Public Herald Studios

presehts
A DCCUMENTARY IILM 8Y
jCSHUA . PkIANIC & MELISSA A. TkCUTMAN
For an updated screenings list, please visit: www.tripledividefilm.org
Media & Donation Contacts:
|oshua Pribahic |oshua@publicherald.org Phohe: 419.202.8503
Melissa Troutmah melissa@publicherald.org Phohe: 724.388.0464

6KRUW6\QRSVLV
Triple Divide is about the truth behihd Cil & Cas developmeht ih shale gas plays.
This film is the story of Public Herald's first ihvestigatiohs ihto the ihevitable, hegative
impacts from shale gas ihdustrial developmeht ahd how they are hahdled by the state,
specifically the Pehhsylvahia Departmeht of Ehvirohmehtal Protectioh (DEP), ehtrusted to
protect the public ahd ehvirohmeht.
Today, Pehhsylvahia is beihg divided ih mahy ways by shale gas ihdustrializatioh, made
possible by a hew form of ah old techhology, commohly khowh as 'frackihg.'
Through persohal stories, experts, ahd case files of public documehts, Triple Divide tells
a cautiohary tale about the cohsequehces of shale gas ihdustrial developmeht by way of
frackihg. Though the stages of developmeht for shale gas will ohe day ehd, takihg mahy
boom ahd bust |obs with it, the potehtial for cohtamihated grouhdwater aquifers,
ehvirohmehtal damage, ahd ih|ured stories will remaih ih the absehce of strictly
ehforced state regulatiohs.

)XOO6\QRSVLV
Triple Divide is about the truth behihd Cil & Cas developmeht ih shale gas plays.
This film is the story of Public Herald's first ihvestigatiohs ihto the ihevitable, hegative
impacts from shale gas ihdustrial developmeht ahd how they are hahdled by the state,
specifically the Pehhsylvahia Departmeht of Ehvirohmehtal Protectioh (DEP), ehtrusted to
protect the public ahd ehvirohmeht.
PH's 18 mohth ihvestigatioh discovered recurrihg impacts: cohtamihated water, air, ahd
lahd, ihtimidatioh ahd harassmeht, loss of property, ihvestmehts, ahd stahdard of livihg,
weak ahd uhder ehforced state regulatiohs, commuhity disruptioh, destructioh of the
public trust, illhess, fragmehtatioh of Pehhsylvahia's last stahds of core forest, ahd lack of
protectioh over basic humah rights.
As ohe of ohly four triple cohtihehtal divides oh the North Americah cohtiheht,
everythihg is dowhstream for Triple Divide. Irom this peak, raih from a sihgle storm cah
ehd up oh three separate sides of the cohtiheht - ih the Culf of St. Lawrehce ih Cahada,
the Chesapeake 8ay oh the easterh seaboard, ahd the Culf of Mexico. This vast water
basih is draihed by three ma|or rivers - the Alleghehy, the Cehesee, ahd the
Susquehahha.
Triple Divide headwaters doh't |ust feed the largest area of Exceptiohal value - specially
regulated water bodies ih Pehhsylvahia -- they also draih ihto part of the state's largest
stahd of primitive forest, the last great wilderhess. These waterways rahk amohg the
most coveted trout streams ih the Uhited States, helpihg to create a sustaihable tourism
ecohomy upoh which locals have depehded for geheratiohs.
Today, these Wilds of Pehhsylvahia are beihg divided ih mahy ways by shale gas
ihdustrializatioh, made possible by a hew form of ah old techhology, commohly khowh as
'frackihg.'
Through persohal stories, experts, ahd case files of public documehts, Triple Divide tells
a cautiohary tale about the cohsequehces of shale gas ihdustrial developmeht by way of
frackihg. Though the stages of developmeht for shale gas will ohe day ehd, takihg mahy
boom ahd bust |obs with it, the potehtial for cohtamihated grouhdwater aquifers,
ehvirohmehtal damage, ahd ih|ured stories will remaih ih the absehce of strictly
ehforced state regulatiohs.

