good news.......... This from a poster on another forum
« on: February 15, 2010, 07:20:38 pm
http://www.wbng.com/news/local/84411572.html By WBNG NewsStory Created: Feb 15, 2010 at 6:00 PM ESTStory Updated: Feb 15, 2010 at 6:17 PM EST(Vestal, NY) WBNG Binghamton Many environmentalists are opposing natural gas drilling in New York because of potential hazards to the water supply.Multimedia * Watch The VideoBut that fear could be washed away, thanks to a group that will keep an eye on the water quality in the Susquehanna River Basin.Action News reporter Reed Buterbaugh explains how what's happening now could keep us safe later on.New York State gave The Susquehanna River Basin Commission one million dollars to set up water monitoring devices in local rivers and streams."I think it has the green light because people are very interested of course in their water quality," said Joseph Grainey, Professor of Integrated Water Studies at Binghamton University."In areas where we're most concerned about the water quality and be able to monitor effectively," said Andrew Gavin, with the SRBC.The SRBC held this information seminar at Binghamton University.It wants to determine the water quality before natural gas drilling begins.The information gained now would provide a baseline, which could help determine any adverse effects caused by the drilling process down the road."Roughly at five minute intervals this will be taking water quality observations and then on an hour or two hour interval sending the data back to our offices," said Gavin.Flooding poses a small problem, since the monitors can be quickly set back in place.But a major issue is avoiding areas prone to freezing."If you do a great job selecting your sites such that the ice isn't going to destroy your monitoring equipment, it really keeps down the number of visits you have to make to a site," said Mike Brownell, SRBC Chief Water Management officer.The SRBC has six monitors in rivers and streams throughout the area. By June, they'll have 30 and with any additional funding they hope to have 60 by 2011."With that we'll have our essential phase I project and then we'll move into phase II which is adding further stations in Pennsylvania and new stations in New York," said Brownell.Brownell wants the monitors put on private property to avoid vandalism or tamperingWater monitoring technology has become cheaper.An individual device once cost 40,000 dollars.But now an entire system can be bought for half that.The monitors are powered by solar panels and batteries.