Technical Memorandum12-21-2011 DEPcomm

1 Technical Memorandum: Geophysical Evaluation of Infrastructure Risks of Natural Gas Production On New York City West of Hudson (WOH) Water Supply Infrastructure December 21, 2011 Prepared for: Hazen and Sawyer, Brashears & Graham, Inc., A Joint Venture 498 Seventh Avenue New York, New York 10018 Prepared by: Hager-Richter Geoscience, Inc. 8 Industrial Way - D10 Salem, New Hampshire 03079 i Table of Contents Section 0: Executive Summary iii Section 1.

2 Introduction 1 Background 2 Methodology 2 Short Glossary 3 Horizontal Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing (HVHF) 4 NYCDEP Water Supply Infrastructure Outside the WOH Watershed 6 Section 2.

3 Existing Geophysical Data 8 Introduction 8 Joints, Faults, & Lineaments Near the WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure 9 Seismic Reflection Data & Geologic Features Between the Non-Watershed Infrastructure and the Marcellus Shale 15 Seismicity Near the WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure 17 Gravity and Aeromagnetic Data Near the WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure 19 Section 3.

4 Microseismicity Associated with HVHF 21 Introduction 21 Potential Impact on WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure of HVHF Generated Microseisms 21 Documented Tunnel Failures Due to Earthquakes 24 Earthquakes of Small Magnitude Associated with HVHF 25 Section 4: Potential for Reactivation of a Fault by HVHF Near the WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure 29 Introduction 29 Could Seismic Events Induced by HVHF Cause Damage to the Critical WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure?

5 30 Could Seismic Events Induced by HVHF Cause Damage to the Critical WOH Dams? 31 Section 5: Adequacy of the Tunnel Protections Described in the RDSGEIS 34 Brief History of RDSGEIS 34 Protections to NYC WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure Provided by RDSGEIS 35 Justification of Proscribed Protections 36 Analysis of Evidence Presented in the RDSGEIS 37 Adequacy of the Protections 39

6 Ii Section 6: Evaluation of the 2009 JV Recommendations 41 Introduction 41 Overview of Recommendations 41 Justification for Recommendations 41 Evidence used by the JV to Justify Recommendations 42 Additional Evidence

7 43 Adequacy of the Recommendations 44 Section 7: Conclusions and Recommendations 46 Section 8: Limitations 49 Section 9: References 50 Figures 1.

8 NYCDEP WOH Non-Watershed Infrastructure Impact Evaluation 2. Effects of epicentral distance and earthquake magnitude on damage iii Section 0: Executive Summary As interest in development of shale gas resources increased in southern New York, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) determined that an objective assessment of potential impacts that natural gas development could have on the City s water supply was needed. Since the shale gas resource targeted for development is located entirely west of the Hudson River, that area was the focus of the assessment.

9 In January 2009, DEP retained a joint venture of Hazen and Sawyer, and Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. (the JV) to conduct an evaluation focused on the potential impacts of natural gas drilling to water quality, water quantity, and the water supply infrastructure. The results of the JV s studies were used as the basis for DEP s comments on the New York State draft Supplemental Generic Impact Statement (dated September 30, 2009). The JV assessments identified a number of serious risks to the water supply, including but not limited to: chemical contamination of surface and groundwater, risks to the infrastructure, and the industrialization of the watershed.

10 Based on the assessments, DEP concluded that horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) pose an unacceptable threat to the water supply of nine million New Yorkers and are inconsistent with the principles of source water protection and pollution prevention. DEP proposed a complete ban of drilling within the watershed and in a seven-mile buffer around the water supply infrastructure. In 2011, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) proposed a ban of natural gas drilling using HVHF within the New York City water supply watershed and a 4,000-foot wide zone around the watershed boundary.