What promises to be a large protest rally & march on Marcellus drilling is scheduled for October 1st in western PA. The rally will be held in concert with the industry's SHALE GAS SUMMIT taking place at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The Shale Gas Summit is bringing together industry executives, financial experts, legislators and gubernatorial candidates and other key stakeholders in Marcellus drilling. Such a rally could take advantage of the many Marcellus players gathered in one place and would send a clear message that PA residents will not sit quietly as their wells are contaminated; farmlands are ruined; homes are devalued and tourism dollars disappear. For more information on the rally, click HERE to visit the Marcellus Shale Protest website.
What better way to join forces with other Pennsylvanians and have our collective voices heard!
Showing posts with label taking action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taking action. Show all posts
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Pick up the phone! Start up that email!
At a time when PA is attempting to balance the state's budget by leasing out our state parks and forests to drilling, they're also proposing to slash the budget of the organization that oversees said drilling (see following article). The DEP is *already* understaffed and with the amount of current and future wells being drilled, they need *more* funding, NOT less. The oil and gas industry does not want federal oversight and thus far they've had enough money and clout to get their wish. The only people charged with making sure the industry abides by the rules....is the DEP. So unless the goal is to hand the keys over to the drilling companies, it behooves every single one of us to either pick up the phone or email our legislators to voice our profound displeasure at this latest course of events. Links to contact your senators/representatives can be found both on the Endless Mountains blog along the right sidebar under "Local Info" or on our facebook page under the "Local Info" tab.
Please take a moment out of your day to do this. EVERY voice counts.
State budget continues to slash Environmental Protection; Over 1/3 of DEP budget cut over two years.
(Harrisburg) – Clean Water Action issued a strong statement today calling for restoration of large cuts to the budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proposed state budget deal released yesterday by the Governor and legislative leaders cuts DEP’s budget by 9.2%. This is on top of last year’s budget cut of 26% for DEP. [ATTACHED - PDF of 2000-2008 budgets in actual numbers, not accounting for inflation]
Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action stated, “I don’t see how any legislator can pretend that the DEP can do what they are required to do with this level of funding. Lawmakers that support protecting Pennsylvanians from air and water pollution need to stop this year’s budget cut, and restore funding cut last year.”
Noting that Pennsylvania is currently experiencing a boom in natural gas drilling, Arnowitt continued, “The state is giving out 5,000 new Marcellus Shale gas drilling permits this year alone. This is an industry that is notorious for its lack of controls on both air pollution and water pollution. It is the height of irresponsibility to continue handing out permits while decimating the one agency that has any oversight on gas drilling.”
Despite the new budget cuts to DEP proposed for this year’s budget, overall state spending is increasing 0.6% to $28 billion a year. DEP’s portion of the state budget represents only ½ of one percent of the total budget (o.5%).
Brady Russell, Eastern PA Director for Clean Water Action stated, “Even before this round of budget cuts, there has been a steady decline in state support for DEP over the past ten years. If this year’s cuts go through, the state will be giving DEP almost 60% less than they did in the 2000 – 2001 budget.”
Although legislative leaders have agreed to enact some level of severance tax on natural gas extraction in the fall, no dollars have been allocated to any environmental protection programs in this year’s budget. “If the state legislature refuses to use general funds to support DEP’s budget, it must direct a portion of the severance tax to restore DEP’s budget to reasonable levels,” asserted Arnowitt.
***
Clean Water Action is an organization of 1.2 million members working to empower people to take action to protect America's waters, build healthy communities and to make democracy work for all of us. For 36 years Clean Water Action has succeeded in winning some of the nation's most important environmental protections through grassroots organizing, expert policy research and political advocacy focused on holding elected officials accountable to the public.
Click HERE to access this original post as it appeared today on Young Philly Politics.
Please take a moment out of your day to do this. EVERY voice counts.
State budget continues to slash Environmental Protection; Over 1/3 of DEP budget cut over two years.
(Harrisburg) – Clean Water Action issued a strong statement today calling for restoration of large cuts to the budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The proposed state budget deal released yesterday by the Governor and legislative leaders cuts DEP’s budget by 9.2%. This is on top of last year’s budget cut of 26% for DEP. [ATTACHED - PDF of 2000-2008 budgets in actual numbers, not accounting for inflation]
Myron Arnowitt, PA State Director for Clean Water Action stated, “I don’t see how any legislator can pretend that the DEP can do what they are required to do with this level of funding. Lawmakers that support protecting Pennsylvanians from air and water pollution need to stop this year’s budget cut, and restore funding cut last year.”
