Gold King Superfund Site: A Case Study

The flowback water is stored in temporary lagoons or lakes until it is transported to facilities that treat the water or facilities that have permits to inject into deep “Class II wells” or dump into rivers, streams, and lakes along with other wastewater from other sources (OSU). Most of the facilities that are used to treat the flowback water before they are put back into water systems as treated water are not equipped to treat all the contaminants of flowback water. In all the research done, there have been no results that suggest the wastewater inside the wells contaminate or pollute groundwater that people use as drinking water. However surface spills of flowback been mostly unnoticed even though the flowback water that leaks from the storage lagoons into waterways and drinking water has potential to be especially harmful. Recent

To sum it up, if Congress does not vote to end fracking in New York State we are all subject to this contaminated water. The fracking companies are literally knocking on doors and asking homeowners along with people in the community to lease their property to install these wells and pump these chemicals into the ground so I have a partition layed out in the back so that You can help and join the fight by signing petitions to ensure NYS Congress fights to stop fracking on our turf also To see the validity of this contaminated water, I urge you to check out the movie “Gasland” as well as YouTube videos of running water from kitchen sinks being lit on fire.

When thinking about the most polluted states in our country, California and New York instantly pop into our mind. What most people don't know, however, is that Texas now ranks number one in most categories of pollution. Whether it be increased emissions from refineries in Beaumont, large pits filled with contamination at Kelley Air Force Base, or polluted water at Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas has more than its fair share of toxic waste.

Once these mines were abandoned water slowly began to fill these mines. The water came in contact with all of the leftover minerals, including sulfide, and chemicals began to dissolve into the water. This process of dissolving chemicals into the water essentially turned the water into acid (1). Once the mines finally filled, water began to pour out of the mines into the surrounding area, mostly into a body of water now known as “Tar Creek” (1). This creek then spread the contaminated water throughout the community and into numerous water sources.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that plays a critical role in the demand and supply of energy in the United States. It is considered to be a clean burning transition fuel. Compared to coal and oil, natural gas combustion does not generate as much pollution and is therefore considered an ideal partner for renewable energy resources. Natural gas is extracted from shale formations underground that require horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing – “hydrofracking” or “fracking”. This drilling and extraction method is currently considered a global widespread issue due to the rapid increase in the amount of new gas wells that threatens the quality of water around the source (Entriken, Evans-White, Johnson & Hagenbuch, 2011).

The Tar Creek Superfund site is located in Ottawa Country, in northeastern Oklahoma. This superfund site covers five municipalities in its boundary, the site covers approximately 40 square miles. Two towns are situated in the middle of the superfund site, Picher and Cardin, both in hazardous areas. There is a population of 19,556 people who live in and around the superfund site (Vincent).

The Buffalo Creek flood of West Virginia is believed to be the most devastating coal relate disaster in West Virginia history. The flood occurred in the Buffalo Creek area of Logan County on February 26, 1972 when three dams broke and released 132 million gallons of water and coal waste known by miners as “gob,” and is a thick sludge-like material. The gob contains many toxic chemicals and pollutants such as mercury and arsenic that are left behind from the coal mining process. The wastewater would lie in settling ponds and dams until it could be properly disposed of. The water that was left over from processing coal would be disposed of in two different ways. Some of the water would be pumped from the dam back to the “tipple”, otherwise

I searched high and low to find a social situation that is important not only to my family but to my community. Areas like politics, and religion are a large aspect of my family but I decided to go in a different direction and speak on behalf of the environmental issues that plague my community, but one federal program in particular; the superfund program. In this essay I will present

Cascades Park is a 24-acre park that lies along the stream known as the St. Augustine Branch (Wikipedia). Nationally recognized as a historic place, Cascades Park was a major influence in the government’s decision making of the capital city location. That park that we all know today was recently opened in 2014, but it was not always a safe place to be. Before 30 million dollars was spent on building a 3,000 seat outdoor amphitheater, miles of trails to run and walk on, historical monuments as well as a children playground; Cascades Park was a contaminated wasteland from coal tar released by a manufactured gas plant.

The main pollutant of surface water in the mid-Atlantic region is Acid Mine Drainage, AMD, also called Abandoned Mine Drainage. AMD is a nonpoint source pollution that has degraded more than 4,500 stream miles, in just the mid-Atlantic region, due to the drainage of metal-rich water from mining activities (Jacobs). The runoff is extremely acidic due to the exposure of pyrite containing rocks, a sulfur bearing mineral (FeS2), during mining activities, and the chemical reactions associated with the contact of air and water with such rocks. As a result of such chemical reactions, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is produced. Several chemical reactions take place and are as follows:

The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County have devised a system to provide wastewater management and have implanted ways to recycle a lot of this water. The three treatments are

But since Wednesday, the Animas has been grievously polluted with toxic water spilled from one of the many abandoned mines that pockmark the region — a spill for which the Environmental Protection Agency has claimed responsibility, saying it accidentally breached a store of chemical-laced water.

Remediating Agricultural Water Contamination: Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper Student Name COMM 2367 MWF 9:10 Instructor Name September 29, 2012

Clean water supply is essential in establishing and maintaining a healthy community. There are two sources of water supply which are the surface water and ground water. Most natural waters are not suitable for consumption as it is contaminated by pathogens and also natural chemicals and minerals. In addition, as a city grew, wastes from human activities contaminate most of the water supplies. Water treatment plays an important role to properly treat a contaminated source of water supply in order to protect the health of consumers. Water treatment process is defined as a process of eliminating pollutants from untreated water to produce a biologically and chemically risk-free water, which is both potable and palatable for human consumption

The purpose of this report is to propose a solution to the problem of reduced drinking water quality due to chemical pollution. Some bodies of water in the United States are becoming polluted from chemicals and restrictions are needed to protect drinking water quality.