Weisenberg: No Hydrofracking Chemicals in LI
Assemblyman expresses concern about state DEC report that says Nassau and Suffolk plants could process chemicals.
Don’t bring dangerous hydrofracking chemicals to our sewer treatment plants, Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) told the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
“Nassau County should not, and will not, be a dumping ground for hydrofracking waste,” Weisenberg said in a release. “We cannot afford to compromise the health and safety of our community and environment — there are far too many questions that remain in the hydrofracking debate.”
Hydraulic fracturing is a process that drills natural gas by injecting water and chemicals at high pressures into underground shale formations. Many believe the process is dangerous and poses health risks to the communities where hydrofracking is taking place.
A September 2011 state DEC report said that the sewage treatment plants in Inwood, Bay Park, Cedar Creek and Glen Cove in Nassau County and the Southwest Sewer District’s Bergen Point plant in Suffolk County were deemed capable of handling hydrofracking wastewater.
The wastewater would be runoff from the gas-rich Marcellus Shale region — the Southern Tier of New York and the northern border of Pennsylvania, east of the New York City reservoirs — used to free in the hydraulic fracturing process, according to the release from Weisenberg.
“Although Long Island is not a part of this region, the prominent locations of its sewage treatment plants place it at the forefront of the issue and makes Nassau County a frontrunner for treating the contaminated wastewater,” it says.
But the DEC says that’s not the case. Although the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact State report lists all wastewater treatment plants in the state with pretreatment programs, it makes no reference to treatment of wastewater from high-volume hydraulic fracturing, according to Lisa King, a DEC spokesperson.
“No facilities in New York are currently permitted to accept wastewater from high-volume hydrofracking,” she said. “The facility would need approval from DEC. To get an approval, the facility would need to demonstrate through a full head works analysis, with a sampling of the wastewater, that it has the capability to treat the wastewater within its SPDES permit conditions.”
She added, “In addition, the drilling company would need to develop a contingency plan if the primary disposal for wastewater is a publicly-owned treatment works facility.”
But Weisenberg said the plants are far from that.
“Our county’s sewage treatment plants have demonstrated an inability to properly handle the county’s current wastewater,” he said. “To even consider adding additional volume is absurd.”
Frank
5:05 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Hey Weisenberg, why not stick your nose a bit closer to home?
You got Bay Park Sewage plant dumping waste into the East Rockaway Inlet making more residents sick in your district than any other source. Let's not forget Oil City, the dumps, and junkyards near tidal marshlands threatening local estuaries.
Get a clue!
This is the problem when politicians want to play scientific prophets of doom.
The facilities on Long Island CAN process wastewater containing chemicals similar to those used hydraulic fracturing. Does that mean it will? NO WAY.
NO facility in New York can accept wastewater from frack wells/plants.
And if Weisenberg knew anything about NYS DEC, he would know they are fanatical. I personally saw DEC agents near the Scobey Power Plant and Dam in upstate NY with high-powered rifles fitted with scopes perched in the trees simply to monitor local fishermen. You think any company is gonna send hydrofrack waste water anywhere in NYS without a body cavity search.... think again.
What is Weisenberg whining about? The possibility of a 12-inch waste water pipeline in Nassau? We have the highest labor and infrastructure costs in the whole country, with the exception of AK and HI. No company in their right mind would use LI for processing waste water. It's cheaper to use in-situ, wastewater treating units. Once the well is depleted, they can pick up the equipment, including the wastewater units, and dig another well.
Stick to Long Beach!
Chaz Delvista
11:50 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
I'm fresh on the Patch scene like a fish out of water but, Frank, it seems like you love bashing every article on this site, no matter the topic. What's ruffling your feathers? Are you this brash when not behind your computer screen?
Really, fracking threatens our local water & environment & it’s great to hear Weisenberg speak on this while other officials keep quiet. Common sense dictates that we should be grateful for the efforts of local officials who do their job well. I personally wish other officials would be outspoken.
Anyway, 2 of the listed facilities (Bay Park & Inwood) are in Weisenberg’s District (Long Beach, Oceanside, Island Park, Point Lookout, Harbor Isle, Five Towns). Yes, the facilities would need permits from DEC & DEC runs the whole approval process. If they approve fracking, facilities in our neighborhoods might very well be approved to dump the waste-Yikes. Weisenberg is looking out for his district. These facilities have already been given millions of dollars in fines from DEC for dumping raw sewage into the western bays. I know this because Weisenberg got that information from DEC and shared it with our community. While DEC can be fanatical with fines, they were powerless to stop the dumping.
For something we should all agree on, Go Clean Water & Go Big Blue.
Good day to all.
Frank
6:48 pm on Tuesday, March 6, 2012
@ Chaz. You can get all your information from the Internet, news, and general fact-finding in your neighborhood. Please do not rely on Weisenberg to disseminate information on what is going on in your area... MY GOD, you are most certainly naive.
1st law in civilian defense against politicians:
Never believe a word a politician says. Why?
third law of politics for a politician: Always tell people what they want to hear.
2nd law in civilian defense against politicians:
Facts and statistics will be skewed to support any position.
Case in point, this article.
3rd law in civilian defense against politicians:
Politicians will deflect real issues with anything they can get their hands on. Moreover, answers will be hard to come by. Why?
2nd law of politics for a politician: Keep contact with civilians to a minimum
And the 1st rule of civilian defense against politicians is:
Politicians aren't nearly as important as they think they are.
So take every word out of Weisenberg's beak with a grain of salt and do your own search into the truth.
Frank
12:12 pm on Tuesday, March 6, 2012
@ Chaz. Are you kidding me? Where would fracking byproducts come from? the Marcellus Shale is in Upstate NY. Get a clue.
Frank
2:25 pm on Friday, March 9, 2012
@ Chaz.
Weisenberg should be that passionate when it comes to the Bay Park Sewage plant dumping raw sewage into his district.
His constituency suffers daily from the Bay Park Sewage Plant.
If Weisenberg would simply push for the extension of the outflow pipe in Reynolds Channel into the Atlantic Ocean, everyone would benefit, including the environment.
Our human effluent is destroying one of the largest salt water marshs on Long Island.
But Really, Weisenberg's main concern is Upstate Fracking and its effect on LI.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
Frank
2:18 pm on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
What's the matter Chaz? Cat got your tongue?