Noting that Pennsylvania is currently experiencing a boom in natural gas drilling, Arnowitt continued, “The state is giving out 5,000 new Marcellus Shale gas drilling permits this year alone. This is an industry that is notorious for its lack of controls on both air pollution and water pollution. It is the height of irresponsibility to continue handing out permits while decimating the one agency that has any oversight on gas drilling.”
Despite the new budget cuts to DEP proposed for this year’s budget, overall state spending is increasing 0.6% to $28 billion a year. DEP’s portion of the state budget represents only ½ of one percent of the total budget (o.5%).
Brady Russell, Eastern PA Director for Clean Water Action stated, “Even before this round of budget cuts, there has been a steady decline in state support for DEP over the past ten years. If this year’s cuts go through, the state will be giving DEP almost 60% less than they did in the 2000 – 2001 budget.”
Although legislative leaders have agreed to enact some level of severance tax on natural gas extraction in the fall, no dollars have been allocated to any environmental protection programs in this year’s budget. “If the state legislature refuses to use general funds to support DEP’s budget, it must direct a portion of the severance tax to restore DEP’s budget to reasonable levels,” asserted Arnowitt.
***
Clean Water Action is an organization of 1.2 million members working to empower people to take action to protect America's waters, build healthy communities and to make democracy work for all of us. For 36 years Clean Water Action has succeeded in winning some of the nation's most important environmental protections through grassroots organizing, expert policy research and political advocacy focused on holding elected officials accountable to the public.
Click HERE to access this original post as it appeared today on Young Philly Politics.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Crude awaking? A call for real change.
A gas pipeline in rural TX exploded in spectacular fashion today, killing at least 3 and severely burning and injuring numerous others. Click HERE for story. So why am I posting a Texas explosion on a blog devoted to natural gas drilling in PA? Because PA has had their share of explosions already --see the post from this past weekend and previous posts on Dimock.
And yes, this is a blog on natural gas but the fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico has huge repercussions for the gas industry. Now that there is at least a temporary moratorium on new offshore drilling permits, guess where the oil companies have set their sights? On natural gas. In all honesty, I wasn't sure how the Gulf oil spill would effect what's going on in our backyards. Would the "D" word become anathema and things slow down until the newscasts were no longer dominated by the Gulf story? Or would people finally get the message, realize the full breadth of what ONE accident could do to our world and decide to transition over to renewable energy sources? Granted, Exxon had already purchased XTO last year. But last week Shell Oil announced it was buying East Resources. I've heard financial wizards placing their bets on natural gas as the next big ticket for investors. And today I read how oil companies and their subsidiaries are making campaign donations in record numbers. Was I idealistic? I guess I was. No one could have foreseen the nightmare now playing out before our eyes on the evening news. But now that it has, the Powers-That-Be still don't get it.
Admittedly and thankfully, spills and explosions aren't the norm but guess what?
It only takes ONE.
The Gulf oil spill is going to get a lot worse before it ever gets any better. All it takes is ONE accident and in this case, the ocean, marshes, beaches, wildlife, entire ecosystems and foodchains, and the livelihoods of a large portion of Louisiana's residents are irreparably damaged or changed. But wait, it gets better. Just this ONE accident and this catastrophe has already started to play itself out in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and who knows how far up the east coast.
So am I missing something? If the pictures of birds choking in oily goop; the images of dead dolphins washed up on shores; the hundreds of thousands of people who will no longer enjoy their livelihoods or life as they knew it--if all of this is not enough to cause a change--then what is?
We have the brightest minds in the world. We can put a man on the moon, but we can't figure out how to transition to renewable energy? I'm sorry but I refuse to believe that. Renewable sources like wind and solar power don't pollute wells; they don't explode; they don't kill people; they don't pollute entire oceans. In fact, they don't pollute at all. You want REAL clean energy? We have endless supplies of it and it's just waiting to be harnessed.
We once led the entire world with an Industrial Revolution; why can't we do the same with a Green Revolution? The Industrial Revolution helped make this country the superpower it once was, but I fear no longer is. We have the opportunity to effect real, meaningful change here. It would take an enormous amount of effort, ingenuity, and inspiration. It would not come without great difficulties as not only energy sources but entire workforces are transitioned. We can do this. Didn't someone once say, "Yes We Can?"