Directors' Statements
joshua . Pribanic, Co-Director
I started Triple Divide ih ah effort to bridge the ihformatioh oh ehergy developmeht ih
Pehhsylvahia, usihg water as a cehtral theme ahd cultural resource for the state. The
Iilm, ahd it's the shape, trahsformed ahd became more closely cohhected to a dialogue
of trust. Citizehs of the Commohwealth had trusted their state agehcies to protect them
from the harms of ihdustry, but the ever buildihg momehtum ahd urgehcy of hatural gas
developmeht strehgthehed at the expehse of basic humah rights.
Triple Divide reveals a failure in state regulations and corporate responsibility to our
most primeval resource, water. The combination of these things leads to the worst
Tragedy of the Commons we've ever faced as a civilization, threatening large-scale
contamination of drinking water supplies. So I left my hative soils of Chio ih search of the
truth, came to Pehhsylvahia with a camera ih hahd, ahd begah tellihg the stories of Triple
Divide, my first step as a filmmaker.
Thahk you to the courageous people who willihgly uhsheathed their stories for the world
to see, without them we are blihdfolded.
Melissa Troutman, Co-Director
Ior me, most of Triple Divide wrote itself ahd swept me alohg with it. I'm from Potter
Couhty, where the triple cohtihehtal divide ahd its pristihe headwaters are located. Chce
I hoticed a problem with shale gas extractioh there, I had to khow more ahd more.
The oil ahd gas ihdustry has more mohey thah Pehhsylvahia - by a lot. Eveh if the most
strihgeht protectiohs for our water, lahd, air, ahd tourism ahd farmihg ecohomies were
ehforced to the fullest exteht of the law, Pehhsylvahia would have to litigate itself ihto
bahkruptcy to secure amehds ahd truly seek |ustice from this ihdustry. Ahd that could
hever happeh.
Somethihg else must be dohe. People must protect themselves.
It is my sihcere hope that this film will make ahyohe cohsumihg ehergy take a hard,
hohest look at the true costs, the real-life people ahd places beihg sacrificed for it.

)LOP7LPHOLQH
April 2011 - Laurie 8arr & Les Wolfe of Save our Streams PA meet with |osh Pribahic to
tell the story about what's happehihg with shale gas developmeht ih Potter Couhty. They
ihtroduce |osh to local reporter Melissa Troutmah, who explaihs her story ahd takes |osh
to a well pad oh Dehtoh Hill. |osh determihes he will to returh ih a mohth to film ahd
documeht the stories of Potter Couhty, a.k.a. "Cod's Couhtry."
April 19, 2011 - Chesapeake Ehergy suffers a blowout at the Atgas 2H well ih 8radford
Couhty. Cver 10,000 gallohs of toxic fluid (flowback) is discharged ihto a tributary to
Towahda Creek. The well takes 6 days to get uhder cohtrol. Public Herald takes ah
immediate ihterest ih the case ahd begihs followihg the story.
May 22, 2011 - Productioh begihs at a commuhity eveht oh public lahds, a hike to shale
gas extractioh ih the Susquehahhock State Iorest, theh to the first Marcellus well drilled
ih Triple Divide headwaters, 500 feet from the East Iork Sihhemahohihg Creek, a High
uality stream |featured ih the film].
May to |uly 2011 - Productioh cohtihues, documehtihg lahdowhers, busihesses,
lahdforms, commuhity members, sciehtists. Requests for ihterviews with ihdustry ahd
Pehhsylvahia Departmeht of Ehvirohmehtal Protectioh are repeatedly declihed.
August 2011 - Melissa ahd |osh are falsely detaihed ahd harassed by gas compahy
workers haulihg water ih Tioga State Iorest while filmihg hight shots for Triple Divide.
August 2011 - Public Herald files a report the followihg morhihg with the Pehhsylvahia
Departmeht of Cohservatioh & Natural Resources, ahd asks for documehts to be
distributed to local drillers explaihihg the rights of the public ih state forests. Sooh after,
the regiohal ihvestigator calls to explaih how the gas compahy workers thought Public
Herald |ourhalists were "Ecoterrorists." The ihvestigator also stated he told the workers
that they had violated our rights, ahd were takihg part ih ah illegal detaihmeht.
September to Cctober 2011 - |osh ahd Melissa cohtihue to cohduct file reviews at the
Departmeht of Ehvirohmehtal Protectioh's horthcehtral regiohal office ih Williamsport,
Pa., focusihg oh water cohtamihatioh ahd gas migratioh cases, waste productioh reports,
ihspectiohs, water mahagemeht plahs, ahd violatiohs. They quickly realize that

somethihg heeds to be published sooher thah later...

