MarcellusGasInfo “A struggle with toxics in the Barnett Shale”

http://www.earthworksaction.org/voices/detail/dish_texas United States | Texas | Town of DISH The Collins family A struggle with toxics in the Barnett Shale By Megan Collins A house in the country I had always hoped for a nice, quiet, country setting where we could raise our children. Little did I know it would be the cause of unexplained illnesses and heartache. In 2004, my husband Mike and I found this quiet little cul de sac in the small town of Clarke, Texas now known as DISH. At the time there were only two homes built, so we met with the builder and picked what we thought was the perfect lot. Just beyond the back fence there stood a single natural gas compressor station. Mike and I never really gave it any thought. We just assumed the trees would block any unsightly compressors. We never thought about any emissions. After our home was built in 2005 it seemed just perfect, we couldn’t be happier. After a few months, though, it seemed that every time we turned around they were building another compressor station to move the natural gas locked beneath us in the Barnett Shale. The noise became a nuisance. And the smell of natural gas was always in the air. The gas companies sent out notices that they wanted to be “good neighbors.” They said they would work on the noise levels. They told us not to worry about any natural gas smells. Little did we know, they would be the worst neighbors ever. The worst neighbors ever I started noticing issues with what I thought were allergies: watery eyes, itchy throat, and sneezing were a daily problem. Then in late 2006 I noticed that I was having trouble with my balance, sometimes staggering around and unable to stand with my feet together. My “allergy” and sinus issues were also increasing, so I just thought it was an equilibrium problem. I began seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist. After months and months of tests, medications, and a sinus surgery, he recommended seeing a neurologist for my balance. I thought he had lost his mind, I surly did not have any neurological issues, and I was only 30 years old. Then out of nowhere I woke up one night sweating, nauseated, with a headache. I got out of bed to go into the restroom and blacked out. After seeing several neurologists, I never received a clear diagnosis. We kept trying to figure out what in the world was going on. Then it seemed that my legs were always hurting, sore like I had been working out. It progressively got worse and the next thing I knew my whole body felt this way. I would wake up some nights and my neck would be in a spasm off to the right side, it was terribly painful. My neurologist diagnosed me with dystonia and ataxia, but where did this come from and why, he could not tell me. I started multiple medications and physical therapy, which I still do twice a week. I honestly felt like I was going crazy. In June I woke up with blurry vision, went to work and experienced the worst headache. I couldn’t stand and I couldn’t speak even though I knew what I wanted to say. I was taken to the ER and admitted to the hospital. Again, I never had a clear diagnosis. The doctors suggested that it could be migraine or even a stroke. One day last spring, out of the blue, I told my husband that I wanted to sell the house and move back to Fort Worth. I think the overwhelming medical problems just made me want to be closer to friends and family. So we put the house up for sale and about a month and a half later it sold. All I can say is we were so very lucky that the house sold when it did. Poisoned by a neurotoxin? In September, my boss gave me an article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram about Ambient Air Monitoring results. The article said that our Mayor of DISH hired an environmental consultant and they found a toxic soup of carcinogens and neurotoxins that were being emitted from the compressors. I had Mike contact the Mayor while I began researching the chemicals found. I was shocked when I discovered that Carbon Disulfide was a known neurotoxin. It has been almost six months since we moved away. I am noticing that my balance is coming back. I am now able to stand with my feet together and walk in a straight-line heel to toe. I have not been able to do those tasks in over 2 and a half years. I recently had an appointment with a movement disorder neurologist scheduled, and she was amazed. It seems that all of the ataxia symptoms are gone, just not the dystonia. Health is more important than gas I am hoping to raise awareness about the dangerous health effects of these toxins. These gas companies need to clean up their acts. The health of citizens is much more important than natural gas being extracted from the Barnett Shale.

MarcellusGasInfo Event: 12-07-11 Pace Law School CLE on Impacts of Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing on Homeownership, Property Appraisal, Community Life and Tax Practices

See also “Homeowners and Gas Drilling Leases: Boon or Bust”- http://tinyurl.com/bv8b7pj Directions- http://g.co/maps/q42yb Event flyer with details and registration form: http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cce.cornell.edu%2FEnergyClimateChange%2FNaturalGasDev%2FDocuments%2FPDFs%2Fpacelawevent.pdf or http://tinyurl.com/d4fr5d3 Subject: Wednesday, December 7 from 1:00-4:00 PM–Pace Law School CLE on Impacts of Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing on Homeownership, Property Appraisal, Community Life and Tax Practices HOW WILL HYDRAULIC FRACTURING IMPACT PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, PROPERTY APPRAISAL, COMMUNITY LIFE AND TAX PRACTICES IN NEW YORK? UPDATE ON DEC REVIEW; STEP INSIDE GAS LEASES; EXPLORE CURRENT CASES, STATUTES & IMPACTS ON HOMEOWNERSHIP & COMMUNITY LIFE. LAWYERS AND GENERAL PUBLIC WELCOME – FEE WAIVED FOR MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT- REGISTRATION FORM BELOW.

MarcellusGasInfo “Preserved farms not protected from drilling”