And yes, this is a blog on natural gas but the fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico has huge repercussions for the gas industry. Now that there is at least a temporary moratorium on new offshore drilling permits, guess where the oil companies have set their sights? On natural gas. In all honesty, I wasn't sure how the Gulf oil spill would effect what's going on in our backyards. Would the "D" word become anathema and things slow down until the newscasts were no longer dominated by the Gulf story? Or would people finally get the message, realize the full breadth of what ONE accident could do to our world and decide to transition over to renewable energy sources? Granted, Exxon had already purchased XTO last year. But last week Shell Oil announced it was buying East Resources. I've heard financial wizards placing their bets on natural gas as the next big ticket for investors. And today I read how oil companies and their subsidiaries are making campaign donations in record numbers. Was I idealistic? I guess I was. No one could have foreseen the nightmare now playing out before our eyes on the evening news. But now that it has, the Powers-That-Be still don't get it.
Admittedly and thankfully, spills and explosions aren't the norm but guess what?
It only takes ONE.
The Gulf oil spill is going to get a lot worse before it ever gets any better. All it takes is ONE accident and in this case, the ocean, marshes, beaches, wildlife, entire ecosystems and foodchains, and the livelihoods of a large portion of Louisiana's residents are irreparably damaged or changed. But wait, it gets better. Just this ONE accident and this catastrophe has already started to play itself out in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and who knows how far up the east coast.
So am I missing something? If the pictures of birds choking in oily goop; the images of dead dolphins washed up on shores; the hundreds of thousands of people who will no longer enjoy their livelihoods or life as they knew it--if all of this is not enough to cause a change--then what is?
We have the brightest minds in the world. We can put a man on the moon, but we can't figure out how to transition to renewable energy? I'm sorry but I refuse to believe that. Renewable sources like wind and solar power don't pollute wells; they don't explode; they don't kill people; they don't pollute entire oceans. In fact, they don't pollute at all. You want REAL clean energy? We have endless supplies of it and it's just waiting to be harnessed.
We once led the entire world with an Industrial Revolution; why can't we do the same with a Green Revolution? The Industrial Revolution helped make this country the superpower it once was, but I fear no longer is. We have the opportunity to effect real, meaningful change here. It would take an enormous amount of effort, ingenuity, and inspiration. It would not come without great difficulties as not only energy sources but entire workforces are transitioned. We can do this. Didn't someone once say, "Yes We Can?"
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Next week: SPLIT ESTATE comes to Gaines, PA.
Wednesday, May 19 @ 7pm there will be a community showing of the riveting documentary SPLIT ESTATE.. The event will take place at the Pine Creek Methodist Church in Gaines, PA. The church is located on the north side of US route 6 between Gaines and Galeton, PA, just east of the Potter/Tioga county line.
Governor of New Mexico and former presidential candidate Bill Richardson had this to say about the documentary: “’Split Estate’ is an eye-opening examination of the consequences and conflicts that can arise between surface land owners in the western United States, and those who own and extract the energy and mineral rights below. This film is of value to anyone wrestling with rational, sustainable energy policy while preserving the priceless elements of cultural heritage, private enterprise above-ground, and the precious health not only of people but the land itself.”
Monday, March 8, 2010
Upcoming event on impact of gas drilling
Are These the Kind of Neighbors We Want?
Impacts of Gas Drilling Support Facilities
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)
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Congress Launches Investigation into Drilling Practices
Can I get a "woot-woot?!" If you would like to send kudos, share information or your thoughts with the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, click HERE to email them.
CONGRESS LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO DRILLING PRACTICES
By S Shankman & A. Lustgarten for ProPublica.org
2.19.2010
"Two of the largest companies involved in natural gas drilling have acknowledged pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in the process of hydraulic fracturing, raising further concerns that existing state and federal regulations don't adequately protect drinking water from drilling. Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., who released the information in a statement Thursday, announced that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which he chairs, is launching an investigation into potential environmental impacts from hydraulic fracturing." To read the rest of this article in its entirety, click HERE.
CONGRESS LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO DRILLING PRACTICES
By S Shankman & A. Lustgarten for ProPublica.org
2.19.2010
"Two of the largest companies involved in natural gas drilling have acknowledged pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in the process of hydraulic fracturing, raising further concerns that existing state and federal regulations don't adequately protect drinking water from drilling. Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., who released the information in a statement Thursday, announced that the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which he chairs, is launching an investigation into potential environmental impacts from hydraulic fracturing." To read the rest of this article in its entirety, click HERE.
Friday, February 12, 2010
EPA unveils toll free hotline to report suspicious oil & gas well activity
"Concerned about the environmental effects of well drilling and pipeline construction in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and West Virginia, EPA has announced the start of its "Eyes on Drilling" line at 1-877-919-4372 (toll free), and an e-mail address eyesondrilling@epa.gov where citizens can report non-emergency well development actions that appear to be illegal. These may include the drawing of water from water courses, the illegal disposal of well wastewater or other questionable activity." According to EPA spokesperson David Sternberg, the EPA has "definitely received reports of improper disposal of drilling wastes."