Cctober 2011 - Public Herald is borh ahd files as a hoh-profit with the state of
Pehhsylvahia, focused oh ihvestigative hews, educatioh ahd the arts.
Cctober to December 2011 - Public Herald publishes over a dozeh ihvestigative pieces
regardihg shale gas ihdustrializatioh, arisihg from the film's research. A series is
established oh files from the Chesapeake 8radford 8lowout case ih April, focussihg oh
how DEP hahdles hatural gas pollutioh.
November 2011 - Chesapeake Ehergy agrees to be ihterviewed about the 8radford
Couhty 8lowout after PH publishes its secohd story oh the eveht. |Public Herald made
attempts to talk with Chesapeake for the past 3 mohths.]
December 19, 2011 - Public Herald publishes oh how the ehvirohmehtal assessmeht
report from SAIC produced for Chesapeake Ehergy oh the 8radford 8lowout, with
oversight from DEP, discarded a predrill test citihg the opihioh of the lahdowher. The files
cite the opihioh as 'historical ihformatioh.' The lahdowher said he thought his water
tasted "salty," which allowed a cleah predrill test takeh before the blowout to be
cohsidered ihaccurate ahd uhcharacteristic for his well. The decisioh to use the
lahdowher's claims as a meahs to discredit the predrill test calls ihto questioh predrill
testihg data collected across the state, ehdahgerihg water tests paid for by homeowhers
ahd hatural gas compahies.
|ahuary 2012 - Pribahic & Pribahic files a lawsuit oh behalf of Public Herald agaihst
Seheca Resources for the false detaihmeht of Melissa ahd |osh oh public state forest
lahd. Public Herald is told, by a Sahdusky Chio reporter, that DCNR admihistrative staff
has dropped the case agaihst Seheca Resources.
Iebruary 2012 - The 'Impact Iee' bill, a.k.a Act 13, is sighed ihto Pehhsylvahia law by
Coverhor Tom Corbett, strippihg commuhity cohtrol of shale gas developmeht by
mahdatihg it be permitted ih all zohihg districts, ihcludihg residehtial areas, ih exchahge
for the fees to repair ahd mitigate damage ahd loss. The bill overrides regulatiohs set
forth ih the Cil & Cas Act of 1984.
March 2012 - State agehcies ahd hatural gas compahies cohtihue to declihe ihterviews
ahd ighore emails ahd phohe calls.

April to September 2012 - Iilmihg ahd post-productioh cohtihues with updates to

ihvestigatiohs ahd the drillihg ih Pehhsylvahia slows dowh as gas prices oh the market
decrease. Cil ahd gas compahies turh to the more profitable reserves of 'wet' gas said to
be fouhd mostly ih Chio from Utica Shale.
|uly 2012 - The removal of local rights to zohe ahd regulate shale gas extractioh ahd
developmeht make law ih Act 13, but is struck dowh by Commohwealth Court as
"uhcohstitutiohal." State lawmakers ahd the oil ahd gas ihdustry appeal the decisioh to
the state Supreme Court, which still awaits a decisioh (as of |ahuary 3, 2012.) Ih the
meahtime, local commuhities get their impact fee fuhds to deal the shale gas impacts,
ahd still maihtaih the right to restrict the ihdustry ih residehtial ahd other areas.
August to November 2012 - Public Herald cohtributes Triple Divide stories ahd resources
ahd |oihs the editihg team of Stories from the Shalefields, a grassroots book of first-hahd
impacts ih the shale fields of PA ahd beyohd.
November - PA DEP is accused of misrepresehtihg drihkihg water pollutioh ih the state
by Rep. |esse White, who was dehied access to DEP files regardihg ah uhexplaihed odor
led to illhess ahd forced the closihg of a health clihic ih his district ih March. The
accusatioh arose from a depositioh ih which DEP staff ihdicate that hot all water test
results are revealed to homeowhers durihg oil ahd gas water cohtamihatioh
ihvestigatiohs. Several hatiohal ahd statewide orgahizatiohs are currehtly pushihg DEP to
immediately improve its testihg ahd ihvestigatioh procedures (as of |ahuary 3, 2012.)
November to December 2012 - Public Herald cohducts test-screehihgs of Triple Divide
for a broad rahge of audiehces ahd ihcorporates feedback ihto fihal rouhd of edits.
|ahuary 2013 - Triple Divide is scheduled for release at the ehd of the mohth.

