SLPWA comments on gas storage proposal

Proposed Scoping Outline needs to look at the unique geology of the Seneca Lake basin to understand the potential intrusion of the basin into the Syracuse Formation of the Shale/Rock Salt and the potential for catastrophic failure. In a letter last week (attached) to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association (SLPWA) urged the NYSDEC to include a comprehensive geological study of the Seneca Lake basin. A number of scientific papers have been written regarding the higher than average chloride concentration of Seneca Lake and the potential intrusion of the lake basin with the Syracuse Shale/Rock Salt formation that is proposed for LPG storage.SLPWA is concerned that the dissolution of salt into the lake suggests potential pathways to the proposed salt cavern storage areas. SLPWA believes that to fully understand the the geological suitability of the existing salt caverns for the safe storage of LPG, the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) Scoping Outline needs to go beyond “borrowing from publicly available information submitted in connection with the underground storage permit application and site specific information”.Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association strongly recommends that the DSEIS Scoping Outline include a geological assessment and additional testing based on an intrusion of salt into Seneca Lake from these salt mines to assure that the proposed facility can be used safely for the long term storage of LPG. SLPWA is an organization of over 300 property owners/residents in the Seneca Lake watershed. The association was formed in 1991 to promote the understanding, preservation and improvement of the water quality, natural habitat and general environmental conditions of Seneca Lake and its watershed. The association’s website at http://www.senecalake.org/ has current information regarding its activities.