For emergencies related to a well drilling operation, the EPA advises individuals to call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. Individuals may leave anonymously tips.
If possible, reports should include the location, time and date of the suspicious activity, as well as the materials, equipment and vehicles involved and any observable environmental impacts.
The information gathered from the tipline may be shared with the state agencies that regulate drilling - in Pennsylvania, it is the Department of Environmental Protection - and may be used by the EPA in investigating the practices of the industry, he said.
If possible, reports should include the location, time and date of the suspicious activity, as well as the materials, equipment and vehicles involved and any observable environmental impacts.
The information gathered from the tipline may be shared with the state agencies that regulate drilling - in Pennsylvania, it is the Department of Environmental Protection - and may be used by the EPA in investigating the practices of the industry, he said.
For full article, click HERE.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Concerned about the drilling?
Mayor of Dish, TX to be in Elmira, NY next weekend
Calvin Tillman, Mayor of a small town in Texas (Dish, TX), will be in Elmira on Saturday, February 20 to talk about his fight to protect his community from toxic emissions in the natural gas fields surrounding them.
Where?
Heights Theater
210 East 14th Street
Elmira Heights, NY
When?
Saturday, Feb 20
Breakfast : 8:30-9:15
Presentation: 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Dish is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, pipelines, metering stations, and gas wells. The town of Dish's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 and 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. The report also indicated that many of the compounds in the air exceeded the short-term and long-term effects screening levels according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations.
This event is co-sponsored by the Shaleshock Citizens Alliance and People for a Healthy Environment.
Calvin Tillman, Mayor of a small town in Texas (Dish, TX), will be in Elmira on Saturday, February 20 to talk about his fight to protect his community from toxic emissions in the natural gas fields surrounding them.
Where?
Heights Theater
210 East 14th Street
Elmira Heights, NY
When?
Saturday, Feb 20
Breakfast : 8:30-9:15
Presentation: 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Dish is located in the epicenter of the Barnett Shale gas play and is home to a megacomplex of compressor stations, pipelines, metering stations, and gas wells. The town of Dish's air study sampled air at seven locations from August 17 and 18, 2009. The results of this analysis revealed high concentrations of carcinogenic and neurotoxin compounds near and on residential properties. The report also indicated that many of the compounds in the air exceeded the short-term and long-term effects screening levels according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations.
This event is co-sponsored by the Shaleshock Citizens Alliance and People for a Healthy Environment.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Why ask why?
In a recent edition of the Wellsboro Gazette, there appeared a letter to the editor which gave me pause. John Kesich of Millerton wrote of a recent presentation he attended given by Scott Blauvelt of East Resources. During the presentation, Mr. Kesich asked questions many of us are no doubt thinking, but for whatever reason have kept to ourselves. Some don't like public speaking; some fear asking a 'dumb' question (note: there are no dumb questions); perhaps some don't want to hear the answers. Many of us no doubt think there's not much we can do when faced with big corporations who can throw money at an issue and make it go away. Some of my own family and friends fall into this category. So why should we bother worrying about or questioning the inevitable? It's all a done deal....right? Wrong.
Mr. Kesich asked his questions and not to my surprise, the responses left much to be desired. But the point is that he asked. When the drilling began just across the border in New York, one person dared to ask questions. That person made it a little easier for the next concerned citizens to come forward. There's now an incredibly active group of concerned residents asking a whole lot of questions; their group goes by the name of Shaleshock. (Their website is a treasure trove of information; if you haven't seen it yet, check it out. You can also find them on Facebook under the great name of No Fracking Way!).
And guess what? Things are changing. There are no done deals. Chesapeake Energy, the only leaseholder in that region and one of the largest natural gas producers in the entire country, has said it will not drill there now because of the huge amount of opposition they have received. (You can read all about it here.) It started when one concerned citizen dared to ask questions.
So thank you Mr. Kesich--and to all of the others out there like him (I know you're out there). While the answers you received were less than satisfactory, one hopes it won't be the last time these companies and their representatives hear them. As Albert Einstein famously said, "the important thing is not to stop questioning." Please keep voicing your opinion as loudly as you can--at meetings, in the newspapers, and in letters to our legislators. If enough people speak up, they won't be able to ignore us.
Thanks for letting me wax a bit philosophical on this first post of the new year. Over and out-
Mr. Kesich asked his questions and not to my surprise, the responses left much to be desired. But the point is that he asked. When the drilling began just across the border in New York, one person dared to ask questions. That person made it a little easier for the next concerned citizens to come forward. There's now an incredibly active group of concerned residents asking a whole lot of questions; their group goes by the name of Shaleshock. (Their website is a treasure trove of information; if you haven't seen it yet, check it out. You can also find them on Facebook under the great name of No Fracking Way!).
