Coal Mine Drainage for Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Extraction

This event, “Feasibility and Challenges of Using Acid Mine Drainage for Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Extraction,” was held in RAND’s Pittsburgh office on December 14, 2011. With funding from the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), RAND hosted and moderated the round- table and retained full editorial control of the writing and production of these proceedings. The roundtable brought together leading researchers, hydraulic fracturing operators, legal experts, representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and corresponding agencies in neighboring states (Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia), and other stakeholders. This document summarizes the presentations of the panelists and the audience’s responses and highlights the primary takeaway messages from the day, including a number of research gaps.