Pipeline work resumes after drill mud spill

BY STACI WILSON

Work on a pipeline project in Silver Lake Twp. resumed Monday, Aug. 8, after a drill mud spill into Laurel Lake Creek inSilverLakeTwp.shut the operation down on Aug. 3.

Daniel Spadoni, spokesman for the Dept. of Environmental Protection, said Oil and Gas program staff was on-site on Aug. 3. Laser Northeast Gathering Co. LLC received permission on Friday to resume work this week, Spadoni said.

An estimated 1400 gallons of drilling mud was released in two separate incidents, July 29 and Aug. 2.

According to Spadoni, Laser estimated 900 gallons spilled on July 29, with the company recovering about 890 gallons.

About 500 gallons spilled Aug. 2, with about 475 of those gallons recovered.

Spadoni noted that even if a small amount of mud gets into the stream, it is very visual and can appear like a greater amount.

The DEP spokesman said Laser reported that the drill mud was comprised only of water and bentonite and contained no additives.

Bentonite is a non-toxic substance also used in drilling drinking water wells.

Spadoni said the DEP does not believe there is any barium in this bentonite but water samples were collected for analysis.

“We expect to have our results in about one month,” he said.

Montrose-area resident Nancy Wottrich voiced concerns the silt in the creek would impact the aquatic wildlife. She is also affiliated with Friends of Salt Springs, the non-profit group that managesSaltSpringsState Park. Laurel Lake Creek runs through the park.

According to Spadoni there was no indication that aquatic life was impacted by the spills but DEP is planning a follow-up biological survey in the near future to document if there was an impact.

Spadoni also noted there is no public water supply near where the spills occurred.

“The department does not regulate private water supplies, so we do not know for sure if it is used as a private water supply. However, the vast majorities of private water supplies are wells, or occasionally springs, so that is highly unlikely.  No residents are on replacement water in relation to this particular incident,” Spadoni said.

Laser is in the process of constructing a natural gas pipeline through northernSusquehannaCountyto the Millennium Pipeline inNew York.