The Mighty Marcellus Saves A Local Trout Hatchery
One thing that we have been seeing all over the Northern Tier is this – businesses being saved by the economic benefits of the Marcellus Shale play coming to the region. Dr. Daniel Williams, a doctor and owner of a local trout hatchery in Tunkhannock, PA, is one such success story. His story has been covered extensively in the local news as can be seen here, here and here.
Dr. Williams sat down with me on Friday at his medical practice and told me all about how he came up with the idea to sell surplus water from the hatchery to Chief, Chesapeake and now Williams, and what that means for the business that has been in his family since he was a child. Please watch the following video of our conversation after the jump.
Chief Oil and Gas also did a press release on their business relationship with Sugar Hollow Hatchery. Please read on to learn a little more information about the history of the hatchery, the new technology it is employing, and how Chief will be using the water it buys from Dr. Williams.
Local Trout Hatchery Expands Business through Marcellus Water Sales
A local trout hatchery has found a new business opportunity from an unexpected source—providing water for Marcellus Shale development. Chief Oil & Gas recently purchased more than 3 million gallons of trout hatchery overflow water from Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery in Tunkhannock, PA– excess water that would have otherwise been discharged into Bowman’s Creek.
Chief was the first Marcellus customer for hatchery owner Dan Williams, MD. The water was used for hydraulic fracturing at the Teel Unit #3H in Susquehanna County.
History
Sugar Hollow Trout hatchery has been a local business and landmark for decades. Dr. Dan Williams’ father, William R. Williams, VMD, started the hatchery in the 1960s as a hobby. An avid outdoorsman and fisherman, he continued to grow the business by engaging local Trout Unlimited chapters, organizations that did trout stocking in local streams, and by serving a demand created in the restaurant business in metropolitan cities. By 1980, the business grew so large that Williams committed to it full time.
“I remember when we used to provide trout for the restaurants in NYC. They’d have massive aquariums in their restaurants and customers would choose their “fresh trout” from the tank. We’d restock the tanks multiple times each week,” stated Williams. “I thought it was great to hang out at these elegant restaurants in NYC.”
The family continued to run the trout hatchery until a massive rain storm in 2006 damaged most of the hatchery. The lower section of the hatchery was sold to an outside investor. By 2008, Dr. Williams created a plan to refurbish the main hatchery and reservoir. His plan included selling water to companies needing it for natural gas development. His goal was to provide a high-tech, efficient site for water withdrawal.
A State of the Art Facility
Today, Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery has a large reservoir which can hold 2.5 millions gallons of water, which comes from shallow water wells from nearby Bowman’s Creek. The facility is approved by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to obtain 400,000 gallons of water per day. This water is used to raise the trout in a “raceway” that oxygenates the constantly flowing water. Any overflow water is sold to natural gas companies such as Chief for their local operations.
Through a 12″ main pipe, the excess water is sent from the reservoir to one of six pumping stations where the companies withdraw the water. Each station is equipped with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems to track water withdrawals electronically. The SCADA system keeps track of each truck, company affiliation, volume of water used and has the capability to track additional items such as air temperature, water temperature, and volume left in reservoir.
“We are pleased to find an important use for this overflow water, while also finding a new opportunity to expand our business. These water sales have really created an additional revenue stream to keep the hatchery sustainable,” said Williams, who has hired six workers to man his newly constructed water loading facility. “I’ve hired operations technicians, electrical engineers and an operations director. In addition, I have a local summer intern who is studying mechanical engineering at Penn State. This is a great way for him to get hands on experience.”
Kristi Gittins, VP of Public Affairs for Chief Oil & Gas, echoed Williams’ sentiment. “This is a great partnership with the Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery. It really demonstrates the positive impact that development can have in unexpected places.”
Chief Oil & Gas is committed to improving the communities where it operates through economic development while protecting the environment. For more information on the economic opportunities natural gas development has brought to the region, click here to watch the Chief Community Video Series: http://www.chiefog.com/videos.html.
###
Media Inquiries:
Kristi Gittins
214-402-8137
Local Trout Hatchery Expands Business through Marcellus Water Sales
A local trout hatchery has found a new business opportunity from an unexpected source—providing water for Marcellus Shale development. Chief Oil & Gas recently purchased more than 3 million gallons of trout hatchery overflow water from Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery in Tunkhannock, PA– excess water that would have otherwise been discharged into Bowman’s Creek.
