Area Natural Gas Expo next week

Anyone planning on attending this? 
The Natural Gas Expo: Potter – Cameron - McKean will be held at the Gospel Tabernacle in Coudersport on March 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

March 17 will be for job seekers, high school students and the public looking to learn about the industry to speak with companies, education and training institutions. March 18 will be a business-to-business day where business owners will be able to speak with the companies and/or vendors to learn how they can benefit from the natural gas boom.

Development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas play is expected to create over 100,000 jobs and contribute over $14 billion into the state’s economy in 2010, according to a recent report released by the Pennsylvania State University College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

For the latest information about the Natural Gas Expo visit www.natural-gas-expo.com or contact Janine Morley at (814)274-4877 or janine@pottercountyedcouncil.org.

Those interested in becoming an exhibitor may contact Amy Thompson at (814)260-9144 or e-mail her at  amy@althompgraphics.com.

Gas company creates endowment for local 4-H

Yes, it's a great thing there's now an endowment for 4-H students but am I the only one who smells something rotten here?  Maybe future 4-H'ers can use it to study how to get our landscape, waterways and wells back after the gas companies have used 'em up, spit 'em out, pulled up stakes and left town.  Not to be snarky or anything.

Source: Wellsboro Gazette  3.3.2010
East Resources, Inc. today signed an agreement with Penn State’s Cooperative Extension Service to create a new 4-H endowment fund for Tioga County. East created the endowment with an initial principal investment of $50,000. The fund will be used to supplement financial support for the Tioga County 4-H program and may include educational awards for 4-H members.

“East Resources has a major stake in Tioga County’s future through its oil and gas interests, and our contribution to this endowment reflects East’s commitment to help sustain that future,” says Bob Long, the company’s executive vice president. “Tioga County’s young men and women are the key to the long-term health of our communities, and we appreciate the significant role that the county 4-H program plays in helping them grow into productive, self-directed citizens.”

“4-H, an outreach program of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is a major youth mentoring program that teaches life skills and leadership using science based programs,” noted Dennis Calvin, interim director of Penn State Cooperative Extension. “This generous financial gift for the Tioga County 4-H endowment made by East Resources will help assure that generations of youth will have access to 4-H programs. It will also provide assurance that these youth grow into future local, state, national, and international leaders.”

“Those of us involved with the Tioga County 4-H Program, including the staff here at Tioga County Cooperative Extension, the many dedicated volunteer leaders and 4-H members are very appreciative of East Resources’ generosity,” Robert S. Hansen, D.F., the Tioga County Extension director, said. “Their donation to the Tioga County 4-H Endowment will make it possible for Tioga County 4-H youth to participate in state and national events that otherwise they may not be able to attend.”

East Resources, Inc. is an independent oil and gas producer in the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. East is one of the most active oil and gas explorers in the Appalachian region and is making significant investments in the responsible development of natural gas from the Marcellus shale. The company holds approximately 900,000 gross acres of Marcellus shale rights in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York, and it employs more than 355 office and field personnel with approximately 60 employees in Tioga County.

Upcoming event on impact of gas drilling

Are These the Kind of Neighbors We Want?
Impacts of Gas Drilling Support Facilities

Saturday, March 13, 10 am
Steele Memorial Library Auditorium, 101 E. Church St., Elmira

Despite the promotional talk about the impending gas rush in our region, very little data has been provided to show that hosting thousands of gas wells and their attendant service facilities will be an overall benefit to the residents of the Southern Tier. To examine this issue, Citizens for Healthy Communities, a newly-formed group of citizens building a coalition across the Southern Tier, is hosting a series of educational forums. The first forum will be "Are These the Kind of Neighbors We Want? Impacts of Gas Drilling Support Facilities" on Saturday, March 13th at 10:00 am at Steele Memorial Library Auditorium, 101 E. Church Street in Elmira. 

This event will examine the operations of gas drilling support facilities, including the Schlumberger facility, being proposed for the Holding Point area in Horseheads.  Sue Heavenrich, an environmental journalist with Broader View Weekly, and Helen Slottje, senior attorney with the Community Environmental Defense Council in Ithaca, will be the featured speakers.

Both speakers will address a newly-released study, "Drilling Around the Law", by the Environmental Working Group in Washington, DC. This report states that gas drilling companies are injecting natural gas wells with millions of gallons of fracking fluids laced with petroleum distillates that can contain benzene and other highly toxic chemicals.EWG reports that in a worst case scenario, the petroleum distillates used in a single hydro-fracked well could contaminate more than 100billion gallons of drinking water to unsafe levels.  The Schlumberger facility in Horseheads will be storing petroleum distillates for fracking operations at hundreds of gas wells. "Drilling Around the Law" is online at http://www.ewg.org/drillingaroundthelaw .

Heavenrich will give an overview of the typical operations at a gas drilling servicing facility and the types of chemicals typically stored.  Heavenrich will discuss the impacts that hosting a major facility can have on a community and the surrounding region. She will discuss the plans for the Schlumberger facility and other service facilities proposed for the Holding Point area in Horseheads.

Slottje will highlight legal issues presented by hosting such facilities. She will address regulatory requirements applicable to gas drilling support facilities and will note legal remedies available If toxic spills or other environmental hazards occur.  Slottje will also discuss the economic costs to residents and taxpayers in communities that host large scale industrial development focused on fossil fuel extraction.  Slottje currently represents a group of Chemung County residents who are challenging the Village of Horseheads' decision to not require a full environmental impact review of the proposed Schlumberger facility. 

Following the featured presentations, the audience will discuss the issues presented and steps that can be taken to address community concerns. The forum is free and open to the public. For more information about the forum or about joining CHC, call Beth Miller at607-329-5883 or Rachel Treichler at 607-569-2114.

The mission of Citizens for Healthy Communities is to work cooperatively for healthy local economies through sustainable renewable energy and other green initiatives. CHC is committed to protecting the well-being of the land, water, air and families of this region through education and coalition-building. CHC members live in Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler and Yates counties. Future forums will address the cumulative impact of intensive gas drilling on the land, air, water, health and economies of our communities. 

(Source: shaleshockupdates@yahoogroups.com)