7ULSOH&RQWLQHQWDO'LYLGH
The Triple Divide ih Potter is formed where the Easterh ahd St. Lawrehce Cohtihehtal
Divides ihtersect. Water flows horth alohg the Cehesee River ihto Lake Chtario, ahd theh oh
to the Culf of St. Lawrehce, which empties ihto the Atlahtic Cceah ih Cahada. Water flows
east ahd south alohg Pihe Creek, which feeds the Susquehahha River, which provides 70%
of freshwater ih the Chesapeake 8ay, the U.S's largest estuary at Norfolk, virgihia. Ahd
waters that flow west from the Triple Divide form the Alleghehy River, which meahders
south to Pittsburgh where it becomes the Chio River, which flows ihto the Mississippi ahd
dowh to the Culf of Mexico.

Key Subjects
ob Haag, Principal Hydrogeologistl6eologist - Haag Environmental
8ob Haag received his 8S, MS (1972-1979), ih Ehgiheerihg Ceology from the Uhiversity of
Michigah. Ih the 1980's he worked for several of the couhtry's largest hazardous waste
remediatioh firms. Theh ih 1990 he co-fouhded HaagEhviro with his wife Ruth, ah
ehvirohmehtal firm operatihg out of Sahdusky, Chio. He appears ih ah ihterview to explaih
his theory about the "Pressure 8ulb" ahd it's lohg-term effects from hydrofrackihg.
Dr. Andrew Kear, 6eologist & Political Scientist, Assistant Professor of Political
Science & Environmental Science - owling 6reen State University
The rise of frackihg ih Colorado also shaped the educatiohal career for Dr. Ahdrew Iear,
who wrote his dissertatioh oh the policy chahges surrouhdihg uhcohvehtiohal hatural gas
developmeht (a.k.a. frackihg), ahd appears throughout the latter half of the film showcasihg
his research ahd experiehce oh the sub|ect.
ob 6ing, Attorney & Former kegulator for Department of Environmental kesources
1978-1982 (now DEP)
After helpihg to amehd the Cleah Streams Law of Pehhsylvahia to ehforce stricter
regulatiohs oh waterways of the Commohwealth, 8ob took up a private practice ih
Cohfluehce, Pa., where Public Herald sat dowh for ah ihterview ih 2012. 8ob Cihg's ihtimate
uhderstahdihg of DEP ahd relatiohship to legal ramificatiohs from oil ahd gas develpomeht
is highlighted ih Triple Divide.
judy ear, Coudersport Well Drilling (1986-2012)
|udy 8ear owhed ahd operated a water well drillihg compahy ih Coudersport, Pa., for 16
years before recehtly retirihg. Durihg her time ih busihess she served as the first female
Director of the Pehhsylvahia Crouhdwater Associatioh, speht four years oh the Natural Cas
Task Iorce, ahd is a hatiohally certified water well driller. She appears ih ah ihterview about
predrill testihg history ahd a withess to |udy E.'s case.
judy E., Affected Neighbor to Leased Landowner
After 5 lohg years of livihg hext to a fracked hatural gas well, |udy agreed to sit dowh with
Public Herald ahd share her uhique story ahd experiehces with DEP. She appears ih her
owh chapter of Triple Divide, "The |udys."

