Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK)’s application, to emit carbon monoxide, methane, formaldehyde, and other chemicals from the Dytko natural gas site on Stone Church Road are still under review by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Air Quality.
Apart from this gas site, Chesapeake is also seeking to release such emissions from other sites. The company issued three additional legal advertisements recently for the same emissions at three other drilling pads. Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK), in multiple legal advertisements, confirmed the “potential to discharge” various amounts of these materials on an annual basis from the operations at the compressor stations: carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, methane, carbon dioxide equivalent, benzene, xylenes, toluene, and formaldehyde.
“This is really rough on people, especially those who live close by to them,” said Wheeling Jesuit University biology professor Ben Stout. “When they are flaring off all that stuff, it has to come down somewhere”.
Dr. Michael Blatt, a physician specializing in respiratory disease, also raised concerns on the air pollution – specifically at the Dytko pad because he lives on Stone Church Road.”I just think there is enough reason for concern to object,” he said.
West Virginia regulators said that they will address the concerns of Stout and others who spoke at the public hearing, held on September 11th. DEP spokesman, Thomas Aluise, revealed that Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK)’s application is still under consideration, and approval may be granted by next month, if not later.
“Well, at least the DEP is going to look at it,” said Stout. “They will probably still approve it, but at least they are taking a look.”
Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) is the only active Marcellus Shale driller in Ohio, stated that Brooke or Hancock counties will also emit similar emissions from its local compressor stations, such as from the station just off the Interstate 70 Dallas Pike exit, near the Highlands, and from the Sand Hill area near the Marshall/Ohio County border. As per the legal advertisement from the company, the amounts of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other chemicals to be released from its various sites may vary.
DEP’s air quality division will measure the environmental impact of each of Chesapeake’s multiple sites throughout Ohio County. The department will not consider the cumulative environmental impact of the company’s multiple sites, but will focus on individual site.