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_769213.html Preserved farms not protected from drilling By Jennifer Reeger, TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, November 27, 2011 Terry Matty Guy Wathen | Tribune-Review click to enlarge Acres of wells Terry Matty never signed a lease with a company to drill Marcellus shale gas wells on his South Huntingdon Township farm. Nonetheless, two vertical gas wells have been drilled on the 166 acres he owns with his brother and sister-in-law. Gas rights on the land where they board horses and grow crops were leased by a former owner decades ago. Two horizontal wells are planned for the property, which the family protected several years ago for agricultural use through the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. There has been no drilling on a bordering farm Matty owns, which is not protected. “Would I have preferred them to be on the other farm? Yes. But it just happens to be where they set it,” said Matty, 61. Officials concerned with preserving Pennsylvania farmland worry about the amount of land needed for Marcellus shale drilling and the industry’s long-term impact. Under state law, farmers who have been paid through the preservation program to keep their land operating as a farm retain the gas and mineral rights. “We need land to grow the food and energy to cook it. It’s a Catch-22 kind of thing. The two have to work together somehow.” said Betty Reefer, executive director of the Westmoreland County Agricultural Land Preservation Board. ‘Preserve the farmer’ Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program, which began in 1989 and protects more than 450,000 acres from development, allows for oil and gas development. There are no plans to change that because of Marcellus shale drilling, said Mike Rader, executive director of the state Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Rader said the impact on preserved farmland is limited, but the impact on farmers can be tremendous, providing much-needed finances so they can continue to farm. “Marcellus shale provides opportunities for the farmer and for agriculture,” Rader said. “What’s the sense in preserving farmland if we can’t preserve the farmer?” The amount of royalties vary. Tom Murphy, co-director of the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, said a well extracting from an 80-acre parcel, over its 30- to 50-year estimated lifetime, could generate $1.5 million to $2.25 million for its owner. Caroline Sinchar, administrator for Washington County’s farm preservation board, said deep-well drilling has helped sustain farming for many in that community. But board members are concerned about the size and scope of compressor stations, which extract gas from a property. “That land will never be reclaimed as the station is permanent,” Sinchar said. Sinchar said the concern is that compressor stations will be used to extract gas from surrounding lands, not just the protected farm, but county boards don’t have the funds to question that. Reefer said Marcellus drilling can leave a bigger footprint than the shallow gas wells that existed when farmland preservation legislation was initially passed. “Our best bet is to monitor it and to help ensure that the steps are being followed in the best way possible to protect the soil and the water quality on the land and see the restoration of it done in a way that puts the land back to being able to be farmed, to the best of their ability,” Reefer said. Crop production impact Matty said that though he had no legal rights concerning drilling on his land, Atlas, the company that subleased his gas rights, has worked with him. While its crews were drilling the two vertical wells, the company took up nearly 12 acres of crop land. Now, the two wells together use less than an acre. But the horizontal wells, which will extract gas from his and neighboring properties, will take about 25 acres during drilling, which is expected to last more than a year and impact pasture and crop lands. He’s unsure how much land will be used permanently. Matty and his family are getting royalties, though not enough for him to quit his day job at Westinghouse in Cranberry. “We’ve done more fencing and stuff like that for the horses, and we put some more buildings up for hay. … We probably wouldn’t have done some of that if we didn’t have the additional money coming in,” he said. There is a trade-off, Matty said. His experience has shown that the first year of trying to grow crops in soil that was moved during the drilling process is not good. Even the second year did not yield high-quality crops, he said. “Anytime you move dirt and put it back, you’re going to have some issues to getting it worked out,” he said. Reefer is concerned that the Marcellus shale might make some areas of the state off-limits to federal funds for farmland preservation. A Westmoreland farm recently was denied preservation funding through the Department of Agriculture’s Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program because the farm, which has no Marcellus gas wells, is in a Marcellus region, Reefer said. However, Hathaway Jones, a management analyst with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for Pennsylvania, said properties are considered on a case-by-case basis, and the land was denied because of confusion over surface rights. “The decision not to accept one Westmoreland County parcel is not a blanket decision for Westmoreland County or for the Marcellus shale region as a whole in Pennsylvania,” Jones said. Landowner concerns In Armstrong, Indiana and other counties, farmland preservation officials said they expect an impact from the Marcellus industry. Jim Resh, administrator for Indiana County’s program, said his concern is how soil will be affected at drilling sites. “Can you put them back and get the same type of conditions you had prior to that?” Resh said. “It could very well benefit farmers as far as their royalties, but still a viable farm should be viable on what it produces as far as agricultural products.” Some landowners have similar concerns. “I’d say there are some landowners that are now less willing to convey away their gas rights than there were before,” said Shaun Fenlon, vice president for land conservation for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. “It’s just hard for me to generalize. We’re working throughout Western Pennsylvania, and there are parts … where gas extraction is not as much of an issue as others.” In land acquisitions, the conservancy tries to acquire both the surface and the gas and mineral rights, Fenlon said. “If a landowner just absolutely insists on maintaining the gas rights, then one of the first questions we have to ask is whether or not it’s still worth our efforts to protect the property. And if it is, then we try to negotiate to have as little surface disturbance as possible,” he said. In many cases, the conservancy can reach an agreement that limits surface disturbance. Because gas can be extracted from one property through horizontal drilling on another, that’s sometimes an option, Fenlon said. “It’s kind of a case-by-case basis, and our general goal is to get as much protection as possible,” Fenlon said. “There are going to be situations where we just can’t comfortably protect a property when we think the gas rights are too much of a problem.” On property where the conservancy controls mineral rights, Fenlon said, the group has decided against Marcellus drilling. “We just want to make sure the science is telling us that it’s safe, and we’re not 100 percent confident in that right now,” he said. Officials from the Westmoreland Land Trust and the Allegheny Land Trust said Marcellus shale drilling hasn’t really affected their work, but they are monitoring it. “We are observing what other organizations are doing in terms of adopting policy papers and position papers, so we are following the industry. But we’ve not experienced anything significant in terms of the pace of work that we’re doing either way,” said Roy Kraynyk, executive director of the Allegheny Land Trust. “When we are talking to landowners now, mineral rights do come up more than they ever did.”

MarcellusGasInfo “‘Frack hell is imminent’”

“…As an environmental scientist, Ernst did environmental impact assessments and environmental protection plans for oil and gas companies like EnCana, the company that, along with the ERCB (Energy Resources Conservation Board) and the Alberta government, she has filed legal action against…” “…The well on her property near Rosebud was poisoned by methane gas and other toxins and she must now haul water from outside sources…” http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/front-page-news/frack-hell-is-imminent-112511.html ‘Frack hell is imminent’ Friday, 25 November 2011 02:01 Zentner, Caroline Herald photo by Ian Martens Environmental scientist Jessica Ernst speaks on hydraulic fracturing during a special session of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs Thursday night at the University of Lethbridge. Caroline Zentner lethbridge herald In Alberta’s oil- and gas-driven economy, Jessica Ernst has experienced painful lessons for speaking out about the consequences of hydraulic fracturing. As an environmental scientist, Ernst did environmental impact assessments and environmental protection plans for oil and gas companies like EnCana, the company that, along with the ERCB (Energy Resources Conservation Board) and the Alberta government, she has filed legal action against. She continues do contract work although her business has suffered since she started speaking out against fracking, the process that requires large amounts of water and chemicals be injected into the ground to force the release of oil and gas. The well on her property near Rosebud was poisoned by methane gas and other toxins and she must now haul water from outside sources. “Speaking out has cost me the business pretty well. I still have it and maybe that’ll change but I also recognized that when I resigned from EnCana in 2004, because I was doing consultation work for EnCana at the time up north, when community members came to me and reported that EnCana was lying to them,” Ernst said in an interview before her presentation at a special session of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs Thursday evening. “I have learned that in Alberta you are to toe the line whether you’re an oil patch consultant or a citizen.” Ernst said “frack life” started for her in 2003 with compressor noise. Compressors are used to help suck the gas out of the ground or to increase the pressure to get it down the pipeline. About 15 water wells in the area have been contaminated. “When we began questioning what was happening they actually even told us there was still no coalbed methane around us and that they would never fracture anywhere near our drinking water supply, they would always be far below it and in fact far below the impermeable layers to protect gas from migrating into water,” she said. “We were told the problems in America would never happen to us.” Ernst isn’t surprised more and more people are opposed to oil and gas development in their neighbourhoods. “Yes, everybody has the right to be very afraid and very suspicious,” she said. “I have learned painfully that I trust no politician in this province, I trust no regulator staff at the ERCB and I trust nobody at Alberta Environment. And I certainly do not trust the companies. I think they know they are contaminating the water. And I think they knew before they even started that they were going to and that’s why they fractured as many communities as possible in secret. I don’t believe Rosebud’s the only place where they fractured drinking water aquifers in Alberta.” Ernst also said Alberta continues to make things easier for oil and gas companies through deregulating. Other jurisdictions, including Quebec and France, either have moratoriums or bans in place. “In my presentation I say frack hell is imminent,” she said. “The other thing they’re doing is they’re dumping their undisclosed waste on our agricultural lands. They did it down in Suffield on the grasslands.” Ernst said she used to believe oil and gas development could be done right with proper regulation and oversight. But her research has convinced her hydraulic fracturing is risky even if it’s done right. Typically, the companies will divide people in the community by offering bribes, she said. But communities that refuse to be divided are strong and that can expand into entire regions standing together. “We all think we have no power,” Ernst said. “But what I learned in this frack war is I never knew how powerful I was.”

