Special Webinar Series 

Hydraulic Fracturing is a hot topic on the public and water sector’s mind, involving a mix of environmental protection, energy security, and economic development considerations.  Many agree natural gas has a bright future as a "bridge" fuel to cleaner, renewable energy. But the "Shale Rush," prompted by technology breakthroughs in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing over the last decade has raised significant questions about the footprint on the environment, impact to public health, and the roles of various government agencies. Water is a particular concern with potential issues down under, downstream, or downwind. Join the Clean Water America Alliance (CWAA) and American Water Resources Association (AWRA) as they explore the “friction over fracking,” including the growing need for energy security and environmental sustainability to be in balance, rather than in battle, and to keep water in mind through it all.  An objective look from different perspectives will be offered to evaluate benefits, risks and opportunity costs, for the water and related sectors. 

If you purchase all three webinars, you will recieve recorded videos of the previous webinars.

December 1, 2011

This is the third in the series of three webcasts to discuss safeguards and concerns of natural gas recovery from deep shale formations.  Dr. Donald Siegel of Syracuse University will discuss the extent of potential natural gas supplies in shale in the United States.  He will share  how drilling and recovery can be done safely without impacts to humans or ecosystems if adequate safeguards are employed throughout the process.  Dr. Joseph Romm of the Center for American Progress will discuss possible impacts on humans and ecosystems if proper techniques for drilling and sealing of wells and recovery and storage/disposal of fracturing fluids and formation water are not in place or if accidents occur at any stage of the process. In addition,  U.S. EPA's Jeanne Briskin, from the Office of Science Policy, Office of Research and Development, will discuss the pending drinking water study.

Speakers

Joseph Romm
Senior Fellow
Center for American Progress

Joe Romm is a Fellow at American Progress and is the editor of Climate Progress, which New York Times columnist Tom Friedman called "the indispensable blog" and Time magazine named one of the 25 “Best Blogs of 2010. In 2009, Rolling Stone put Romm #88 on its list of 100 “people who are reinventing America.” Time named him a “Hero of the Environment and “The Web’s most influential climate-change blogger.”Romm was acting assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy in 1997, where he oversaw $1 billion in R&D, demonstration, and deployment of low-carbon technology. He is a Senior Fellow at American Progress and holds a Ph.D. in physics from MIT.

Donald I. Siegel
Professor of Earth Sciences
Syracuse University

Donald I. Siegel earned his doctorate at the University of Minnesota in Hydrogeology (1981) after being employed by Amerada Hess Corporation, for whom in 1972, he supervised the drilling and hydrofracturing of a two-mile deep oil well into shale and limestone beds. After earning his doctorate, Siegel joined the U.S. Geological Survey as a research hydrologist/geochemist. Then, Siegel studied deep regional aquifer systems, hydrocarbon spills, acid rain, wetlands and lake hydrology, and the origin of saline waters. Siegel joined Syracuse University in 1982 and has since taught hydrogeology and water chemistry there for 29 years. 

Siegel been appointed to many panels of the National Research Council (NRC, part of the National Academies of Science and Engineering), including a recent one to evaluate the environmental effects of coal-bed methane production and hydrofracking.  He currently serves as chairman of the National Water Science and Technology Board of the NRC, advising the Nation on water issues. Siegel has edited most professional journals publishing research on water issues, published hundreds of papers and abstracts, and has won National awards for his contributions to hydrogeology. He also has won awards from Syracuse University for his mentoring and teaching contributions. Beyond his academic work, Siegel provides  his scientific expertise to The United States Congress, major Federal Agencies, and companies and environmental groups on major water issues. He recently has revisited his jazz guitar roots, and after a 35-year hiatus, played solo once again in public this fall.

Jeanne Briskin
Office of Science Policy
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Jeanne Briskin is the director the Hydraulic Fracturing Reseach Task Force in EPA's Office of reseach and Development.  She previously led work to protect drinking water and promote energy efficiency at EPA.