David & kaymond arndt, Affected Surface Cwner in Split-Estate

David ahd his father Raymohd 8arhdt of Hebroh Towhship, Pa., are showcased ih the
"Split-Estate" chapter of Triple Divide explaihihg what happehed to their property after a
phohe call from Triaha Ehergy.
jim Harkins, Affected Neighbor to Leased Landowner
|im Harkihs tells the story about how the developmeht of a hatural gas well oh his
heighbor's property, 700ft from his backdoor, affected his health ahd well-beihg. His story
appears ih the "Cood Neighbor" chapter of the film.
Howie 6ufstason, Committee Member for 1984 Cil & 6as Act of Pa.
Howie Cufstasoh has lived a full life, ahd worked for a humber of differeht state
goverhmeht brahches ih regards oil ahd gas ahd to the ehvirohmeht. He also sat oh the
committee from 1978-1983 that established the 1984 Cil & Cas Act of Pehhsylvahia.
Laurie arr (a.k.a. The Matchmaker) & Les Wolfe, Save Cur Streams PA
While appearihg ohly for special scehes, Laurie 8arr & Les Wolfe could be credited as
matchmakers for Triple Divide, helpihg to establish the first cohtacts ahd cohtihued
ihformatioh to the Public Herald crew about key aspects of the film. Their work oh
abahdohed wells helped spark ahd ihform a State Impacts series that woh the
DuPoht-Columbia Silver 8atoh award ih 2013.
Carol French & Carolyn Knapp, Affected Leased Landowners
Carol Irehch & Carolyh Ihapp are farmers ih 8radford Couhty, Pa., who teamed up to deal
with hatural gas developmeht after experiehcihg drastic chahges to their lahd, air, water
ahd way of life. They appear ih the "Pressure 8ulb" chapter.
Pepper Dairy Farm
Ah uhexplaihed eruptioh of pressure occurs ih a tributary stream to Towahda Creek oh the
pepper farm hear the Morse well pad ih 8radford Couhty Pa. A surface is created ih the
tributary that's similar to walkihg oh a trampolihe, it's documehted ahd presehted ih the
film.
Victor Pribanic: Attorney
victor Pribahic is both a hephew to |oshua ahd cohsidered a leader ih the field of trial
attorheys. Ih Triple Divide he is a key source of ihformatioh to Public Herald regardihg legal
rights for homeowhers.
Triple Divide
Triple Divide is the opehihg scehe of the film ahd a catalyst for ehvirohmehtal issues. It's a

geological phehomehoh called a triple cohtihehtal divide that creates three watersheds,
fihdihg their way to three separate sides of the North Americah Cohtiheht.
Kathryn Klaber: President, Marcellus Shale Coalition
Iathryh Ilaber serves as the Marcellus Shale Coalitioh's first Presideht. Ih this role, oh
behalf of the MSC member compahies, she works closely with elected leaders, regulators
ahd the civic commuhity to realize the respohsible developmeht of hatural gas from the
Marcellus ahd Utica Shale geological formatiohs ahd the ehhahcemeht of the regioh's
ecohomy that cah be realized by this cleah-burhihg Americah ehergy source. (source:
http://marcelluscoalitioh.org/about/presideht/)
Chesapeake Energy
Chesapeake Ehergy appears as the maih sub|ect of the "Shovelihg Water" chapter ih Triple
Divide. After a blowout at their Atgas well ih April 2011, Public Herald completed 3 file
reviews to ihvestigate how DEP hahdled what Chesapeake cohsidered to be a 'worst-case
scehario.'
Michael Kehs, Vice President of Strategic Affairs (2011) - Chesapeake Energy
Michael Iehs appears ih the "Shovelihg Water" chapter for a phohe ihterview with Public
Herald about Chesapeake Ehergy's respohse to the Atgas blowout of April 2011.
Stephanie Timmermeyer, Director of Federal kegulatory Affairs (2011) - Chesapeake
Energy
Stephahie Timmermeyer appears ih the "Shovelihg Water" chapter for a phohe ihterview
with Public Herald about Chesapeake Ehergy's respohse to the Atgas blowout of April 2011.
Her respohse is vital to uhderstahdihg the process of remediatioh for hatural gas pollutioh.
Pennsylvania 6eneral Energy
Pehhsylvahia Ceheral Ehergy (PCE) is very active ih horth cehtral Pa. for the exploratioh of
hatural gas, especially arouhd Exceptiohal value waters. They appear ih each case of the
"Exceptiohal value" chapter.
Nancy Schneider, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Cfficer,
6eneral Counsel and Corporate Secretary - Penn Virginia Cil & 6as
Nahcy Schheider is phohed for questiohs by Public Herald regardihg predrill testihg criteria
ahd storage of flowback water from fracked wells. Her respohse is hecessary to
uhderstahdihg the reporter's experiehce oh shale gas stories across the couhtry. Pehh
virgihia Cil & Cas also appears ih the "Cood Neighbor" chapter durihg the flarihg of a
marcellus well.

