The Shale Network held its sixth annual workshop May 18 and 19 at the Penn State University Park Campus, and in State College, Pa. The workshop again drew a large, diverse group of participants interested in water quality around the Marcellus Shale drilling region in Pennsylvania.
Representatives from academia, government agencies, energy industries, environmental groups joined citizen scientists and high school students and teachers during the two-day event.
About 100 people attended all or parts of the workshop, which included a field trip, computer module and poster session on Thursday, May 18, and a daylong session of presentations and discussion on Friday, May 19.
Of the 100 participants: 35 were from academia, including representatives from Penn State, Pittsburgh, Cornell, Syracuse, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Colorado School of Mines and Lock Haven; 25 were from government agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection and the Pa. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; 35 were from environmental/non-profit groups, including Trout Unlimited, FracTracker Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund and Pa. Senior Environmental Corps.; and nine were from energy companies like Chesapeake Energy, XTO Energy and Pennsylvania General Energy.
We appreciated everyone’s contributions, and are thankful for another great workshop.