And guess what? Things are changing. There are no done deals. Chesapeake Energy, the only leaseholder in that region and one of the largest natural gas producers in the entire country, has said it will not drill there now because of the huge amount of opposition they have received. (You can read all about it here.) It started when one concerned citizen dared to ask questions.
So thank you Mr. Kesich--and to all of the others out there like him (I know you're out there). While the answers you received were less than satisfactory, one hopes it won't be the last time these companies and their representatives hear them. As Albert Einstein famously said, "the important thing is not to stop questioning." Please keep voicing your opinion as loudly as you can--at meetings, in the newspapers, and in letters to our legislators. If enough people speak up, they won't be able to ignore us.
Thanks for letting me wax a bit philosophical on this first post of the new year. Over and out-
Friday, December 11, 2009
Meeting in Mansfield, December 16, of Tioga County Natural Gas Task Force
Wednesday, December 16th @ 7:30pm, there will be a meeting of the Tioga County Natural Gas Task Force. The meeting will take place at Main Street Yoga Studio in Mansfield, PA. If you are from Wellsboro and are planning on attending, there's at least one person with a need to hitch a ride. Save gas and do a good deed! For custom directions, click here.
For more info on the carpool need--and a great blog besides--see this post from How do we do the mountain.
For more info on the carpool need--and a great blog besides--see this post from How do we do the mountain.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Training to be held at Wellsboro's Penn Tech College, December 8
The Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group is holding its second training workshop for Waterdogs to help document and record possible environmental violations at Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operations in the Bradford, Susquehanna and Tioga county area. The training session will be held on December 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, North Campus on Route 6 east of Wellsboro.
While the Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for permitting and inspecting these Marcellus Shale drilling sites, DEP personnel cannot maintain a watch on the activity of all the people, rigs and trucks contracted and subcontracted to produce the gas. Many contractors and companies brought in from outside the state are not yet familiar with our regulations regarding water usae, erosion and sedimentation, and waste disposal. The region is too large and the resources of the regulators too limited to effectively keep track of the exponential growth inactivity taking place.
This training will show participants how to document and record important observation information and who to call in the event of envirnmental harm or public safety issues. Those completing the training program will be provided with a bumper sticker, registration card and logbook for recording observations. There is a $10 registration fee to cover cost of materials. There is a limited of 35 Waterdog trainees for this class. Call 724‐1801x118 to register.
While the Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for permitting and inspecting these Marcellus Shale drilling sites, DEP personnel cannot maintain a watch on the activity of all the people, rigs and trucks contracted and subcontracted to produce the gas. Many contractors and companies brought in from outside the state are not yet familiar with our regulations regarding water usae, erosion and sedimentation, and waste disposal. The region is too large and the resources of the regulators too limited to effectively keep track of the exponential growth inactivity taking place.
This training will show participants how to document and record important observation information and who to call in the event of envirnmental harm or public safety issues. Those completing the training program will be provided with a bumper sticker, registration card and logbook for recording observations. There is a $10 registration fee to cover cost of materials. There is a limited of 35 Waterdog trainees for this class. Call 724‐1801x118 to register.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
This Thursday: Info session on what drilling means for Tioga County
Thurs., DEC. 3, 2009
7:00 PM
Hubbard Auditorium
56 Main Street, Owego, NY
"Marcellus Gas Drilling--What it means to Tioga County"
Chris Burger will present a slide show and talk about what changes we may see in Tioga County when gas drilling begins in the Marcellus Shale. It is especially timely in view of the DEC public hearings on the supplemental DEIS. As president of the Carantouan Greenway I have seen presentations in schools, businesses and churches. Chris's presentation highlights how the impacts of gas spacing, road and pipeline construction affects you - me - us, and is a presentation you do not want to miss.
Chris Burger is chair of the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition, served on Cornell University's Eco-Justice Project, a former Broome County Legislator and chaired the Soil and Conservation District and the Sourthern Tier East Regional Planning and Development Board.
This program is sponsored by the Carantouan Greenway.
Thanks to http://splashdownpa.blogspot.com/ for the program info! Be sure to check out this blog based out of Bradford County, PA.
7:00 PM
Hubbard Auditorium
56 Main Street, Owego, NY
"Marcellus Gas Drilling--What it means to Tioga County"
Chris Burger will present a slide show and talk about what changes we may see in Tioga County when gas drilling begins in the Marcellus Shale. It is especially timely in view of the DEC public hearings on the supplemental DEIS. As president of the Carantouan Greenway I have seen presentations in schools, businesses and churches. Chris's presentation highlights how the impacts of gas spacing, road and pipeline construction affects you - me - us, and is a presentation you do not want to miss.
