Acidic drainage from thousands of abandoned coal mines across Pennsylvania turns streams a sickly orange.

But Radisav Vidic, a professor of environmental engineering at University of Pittsburgh, says those polluted waters might not be completely worthless.

Because the extraction of natural gas from deep Marcellus Shale formations requires up to 4.5 million gallons of water for each well drilled, he proposes using acid mine drainage in place of fresh water.

Think about it. Fewer contaminants would flow downstream from coal mines, and drillers would need to draw less water from healthy streams and aquifers. It would be a win-win.

But like any innovative idea, it has to be studied and tested. And that brings me to another idea Vidic has that's actually more important than investigating a use for acid mine drainage.

Because Pennsylvania's natural gas boom is unprecedented in both the opportunities it presents and hazards it poses, Vidic believes the best way forward is with knowledge. And he says what's needed to guide policy makers is unbiased research only an independent institute can perform.

In a presentation to Gov. Tom Corbett's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission, Vidic proposed a Center for Gas Resource Development that would conduct peer-reviewed studies to advance the technology of gas extraction and protect the environment and public health.

"We have to look at all aspects of (natural gas drilling) to make sure that 50 years from now we don't say, 'How stupid was that,' " Vidic told me.

It would be folly, indeed, to allow out-of-state drillers to capitalize on this modern-day gold rush without reliable safeguards in place to protect the public. After all, thousands of gas wells across more than half of the state, not to mention the accompanying pipelines, are impacting drinking water, air quality, forests and roads.

But it would be just as foolish to not invest in research that improves drilling-related technology and perhaps spurs a Silicon Valley effect of innovation-led business growth. "There are a lot of technical issues to be resolved," Vidic said. "Pennsylvania could take the lead in addressing them, exporting the expertise and spinning off other industries."

The treatment of contaminated drilling water, just as one example, could apply to making ocean water drinkable, he said.

Vidic envisions a multifaceted research institute. Along with offering services such as state-of-the-art water testing, it could take the lead on a range of less obvious issues such as road damage from heavy trucks and the development of a high-tech work force. And don't forget finding a use for acid mine drainage.

The governor's advisory commission issues its report next month, and one of the most far-reaching recommendations it could make is creation of a research institute. Funding could come, in part, from an impact fee assessed on gas wells.

Vidic's vision is particularly refreshing because it offers a way past the stale dynamic of industry versus environmentalists.

An independent research institute devoted to real science and best practices would be invaluable as an authoritative and trustworthy information broker. Policy makers and the public would then be able to base decisions on facts, not spin.

jhawkes@lnpnews.com