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.

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.