Large trucks driving on narrow country roads, possible water contamination and the constant roaring of large diesel engines are some of the issues Rose Baker said Belmont County residents can expect from increased natural gas drilling.
"We lived a very peaceful existence until this drilling came along," said Baker, a member of the Wetzel County Action Group, which documents drilling and fracking-related problems in that county. "I had a very serene life."
Baker and fellow group member Bonnie Hall attended a meeting at the Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation near Bellaire Tuesday.
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Photo by Casey Junkins
Concerned residents listen to information about the possible problems associated with natural gas drilling during a meeting at the Ohio Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation on Tuesday.
Companies ranging from Exxon Mobil to Hess Corp., Chevron and Chesapeake Energy are preparing to drill and frack their way through the Marcellus and Utica shales underlying eastern Ohio. Chesapeake has already drilled some Utica Shale wells in Harrison and Carroll counties. Hess Corp. recently acquired Marquette Exploration, which had also drilled wells in Belmont and Jefferson counties.
According to Baker, she has 38 well pads within a 5-mile radius of her property, along with three compressor stations and pipelines. She said the drilling activity has been a life-changing experience.
Amid reports of a drinking water well being contaminated with methane in Marshall County, Baker told those in attendance to address this matter before it is too late.
"If you have drilling coming your way, get a baseline water test. That way, if they contaminate your water, you have something to stand on to prove it was their fault," she said.
Regarding noise complaints, Baker said this can result from the trucks that constantly run along area roads or from the motors at compressor stations. She also warned residents to look out for possible air pollution.
Baker described a time when she drove behind a gas drilling truck for several miles. She said she got sick from the fumes the truck emitted, as well as the dust it caused to rise into the air.
"Once they start, these trucks will run 24/7, no matter the conditions of the road," Baker said.
In response to a question about how gas drillers dispose of the waste leftover from drilling and fracking, Baker said the companies send a lot of the material to Ohio for disposal in underground injection wells. The Universalist building is located near a well that may be used for underground disposal.
Baker also said some of the traffic accidents involving gas-related vehicles have blocked rural Wetzel County roads for hours at a time, causing delays in transporting patients to the hospital.
"Just be prepared," she added.