MarcellusGasInfo “EPA Partially Grants Petition to Initiate Reporting Rule for Fracking Chemicals”

“…Request for Toxicity Testing Denied…” “…That request was denied because the petition does not satisfy the requirements of TSCA to demonstrate the need for additional testing, EPA said…” http://www.bna.com/epa-partially-grants-n12884904525/ EPA Partially Grants Petition to Initiate Reporting Rule for Fracking Chemicals Friday, November 25, 2011 from Environment Reporter The Environmental Protection Agency announced Nov. 23 it will solicit public input on the design and scope of possible reporting requirements for chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, partially granting a petition by 120 public and environmental health organizations. EPA said it is partially granting the petitioners’ request under Section 8(a) and 8(d) of the Toxic Substances Control Act and will initiate a public dialogue on the issue. The rule requested under Sections 8(a) and 8(d) would establish reporting requirements for companies that manufacture and process chemicals used in exploration and processing of natural gas, and would require them to submit to EPA lists and copies of all existing health and safety studies conducted or initiated by or for them, known to them, or “reasonably” ascertainable to them. Request for Toxicity Testing Denied. The agency’s action responds to a petition submitted Aug. 4 by a coalition of environmental and public health groups, including Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, and American Rivers. The groups in particular asked the agency to require public disclosure of the identify of the chemicals and their risks to human health and the environment. EPA said its Nov. 23 partial granting of the petition follows a Nov. 2 interim response that told the petitioners it was not granting their request to require toxicity testing of all exploration and production chemicals and identification of all chemical substances and mixtures. That request was denied because the petition does not satisfy the requirements of TSCA to demonstrate the need for additional testing, EPA said. By Pat Ware

MarcellusGasInfo mortgages and drilling

I’ve posted a condensed version of my print article on mortgages and drilling – taken from interviews with attorney Elisabeth Radow and other sources.
Included are links to her thoughtful paper in this month’s NY State Bar Assoc. Journal at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/11/gas-leases-conflict-with-mortgage-rules.html

MarcellusGasInfo Frackfest in Portageville, NY Sun. Nov. 28, 2011

Frackfest1_6.47.pdf

MarcellusGasInfo “Fracking Gas = Climate Crash: Robert Howarth on Shale Gas Methane Emissions”

See also http://www.archive.org/details/ESHowarth http://www.ecoshock.info/2011/11/fracking-gas-climate-crash.html Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Fracking Gas = Climate Crash For years, governments, industry, and TV ads told us natural gas is the safe bridge fuel while we move away from dirty coal and oil. Cornell University scientist Robert Howarth wondered “Is that true?”. When Howarth found no science to back up big claims for the gas industry, he and a team from Cornell went to work. The results are startling. In the short-term, escaped methane from gas fracking threaten to tip us into catastrophic climate change. The total impact of the shale gas industry may be worse than coal. In the United States, where thousands and thousands of new gas wells are drilled, almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions may come from methane. The “natural” gas industry is the largest single source of methane emissions. The frackers vent loads of gases for the first two weeks after drilling, before connecting pipes. They could collect (and sell) this “waste” methane (read “climate killer”) but don’t bother. Natural gas storage facilities also vent methane as part of their designed operation. Old leaking gas delivery systems complete the job. Methane is rising in the atmosphere. New science from Dr. Drew Shindell shows in the first 20 years, methane is 105 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than CO2. Even at 100 years, Shindell finds methane is combining with other air pollution to generate an impact 33 times more powerful than CO2. Not 21, as determined in the 1990′s by the IPCC. That old figure is still being used by industry and governments. Expect a change as Shindell becomes the new lead author of this section in the upcoming IPCC. You must hear Dr. Robert Howarth explain the importance of new science on methane. he is the expert, I am not. The industry insists we only calculate methane over a 100 year period. But the latest report from the International Energy Agency (generally a conservative source) says our climate future will be determined in the next 5 years. More new science suspects the burst of methane helped tip us into a mass extinction 250 million years ago. The 20 year time frame for methane could be the jolt that tips other systems into positive feedback loops. Like igniting the peat in the Arctic. Or warming shallow seas enough to release frozen methane clathrates from the bottom (which started to happen last year). If either of those go, we are toast. Robert Howarth has taken a lot of abuse for even daring to assemble a comprehensive look at the total greenhouse gas impact of the gas fracking industry, whether it is coal bed gas or shale gas. And we haven’t even discussed the fact fracking is now known to cause earthquakes, uses incredible amounts of fresh water, and risks polluting whole watersheds with a single leak of the mass toxic chemicals pumped underground. The United Kingdom may be next. With gas production from the North Sea fields down by 25 percent, there is a public relations push to get lots of gas fracking in the UK. This may be the next big environmental battle there. Fracking mania has hit Canada and Australia as well. Everyone needs to know what the latest science says. Program includes 27 minute speech by Professor Robert Howarth of Cornell at ASPO USA 2011, November 2nd in Washington D.C. Recorded by Carl Etnier of Equal Time Radio, Vermont. My thanks to ASOP USA for this fine presentation. Then a follow-up interview this week with Robert Howarth, to fill in his hurried climax of the speech – that methane emissions, when calculated over 20 years, using the new higher rate discovered by Drew Shindell – could add up to at least 44% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States! We discuss this, and the importance of a 2006 paper by Dr. James Hansen of NASA, on the importance of controlling methane emissions. I covered that in 2006 here for blog entry, or download the audio here. In 2006, I also put out a “Methane Primer” which is still helpful. Blog for that primer is here, and the audio for download here. But now I’ll have to revisit that piece, since like the IPCC, I was told methane was only 21 times more powerful than CO2. The science moves so fast, it is already outdated just 5 years later. Essentially, if we cannot control methane, we still lose the climate known over millenia, even if we could limit carbon dioxide emissions. Methane alone can tip us. The natural gas industry, Howarth says, is the single largest source of methane in the U.S. Shale gas fracking makes that much, much worse. RIPPING OFF THE CARBON MARKETS AND CONSUMERS We add an interview promised last week, with Samuel Labudde, about the billion dollar scam ripping off carbon credits. Companies in China are threatening to release powerful greenhouse gases, unless these fake credits are continued. Ratepayers in Europe are being blackmailed. LaBudde, a noted wildlife biologist, is also covering the climate beat for the Environmental Investigation Agency for the American branch of the organization. To honor the craziness of gas fracking in Australia, the theme music this week is “My Water’s on Fire Tonight” written and performed by David Holmes, Andrew Bean, Niel Bekker. Australian compilation album: “Whole Lotta Frackin’ Going On“ The lyrics in “My Water’s On Fire Tonight” is a product of Studio 20 NYU (bit.ly/hzGRYP) in collaboration with ProPublica.org (bit.ly/5tJN). The song is based on ProPublica’s investigation on hydraulic fractured gas drilling (read the full investigation here: bit.ly/15sib6). Recording credit: Robert Howarth speech at ASPO recorded by Carl Etnier of Equal Time Radio, Vermont. Speech courtesy of ASPO USA. Labels: ASPO, climate, climate change, emissions, energy, environment, gas, global warming, impact, methane, science, shale, speech