November 17, 2011

This webcast is designed to explore the potential footprint of hydraulic fracturing on ecosystems as well as safeguards state regulators are using and developing to protect ground water. Kevin Heatley with Biohabitats, Inc., will discuss the significant landscape impact that can occur from  drilling and fracturing operations  and associated infrastructure systems on forests, wildlife, and habitat. Ground Water Protection Council’s Mike Paque will describe efforts of state regulators to protect watersheds and improve public transparency through the establishment of a national registry on fracturing fluids.

Speakers

Kevin Heatley
Senior Scientist
Biohabitats, Inc.

Mr. Kevin Heatley is a professional restoration ecologist who is involved in the repair of damaged and degraded ecosystems across the United States. A graduate of Penn State with a master's degree in Environmental Pollution Control, he has extensive experience with forest ecosystems, landscape ecology and invasive species management. A practitioner as opposed to an academic, Mr. Heatley has an intimate understanding of the logistical and pragmatic challenges associated with the remediation of past environmental damage. As a resident of Lycoming County, Mr. Heatley has been directly impacted by the rapid expansion of the natural gas industry. He currently serves as a technical adviser to the citizens awareness organization - the Responsible Drilling Alliance (RDA). The RDA is committed to making sure that all residents of the region are fully aware of the consequences of natural gas extraction.

Mike Paque
Executive Director
Ground Water Protection Council

Mike Paque has served as the Executive Director of the Ground Water Protection Council since its formation in 1983. During that time he has served on numerous USEPA and USDOE Task Forces, Work Groups, FACA's on a variety of issues relating to ground water protection, underground injection, carbon dioxide geo sequestration, Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments, and numerous Rule making. Over the past three years he has appeared before over a dozen House and Senate Committees on topics related to hydraulic fracturing.

He is very fond of his two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Gus and Gretchen. His BA and MS are so old they are written on stone tablets. He owns one share of the Green Bay Packers.

November 1, 2011

In a webcast designed to present an overview of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Christopher Harto of Argonne National Laboratories, Washington, DC, will describe the generic process with a focus on correct procedures for drilling and installation of wells, injection of fracking fluids, recovery of natural gas, and methods for disposal of recovered fracking fluids and formation water. Carol Collier of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) will discuss the proliferation of deep natural gas recovery wells in the DRBC, the opportunities and challenges these present for residents of the DRBC, and potential positive and negative impacts of this proliferation on the management of water and ecological resources in the DRBC.

Speakers

Carol Collier
Executive Director
Delaware River Basin Commission

Ms. Collier was appointed Executive Director of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) on August 31, 1998. The DRBC is an interstate/federal commission that provides a unified approach to water resource management without regard to political boundaries. Before joining DRBC, Ms. Collier was Executive Director of Pennsylvania’s 21st Century Environment Commission. Governor Tom Ridge formed the Environment Commission in 1997 to establish the Commonwealth’s environmental priorities and to recommend a course of action for the next century.

At the time Governor Ridge asked Ms. Collier to serve as executive director for the 21st Century Environment Commission, she was Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) Southeast Region. Prior to PADEP, Ms. Collier served 19 years with BCM Environmental Engineers, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pa., beginning as a student intern and ultimately becoming Vice President of Environmental Planning, Science and Risk.

Ms. Collier has a B.A. in Biology from Smith College and a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Professional Planner licensed in the State of New Jersey, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and a Certified Senior Ecologist. 

She is a member of her township’s environmental protection advisory board, on the Boards of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) and the Clean Water America Alliance (CWAA), teaches environmental management courses at the University of Pennsylvania and has published on environmental and water-related topics. She thinks proper management of water resources is the key to our economic and environmental future.

Christopher Harto
Energy and Environmental Analyst
Argonne National Laboratory

Chris has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Ohio State and a MS in Sustainability from Arizona State.   He is currently an Energy Environmental Analyst at Argonne National Laboratory.  His research broadly focuses on quantifying environmental impacts of energy development activities.  His recent work has concentrated on a range on energy-water nexus issues including quantifying life cycle water demands of energy technologies, analyzing the potential impact of drought on electricity production, and studying waste water management practices and other potential environmental impacts related to shale gas development.