Old Wells Present a Potential Hazard
The "Old Well Problem" is this: there are thousands of older, abandoned
wells in New York for which the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) does not have location information.
Why is this a problem? All old wells are potential pathways for both
natural substances and drilling fluids to reach aquifers or the
surface. If the DEC knows the location of these wells prior to drilling
activity, contamination events can be avoided.
The DEC has a master database of oil and gas well sites dating back quite a few years. They also maintain computer-based maps of these well sites in a geographic information system (GIS). Both are available for public viewing.
DEC Gas and Oil well database: http://www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/GasOil/
DEC minerals site GIS system: http://www.dec.ny.gov/imsmaps/minerals/viewer.htm
Here's the link to the DEC's web page on this topic:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/1551.html
The DEC needs our help! We are all familiar with our properties and perhaps the features of neighboring properties as well. If you know of any old wells, you can check their location in the above two DEC databases to see if they are on-record. If they are not there, contact the DEC to report the well location. If you have any trouble using the above DEC databases, you can also contact TLC for help. TLC Contact Us Let's map all of these old wells to keep our lands and waters clean!
Tompkins County is in DEC Region 7.
Call:
Linda Collart
DEC Mining Division, Region 7
(585) 226-5376
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