Chris Burger is chair of the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition, served on Cornell University's Eco-Justice Project, a former Broome County Legislator and chaired the Soil and Conservation District and the Sourthern Tier East Regional Planning and Development Board.
This program is sponsored by the Carantouan Greenway.
Thanks to http://splashdownpa.blogspot.com/ for the program info! Be sure to check out this blog based out of Bradford County, PA.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Lawsuit could be the 1st to prove link between "fracking" and water contamination--and set a precedent for future lawsuits to come
PA lawsuit says drilling polluted water
Mon Nov 9, 2009 9:37am EST
By Jon Hurdle [excerpts below; click title for full text]
AVELLA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania landowner is suing an energy company for polluting his soil and water in an attempt to link a natural gas drilling technique with environmental contamination. George Zimmermann, the owner of 480 acres in Washington County, southwest Pennsylvania, says Atlas Energy Inc. ruined his land with toxic chemicals used in or released there by hydraulic fracturing. Water tests at three locations by gas wells on Zimmermann's property -- one is 1,500 feet from his home -- found seven potentially carcinogenic chemicals above "screening levels" set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as warranting further investigation.
Jay Hammond, general counsel for Atlas, said Zimmermann's claims are "completely erroneous" and that the company is in compliance with Pennsylvania's gas-drilling regulations. Hammond said Atlas will "vigorously" defend itself in court and declined further comment. But Zimmermann says he has evidence that chemicals used by Atlas contaminated his land. "There are substances that can't be made by nature and that's what's in the ground," he told Reuters during an interview in his 12,000-square-foot house on a remote hilltop.... If Zimmermann wins his case, it would be the first in America to prove that hydraulic fracturing causes water contamination.
PERFECT BASELINE TESTS
Baseline tests on Zimmermann's water a year before drilling began were "perfect," he said. In June, water tests found arsenic at 2,600 times acceptable levels, benzene at 44 times above limits and naphthalene five times the federal standard. Soil samples detected mercury and selenium above official limits, as well as ethylbenzene, a chemical used in drilling, and trichloroethene, a naturally occurring but toxic chemical that can be brought to the surface by gas drilling.... Companies are not required to disclose the composition of the fluid because of an exemption to a federal clean water law granted to the oil and gas industry in 2005.
Many local residents have been deterred from fighting the gas companies by the expense of legal action and water testing. Zimmermann says he has spent about $15,000 on water tests and will spend whatever it takes to prove his case. Rural residents who live near gas drilling say their water has become discolored, foul-smelling, or even flammable because methane from disturbed gas deposits has migrated into water wells.
DEATHS, MUTATION OF LIVESTOCK
Farmers in southwest Pennsylvania blame cattle deaths and mutations on local fracking. Other complaints attributed to tainted water include children's sickness, skin rashes and neurological disorders.
The industry says the chemicals used in fracking are injected through layers of steel and concrete thousands of feet below aquifers, and so pose no threat to drinking water. Spokesman argue there has never been a documented case of water contamination as a result of fracking.
On Zimmermann's property, the presence of water and soil contaminants that exceed EPA screening levels risks wider pollution of drinking water supply, wrote Cleason Smith, a consultant with Hydrosystems Management, which tested the soil and water, in a letter explaining the test results. Atlas rejected Smith's report, saying in court documents that the findings were inadmissible....
Zimmermann's suit says his land has become "virtually valueless" because it is permanently contaminated with toxic chemicals as a result of the 10 wells that Atlas has drilled. The suit accuses Atlas -- which is able to drill on the land because it acquired the mineral rights from a previous owner -- of negligence. It is seeking an injunction against further drilling, and unspecified financial damages.
With a wife, an eight-year-old son and eight-month-old twins, Zimmermann, 66, worries about air and water quality. He said he has invested about $11 million in the estate, which includes a winery and an heirloom-tomato business, but he now just wants to walk away because he believes it has been ruined by gas drilling. He rates his chances of selling the property as "slim to none" in light of the proven water contamination.
"I don't want to live here any more," Zimmermann said. "I'm afraid of the chemicals."
(Editing by Mark Egan and Philip Barbara)
© Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.
