At the November meeting of SCAS, we signed on to the position paper on hydrofracking that was  drawn up by the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society.  The paper is shown below.  Of particular importance are the environmental impacts upon bird populations caused by hydrofracking.    — Mary Collier

POSITION PAPER:  HYDROFRACKING

With large scale gas drilling operations proposed for our Chapter areas in central (and western) New York State, the undersigned Audubon Societies find that this activity poses an unacceptable risk to birds and their habitats.

     Our concerns with hydrofracturing gas exploration and production deal with five major areas:

1. - potential  ground and surface water contamination from the many toxic chemicals used in hydrofracking the shale.
 2. - storage and disposal of above ground production fluids, such as in open lagoons, or into nearby streams, or trucked to unprepared waste water treatment facilities.
 3. - impacts to waterbird habitats, including high-volume water withdrawals.
 4. - damage and fragmentation of bird habitat including forest land, open grasslands, and shrub land.
 5.- immediate and adequate response to any accidents or spills.

Thousands of wells are anticipated for our area, and this may change the region to a permanent industrial landscape.  Potential contamination and depletion of water, and pollution of air, soil, and of farm and forest ecosystems could destroy many resources existing today. 

Water Impacts

Water withdrawal and contamination are of special concern.  Drilling will require immense amounts of water that will be withdrawn from local surface waters—lakes, streams and wetlands—and from underground aquifers.  These water bodies are critical for breeding waterbirds such as herons, ducks and geese, loons, and birds associated with water, such as Bald Eagles and kingfishers.  Migratory waterfowl also depend on these areas for feeding and resting, and central New York is a major corridor for these birds.

Large-scale water withdrawals from these water bodies will alter the natural hydrologic cycle, and affect the entire food chain upon which birds depend.  The loss of feeding and nesting areas will reduce the numbers of waterfowl, many of which are already in serious decline.

These important water bodies also face the threat of spills of the toxic chemicals used in hydrofracking, and the large quantities of hazardous flow-back fluids produced from the wells.  These accidents are well documented in other areas and have negatively impacted birds and other wildlife.  Storage of these fluids also poses a threat to birds, as they can mistake open lagoons for resting and feeding areas and be exposed to chemicals and other dangerous materials.

Even “proper” disposal of drilling fluids, as envisioned by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, poses dangers to waterways.  Adequate treatment facilities for these wastes do not exist in the state, and increased discharges from inadequate facilities have polluted streams and rivers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

There is no doubt that gas drilling and hydrofracking will result in a net decline in water quality in New York State, and that this will negatively impact protected waterbirds.

Land Impacts

The fragmentation and loss of habitats, and the disturbances of noise and traffic will have an adverse affect on songbirds, some already at risk from habitat alteration and loss of wintering habitat.  Species such as Wood Thrush, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and others, depend on unbroken tracts of forest to successfully breed.  The roads, drilling pads, pipeline corridors, and other facilities associated with drilling activity will create corridors for nest predators and parasitic species for these forest interior birds.  In addition, smaller patches of forest will result in reduced productivity for these species.

The group of birds in most rapid decline in central New York and in many other areas are grassland species.  Henslow’s Sparrow, Northern Harrier, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, among other open country birds, have experienced precipitous declines in population and are considered threatened, endangered, or otherwise at risk.  The presence and disturbance of drilling rigs, buildings and other facilities, as well as road and pipeline construction will reduce even further the remaining suitable areas for these species.  In some cases, populations may disappear completely from the region.

Gas drilling and hydrofracking will degrade crucial habitat for at risk songbirds and other species.  This may extirpate some bird species from our region.

Central New York State, including the areas overlying the Marcellus and Utica Shale region targeted for drilling and hydrofracking, contains important, and irreplaceable habitat for a wide range of birds, many in long-term decline, and already on the state and federal threatened, endangered, or special concern lists.  Adding the impacts and dangers of this widespread industrial activity will significantly further imperil these birds.

      Even with the most stringent controls and oversight, this activity is an unacceptable danger to the birds of our region, with no environmental benefits.  As such, we oppose hydrofracturing gas exploration and production in central New York and elsewhere.  We call upon the State of New York to permanently ban this practice.