Chief was the first Marcellus customer for hatchery owner Dan Williams, MD. The water was used for hydraulic fracturing at the Teel Unit #3H in Susquehanna County.
History
Sugar Hollow Trout hatchery has been a local business and landmark for decades. Dr. Dan Williams’ father, William R. Williams, VMD, started the hatchery in the 1960s as a hobby. An avid outdoorsman and fisherman, he continued to grow the business by engaging local Trout Unlimited chapters, organizations that did trout stocking in local streams, and by serving a demand created in the restaurant business in metropolitan cities. By 1980, the business grew so large that Williams committed to it full time.
“I remember when we used to provide trout for the restaurants in NYC. They’d have massive aquariums in their restaurants and customers would choose their “fresh trout” from the tank. We’d restock the tanks multiple times each week,” stated Williams. “I thought it was great to hang out at these elegant restaurants in NYC.”
The family continued to run the trout hatchery until a massive rain storm in 2006 damaged most of the hatchery. The lower section of the hatchery was sold to an outside investor. By 2008, Dr. Williams created a plan to refurbish the main hatchery and reservoir. His plan included selling water to companies needing it for natural gas development. His goal was to provide a high-tech, efficient site for water withdrawal.
A State of the Art Facility
Today, Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery has a large reservoir which can hold 2.5 millions gallons of water, which comes from shallow water wells from nearby Bowman’s Creek. The facility is approved by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission to obtain 400,000 gallons of water per day. This water is used to raise the trout in a “raceway” that oxygenates the constantly flowing water. Any overflow water is sold to natural gas companies such as Chief for their local operations.
Through a 12″ main pipe, the excess water is sent from the reservoir to one of six pumping stations where the companies withdraw the water. Each station is equipped with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems to track water withdrawals electronically. The SCADA system keeps track of each truck, company affiliation, volume of water used and has the capability to track additional items such as air temperature, water temperature, and volume left in reservoir.
“We are pleased to find an important use for this overflow water, while also finding a new opportunity to expand our business. These water sales have really created an additional revenue stream to keep the hatchery sustainable,” said Williams, who has hired six workers to man his newly constructed water loading facility. “I’ve hired operations technicians, electrical engineers and an operations director. In addition, I have a local summer intern who is studying mechanical engineering at Penn State. This is a great way for him to get hands on experience.”
Kristi Gittins, VP of Public Affairs for Chief Oil & Gas, echoed Williams’ sentiment. “This is a great partnership with the Sugar Hollow Trout Hatchery. It really demonstrates the positive impact that development can have in unexpected places.”
Chief Oil & Gas is committed to improving the communities where it operates through economic development while protecting the environment. For more information on the economic opportunities natural gas development has brought to the region, click here to watch the Chief Community Video Series: http://www.chiefog.com/videos.html.
###
Media Inquiries:
Kristi Gittins
214-402-8137
###
Kristi Gittins
214.884.3204
214.402.8137 cell
kgittins@chiefog.com
Daria Fish
570.368.4490
570.337.7142 cell
dfish@chiefog.com
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Nicole,
Amazing the amount of opportunities that continue to be attached to harvesting the Marcellus!
More Jobs! I wish the trout Hatchery well and I’m sure the revenue will help to make another Businessman’s dream come true to sustain a family business.
Great reporting!
it’s these kind of feel good stories like talismans coloring book that makes toxic waste just so huggable!
http://www.slashcontrol.com/free-tv-shows/the-colbert-report/2251000175-anti-frack-attack
Mgold we see you are clearly one of our biggest fans. Your rhetoric will not hold down this story of success. Yes, Colbert did a segment on Talisman’s coloring book however this has no bearing on the fact of this post. That a local multi-generational family owned business that defines the culture of an area, as well as provides a needed environmental benefit, continues to exist and has been able to expand due to the economic benefits production has brought to this area of Pennsylvania. No amount of unfounded and unrelated rhetoric on your part will change this dynamic.
no amount of money thrown around for a feel good pr or deceptive propaganda will mitigate the environmental damage already done and continuing…
New Report Reveals Toxic Air Near Natural Gas Operations
http://gcmonitor.org/article.php?id=1339
“Citizen sampling” – you’ve got to be kidding! No more posts for you!
Tom,
We need people like mgold like, we need a bad day now and then to appreciate the good.
