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By arimoore, on September 21st, 2009%
Sudden death of ecosystem ravages long creek by Don Hopey, for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Environmental agencies are treating the creek as a crime scene. Longtime environmental and fisheries officials say the fish kill, which preliminary counts have put at more than 10,000, is one of the worst they’ve seen… state and federal investigators are confounded because chemical analysis shows the creek water at the treatment facility site contains extremely high total dissolved solids, or TDS, and chlorides — properties found in wastewater from Marcellus Shale gas well drilling operations but not mine water. (Read more)
By arimoore, on September 15th, 2009%
Shaleshock has emailed the Democratic Primary candidates for Tompkins County Legislature, District 11, Peter Stein and Michael Koplinka-Loehr, asking if they would weigh in on their opinions about gas drilling in our region. Mr. Koplinka-Loehr has responded, and his reply is pasted below. Shaleshock makes no endorsement for either candidate.
Continue reading Candidate Koplinka-Loehr's Views on Unconventional Gas Drilling
By ericbanford, on September 8th, 2009%
Inspired by articles on Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) web site (http://www.celdf.org), I’ve been looking into the possibility of restoring “local rule” or “home rule” to towns. NY’s Constitution spells it out (see Article IX), but it was usurped as far as natural resources go in 1981 (NY Environmental Conservation Law 23-0303 removed the right of towns and counties to regulate gas drilling; it is exempt from all local ordinances, including noise and planning laws, except those covering road use and real property taxes).
I have been researching movements that have been taking place in Maine, NH and PA, where town have been up against Nestle taking their water for bottling or against toxic sludge being spread on open fields as “fertilizer”. Some towns have passed ordinances banning corporations from certain activities, recognizing the rights of nature, and removing “corporate personhood”. This, to me, seems like are greatest hope to protect the Fingerlakes region, to have all towns pass such an ordinance. Do you think such a things is possible? I’m wondering if there is time enough to draft something, get it reviewed, and have it on the November ballet for people to decide as a community? If we don’t get something like this in place soon, it will be too late. Drilling will likely begin at the beginning of 2010.
Here’s some useful links related to this topic:
The actual ordinance:
http://www.celdf.org/BarnsteadAntiCorporateWaterWithdrawal/tabid/132/Default.aspx
Some background information on the fight:
http://www.precaution.org/lib/06/prn_barnstead.htm
Overview and similar links as above:
http://www.newrules.org/governance/rules/banning-water-withdrawal-corporations/banning-water-withdrawal-corporations-barnstead
Ending Corporate Personhood:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/end_corporate_personhood
Strengthening Home Rule:
http://www.nyslocalgov.org/pdf/Strengthening_Home_Rule.pdf
New York Home Rule and Municipal Government:
http://www.celdf.org/NewYorkHomeRuleandMunicipalGovernment/tabid/295/Default.aspx
If you have an interest in pursuing this, please send a note to brew_bird at yahoo.com.
By arimoore, on September 3rd, 2009%
EPA: Chemicals Found in Wyo. Drinking Water Might Be From Fracking by Abrahm Lustgarten, for ProPublica:
Federal environment officials investigating drinking water contamination near the ranching town of Pavillion, Wyo., have found that at least three water wells contain a chemical used in the natural gas drilling process of hydraulic fracturing. Scientists also found traces of other contaminants, including oil, gas or metals, in 11 of 39 wells tested there since March.
The study, which is being conducted under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund program, is the first time the EPA has undertaken its own water analysis in response to complaints of contamination in drilling areas, and it could be pivotal in the national debate over the role of natural gas in America’s energy policy. (Read more)
By arimoore, on September 3rd, 2009%
Although the Safe Drinking Water Act regulates most forms of underground injection in order to protect drinking water sources, in 2005 Congress passed the “Halliburton Loophole,” which exempts hydraulic fracturing from the law’s reach (the exemption was given that name because Halliburton is one of the companies that provide hydraulic fracturing services). Since the exemption was enacted, hydraulic fracturing operations have been linked to contaminated drinking water in communities around the country.
Legislation to repeal the exemption has recently been introduced in both the House and Senate. Among other things, the legislation would require public disclosure of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids.
Even if you did this in the last session, please do it again now: Send a message urging your senators and representative to co-sponsor legislation to repeal the Halliburton Loophole (H.R. 2766/S. 1215).
Take action now!
By arimoore, on August 31st, 2009%
Reuters: EPA Scientists Find 2-BE in drinking water wells near drilling operations reads in part: “Among the contaminants found in some of the wells was 2-butoyethanol, or 2-BE, a solvent used in natural gas extraction, which researchers say causes the breakdown of red blood cells, leading to blood in the urine and feces, and can damage the kidneys, liver, spleen and bone marrow.”
Fortuna Energy has refused to state for the record that this chemical 2-BE would NOT be a component of the chemicals to be injected into the Mallula test well in Van Etten. Help protect our water »
By arimoore, on August 26th, 2009%
Gas shale drilling tech under scrutiny (Alaska Dispatch):
According to a long feature in the Ithaca Journal, people are wondering about just what’s in the waste liquid that results from horizontal high-pressure hydro-fracture drilling, and what’s the best way to handle it. As full-scale horizontal development of Marcellus Shale gas kicks in, the quantity of waste fluid will increase because horizontal wells require more of the fluid than vertical wells. The high volume of waste fluid will need to be dealt with. But because the industry is exempt from the federal rules that require full disclosure, no one is really sure about what threat the fluid poses to workers or groundwater. The DEC hasn’t issued any permits yet for full-scale development with horizontal hydro-fracture wells in the Marcellus because it is reviewing environmental impact statements, but it has already allowed the technology to be used in traditional vertical wells there. (Read more)
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About Us Shaleshock is an information hub connecting people to regional groups and projects working to stop exploitative drilling in the Marcellus Shale.(more)
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