that each property should of been bought for fair market value and the people should of had to relocate….like FEMA. Now some people are using their wells and others are using buffalos….if the filter systems work,which they do and those people using the buffalos don’t want the filters then it’s not Cabots fault they do not have good water and Cabot needs to remove the buffalos. All these people not willing to leave Cabot fix their water in Dimock is all about getting free money …shame on them. It seems to me that Cabot has tried to make everything right and they just want more money….I wonder if any of these people were seen at the Cabot picnics eating their free food?
I believe this was part of the “modified” Consent Order, because Cabot was further found guilty of not complying with the first Order. While this might have been true with some of the issues, (plugging and abandoning of wells, etc.), other failures to comply were out of their control, (i.e. litigants not allowing them on their land to install mitigation procedures, etc.) Cars were parked across driveways, in some cases, in others companies who were hired to install methane filtration systems were not allowed to perform the work.
A video? What’s wrong with just sharing recent water tests?
We have a video too. Where we drink straight from a well in Dimock.http://www.youtube.com/eidmarcellus#p/search/0/Kni3UDhj550.
Not just hold so-called tainted water up to a light screaming and yelling about contamination. Test results please.
I would drink that water it’s better looking then my well
Salsman says “I know contamination. I’ve chased contaminant plumes over a mile at some facilities. ” Thank you for clearifying that there IS contamination at some facilities!
Mr. Salzman is speaking of his past professional experiences in this statement, not Dimock.
Mr Salsman, Have you ever gone and talked to your neighbors who are still without clean water?
We all need to know if you have or not. Hearsay and gossip only divide communities. I also think you need to see the all water test reports before you pass judgement about them.
Some say their water tests show high levels of methane, yet won’t back them up with proof in print. One told me his level of methane was at 20 grams per liter, which is well above what chemistry says is even possible. When looking at other’s provided tests (including Loren’s), it is found methane is reported in milligrams per liter. Cabot provided the last available results from Sautner and Switzer to a news agency (over a year ago) and both were at acceptable levels.
Hearsay and gossip are not the only things which divide communities. Inability to understand or blatant refusal to comprehend test results, then furthering that misinformation is one. I would see another one as “Making false claims to satisfy your own greed and calling it a “cause” while allowing agenda-driven organizations to use your beloved community as the anti-drill’s poster child,” as another one.
And, sadly but not surprisingly, some of what they have to say back is not fit to print.
Loren, Great piece. I live in MO, but worked in OK as an exploration geologist for 25 yrs. I have become an unpaid advocate for CNG & O&G development in the US. I am continually amazed by the processes these investigations follow. Seems like the assumption is that if there is something in the water, then it came from frac’ing. I frac’d thousands of times in OK and never suffered the kind of catastrophic failure necessary to contaminate groundwater. If/when such an accident would occur, the operator of the well would/should be in repair mode immediately. So that leads me to my question, “Was there a blowout or surface casing leak that lead to the higher levels of methane at Dimock?”
Please let me know at fishin@anglersparadise.biz. Thank you for sharing your story and expertise. Our country’s future depends on the full & RESPONSIBLE use of shale technology. Your piece was a bright spot on my morning!
Erik and Susan why don’t you take the money and the treatment system then maybe the house won’t be up for Sheriff Sale. You could pay the lawyer too. I do remember a statement that the only reason you sued was to get $75,000 each. I’m both shocked and sickened at you both. You knew the type you were about to become a group with and I never thought you’d do it. What a massive mistake you made!!!!!!!!!!!!Shame you aren’t the type of people that people thought you were.