NoCana

The new Don King

I was on television last night.  I was an audience participant on WVIA’s State of Pennsylvania live broadcast.  I asked a question on camera.  This was not easy for me.  I don’t like the limelight.  Last night’s show was hosted by Suzanne Kapral-Kelly.  Her guests were WILK talk show hosts Nancy Kman, John Webster, Sue Henry, and Steve Corbett.

When it was almost my turn, I was ushered to a spot marked by masking tape, directly in the line of fire.  Then before I could run away, all lights and attention swung to me.  I think I did okay.  It was my first time on the tube.   I kept it simple.  I thanked the WILK radio hosts for providing a platform to discuss the Marcellus Shale issue.  Then, I simply requested that both stations sponsor a debate between EnCana and the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition.  The dreaded GDAC.

I did this without consulting anyone else from GDAC. But I am sure each one would say, “Bring it on”! This gas play is so wrong in so many ways for our communities.

I remember the first and only time I heard representatives from EnCana speak.  They were making a presentation to the Back Mountain Community Partnership.  The Partnership is a group of  local township and state representatives.  EnCana  presented hydraulic fracturing as a benign and safe process.  You have seen the Chesapeake ads.  Makes it look like a park.  During the question period, there were some of us who began to ask reasonable questions about safety and environmental impact.  They became visibly defensive and dismissive.  The EnCana reps could not or would not provide answers to most of our questions and were then asked by the Partnership to report back in writing.  They did eventually submit an inadequate response in writing.  But that is a whole other story for a future date.  The point here is they don’t like questions.  They seem to expect us to be compliant and quiet. Watch the movie Split Estate to get a glimpse of EnCana’s dark side.

On the broadcast, Steve Corbett related how he has been unable to get anyone from EnCana to talk with him. They are about to change our world in a very surreal, industrial, and irreversible way – yet are too arrogant to address any of these potentialities with the public.

Even if you had the perfect company doing all the right things, fracking is still a dirty, radioactive, water wasting, toxin injecting, air polluting, community disrupting, waste producing, land damaging, infrastructure intensive, property devaluing, inefficient way to produce energy. Add on top of that a secretive and entitled corporation – you are begging for trouble.

Come on down EnCana! Name the time and place.

Very Important Zoning Meeting – May 4th

The Lake Twp. drill site hearing Tuesday May 4 at 7:00pm at the Luzerne Co. Courthouse in the commissioners room. The purpose of the Luzerne Co. Zoning Board hearing is to grant a conditional use permit for the drill site located on the Salansky property (corner of Sholtis and Zosh/Ide Road). The site was moved from the Farrell property near the township line to this proposed site due to access considerations.

We need to insist that they do not grant the permit, and if they do it must be with strict restrictions. Per Joe Rutchauskas, “this site is located in the middle of 300 properties within a one mile radius!!”

Please attend this meeting to show solidarity!

the constitutional play

this is: oil vs solar
marketing vs truth
walmart vs main street
insanity vs sanity
landmen vs farmland
lawyers vs community
lobbyists vs democracy
secrecy vs transparency
the state vs you

Fracadelia

Positive news from the New York Times: State: Decision Blocks Drilling for Gas in Catskills

And here is  comment on the “political skullduggery” some people feel it was.

And more comment: Catskill Mountainkeeper’s Ramsay Adams on DEC’s Friday surprise

(It is getting legalier and legalier said Pooh.)

I think the decision is a foot in the door.

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Here is an interview with Robert Howarth: Cornell scientist tarnishes natural gas’s clean image If his ideas and calculations hold up to peer review, it is a powerful argument against the planned Frackathon coming our way.

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Another emerging argument against the Drilling Propaganda: From the excellent River Reporter Gas drilling benefits questioned

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This article Halliburton Hunts New Bacteria Killer to Protect Shale-Gas Boom was sent to me by a couple members. It addresses the industry’s attempt to take biocides out of the fracking fluid. It seems like there is a proprietary race to find a cost effective technique which will eliminate the biocides. Money, not concern for the public, is the motivator:

“Environmental issues generally begin to be addressed after companies realize there will be a financial cost if they don’t act.”  said Geoff Kieburtz, an analyst at Weeden & Co. in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Meeting on gaswells and drinking water

There is a meeting scheduled at Lake-Lehman High School on Thursday, May 13, from 6:00p.m.-9:00p.m. It is regarding natural gas wells and drinking water. It is being presented by Bryan Swistock, Water Resources Extension Associate, Penn State University. Reservations can be made by calling 825-1701 or email LuzerneExt@psu.edu.

Agenda:

Gas well drilling basics.

How gas wells can impact groundwater wells.

Regulations to protect private wells.

Potential water pollutants.

Testing strategies

How to collect water samples.

Interpretation of water test results.

Local Bloggers on Earth Day

Another Monkey has written an Earth Day post for today. We are blessed with several wonderful local bloggers who take the environment very seriously. At the end of Another Monkey’s post he lists the other Earth Day bloggers and links to their posts (thanks D.B.). Please take the time to read them. Thank you.