MarcellusGasInfo “Occupying the Delaware: Fractivists Call for Responsive Governance”

See also “Connect the Dots – 11/19/11: “…On Connect the Dots, Alison Rose Levy speaks with Joe Levine, the co-founder of Damascus Citizens for Sustainable Energy and NYH20 about the myths about fracking and actions the public can take in the Northeast region to protect the water supply and sustainable agriculture. For more information, please go to www.DamascusCitizens.org …” “- http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/connect-the-dots/2011/11/18/connect-the-dots-111911.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alison-rose-levy/occupying-the-delaware-fr_b_1108463.html Occupying the Delaware: Fractivists Call for Responsive Governance Posted: 11/23/11 05:57 AM ET According to a recent Forbes magazine article, Aubrey McClendon, the CEO of Chesapeake Gas, and the chief proponent for fracking, consumes $20,000 bottles of wine. Like many CEO’s, he travels by corporate jet. Yet in an employee memo, McClendon felt himself bested by the citizens calling for water and health protection. He warned his employees that “Our opponents are extremely well-funded.” But on Monday when hundreds of people from all parts of the Mid-Atlantic region converged on Trenton, N.J. for a rally to protect the Delaware River from fracking, McClendon’s “well-funded” opponents traveled by bus, carrying their signs and their bag lunches with them. And yet in a time of economic crisis, this dedicated citizenry is making itself heard over the better funded corporate P.R. and advertising campaigns. With a surprise setback to fracking occurring late last week, the rally on the steps of the War Memorial, and the walk to the State legislature was one part cautious victory celebration, one part rededication rally. “You won this round. You brought us back from the brink of total devastation. But there’s still more work to do,” Josh Fox, director of the Oscar-nominated film, Gasland, told the gathering, which was originally scheduled for attendance at a meeting of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC.) Slated to ratify fracking regulations agreed to in private sessions, the five person commission representing four states (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) and the President (represented by the Army Corps of Engineers) had issued guidelines to permit fracking in the Delaware River Basin, which supplies water to millions of people. The DRBC public meeting was to have formally ratified those guidelines, launching the fracking of the Delaware. But the session was cancelled at the last minute. According to Maya K. van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network that lead the coalition of grass roots groups organizing the event, the DRBC decision-making process “offered no real opportunity for public feedback. The decisions were all made behind closed doors,” despite the pro-forma vote at public sessions. But the public had its say nevertheless. Through over twenty-thousand phone calls to the President and the four governors, “well-informed, well-educated, well-versed citizens voiced their concerns and educated their elected officials,” says van Rossum. On Thursday night, moved by the public outcry, Delaware’s Governor Markell announced his decision to vote no, joining New York’s Governor Cuomo. With PA Governor Corbett and Governor Christie likely to approve, if the vote came down to a Democrat vs. Republican standoff, the President’s representative would have been in position to cast the deciding vote. “They wanted more of a consensus,” the Delaware Riverkeeper said. With the cancellation, there’s no outright ban, but fracking in the Delaware is now stalled for an indeterminate amount of time. “As more about this practice comes to light, what politicians had treated as a political issue now becomes better recognized as a public health threat, making them more reluctant to allow fracking’s risks,” van Rossum predicts. At the rally podium, Fox placed a call to PA Governor Corbett. The phone rang and rang, without any answer. “No one’s home in the Governor’s mansion,” Fox quipped, a reference to Pennsylvania’s lack of taxation or oversight of fracking, with little recourse for citizens who claim harm. Actor Mark Ruffalo told the crowd that the political temptation to trade life basics, like water, air, land, and food for amounts to a “spiritual crisis” for the U.S. He characterized Dimock, PA, as the “Ground Zero” for fracking devastation. The water supply of Dimock (located in the Northeastern portion of the state) was visibly contaminated after fracking, and has been without water for three years. Craig Sauter of Dimock told the rally that in their drilling leases, residents were guaranteed restoration of water in the event of contamination. But the PA State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) failed to follow through on an agreement to compel Cabot Energy to build a water pipeline to the town. Instead, Cabot has trucked water buffaloes to Dimock residents but recently announced that they’ll stop in a few weeks. Last week, a capitol district policewoman phoned Sautner to say that if he persists in calling the governor and the DEP, he will be arrested for harassment. “We’ll call for you, we’ll call for you!” chanted the rally participants, echoing the “human mike” used in OccupyWallStreet. A pair of teachers leading a group of New Jersey school children on a tour of the State Capitol passed the fractivists on their walk to the legislature. The teachers asked what was going on. As I told them that people had gathered to protect the Delaware River, (and why) I noticed the still, intent faces of the ten year olds. They had pressed forward and were taking in every word. I felt a pang of sadness that children had to feel concern for the safety of their world. But as the crowd surged along on the walk, they began the OWS chant, “This is what democracy looks like.” Oh well, I thought, they came for a civics lesson, and they got one. For health + environmental coverage, radio and activism, sign up in the box for for my ezine at www.healthjournalistblog.comhttp://www.healthjournalistblog.com Coming up on Connect the Dots radio, an interview with Sandra Steingrabber, author of Raising Elijah. For more about fracking, please go to: www.waterdefense.org www.damascuscitizens.org www.frackaction.org www.unitedforaction.org Follow Alison Rose Levy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AlisonRoseLevy

MarcellusGasInfo Exploiting shale gas jars with UK climate goals – study

Exploiting shale gas jars with UK climate goals – study

By Oleg Vukmanovic | Reuters – 11 hrs ago
http://news.yahoo.com/exploiting-shale-gas-jars-uk-climate-goals-study-000425576.html

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain must choose between meeting its climate change targets or exploiting vast untapped shale gas resources in the north of England since the two goals are incompatible, a new study has found.

The carbon cost of developing just 20 percent of shale reserves identified under Lancashire would blow about 15 percent of the UK government’s greenhouse gas emissions budget through to 2050, a new study from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in Manchester shows.