Mon Nov 9, 2009 9:37am EST
By Jon Hurdle [excerpts below; click title for full text]
AVELLA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania landowner is suing an energy company for polluting his soil and water in an attempt to link a natural gas drilling technique with environmental contamination. George Zimmermann, the owner of 480 acres in Washington County, southwest Pennsylvania, says Atlas Energy Inc. ruined his land with toxic chemicals used in or released there by hydraulic fracturing. Water tests at three locations by gas wells on Zimmermann's property -- one is 1,500 feet from his home -- found seven potentially carcinogenic chemicals above "screening levels" set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as warranting further investigation.
Jay Hammond, general counsel for Atlas, said Zimmermann's claims are "completely erroneous" and that the company is in compliance with Pennsylvania's gas-drilling regulations. Hammond said Atlas will "vigorously" defend itself in court and declined further comment. But Zimmermann says he has evidence that chemicals used by Atlas contaminated his land. "There are substances that can't be made by nature and that's what's in the ground," he told Reuters during an interview in his 12,000-square-foot house on a remote hilltop.... If Zimmermann wins his case, it would be the first in America to prove that hydraulic fracturing causes water contamination.
PERFECT BASELINE TESTS
Baseline tests on Zimmermann's water a year before drilling began were "perfect," he said. In June, water tests found arsenic at 2,600 times acceptable levels, benzene at 44 times above limits and naphthalene five times the federal standard. Soil samples detected mercury and selenium above official limits, as well as ethylbenzene, a chemical used in drilling, and trichloroethene, a naturally occurring but toxic chemical that can be brought to the surface by gas drilling.... Companies are not required to disclose the composition of the fluid because of an exemption to a federal clean water law granted to the oil and gas industry in 2005.
Many local residents have been deterred from fighting the gas companies by the expense of legal action and water testing. Zimmermann says he has spent about $15,000 on water tests and will spend whatever it takes to prove his case. Rural residents who live near gas drilling say their water has become discolored, foul-smelling, or even flammable because methane from disturbed gas deposits has migrated into water wells.
DEATHS, MUTATION OF LIVESTOCK
Farmers in southwest Pennsylvania blame cattle deaths and mutations on local fracking. Other complaints attributed to tainted water include children's sickness, skin rashes and neurological disorders.
The industry says the chemicals used in fracking are injected through layers of steel and concrete thousands of feet below aquifers, and so pose no threat to drinking water. Spokesman argue there has never been a documented case of water contamination as a result of fracking.
On Zimmermann's property, the presence of water and soil contaminants that exceed EPA screening levels risks wider pollution of drinking water supply, wrote Cleason Smith, a consultant with Hydrosystems Management, which tested the soil and water, in a letter explaining the test results. Atlas rejected Smith's report, saying in court documents that the findings were inadmissible....
Zimmermann's suit says his land has become "virtually valueless" because it is permanently contaminated with toxic chemicals as a result of the 10 wells that Atlas has drilled. The suit accuses Atlas -- which is able to drill on the land because it acquired the mineral rights from a previous owner -- of negligence. It is seeking an injunction against further drilling, and unspecified financial damages.
With a wife, an eight-year-old son and eight-month-old twins, Zimmermann, 66, worries about air and water quality. He said he has invested about $11 million in the estate, which includes a winery and an heirloom-tomato business, but he now just wants to walk away because he believes it has been ruined by gas drilling. He rates his chances of selling the property as "slim to none" in light of the proven water contamination.
"I don't want to live here any more," Zimmermann said. "I'm afraid of the chemicals."
(Editing by Mark Egan and Philip Barbara)
© Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.
Residents in Dimock, PA sue Cabot Oil & Gas Corps over gas drilling
Pennsylvania residents sue over gas drilling.
By Jon Hurdle
DIMOCK, Pennsylvania, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Residents of a small rural Pennsylvania town sued Cabot Oil & Gas Corp (COG.N: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz) on Friday, claiming the company's natural-gas drilling has contaminated their water wells with toxic chemicals, caused sickness and reduced their property values. The lawsuit accuses the company of violating state environmental laws by allowing drilling chemicals to escape from gas wells, where they are used in a technique called hydraulic fracturing.
A Cabot spokesman said the company had not had time to study the lawsuit in detail but said Cabot was in full compliance with Pennsylvania's environmental laws and "disappointed" by the lawsuit. "We don't see merit in these claims," Cabot spokesman Ken Komoroski said. The company, like others in the industry, has argued that its drilling processes are safe because chemicals are heavily diluted and are injected into the ground through layers of steel and concrete thousands of feet below the aquifers that are used for drinking water. The industry says there has never been a documented case of ground water contamination because of hydraulic fracturing. The case is one of the first to confront the industry over the technique, which critics claim pollutes aquifers with chemicals that can cause cancer and other serious illnesses.
