Action request, News stories, and a bit of Christmas humor
RDA - Responsible Drilling Alliance
Settlement in Dimock leaves residents distraught, Cabot pleased
It has been a long and grueling nightmare for the
19 Dimock Township, PA families whose well water was contaminated by
Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation’s faulty gas wells. With the final
settlement in place, Dimock residents feel like they’ve been given the
short end of the stick, while Cabot representatives are satisfied. No
surprise, as Cabot saved nearly $8 million over the original proposal
that would have run a new water line to Dimock at Cabot’s expense.
CALL TO ACTION – 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 21st
JOIN THE SURVEY on HYDROFRACKING and DRINKING WATER
The first national survey of the public’s attitudes about natural
gas drilling zeroes in on PA and NY and will be conducted by
Infogroup/Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), and commissioned by the
nonprofit Civil Society Institute. Since 2003, CSI has carried out more
than 25 major national and state opinion polls on energy issues. CSI is
an independent think tank that receives no support of any kind from any
energy-related company, organization or individual.
Event participants will be:
Pam Solo, founder and president, Civil Society Institute
Graham Hueber, senior researcher, Infogroup/Opinion Research Corporation
Anthony Ingraffea, PhD, Professor of Engineering, Cornell University.
To participate in this phone-based news conference with full,
two-way Q&A, dial 1 (800) 860-2442 at 11 a.m. EST on Tuesday,
December 21, 2010. Ask for the “fracking public opinion survey” news
event.
A streaming audio replay of the event will be available on the Web at www.civilsocietyinstitute.org by 3 p.m. EST that day.
For more information, contact: Leslie Anderson, (703) 276-3256 or land...@hastingsgroup.com.
Legislators View Marcellus Drilling's Impacts On State Forests
State Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware, Rick Mirabito, D-Lycoming, and
Garth D. Everett, R-Lycoming, visited the 215,000-acre Tiadaghton State
Forest in north central Pennsylvania last week to see how Marcellus
Shale natural gas drilling impacts the landscape and use of a forest.
The legislators saw a presentation by Pennsylvania General Energy
Vice President Robert Kuntz, and then toured the company's drilling
operation and surrounding state forest. The lawmakers also met with
representatives of the Responsible Drilling Alliance, Trout Unlimited,
the Lycoming County Conservation District and a local hiking club.
Pennsylvania has already leased nearly 725,000 of the 1.5 million
acres of state forest. Vitali said he plans to reintroduce legislation
to put a three-year moratorium on additional state forestland being
leased for Marcellus natural gas drilling.
The bill also would require a comprehensive environmental impact
study by the state Department of Environmental Protection within the
first two years of the moratorium, and a Legislative Budget and Finance
Committee study in year three on the environmental, economic and
societal impacts of drilling in state forests. The bill also would give
the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources sole discretion to
determine which land should be leased for gas drilling after the
moratorium ends.
The bill passed the House 157-33 last year, but the Senate did not
act on it. Governor-elect Tom Corbett has said he plans to rescind the
order signed by Gov. Ed Rendell in October that puts a moratorium on
leasing new acreage in state forests for Marcellus Shale natural gas
drilling.
Water Authority Going To Court To Protect Watershed
The Brockway Municipal Water Authority of Jefferson County, PA has
filed an injunction against Flatirons Development, a Marcellus Shale
drilling company. This could be a precedent-setting lawsuit in PA.
Residents in the Brockway area have formed a community group to support the water authority with their lawsuit. The Brockway Area Clean Water Alliance is
gaining support and contacting legislators to protect their water
supply from what they say is unacceptable practices by Flatirons
Development.
The Brockway Municipal Authority claims they had no idea that the
company had so much construction planned for the 4,000 acres of leased
watershed land. “The water authority’s understanding was that they were
going to put in one well pad, a compressor pad, and a gas line,” said
PJ Piccarillo, a founding member of the Alliance. “This has turned in
to several well pads already built, several more proposed, and now a
water impoundment area. Flatirons Developments plans to level 23 acres
of timber on the watershed to build a 10 million-gallon impoundment. The
woods provide a habitat that protects natural aquifers. Taking out vast
stretches of forest land can have an impact on the quality of the
water,” states Piccarillo.
Both the Municipal Authority and Flatirons Development are hoping
to settle the matter out of court, but if they can’t come to an
agreement, a hearing is scheduled for Dec. 29 at the Jefferson County
Courthouse.
Demonstration at NYC’s Waldorf Astoria
'Twas The Night Before Christmas Atop the Marcellus
(with apologies to Clement Moore)
'Twas the night before Christmas in rural PA, but few folks were smiling, it was a sad day.
The frackers were coming to drill on the land, the Chamber of Commerce will give them a hand.
Gas executives nestled all snug in their beds, as visions of dollar signs danced in their heads.
With Corbett in Harrisburg, and some “Green Dogs” gone - our new leaders sure look like gas industry pawns.
In Dimock PA there has been such a clatter – the water's gone bad, why doesn’t that matter?
In our streams and our rivers, the water is bubbling. Drillers say “NOT OUR FAULT!” which is certainly troubling.
Gas flares on the crest of the new fallen snow give a luster of red-orange to objects below.
When what to our wondering eyes should appear, but tanker trucks hauling the toxins we fear.
The landmen come knocking, they mislead when they speak. Be wary of promises from Chesapeake.
They descend like the vultures, they circle their prey, from farmers to widows, they promise to pay.
“Fifty dollars an acre, now one hundred, two! Up to one thousand, six thousand, it's true!
"To the top of the heap! Don't let the deal stall! Now sign the lease! Sign the lease! Sign the lease, all!"
The permits were granted, but try as they might, DEP had no staff who could visit each site.
The drilling commenced. The water went bad. Folks started to realize that they had been had.
And so they joined forces and shared their sad tales – in state after state, regulations had failed.
They held their heads high and spoke truth to power: "This is the moment, this is the hour…
We’re claiming our right to clean water and air, to the seventh generation we all pledge our care.
Don’t drill in my backyard, or in anyone else's. You can’t ravage the earth just to fatten your purses."
In spite of the obstacles, local groups formed. Now thousands belong; gas companies, be warned:
"You are NOT persons, despite what courts say. This land is our land, we will have our way.
As we take back our state… our water, our air. Our victories are won on a wing and a prayer.
And then in that instant, up on the roof, we heard someone crying, we needed no proof.
As we drew in our heads and were turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
His look was distraught, as his tears sadly fell. Oh why are you weeping, dear Santa – do tell!
"High up in the sky my red sleigh has been flying; and when I look down, I see the earth dying.
Tho it seems overwhelming, hang in there. Be strong! The truth’s on your side. Hydrofracking is wrong.
And we heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, “Fracking’s not safe – Now keep up the fight!”