By Rita Yelda, Food & Water Watch
A news report issued in September indicated that an outside firm completed a feasibility study and that the Niagara Falls Water Board is moving forward with its plan to treat wastewater from fracking. Niagara Falls is the first location in New York to state its desire to treat fracking wastewater, and the decision to move ahead could be imminent. Also in September, the NY Department of Conservation (DEC) released regulations addressing fracking wastewater disposal – regulations that the Niagara Falls Water Board had been waiting for in order to apply its permit to accept fracking waste. The DEC has an open comment period on these regulations until Dec. 12th and four meetings scheduled across the state.
Fracking fluid consists primarily of water, sand and a cocktail of chemicals that includes many toxins and known carcinogens: methanol, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, napthalene, benzene, toluene and xylene. To date, 600+ chemicals that have been found in fracking waste. The fracking process has also been known to release radioactive elements such as radon and uranium into the waste.
There is no evidence that the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant could filter out the radiation or the chemicals found in the wastewater. NY DEC Commissioner Martens has directly stated that no wastewater treatment plants in the state are equipped to treat or permitted to accept wastewater with the range of contaminants expected to be in the fluids produced from high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Costly upgrades for the plant, as well as increased costs for infrastructure repairs from excess truck traffic, are immediate concerns for an already struggling local economy.
The Niagara Falls Water Board’s decision to accept fracking wastewater could create regional and even international health concern. Water from the treatment plant would be released into the Niagara River, which flows into Niagara Falls, Lake Ontario, and other Great Lakes communities. Recently, the Council of Canadians released a letter to the Niagara Falls Water Board asking them to not accept the waste as it poses a threat to the Great Lakes. Cumulative impacts of releasing the effluent in to the Niagara River have not been studied.
If this fracking waste is not treated correctly, it could contaminate our water. With the Niagara River already on the 303(d) Clean Water Act list of impaired waterways, we should take a serious look at the risks before looking at the dollar signs. We don’t want this to be another ‘Love Canal’. This region is known for its tourism and beautiful natural landmarks. Why would we risk that?
The Niagara Falls Water Board has open meetings every fourth Thursday of the month at 5pm, 5815 Buffalo Ave in Niagara Falls, NY. The next one is October 20th. At a board meeting last month, Food & Water Watch and WNY Drilling Defense demanded the Niagara Falls Waste Treatment Plant and Water Board answer 25 questions highlighting concerns expressed by community members. Questions included: “Will the public be made aware of the chemicals that are being transported on their streets?” and “What plan is being created in case of an accident with a tanker truck carrying the waste?”. The board has yet to answer these critical questions.