Mgold shows anger fear and hatred for anything to do with harvesting and developing Energy here at home. Fortunately he is the minority. If the world was made up of people like mgold there would never have been a space program. People forget we didn’t just build a rocket land on the moon plant a flag and return home safely the first time.
The good news for mgold soon NY will be harvesting and developing NG and the housing and rental market will pick up and he can sell his house,or move from his apartment to a cave in Montana. Even in losing he wins thanks to the landowners and Industry.
funded by your friends at NRDC http://gcmonitor.org/downloads/gassedreport.pdf
who will make sure no drilling comes to NY…
the toxic plumes travel 200 miles and like NYC needs a lil more smog and asthma…
seems you’re just not getting that Cuomo does not want drilling but is just going through the motions to appear big energy friendly,but making sure it will not happen.
with presidential ambitions and all he can’t just come out and ban it.
More “citizen sampling” – have you no self-respect for your credibility?
Interesting hypothesis Mary. As you indicated in a previous post, I am sure the release of the SEIS and three years spent studying it is entirely political, it can’t be Cuomo wants to develop this resource, Ha! (Ha added to nearly quote verbatim your previous post). I also must thank you for sharing this citizen’s report. I will be sure it enters the public record. I especially like the plethora of flashed peace signs and the collection bucket with a no smoking sticker. Good entertainment.
Mgold,
I noticed your concern that talisman had printed coloring books on NG development “Talisman Terry”.
All Larger utilities have been doing the same thing long before Talisman. They have coloring books on solar,Hydro,and nuclear.
And get this they have videos and other evil media like DVDs and like your folks they even use puppets! Names like Louie the LIGHT BULB!. Some of the educational series for youth start with a light switch and titles like “where does your electric come from”?
“How is your home heated”. All this evil stuff! They even have grade levels to them!
But by your view they should be banned. CENSORSHIP !
Great works of literature have been banned: “Ulysses,” “Candide,” “Fanny Hill,” “Moll Flanders,” “Canterbury Tales,” “The Arabian Nights,” “Leaves of Grass,” “Civil Disobedience,” “Frankenstein,” “Call of the Wild,” religious works like The Bible and The Quaran, and so many others.
Wait did I just see Civil Disobedience? Although Talisman Terry in not worthy of many of the above mentioned classics. I would think it’s more useful than your bible “Civil Disobedience”
Mgold you probably called the School superintendent when you found out they are teaching sex education.
How do you live Mgold? If you live in a house/rental you are no more evil then any “Fracking” could ever be! You consume waste and touch a petroleum or natural gas product ever 2 seconds.
You project through your clips and articles but I guarantee you have never taken the time to visit a well talk to a business owner, call a highway superintendent in the development areas. You are a follower; you fear your articles you cling to might be wrong. I have read both sides information and there is one truth….O seeing touching hearing, smelling on your own!
A cave wouldn’t even help you be the sustainable person you project!
Forget about anything anyone says find out on your own its time for you to leave the nest!
If you look for negative it is negative you will find. Your time is limited we are but a blip on the screen get in your hydrocarbon benzene burning ride do your own hands on research
if you dare……………………..it’s time to challenge your social phobia!
Now you can ban this, this ………. Condescending, social phobia, psychopath!
bryant, i just thought the colbert report was hysterical. could care less abt talisman terry.
i heat my home with wood i log from my land . got a back up oil burner too.
been down through pa talkin w folks a bunch. i understand people need money, and the gas cos are giving them some.
and that $$ is a hugely powerful, perhaps insurmountable , blinding force .
The “Gassed” report is hilarious, a real thigh-slapper, right down to the photo shopped picture on the title page and of course, the responsible organization…Global Community Monitor. Just what a responsible energy policy debate needs, a bit of levity from an itsy bitsy cabal of self serving, uninformed, Luddites intent on telling us how to live. Normally, there is robust conversation surrounding the germane issues of the Marcellus play. But when mgold, Cow Chip Northrup, et al, jump into the fray, the average IQ of the discussion plummets like a shot glass falling from a bar. You clowns should collect your Josh Fox action figurines and play in the sandbox at Josh’s PA DEP cited home/toxic dump on the Calkins Creek in Milanville, PA…..it’s lovely there this time of year. Just pull up one of the discarded sofas or chairs littering the landscape next to the creek and sit a spell and prop your feet up on a used, discarded car battery.