Home | Impact By Distinctive Themes

Latest News

June 3, 2019

May 30, 2019

Video courtesy of Defending Ohi:yo' Canoe Trip

Community members and local allies are canoeing and kayaking down Ohi:yo' from Coudersport to Pittsburgh to call attention to water issues, particularly the threats from oil and gas pipelines and waste. They will then join Chief Arvol Looking Horse's World Peace and Prayer Day gathering at Fort Ancient, OH on the days leading up to the summer solstice. For more information about the Paddle With Peace and Prayer for Water Protection and to follow their progress, see

Defending Ohi:yo' Canoe Trip

NEW YORK STATE TOUR WITH THE YOU ARE HERE MAP OF FRACKING RESISTANCE: Sit, Stand Sing: The many roles of Direct Action


Activists mark anniversary of DEC denial of Northern Access permit


Northern Access Pipeline
NO NORTHERN ACCESS 2016 PIPELINE


Northern Access Project: Exporting PA’s Marcellus Gas Northward


April 10, 2018

Video courtesy of Defend Ohi:yo' Victory!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 10, 2018

Seneca Nation Rejoices as CAMA Deals Denial to
Dangerous Wastewater Treatment Facility on Allegheny River

ALLEGANY TERRITORY, SALAMANCA, N.Y. – In a special meeting that lasted approximately 25 minutes, the Coudersport Area Municipal Authority (CAMA) dealt the latest in a series of blows to a controversial proposed wastewater treatment facility near the headwaters of the Allegheny River last night.

The Seneca Nation applauded the votes by the CAMA board to terminate all permits for the project, which is being proposed by Epiphany Allegheny LLC (Epiphany). The CAMA board also voted to immediately terminate CAMA’s lease relationship with Epiphany, and to authorize the submission of the permits withdrawal to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP).

“Last night, the CAMA board showed great courage and leadership in placing the greater good of the people and the environment above all else,” said Seneca Nation President Todd Gates. “For the past several weeks, the Seneca Nation has been working to communicate a simple message: not here, not on our river. Don’t mortgage our future on some sort of test project. The Seneca Nation is grateful to CAMA for hearing our voices, heeding our message and welcoming our input before making their decision.”

The CAMA vote comes days after the announcement by JKLM Energy that it would no longer pursue treatment at the proposed plant, and weeks after the Coudersport Borough Council voted 5-1 opposing the project.

“The river, Ohi:yo’, will live longer than any of us. CAMA has helped to ensure a long, healthy life for the river and for the lives it will help to sustain. Their decision is a great victory for today, and for generations to come,” President Gates said. “I want to thank our many neighbors from Pennsylvania and New York who voiced their concerns and share our position. We will forever defend the Ohi:yo’.”

A full video recording of the CAMA meeting is available on the Seneca Media & Communications Center Facebook page.

Contact: Phil Pantano, Pantano & Associates, L.L.C., 716-601-4128, phil@pantanoPR.com

Breaking News

From the Offices of Public Herald, Nonprofit Investigative News



Nya:wëh sgë:nö',


Dear Friends of the Seneca Nation,

It has come to our attention that “treated” radioactive shale gas waste is proposed for discharge into the Ohi:yo’ (beautiful river in our language), more commonly known as the Allegany (also spelled Allegheny) River in Pennsylvania upstream from the Seneca Nation. Critical concerns first publicized by investigative journalists at Public Herald cite recent studies by scientists at Duke University, Duquesne University, and Penn State University that found an accumulation of radiation in river sediment near existing oil and gas wastewater treatment facilities in Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh-based Epiphany Allegheny, LLC claims to have “new technology” that turns shale gas wastewater into “pure, clean water,” according to their August 2017 permit application to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). However, this technology has not been thoroughly tested, and Epiphany does not plan to monitor key contaminants of concern, including radioisotopes, before discharging 42,000 gallons of treated waste into the Allegany River per day, with a potential daily maximum of 80,000 gallons.

Radioactive material in shale gas fracking waste will not be
completely eliminated by treatment:

“Naturally-occurring radioactive material (NORM) and salts can be removed from the wastewater to background levels. However, even if only a small amount of radium would remain in the outfall, and the volume of effluents is large, one can expect to see build up of NORM in the impacted sediments.”
– Dr. Avner Vengosh, February 1, 2018

Our concerns are now echoed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Department of the Interior, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and several independent scientists in official comments submitted to PA DEP.

