This 700-foot slip on a pipeline site being developed on Lowman Ridge near Mobley by MarkWest Energy Partners causes concern for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The current wet conditions and the presence of wetlands in some areas can create a more challenging environment for such work. (Photo by Amy Witschey)

While the Marcellus Shale boom in the local area may spotlight the area’s natural gas, Tonya Mather has a different concern-water. As an environmental inspector for the Northwest Region (Wheeling Office) of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management, maintaining the area’s water quality is her top priority.

Perhaps one of her biggest concerns lately has been a 700-foot slip on a MarkWest Energy Partners pipeline construction site on Lowman Ridge. “It presents a real issue right now-a real danger,” she told the approximately 40 people attending the Wetzel County Oil and Gas Task Force meeting Friday morning.

At that time she said the only thing holding the slip from ending up in the North Fork of Fishing Creek was a log jam. “If it comes down, it will flood,” she warned.

With mostly industry and enforcement personnel at Friday’s meeting, she cautioned them that it is the industry’s responsibility to make sure the DEP is notified of issues such as the slip or any spills. She also said other contractors in the area need to be notified of major events. The slip she spotlighted could have put a compression station and a drilling pad in danger, in addition to area residents. The slip is currently in the process of being rectified.

MarkWest Energy Partners, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is the largest natural gas processor in the Appalachian region. They did not respond by press time to a request for comment for this story.

Mathers said wetlands are another big concern of hers as she wants to make sure they are preserved. To conduct activity in wetlands areas, a 404 permit must be filed with the DEP. Mather said that in most cases the companies do wetland delineations before a project begins. Also, some maps show identified wetlands and the Army Corps of Engineers can assess a site and do a delineation.

Finally, she said the Army Corps of Engineers must be notified of any work in streams. Office of Emergency Management Director Ed Sapp asked who monitors low-water bridges. Mather was unsure if the Corps would do such monitoring or not. He noted that permits should go through the flood plain manager, him in Wetzel County, as well.

Another issue addressed at the meeting was the minor bus incident on Jan. 3 at a one-lane bridge on state Route 7. At approximately 9:20 a.m. bus No. 46, operated by Matt Day, was stopped at the one-lane bridge on the east end of Green Acres, headed west, when a white tractor pulling an empty trailer crossed the bridge and made contact with the rear driver side of the bus. The tractor trailer did not stop and Day contacted dispatch to report the incident. Law enforcement found the tractor trailer parked at the staging area located at the foot of Brock Ridge Road on state Route 7.

Wetzel County Sheriff James Hoskins said the bus driver did not feel the impact, but saw it in his mirror. He added that state Route 7 is not wide enough. “It doesn’t leave much room for error.”

Chesapeake Energy’s Amy Dobkin, senior coordinator for corporate development, said she worked with Wetzel County School’s Ancillary Services Director Brian Jones and the contractor. “There are issues with those narrow bridges on Route 7,” said Dobkin. She suggested some more advanced signage might be a solution.

Paul Hicks with District 6 of the West Virginia Division of Highways said all of the bridges on state Route 7 have advance signage, approximately 50 feet before the bridge. “If a tractor trailer driver can’t see the sign, they’re obviously not paying attention,” said Hicks. “If you’re not paying attention, more signs aren’t going to make a difference.”

He further said any discussion on a replacement would be a state-level decision. He added that he was confident the state would welcome any monetary donations from gas companies toward replacement.

Another particular point of accidents is the intersection of Brock Ridge and state Route 7. Jim McCune of the DOH requested Hoskins provide him with a copy of all accident reports from that intersection during the past two years. The sheriff said he would gather the records.

Relatedly, Dobkin said that since the last accident there Chesapeake Energy has been stopping all of their operators at the top of the hill on Brock Ridge and a Department of Transportation inspector does a brake inspection. They are also researching other possible solutions. The DOH said they are looking at installing a deceleration lane on the right hand side of the descent. It would be sort of like a runaway ramp, but more abrupt. Also, an escape ramp may be installed so out-of-control vehicles wouldn’t go across state Route 7.

The Wetzel County Oil and Gas Task Force is a rather new entity formed under the direction of the Office of Emergency Management. It provides an opportunity for gas companies, contractors, and public entities to share information and concerns to hopefully create a better environment for the development of the Marcellus Shale. The meetings are held every two months and are open to the public. The next meeting will be held March 16, 10 a.m., at the Mollohan Center on the county 4-H grounds.