6uardian Energy
Cuardiah Ehergy drilled a well 450ft from |udy E. oh a heighbor's property, but failed oh
multiple occasiohs to alert |udy about DEP violatiohs that could have threatehed her
drihkihg water aquifer. Cuardiah appears ohly withih "The |udys" chapter.
Triana Energy
Triaha Ehergy is respohsible for the Split-Estate case oh the 8arhdt family property. Triaha
would hot commeht oh the case, but their activities are well documehted ih the film.
DEP (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection)
The filmmakers ehcouhtered multiple stories about how state regulators failed to properly
hahdle homeowher complaihts causihg the Pehhsylvahia Departmeht of Ehvirohmehtal
Protectioh became to become a cehtral theme to Triple Divide, overridihg the origihal focus
oh water ahd culture. While DEP refused to be ihterviewed for the film, much of the
ihformatioh ih Triple Divide was obtaihed from file reviews at DEP's office ih Williamsport.
Michael Krancer, DEP Secretary
Michael Irahcer shihes as a propoheht for hatural gas drillihg ih Pehhsylvahia ahd believes
state regulatiohs are the best ahswer for regulatihg the ihdustry. His appearahce before
cohgress ih 2011 are |uxtaposed ih the film to statemehts ahd stories from lahdowhers.

About The Filmmakers

Public Herald Studios
PublicHerald.org got it's start ih late 2011 with a visioh to produce ihvestigative hews ih a
multimedia dyhamic to ah ohlihe audiehce. With the developmeht of Triple Divide, Public
Herald Studios was borh to take ah active role ih buildihg a focus driveh documehtary
that ehgages ah audiehce to ihvestigative reportihg.
joshua . Pribanic, Filmmaker & Producer at Public Herald Studios, United
States
|oshua Pribahic is autodidactic ahd picked up a camera ih 2008 to learh photography.
Triple Divide is |oshua's first documehtary feature as a filmmaker.
Selected Iilmography:
Producer & Director:
Triple Divide, Dir. |oshua Pribahic & Melissa Troutmah, 2013
Triple Divide Ihtro, Dir. |oshua Pribahic & Melissa Troutmah, 2012
http://vimeo.com/50229298
Ahca Cavris, Dir. |oshua Pribahic, 2011
Artisahs of Lake Erie Series, Dir. |oshua Pribahic, 2010-2011
|short doc] Lake Erie Algal 8looms & Iirst Ehergy Iish Iill, Dir. |oshua Pribahic,
2009
Cohvergihg Paths, Dir. |oshua Pribahic, 2009
Melissa A. Troutman, Filmmaker & Producer at Public Herald Studios, United
States
Melissa Troutmah is a writer, performer, ahd educator whose first documehtary film is
Triple Divide.

Selected Iilmography:
Producer & Director:
Triple Divide, Dir. |oshua Pribahic & Melissa Troutmah, 2013
Triple Divide Ihtro, Dir. |oshua Pribahic & Melissa Troutmah, 2012
http://vimeo.com/50229298
&UHGLWV
A Public Herald Studios Productioh
Directors: |oshua Pribahic, Melissa Troutmah
Screehplay: |oshua Pribahic, Melissa Troutmah
Producers: Public Herald Studios, |amie Pribahic, Melissa Troutmah, |oshua Pribahic
Associate Producers: Eric Dohavoh, |Ahohymous], Deborah Pribahic, |Ahohymous]
DP: |.8.Pribahic
Editors: |oshua Pribahic, Melissa Troutmah
Music: Nest, Custav Holst, Seah Pribahic, The Happy Maladies
Color gradihg: |oshua Pribahic
Narratioh: Melissa Troutmah
Chlihe website: |oshua Pribahic
Souhd editor & mixer: |oshua Pribahic, Melissa Troutmah
Music editihg: |oshua Pribahic
Craphic desigher: |oshua Pribahic

With support from:

Dah Mauk, Will Sahtiho, Walter 8aker, Iickstarter 8ackers, Public Herald Members
Special thahks:
Ih memory of Carl Stiles & Aldo Leopold.