Cabot's drilling allowed methane to escape into private water wells and in two cases caused wellhead explosions due to a gas build-up, the 15 families in the lawsuit claim. Pat Farnelli, 46, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, told reporters on Friday that some of her eight children suffered stomach cramps after drinking water from the family's well, which is a few hundred yards from a gas well. She ruled out water-borne bacteria because boiling the water didn't help.
'WE WANT JUSTICE'
The suit is the culmination of complaints by residents of the northeastern Pennsylvania community where Cabot has drilled dozens of gas wells in its efforts to develop the Marcellus Shale, a massive gas formation that underlies about two-thirds of Pennsylvania and parts of surrounding states. "These releases, spills and discharges caused the plaintiffs and their property to be exposed to such hazardous gases, chemicals and industrial wastes," said the complaint. The complaint says residents have suffered neurological, gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms from exposure to tainted water. They also say they have had blood test results consistent with exposure to heavy metals.
Victoria Switzer, a plaintiff who lives about a mile from Carter's home, said she had joined the lawsuit because she had failed to get satisfaction from the state Department of Environmental Protection or her elected representatives. "Lawyers were the last thing I wanted," she said. "We are not greedy people, we just want some justice." The lawsuit accuses Cabot of negligence and says it has failed to restore residential water supplies disrupted by gas drilling. It seeks a permanent injunction to stop the drilling processes that are blamed for the contamination, as well as unspecified compensatory damages.
Residents of many gas-drilling areas in the United States say the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing are contaminating ground water. However, they have been unable to prove that, in part because energy companies are not required to disclose the composition of their drilling fluids.
Gas deposits such as the Marcellus Shale offer the United States an opportunity to reduce dependence on overseas oil imports and reduce carbon emissions, advocates say. But development could slow if fracturing is shown to be environmentally damaging. (Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst, Michelle Nichols, Richard Chang and Steve Orlofsky)
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Monday, November 16, 2009
Area newspaper coverage
If you live in the Tioga County area, you can read all of the stories and editorials written on natural gas drilling by clicking here for info appearing in the Wellsboro Gazette. Read the coverage in the Elmira Star Gazette here. The Williamsport Gazette has a special page on their website devoted to natural gas drilling information.
Better yet: submit your own Letters to the Editor of these or other area newspapers.
Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor of the Wellsboro Gazette.
Letters to the Williamsport Gazette can be submitted here.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Don't know where to start? Upcoming (FREE!) skills training right across the border!
Right across the border in downtown Ithaca NY, there is a very active grassroots group--Shaleshock--taking action to understand and protect communities from environmental accidents and other effects caused by the natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The weekend of December 4-6, they're bringing in The Ruckus Society,--one of the most respected organizations for the development of grassroots organizations--for FREE skills training on what you can do to get yourselves organized to effect change.
The deadline to register for the training is NOVEMBER 16 so if you want to go, sign up now as space is limited. Click on the link for "skills training" for more information and to register. I received confirmation from their organizers that this training is not just limited to just NY residents--there are people already registered from PA but they're encouraging more people to join up. If you haven't already, join their email list here.
The deadline to register for the training is NOVEMBER 16 so if you want to go, sign up now as space is limited. Click on the link for "skills training" for more information and to register. I received confirmation from their organizers that this training is not just limited to just NY residents--there are people already registered from PA but they're encouraging more people to join up. If you haven't already, join their email list here.
Think the problem is too big? Too overwhelming?
The following is excerpted from "Wanna Get Some Action?"--a collaborative pamphlet produced by several environmental groups including the Energy Action Coalition, Energy Justice Network and Ruckus.org.
What kinda power we got?
Throughout history we can look to examples of how everyday people have used their community-based power to win a more just society in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. In fact, many of the rights and comforts we now take for granted resulted from people like us getting together and collectively taking action when injustice couldn’t be ignored anymore, like…
You *can* make a difference. But you can't wait for someone else to do it for you. If you're upset, scared, concerned--you need to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do something.
What kinda power we got?
Throughout history we can look to examples of how everyday people have used their community-based power to win a more just society in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. In fact, many of the rights and comforts we now take for granted resulted from people like us getting together and collectively taking action when injustice couldn’t be ignored anymore, like…
- The 40 hour work week (and weekends!)
- Voting rights for women, youth (over 18), African-Americans
- The end of formal slavery
- Maternity leave
- Ending child labor / The right to go to school
- Civil rights
- The rights of people with disabilities to reasonable accommodation to hold jobs and access businesses....
You *can* make a difference. But you can't wait for someone else to do it for you. If you're upset, scared, concerned--you need to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do something.
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