Britain would almost certainly have to renege on its legally binding climate change commitments if it gives the go-ahead to extensive shale gas production in the UK, the report says.

Large-scale extraction of shale gas cannot be reconciled with the climate change commitments enshrined in the Copenhagen Accord of 2009, it said.

The report, commissioned by the Co-operative Group, also says the UK’s regulatory system is not currently fit for adequately controlling the environmental risks, including groundwater contamination, that would occur if full scale extraction involving to up to 3,000 wells were to proceed.

“It is shocking how little scrutiny and thoughtful consideration has been demonstrated by the UK government and its environmental agencies when it comes to shale gas,” Paul Monaghan, head of social goals at the Co-operative said.

“Not least because, evidence is now emerging which indicates that gas derived from shale may have a significantly greater carbon footprint than previously thought, seriously questioning whether it can play any role in the transition to a low carbon economy,” Monaghan said.

New drilling techniques have helped transform U.S. energy markets with the advent of cheap shale gas production methods led by technological advances.

UK firm Cuadrilla Resources hopes to emulate the U.S. example by unlocking unconventional reserves of gas it has identified in Lanchashire.

Shale gas is extracted by pumping vast quantities of water and chemicals at high pressure deep underground, grinding shale rocks until trapped gas is released.

Environmentalists on both sides of the Atlantic have lobbied politicians to ban the system, called fracking on concerns it leads to pollution of ground water and leakage of gas into the atmosphere, adding to the carbon cost of shale drilling.

The Lichfield-based company has said its site near Blackpool had 200 trillion cubic feet of gas in place, enough to cover UK demand for years.

However, experts questioned the size of the find, and a financing conducted by a key shareholder in Cuadrilla suggested gas reserves were below the company’s estimate.

(Editing by James Jukwey)

MarcellusGasInfo New Report by Agency Lowers Estimates of Natural Gas in U.S. NYT

So much destruction for six years of shale gas. Use this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/us/new-data-not-so-sunny-on-us-natural-gas-supply.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

News Analysis

New Report by Agency Lowers Estimates of Natural Gas in U.S.

By IAN URBINA

The difficulty and uncertainty in predicting natural gas resources was underscored last week when the Energy Information Administration released a report containing sharply lower estimates.

The agency estimated that there are 482 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the United States, down from the 2011 estimate of 827 trillion cubic feet — a drop of more than 40 percent. The report also said the Marcellus region, a rock formation under parts of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, contained 141 trillion cubic feet of gas. That represents a 66 percent drop from the 410 trillion cubic feet estimate offered in the agency’s last report.

The Energy Information Administration said the sharp downward revisions to its estimates were informed by more data. “Drilling in the Marcellus accelerated rapidly in 2010 and 2011, so that there is far more information available today than a year ago,” its report said. Jonathan Cogan, a spokesman for the agency, added that Pennsylvania had made far more data available than in previous years.

Under the agency’s new estimates, the Marcellus shale, which was previously thought to hold enough gas to meet the entire nation’s demand for 17 years at current consumption rates, contains instead a six-year supply. The report comes just five months after the United States Geological Survey released its own estimate of 84 trillion cubic feet for the Marcellus shale.

The estimates are important because they underpin policy decisions on energy subsidies and exports. Market analysts look to these estimates in making investment decisions. Historically, they have varied widely based on assumptions about the future of technology, coming regulations on drilling and the long-term price of gas.

Previously inaccessible, shale gas has been unlocked in recent years by advances in a drilling technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking. These advances have prompted a drilling frenzy in states like Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Texas, which has helped create tens of thousands of jobs, lowered energy prices for consumers and offered the promise of lessening American dependence on foreign energy.

Despite the lower estimates, the agency’s report noted that shale gas would continue to have a growing impact on the broader energy market. The share of natural gas produced by drilling in shale formations is projected to more than double, from 23 percent in 2010 to 49 percent in 2035, the report said. The United States will also become a net exporter of liquefied natural gas by 2016, while natural gas prices are expected to remain low for more than a decade, according to the report.

Energy companies are also likely to be undaunted by the new lower estimates because they are confident that whatever the total amount of available gas, technology will improve over time so that they can access the gas more efficiently and profitably. This assumption depends on the price of gas rising soon from the rock-bottom levels where it has lingered since late 2008.

In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama said the United States had a nearly 100-year supply of natural gas.

That prediction includes gas from shale wells, offshore wells and Alaska’s North Slope. But many energy experts question these types of projections because they include substantial amounts of natural gas that many scientists and engineers say may never be tapped.

Drilling proponents, including investors and many politicians, tend to embrace optimistic projections, even though estimating resources is an inexact science.

Some of the earliest and most optimistic estimates of gas resources have come from academia. In 2009, Terry Engelder, a geosciences professor at Pennsylvania State University, helped accelerate the rush to drill for natural gas in Pennsylvania and surrounding states by projecting that more than 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas could be produced from the Marcellus.

(Page 2 of 2)

This estimate is more than three times as high as the estimate for the Marcellus region from Energy Information Administration, and it is higher than what federal energy officials now say can be found in the entire country.

Mr. Engelder said last week that he stood by his estimates, citing assumptions that he believed remained reasonable, and he questioned whether federal officials were being too conservative.

“I don’t know what E.I.A. did other than cave into peer pressure from the U.S.G.S.,” he said, referring to the United States Geological Survey, which released its new estimates in August.

Energy companies, which use different formulas for calculating their numbers, tend to present even higher estimates.

For example, more than three dozen companies have leased land in the Marcellus region, and each company provides its own estimates to investors for how much gas it believes can be found under the acreage they possess. The combined resource estimates of just two of those companies, Range Resources and Chesapeake Energy, whose acreage holdings represent a small fraction of the Marcellus shale, is roughly equal to the amount federal energy officials now say can be found in the entire region.

Many experts note that it is hard to predict how difficult or easy it will be to extract gas in different parts of the country because the geology varies drastically.

Since the hydrofracking boom is fairly recent, there is also a shortage of data to indicate how much gas wells will produce over the long term.

In private discussions, some federal energy officials have raised questions about the way oil and gas companies may be inflating estimates of the amount of recoverable gas.

“The variability of shale gas well performance is crucial to any assessment of the resource potential of a shale play,” Philip Budzik, an Energy Information Administration research analyst, wrote in an e-mail to an industry analyst last April.

The e-mail was released this month in response to open-records requests, and it echoes comments made previously in other publicly released e-mails.

“Companies highlight their highly productive and profitable wells,” Mr. Budzik wrote, “while ignoring their ‘dogs,’ thereby giving the public the impression that every well is a ‘gold mine.’ ” The information administration declined to comment about the e-mail.

Last summer, the New York attorney general and the Securities and Exchange Commission sent subpoenas to several companies to see whether they were accurately portraying the amount of recoverable gas to investors. The offices declined to comment about the subpoenas.

A version of this news analysis appeared in print on January 29, 2012, on page A16 of the New York edition with the headline: New Report by Agency Lowers Estimates Of Natural Gas in U.S..

