Standard Research Grant: The Marcellus Shale Gas Rush: A Study of Public, Private, and Academic Water Quality Monitoring Policies

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing, popularly known as water fracking, is an issue of national importance. It is of particular interest in states such as Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York where new regulations and projects are proposed. This project examines the social and economic forces that structure what is known and not known about the environmental consequences of energy production, focusing on the impacts of natural gas drilling on surface water in New York and Pennsylvania. The research investigates the following questions: 1) Where are public agencies investing in watershed monitoring, and why are these public efforts unevenly distributed? 2) To what extent does civil society research (volunteer or activist water quality monitoring) fill knowledge gaps about the impacts of gas drilling on water quality, and why are these civil society efforts unevenly distributed? 3) How and to what extent do academic scientists aid in filling knowledge gaps about the impacts of gas drilling on water quality? To answer these questions, the project uses mixed methods, including A) qualitative interviews with key informants in government, academic science, environmental advocacy groups, and volunteer water monitoring groups, B) a survey of volunteer watershed groups and county conservation districts, C) socio-spatial and statistical analysis of the distribution of research efforts, using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, and D) comparative case studies of six communities. The project's broader impact includes contributing to a better understanding of how regulatory science works in the US. In particular, research findings will identify communities and watersheds that have received the most and least public investment in watershed monitoring. This information will be useful to regulatory agencies, funding bodies, academic research institutions, and community groups as they assess the effectiveness of current monitoring practices and prioritize areas for future knowledge investments. Furthermore, by documenting the extent of civil society research and analyzing its outcomes, this study will generate knowledge that will be essential to efforts to strengthen the capacity of volunteer scientific organizations.