Pennsylvania lawsuit says drilling polluted water

[phantom power]

George Zimmermann, the owner of 480 acres in Washington County, southwest Pennsylvania, says Atlas Energy Inc. ruined his land with toxic chemicals used in or released there by hydraulic fracturing.

Water tests at three locations by gas wells on Zimmermann's property -- one is 1,500 feet from his home -- found seven potentially carcinogenic chemicals above "screening levels" set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as warranting further investigation.

Jay Hammond, general counsel for Atlas, said Zimmermann's claims are "completely erroneous" and that the company is in compliance with Pennsylvania's gas-drilling regulations. Hammond said Atlas will "vigorously" defend itself in court and declined further comment.

But Zimmermann says he has evidence that chemicals used by Atlas contaminated his land.

"There are substances that can't be made by nature and that's what's in the ground," he told Reuters during an interview in his 12,000-square-foot house on a remote hilltop.

Atlas is exploiting the Marcellus Shale, a vast gas reserve that underlies about two-thirds of Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia, Ohio and New York State. Experts estimate it contains enough natural gas to meet total U.S. demand for at least a decade.

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5A80PP20091109

[4dsc]

1. This is not an isolated case

Wherever there is fracturing there is water contamination..

http://www.earthworksaction.org/publications.cfm?pubID=90

[phantom power]

2. There appears to be a correlation.

I am hesitant to jump to conclusions or try cases in the court of public opinion, but the "defense case" for the drilling companies would be a lot more convincing if they came up with a concrete alternative for where these chemicals are coming from.

[ensho]

3. this is a big issue in Pa. and the farmer should get a big chunk of

money from Atlas Energy. BIG chunk.