MarcellusGasInfo EPA Tests Dimock Water; Industry (and some residents) Push Back

EPA is testing the water in Dimock, but some folks are not interested in free water tests. Rumors about that come Cabot people have been telling residents they don’t need to let EPA test their water… and Cabot CEO is giddy that Obama loves gas drilling….
more at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2012/01/epa-tests-dimock-water-despite-industry.html

MarcellusGasInfo Obama’s State of the Union may set natural-gas production goal

Executive Branch – POLITICS
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/24/obamas-state-union-may-set-natural-gas-production-goal/

Obama’s State of the Union may set natural-gas production goal

Published January 24, 2012

AP

Jan. 13, 2012: President Obama speaks about government reform at the White House in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will use his State of the Union speech Tuesday to call for an increase in domestic energy production and may set a production target for natural gas, according to people familiar with the White House’s plans.

Obama is expected to tout the economic and energy security benefits of increased US oil and gas production, a message that is unlikely to sit well with some of the president’s environmental supporters but could blunt industry and Republican criticism of his policies.

The president’s speech is expected to call for increased oil and gas production, both offshore and onshore, and he will highlight a drop in US oil imports, although some of that decrease stems from reduced demand amid a weak economy.

One idea being discussed within the White House is to include a natural-gas production goal. Such a move, if included in the final version of the speech, could help convey the message that the administration does not intend to slow production through regulations.

“This is sending a signal that the administration is in favor of gas production, which will be interpreted as a signal that they will not get in the way of gas production,” said a person familiar with the White House plans.

Obama is also expected to talk about renewable-energy sources, such as wind and solar, and may call for extending a production tax credit to spur investment in those areas.

The oil and gas industry does not view the administration’s approach to natural gas as hands-off and said it expects additional regulation in the future.

“We hear positive statements about natural gas but the administration now has eight different departments and agencies reviewing, with the intent to regulate, the high-tech practice of hydraulic fracturing,” said Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute. He said production in the US has increased “in spite of the administration.”

The president’s focus on natural gas is part of a broad, but quiet, effort to hasten its production, including a controversial technique known as hydraulic fracturing. The administration, while making gestures toward the environmental concerns associated with so-called fracking, has so far resisted overtures to impose sweeping new federal rules governing air and water quality, or to ban such drilling outright.

Administration officials say the potential to tap the natural gas beneath US soil is too attractive to ignore or hamper with potentially unnecessary rules, given that the practice is regulated by the states and is creating jobs. This summer the White House abandoned an air-quality rule that would have tightened standards for smog-forming ozone, a rule the oil and gas industry said would have limited drilling.

Click here to read more on this story from The Wall Street Journal.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/24/obamas-state-union-may-set-natural-gas-production-goal/#ixzz1kNOEgl7F

Vote Green. The Green Party IS grassroots.

Jill Stein for President:

http://www.jillstein.org

MarcellusGasInfo *Live now* US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: “FULL COMMITTEE HEARING: to consider market developments for US natural gas, including the approval process and potential for liquefied natural gas exports”

http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=45ea3a80-f5d7-bfba-b023-31a9da05de0a Video link- http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.LiveStream FULL COMMITTEE HEARING: to consider market developments for US natural gas, including the approval process and potential for liquefied natural gas exports (HEARING ROOM SD-366) (OVERFLOW ROOM SD-430). Tuesday, November 8, 2011 10:30 AM Energy Committee Hearing Room – SD-366 Watch this hearing live! The purpose of the hearing is to consider market developments for US natural gas, including the approval process and potential for liquefied natural gas exports (HEARING ROOM SD-366) (OVERFLOW ROOM SD-430). The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archive video will be available shortly after the hearing is complete. Witness testimony will be available on the website at the start of the hearing.

MarcellusGasInfo earthquake swarm attacks OK -

earthquakes seem to be popping up in shale where hydro-fracking is used. This weekend it’s Oklahoma that’s shaking. Thanks to TX Sharon for sending around an update of the tremors. My post at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/11/oklahoma-earthquakes-raise-fracking.html

MarcellusGasInfo signs of the times

a reminder of how to report drilling spills – in very large print at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/11/signs-of-times.html
Remember to email me photos of interesting gas-related billboards you see & their location.
~Sue

MarcellusGasInfo a wee spill in PA

Yesterday Range had another spill – not much, just 16,800 gallons. It sure wasn’t a Halloween treat for the folks living in the area! You can read about it at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/11/halloween-trick-wastewater-spill-in.html. Thanks to Bob for sharing his photo of the wastewater pipeline that broke!

NYTimes: Here Comes the Sun

From The New York Times:

Here Comes the Sun
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Will our political system delay the energy transformation now within reach?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/opinion/krugman-here-comes-solar-energy.html

MarcellusGasInfo folks in Corning not happy with Empire Pipeline

They say the construction has subjected their land to flooding and other dangers. Posted at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/10/pipeline-project-hits-resistance.html

