Biblio
The Independent Petroleum Association of America sent a letter (pdf) to EPA today highlighting two critics on the list of 82 potential panelists.
"Unfortunately, a number of nominees' past comments betray a strong and unambiguous antipathy toward shale development in general, and hydraulic fracturing in particular," IPAA President and CEO Barry Russell wrote.
The letter singles out two critics -- Theo Colborn and Robert Howarth. It does not give their names, but IPAA's detailed complaints about the two identify them.
Colborn is a Colorado zoologist and pharmacist whose group, TEDX — The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, has sought to document the damage that fracturing can do to water and human health. IPAA said she authored a "white paper" that called for federal regulation of fracturing.
Howarth is a Cornell University professor who issued a three-page draft report in April saying that shale gas production and use may generate as much greenhouse gas emissions as production and use of coal. Russell's letter said it was "riddled with errors."
See: U.S. EPA Initiates Hydraulic Fracturing Study | Meeting | EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB)
See: 2011 EPA Hydraulic Fracturing Study Plan Review Panel Selections.
See: Cornell’s Howarth Warns EPA on Shale Gas Greenhouse Footprint
Natural Gas Informational Site by the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE). Includes articles on How Do We Get Natural Gas?, How Was Natural Gas Formed? Also article on Energy Explained, Use of Natural Gas, Delivery and Storage of Natural Gas, How Much Natural Gas Is Left.
On May 22, 2010 President Obama established the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling through Executive Order 13543 issued on May 21, 2010.
Presentation of the findings and recommendations in the National Oil Spill Commission’s final report on the causes of BP’s Gulf rig blowout and prevention of future disasters will be held 11am EST, Tues., Jan 11, 2011 at the The National Press Club: 529 14 St., NW, Washington DC.
Viewing: Credentialed press only. Public viewing available via live stream at www.OilSpillCommission.gov.
See: The Ceres Principles | Mixplex
See: Before the Big Spill | Mixplex
See: BP Deepwater Horizon Committee Hears From Oil Industry Executives | Mixplex
A leading congressional critic of shale drilling is scolding the Obama administration for failing to try to slow drilling in the Northeast's Marcellus Shale.
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) fired off a letter (pdf) yesterday to the commander of the North Atlantic Division of the Army Corps of Engineers, Brig. Gen. Peter "Duke" DeLuca. DeLuca represents the federal government on the little-known but powerful Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), and he rebuffed Hinchey's request that he use his vote to block gas drilling there until a lengthy study is completed.
See: Keystone XL Pipeline - Issues
Both Hinchey and Johanns have been rebuffed by the President and the State Department. Might this be telling us about the direction the Administration is taking in regards to its Energy Policy? nz
See: Obama Admin Rejects Timeout for Natural Gas Drilling in N.Y., Pa.
See: What President Obama should have said about natural gas.
See: In Pa., Rove tells Marcellus shale drillers: Expect 'sensible regulation'
The Marcellus Shale Coalition, has just released a video promo that would make Leni Riefenstahl proud. A more comprehensive myth-busting is forthcoming.
For now, read "Marcellus Shale: Asking Tough Questions of the Oil and Gas Companies" by Claudia Detweiler, "Lies and Broken Promises" by Jon Bogle, which both expose the bias and inaccuracies the "Penn State Report" and other economic impact studies.
And read this assessment by Robert W. Howarth, of Cornell University, who writes, "natural gas far less attractive than other fossil fuels in terms of the consequences for global warming."
See: Natural Gas Drillers Protest Nomination of Fracking Critics for EPA Review Panel
Government Agency Watchdog.
Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) is Montana’s environmental “watchdog.” It has successfully influenced state and federal agencies for more than three decades, monitoring issues from old growth forest protection, to standards for coal bed methane development, to air and water pollution permits. When all else fails, MEIC utilizes litigation to ensure that environmental laws are complied with.
Promoter and Protector of the Constitution. MEIC works hard to uphold the valuable rights afforded by Montana’s Constitution, including the inalienable right to a clean and healthful environment, the right to participate in and know about government operations, and the right to have all lands disturbed by the taking of natural resources reclaimed.
Respected Media Source. MEIC has a long history of working with the mass media to raise public awareness and understanding of key environmental issues. Through writing opinion pieces and making its staff available to the press, MEIC makes sure that critical issues receive the attention they deserve. MEIC provides a nonpartisan perspective, and is consistently quoted in a variety of Montana and national newspapers and other media.
Grassroots Advocate and Public Educator. MEIC assists individuals and local organizations facing environmental problems by providing information, organizing and tactical advice, and technical assistance. MEIC also has an active membership ready to submit comments, attend hearings, and go to pubic rallies when needed."
Join us on September 25-27 in Washington, DC for Appalachia Rising!, a national response to the unmitigated destruction of Appalachia's mountains, air and water through mountaintop removal coal mining. Appalachia Rising! will follow a long history of action for a just and prosperous Appalachia.
Appalachia Rising, an event which will take place in Washington DC, September 25-27, 2010 is a national response to the poisoning of America’s water supply, the destruction of Appalachia’s mountains, head water source streams, and communities through mountaintop removal coal mining. It follows a long history of social action for a just and sustainable Appalachia.