The Seneca Nation requested that PA DEP hold a public hearing on the nation’s territory downstream from the proposed facility. However, PA DEP denied that request. Since the state will not require continuous water quality testing and reporting for radioactive material in the influent and effluent we urge you to request PA DEP and U.S. EPA deny the Epiphany Allegheny, LLC permit application.

Sincerely,

Seneca Nation of Indians Council

Allegany: Tina Abrams, Ricky Armstrong, Jr., Arlene Bova, William Canella, Al George, Stephen Gordon, Timothy Waterman, Mike Williams

Cattaraugus: Linda Doxtator, Jeff Gill, Rick Jemison, Ross John Sr., Llona LeRoy, Presley Redeye, Keith White Sr., John Williams Jr.

Melissa A. Troutman, Executive Director, Public Herald, (724) 388-0464

Joshua B. Pribanic, Editor-in-Chief, Public Herald, (419) 202-8503


From the Offices of Public Herald, Nonprofit Investigative News

CHART OF PROPOSED EPIPHANY ALLEGHENY, LLC




UPPER ALLEGANY WATERSHED


DANGERS OF EPIPHANY ALLEGHENY WASTE WATER PLANT

CONCERNS FROM OTHER AGENCIES:

The Department of Army, Corp of Engineers:

● The proposed facility will be located in a 100-year floodplain. Waste and chemicals stored onsite pose high risk to river ecosystem in the likely event of a flood.

● More thorough waste characterization and continuous water quality monitoring of distillate and discharge for contaminants of concern, including radioisotopes, benzene, barium, bromide, etc.

Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife:

● The federally endangered rayed bean mussel has been observed just downstream of the proposed discharge facility. Recent studies demonstrate mussels experience toxicity at concentrations below State and Federal standards for contaminants.

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission:

● Several endangered and protected aquatic species live in the Allegheny River at the site of the proposed facility.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation:

● The discharge permit for this facility does not include monitoring of effluent limits of parameters of concern and recommends inclusion of continuous influent and effluent sampling.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTS:

● There are no federal or state regulations being applied for daily testing of influent or effluent for radioactive elements. Therefore, the burden of proof rests on those directly impacted.

● Fracking includes a host of carcinogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Daily testing for these compounds is also not required by state or federal agencies for the proposed facility.

● The company, Epiphany Allegheny LLC, claims that its treatment process will produce “pure, clean water.” This claim is false by definition and attempts to mislead the public.

● The Allegheny watershed is part of the Triple Divide, a precious ecosystem that gives birth to three major U.S. rivers (Ohio, Susquehanna, and Genesee) which serve water to millions of people downstream in addition to the Seneca Nation, from Lake Ontario to the Chesapeake Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. The accumulation of radioactive materials in these headwaters are a national issue.

● The recently released Triple Divide [Redacted] documentary about the Triple Divide and risks of water contamination related to fracking in Pennsylvania is available from Public Herald.



References:

1. Burgos, Williams D., etc. Watershed-Scale Impacts from Surface Water Disposal of Oil and Gas Wastewater in Western Pennsylvania. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2017, 51 (15), pp 8851-8860. July 12, 2017

2. Laure, Nancy E, Warner, and Vengosh. Sources of Radium Accumulation in Stream Sediments near Disposal Sites in Pennsylvania: Implications for Disposal of Conventional Oil and Gas Wastewater. Environ. Sci. Technol., 01 Jan 2018.

3. Stolz, John, etc. Scintillation gamma spectrometer for analysis of hydraulic fracturing waste products. Journal of Environmental Science & Health, Part A - Toxic/Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering (2015) 50, 499-503.

"Allowing this plan to move forward would permit poisonous contaminants to travel downstream into New York State and onto the sovereign ancestral lands of the Seneca Nation, which sit upon the Ohi:yo' (Allegany River), the Seneca people have a deep spiritual connection with the land and we depend on our natural resources, including native plants, trees, wildlife, fish and water. These resources are critical components of our culture. We will zealously defend and protect what remains of our territories and our natural resources, which would be further threatened by this dangerous plan."

Todd Gates, SNI President

Get In Touch

DEYÖGWË'NEGA:NYADÖ'

(WE WHO DEFEND THE WATERS)

Contact Information

Defend Ohi:yo'