MarcellusGasInfo Fw: NY Times – Cooperstown- “In Villages Fight Over Gas Drilling, Civility I s Fading/Drilling Debate in Cooperstown Turns Personal”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/nyregion/in-cooperstowns-fight-over-gas-drilling-civility-is-fading.html?ref=us&pagewanted=all By PETER APPLEBOME Published: October 29, 2011 RECOMMEND TWITTER LINKEDIN E-MAIL PRINT SINGLE PAGE REPRINTS SHARE COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — The letter that arrived in Kim Jastremski’s mailbox on County Highway 52 suggested that she stop protesting the possibility of natural gas drilling. It seemed more of a threat than a request. Multimedia Map SPECIAL SECTION Energy Related New Technologies Redraw the World’s Energy Picture (October 26, 2011) Drilling Down: Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages (October 20, 2011) Gas Boom Aids Pennsylvania, but Some Worry Over the Risk(October 15, 2011) Times Topic: Energy and Power Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @NYTMetrofor New York breaking news and headlines. Enlarge This Image Michael Forster Rothbart for The New York Times Kim Jastremski worries about the possibility of ecological damage. Computer-generated, unsigned and sent to about 10 other opponents of a practice known as fracking, it compared them to Nazis and said they were being watched while picking up their children at school in their minivans. Jennifer Huntington’s abuse is more public, like comments online suggesting that people find out where her dairy sells its milk so that they can stop buying it, or the warning that her farm, which has a lease with a gas company, “will fall like a house of cards when your water is poisoned.” She and other drilling proponents have also been called “sellout landowners that prostitute themselves for money.” The debate over horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the injection of huge quantities of chemically treated water underground to free up natural gas, has become increasingly contentious across the Eastern United States, with dozens of communities passing or considering bans. But that ill will often takes its most intimate form in small towns and rural areas like this one, best known as the home of baseball’s Hall of Fame, where fracking has emerged as the defining, non-negotiable political issue. The dispute has pitted neighbor against neighbor, and has often set people who live in suburbs or villages against the farmers and landowners who live outside them. The discord is compounded by hard times on both sides and by communication online giving everyone instant access to limitless information confirming their point of view. And if gas companies have the power and money, fracking opponents, who are concerned about ecological threats like the possible contamination of drinking water, often have the numbers and the intensity to dominate local discourse. “There’s no arguing with a person who is opposed to hydrofracking,” said Bill Michaels, a councilman in the Town of Otsego, which includes parts of Cooperstown. After waiting to take a position, he eventually supported changes to the town’s land-use law that would prohibit fracking, but he still faces opposition from a slate of antifracking candidates. “There is no debate or conversation,” he added. “This is so important to so many people it’s pretty much hijacked everything else.” The state plans to hold hearings in November before issuing final regulations on gas drilling, and the first gas wells drilled under the new rules could be possible next year. As it turns out, despite the furor here, the Marcellus Shale, a vast rock formation under New York, Pennsylvania and other states, is so shallow near Cooperstown it is not clear how much gas would be available and what kind of drilling would take place here. And no one expects that fracking will ever come to Cooperstown itself. Still, at the top of the Village of Cooperstown’s Web site is a statement recommending a statewide ban on gas drilling and fracking. Middlefield, the other town that includes parts of the Village of Cooperstown, was one of the first municipalities to ban gas drilling through changes to its master plan and zoning. More than 30 antifracking candidates are running for office in Otsego County in November. The dispute is also running like an electric current through everyday life. Ms. Jastremski, who five years ago moved back to family-owned land when her husband became an English professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta, thought she had found the perfect place to raise her two children, replete with chicken coops, bee hives and a vegetable garden. But as she became aware of leases that would allow drilling for gas on various properties in the area, she became increasingly wrapped up in fracking politics. Now, she says, she stays up at night crying over what she sees as the possibility of polluted water, an industrialized landscape and having to leave her home as its value plummets. She said she understood the economic pressures facing some farmers, but could not excuse people who want drilling on their land. “I think even if individuals here are not incredibly greedy, they are being sucked into a corporate greed that’s at work in our country,” she said. “They’re seeing dollar signs everywhere, and they’re not seeing the bigger picture that they’re harming their neighbors.” Ms. Jastremski, 43, who has a Ph.D. in Slavic Studies and works as a technical writer, says she is uncomfortable with the discord surrounding the issue, like a clash she had at the gym with another mother who stood to gain from a gas lease, but feels she has no choice but to be vocal. Ms. Huntington, 49, became a lightning rod when her Cooperstown Holstein Corporation, which includes a 379-acre farm with 500 head of dairy cattle, sued the Town of Middlefield seeking to overturn its drilling ban. The suit, filed in September, argues that only the state can ban fracking. Multimedia Map SPECIAL SECTION Energy Related New Technologies Redraw the World’s Energy Picture (October 26, 2011) Drilling Down: Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages (October 20, 2011) Gas Boom Aids Pennsylvania, but Some Worry Over the Risk(October 15, 2011) Times Topic: Energy and Power Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @NYTMetrofor New York breaking news and headlines. Before that, she decided her daughter should no longer attend the same middle school Ms. Huntington had attended as a girl. She said she acted partly because of antifracking activism in the schools, including a movement to ban fracking on school grounds, and the demographic changes that she said made a dairy farmer’s daughter feel out of place. “I knew as time went by it wasn’t going to be a comfortable place for her,” she said. Like many farmers, she sees the drilling opponents as largely comfortable urbanites in an area increasingly home to retirees and second-home owners who know nothing about the economics of farming and little about the safety of drilling. She cites the methane digester her family introduced in 1984, which used manure to produce natural gas that was used in part to heat the county nursing home, or the co-generation unit added to it seven years later that produced electricity for the farm. “This land and my family are my life,” Ms. Huntington said. “We probably use three to four million gallons of water to feed my cows. I’m not going to spoil something I need to make my living and for future generations to come.” Proponents of fracking say that many farmers are on the verge of losing their property. “The term we use is pastoral poverty,” she said. “You have farmers trying to hold on to land that’s been in their family for 100 to 200 years. People like the landscape, but it’s people living in poverty who are maintaining what they like to look at.” But many businesses fear an industrialized landscape that would be antithetical to the tourism Cooperstown depends on. Opponents have suggested a boycott of businesses that do not oppose fracking, and have circulated reports via e-mail identifying cars or trucks possibly involved in gas leasing that have been seen at their neighbors’ residences. And some farmers say fracking could ruin them. Siobhan Griffin, an organic dairy farmer, cited a letter from the Park Slope Food Co-op in New York City saying its members would not shop from any area that allows fracking. Many drilling proponents, meanwhile, say the professionals and retirees drawn to the area have become antigrowth fanatics, opposing a once-a-year music festival proposed in nearby Springfield, wind turbines proposed for Cherry Valley, even additional Little League fields. Indeed, people on both sides say the ill will probably goes beyond fracking. “At one time, people in Cooperstown could disagree, but it was never personal,” saidCatherine Ellsworth, who writes a column in a local weekly newspaper and supports drilling. “Now it’s more like they want what they want, and that’s it. There’s no sense we’re in this together. But I guess that’s not just here. Society has changed, and Cooperstown has changed along with it.”

NYTimes: Drilling Debate in Cooperstown Turns Personal

From The New York Times:

Drilling Debate in Cooperstown Turns Personal
By PETER APPLEBOME

In the New York village that is home to baseball’s Hall of Fame, ill will over hydraulic fracturing has pitted neighbor against neighbor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/nyregion/in-cooperstowns-fight-over-gas-drilling-civility-is-fading.html

MarcellusGasInfo Arkansas: “Cabot OKd to drill in state”

“Cabot OK’d to drill in state”- http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/oct/26/cabot-okd-drill-state-20111026/ “Oil and Gas: Cabot Oil plans Lower Smackover well in Union County”- http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/public_records/article_d1598890-fd4f-11e0-bc4a-001cc4c03286.html Permit # 45178- http://aogc2.state.ar.us/WIPE/2011/WklyRep%2010-21-11.pdf or http://tinyurl.com/6jsx8bn