Appalachia Rising strives to unite coalfield residents, grass roots groups, individuals, and national organizations to call for the abolition of mountaintop removal coal mining and demand that America’s water be protected from all forms of surface mining.
Appalachia Rising -building community/labor alliances from Anne Lewis on Vimeo.
Primary documentation of the effects of strip-mining for coal on a West Virginia community. Gas Drilling and Strip-Mining affect communities health. This website is an outstanding example of the human aspect of sacrifices for energy and power production that may not be necessary.
Aurora Lights supports locally-based projects that strengthen the connections within and between human communities and their natural environment by promoting environmental and social action. See also: Aurora Lights Home.
“What we got going on here in Rock Creek is a little school in Sundial, W.Va., called Marsh Fork Elementary and it's being surrounded by a coal mining processing plant and a toxic waste impoundment and also a mountaintop removal site,” said Rock Creek resident Ed Wiley. He used to work at the processing plant and his granddaughter, Kayla, attended Marsh Fork Elementary.
The toxic waste impoundment and processing plant are all operated by the Goals Coal Co., a subsidiary of Massey Energy. The 1849-acre mountaintop removal mine that surrounds the school and dam is operated by two other Massey subsidiaries, Independence Coal and Alex Energy.
See: Code Black: Coal’s Assault on America’s Health Campaign | PSR (Physicians for Social Responsibility)
Marcellus-Shale.us. 2019-2010. Website. Pennsylvania.
Key paragraphs from the
ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005
Includes photographs of fracking trucks.
See press release, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): EPA Announces “Eyes on Drilling” Tipline.
PROTEST SHALE GAS CONFERENCE
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
On November 3, 2010, the gas industry gathered at the Developing Unconventional Gas (DUG) East Conference at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Karl Rove was its keynote speaker.
As Pennsylvania citizens concerned about the health of our communities and the environment on which we depend, we attended the conference in the streets...
"No Fracking Way!" was the thunderous statement made by over 500 protestors in Pittsburgh today, marching from Allegheny Landing to the David Lawrence Convention Center.
Residents from West Virginia, Western Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania were joined by activists and artists from all over the country to oppose the dangerous and destructive hydro-fracking gas drilling. The impassioned rally circled David Lawrence Convention Center, where inside gas industry executives were meeting to discuss the "future" of hydro-fracking gas drilling and planning to use heavy explosives to blast apart the Marcellus Shale formation to get the gas beneath.
"This is a revolution!" said Loretta Weir of Lincoln Place, Pittsburgh. Loretta said that a revolution was needed since the gas companies operate "outside the law." Weir took the podium to encourage city residents to support a moratorium on drilling in Pittsburgh, and to attend a public hearing tomorrow to discuss the matter.
Josh Fox, maker of the film Gasland, remarked that the movement to stop hydro-fracking gas drilling is growing, prompting huge cheers from the crowd. Telling the story of a father in a hydro-fracking region whose two sons got frequent nose bleeds from hydro-fracking-associated toxins.
"We are here for that family!" said Fox.
Marcellus Protest is an alliance of western PA groups & individuals building a broad movement to stop the destruction of our environment and communities caused by Marcellus Shale gas drilling as well as to support other directly affected communities.
Includes upcoming events, blogs, listing of groups and network meetings.
MarcellusProtest.org is an information clearing house about Marcellus Shale gas drilling and activism and related issues. It is a project of The Center for Coalfield Justice.
Although this website's primary geographic focus is Western Pennsylvania, MarcellusProtest.org also includes content pertaining to the fives states in which the Marcellus Shale is located - as well as other Shale gas formations across the U.S. A new social movement is in the making, and it's going national.
See: Marcellus protest YouTube Channel
See: Pictures from Allegheny Defense Project
See: Poison Fire
Geology.com. Marcellus Shale - Appalachian Basin Natural Gas Play.
New research results surprise everyone on the potential of this well-known Devonian black shale. Super Giant Field in the Appalachians? Includes charts and diagrams.
Posted on January 15, 2010 by William A. Ruskin.
"Is DEC Ill-Equipped to Oversee Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Drilling?"
"According to a report issued by Cornell Law School, the State of New York’s blueprint for Marcellus Shale development proposes 187 new regulatory activities necessary for the oversight of natural gas drilling, but the blueprint does not explain how DEC will carry out these activities."
[Opportunities? Follow this link to jobs in PA, Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS). Are you a carpenter or mason? Want a job for 23k a year? Frac Operator 1 would earn 24,960/year in Greensburg, PA. That's what I found when I looked for a Gas Drilling job. 4/19/10. (Neil Zusman, 2010-04-23.) and SourceWatch.]
The Marcellus Shale Committee is a coalition of oil and gas industry companies which was formed in 2008 to promote "the responsible development of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale geological formation in Pennsylvania and the enhancement of the Commonwealth's economy that can be realized by this clean-burning energy source."
Committee Members
On its website, the Marcellus Shale Committee lists its' members.
Binghamton University. (2009). This research guide provides online, print, and database suggestions to research Marcellus Shale gas drilling. Last updated July 13, 2010.
Blog by Sue Smith-Heavenrich reporting from Owego, New York.
Sue Heavenrich.
I am a freelance journalist, writing about Marcellus gas issues, the environment and science. I live in upstate NY, surrounded by forest and fields. There is gas beneath my feet. member: Society of Environmental Journalists; Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators.