GDAC Earth Day Statement

Earth Day Statement

The Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition is here today to protest the drilling for natural gas in Luzerne County. We have studied the impacts of natural gas extraction by deep well drilling and hydraulic fracking in the Marcellus shale and other deposits throughout our country and recognize the inherent risks to our local environment. These risks challenge not only the quality of life for the populated Back Mountain area through disruption of our roads, air and water quality, but this activity poses an unacceptable risk to the fresh drinking water supplies of the people of the Wyoming Valley from West Pittston to West Nanticoke and all of the towns in between. The gas companies have received a permit to drill in Lehman Township, that is only 1.7 miles from the Huntsville reservoir and the county commissioners want to drill in Moon Lake Park that is less than ½ mile from the Ceasetown reservoir. Both of these fresh water dams and aquifers supply drinking water to over 80,000 people in the Valley. The majority of people in our county will not reap the financial benefits from this drilling but will be taking on all of the risks. We want to say to EnCana gas company of North America, and any other gas company seeking to exploit our area, we do not want you disturbing our communities, polluting our air and water, damaging our roads, decreasing our property values, and dividing our people. We ask you to leave. We also want to stand up against the larger issue that communities are told they have no say in what happens in their townships and local ordinances are superseded by the state. We the people, hereby declare our right to decide what types of activities we choose to allow in our communities and how to regulate them. This right to self-govern is inalienable and what American democracy is all about. If you feel that your rights to self-determination are being violated and are against allowing our beautiful county to be turned into an industrial zone littered with hazardous chemicals, our air disturbed by lung damaging fumes, and quality of life all negatively impacted by natural gas drilling, then join us in stopping this activity and asking our legislators to do the same.

Dr. Thomas Jiunta

Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition

Earth Day Press Release

LUZERNE COUNTY GREEN PARTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Contact: Carl Romanelli, 570-574-0829 cjromanellii@yahoo.com
Jay Sweeney, 570-587-3603 jnln@epix.net

Green Parties of Northeastern Pennsylvania to join citizen groups for Earth Day press conference/rally/protest regarding gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region. Events are part of statewide events on drilling scheduled throughout Pennsylvania.

On Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, 2010; groups from all over Northeastern Pennsylvania will come together on Public Square, Wilkes-Barre; beginning at 11 AM; for a press conference on the environmental threats of gas drilling in Pennsylvania. The event is being coordinated by the Green Parties of the northeastern section of the state. Greens from Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Wayne and Susquehanna counties participated in the planning of the event, along with members of various citizen groups concerned about this issue.

Among the activist groups supporting the Earth Day protests are: The Sierra Club, Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition (GDAC), Citizens for Clean Water, No Drill NEPA, Energy Justice; to name a few. Speakers will include Dr.Gere Reisinger of GDAC, Dr. Richard Aston of the Green Party, Atty. Frank J. Muraca from the PA Sierra Club and Jay Sweeney of the Wyoming County Green Party and candidate for State Representative in the 111th District.

Speakers will address the unified demands of environmentalists concerning drilling issues, which include:

* an immediate moratorium on all horizontal hydrofracturing in the Commonwealth, including in our state forests and on floodplains,
* an immediate freeze on all new Marcellus Shale drilling permits throughout Pennsylvania,
* the immediate suspension of the Delaware and Susquehanna River Basin Commissions’ authority to approve drilling-related water withdrawals anywhere in their respective watersheds, and, if necessary,
* the immediate resignation of DEP Secretary John Hanger.

Similar protests and rallies will be held throughout Pennsylvania on Thursday. They are planned for Norristown, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Meadville, and Williamsport. Speakers will be available to answer questions for the media from 11:00 to noon. Speakers and activities commence at 12:00 noon.

“Ugly Reality of Fracking”

Molly M. sent me this link. It is about a whistle blower and EnCana, among other things. Here are two short excerpts:

After her well water was contaminated by nearby fracking in 2006, Ernst decided to go public, showing visiting reporters how she could light her tap water on fire, and speaking out about Alberta land owners’ problems with the industry, especially Calgary-based EnCana. EnCana is Canada’s second biggest energy company (after Suncor) and is now also a major player in British Columbia, with hundreds of natural-gas wells in the province.

Ernst says she heard from “at least fifty other landowners the first year” she went public, and she continues to get calls. Groundwater contamination from fracking “is pretty widespread” in Alberta, “but they’re trying to keep it hidden.” Canada has no national water standards and conducts little information gathering about groundwater.

See the article here:

Reports from Cabot Patch World

Here is an editorial from the Daily Item, Cabot provides cautionary tale of drilling danger

And a firsthand report posted on Switchboard from a traveler to Dimock: Visiting Dimock, Seeing Gas Drilling’s Ugly Side Firsthand

And from this morning’s Citizen’s Voice, Families with tainted water reject driller’s plan for treatment

“A regulatory body does not have the authority to direct a private company to go into a privately owned home and install equipment, and if the resident refuses, deem that the company has fulfilled their obligation to provide permanent fresh water,”.