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-23-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/431-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-23-11-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-23-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: “Small community of South Fayette focus of big Marcellus Shale controversy: Lawsuit, elections turn South Fayette into major test case: “…Range Resources said it hasn’t communicated with South Fayette officials outside of legal matters since filing the lawsuit. But some of its business partners have. MarkWest Liberty hired two township officials in the past six months. In April, South Fayette engineer Dave Gardner left to work for the Southpointe office of the gas compressor station and processing plant firm. And last week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette received reports that resigning township manager Michael Hoy was headed to MarkWest after 11 years with the township. MarkWest is a strategic partner of Range Resources, and the two firms have developed gas sites in tandem across Pennsylvania…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11296/1183985-503.stm & http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5494056/small-community-focus-of-big-shale-controversy “Effects of fracking go beyond upstate N.Y.: “…Libous seems to think others should not sound a warning even if they see an oncoming train wreck. But fracking will affect taxpayers all across the state, upstate and downstate. Consider this: …” ” (Binghamton Mayor Matthew T. Ryan via Gannett) (NY)- http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20111023/VIEWPOINTS02/110230311/ “Steve Israel: Fracking poll results appear legit: “…I must admit I was a tad skeptical about the new poll that says about 7 of 10 Sullivan County residents don’t want the horizontal gas drilling method of fracking in their town — just about the same number who support local zoning to restrict that drilling…Albany just moved a big step closer toward banning fracking. Monday night, the city’s Common Council approved a resolution banning the controversial drilling process. Mayor Jerry Jennings now has until Thursday to veto the measure…Key local hearing slated: Even as pro- and anti-drillers gear up for the state’s public hearings on its draft drilling regulations — the local hearings are Nov. 29 at SUNY Sullivan — they’re marshaling forces for another big day on drilling legislation. On Nov. 21, the Delaware River Basin Commission votes on whether to adopt its regulations to guide drilling in the Delaware River corridor, part of which sits in Sullivan County…” ” (Times Herald-Record) (NY)- http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111023/NEWS/110230320/ “Marcellus News Uncategorized” (Sierra Club Allegheny Group)- http://alleghenysc.org/?p=3595 “‘Opportunities’ at Home: “…As this privatization “process” continues, there will be more inferences and arguments made that past efforts were unsuccessful in maintaining viability of the Home. However, taxpayers need to be vigilant, ask questions and seek proof of every statement or inference made. Consider the recent gas well controversy on of the ad hoc “opportunities” was to drill a gas well on County Home property to decrease operating expenses. A gas well was drilled. Recently, there have been statements and inferences made that this well has been utilized by the County Home; and is one of many things that has been initiated but has not helped. What was never stated was that the gas well is not even connected to the County Home, making it impossible to reduce operating costs…” ” (Letter from Dunkirk resident and therapy supervisor at the Chautauqua County Home, The OBSERVER) (NY)- http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/564691/-Opportunities–at-Home.html?nav=5046 “Guest essay: Drilling plan puts Finger Lakes at risk: “…Until these issues are adequately addressed by New York and the natural gas industry, we are opposed to the use of hydrofracturing and horizontal drilling within the watersheds of the Finger Lakes…” ” (Messenger Post) (NY)- http://www.henriettapost.com/highlight/x1872805265/Guest-essay-Drilling-plan-puts-Finger-Lakes-at-risk “Opinion: Speakers withholding hydrofracking information: “…I have attended conference meetings on hydrofracking and found that the attendees want to be informed. The speakers, I feel, are not being truthful regarding the dangers of fracking and people leave believing it is safe and profitable…” ” (The Oneida Daily Dispatch) (NY)- http://www.oneidadispatch.com/articles/2011/10/22/opinion/doc4ea0bb694266c360589766.txt “Benefits of allowing the use of hydraulic fracturing in New York outweigh the risks: “…If Governor Cuomo and the NYDEC approve of hydrofracking they will have my support. Seems to me they have both the responsibility and the resources to make the appropriate call…” ” (Staten Island Advance) (NY)- http://www.silive.com/opinion/columns/index.ssf/2011/10/benefits_of_allowing_the_use_o.html “Allowing the use of hydraulic fracturing would endanger New York’s water supply” (Staten Island Advance) (NY)- http://www.silive.com/opinion/columns/index.ssf/2011/10/allowing_the_use_of_hydraulic.html “Introducing the “Pipeline Church”: “…Horseheads, NY– There’s a new church in town and it’s welcoming a demographic that is only expected to grow. The “Pipeline Church” opened it’s doors in September for workers in the pipeline industry, including natural gas drillers and their families…” ” (Video, WETM) (NY)- http://www.wetmtv.com/news/local/story/Introducing-the-Pipeline-Church/T1iVa0eU60Oa3Y0a0ieqhw.cspx “Critics: Pa Losing Solar Jobs With End Of Subsidy: “…And some are questioning how the state can object to the relatively tiny solar subsidies when it does so much to help the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry…”He is so against renewable energy, it’s a crime,” Foltz said, adding that she believes Corbett is “100% backed” by Marcellus Shale companies who see solar energy as a competitor. Foltz also claimed that tax credits for oil and gas exploration dwarf what’s given to solar firms…” ” (WXPI) (PA)- http://www.wpxi.com/news/29565063/detail.html “Letter to the Editor: There is no up side to Marcellus Shale drilling: “…The Oct. 13 edition of The Kutztown Area Patriot contained an op-ed by Chris Papst entitled “Pennsylvania is sitting on a gold mine, Marcellus Shale.” I was disappointed to see that the writer, a reputed Emmy-award winning journalist, was so quick to parrot industry talking points without questioning them. Unconventional natural gas drilling is not the gold mine Mr. Papst claims it is. In fact, drilling has already done untold damage to our natural resources, health, safety, and infrastructure…” ‘ (Letter from founder of Berks Gas Truth, Berks-Mont News) (PA)- http://www.berksmontnews.com/articles/2011/10/23/opinion/doc4e9eedcc98104919739851.txt?viewmode=fullstory “Dallas Twp Residents Upset Over Proposed Natural Gas Drilling: “…According to members of the Dallas Parent-Taxpayer Group, under current township code, there is no zoning for oil or gas industries. Township supervisors are considering changing that to condition use. That means allowing gas and oil companies to build in Dallas Township if they meet certain conditions. Protestors here are not happy…” ” (Video, WBRE) (PA)- http://pahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=206946 “Dallas Taxpayer Press Conference: “…Dallas Township, Luzerne County–Standing up and speaking out. Dozens gathered at the Dallas Township municipal building Sunday to protest a proposed change in zoning in their community…” ‘ (Video, GADCLuzerneCounty via YouTube)- (PA)- “County park error costly to company : “…Washington County solicitor J. Lynn DeHaven used the term “reparations” when announcing an agreement he reached with Range Resources over clear-cutting done in error at Cross Creek County Park near West Middletown. But the mood among the county commissioners was anything but belligerent Thursday morning, because Range agreed to provide $100,000 worth of in-kind services at the park…” ” (Observer-Reporter) (PA)- http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/story11/10-21-2011-XCreek-Range “Riverkeeper leaves Marcellus Shale Commission: “…She cited problems she had with the report, including the lack of demanding a moratorium on gas drilling throughout the state until more complete environmental studies could be finished. She also criticized the commission for its handling of five public meetings scheduled throughout the state to get opinion on what the report should look like…” ” (Ponoco Record)- http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111023/NEWS/110230330/ “Riverkeeper resigns over gas drilling: “…Delaware Riverkeeper Network member Maya van Rossum resigned her commission post late last week, citing the panel’s decision not to call for a statewide moratorium on natural gas drilling until regulations can be enacted..“Pennsylvania doesn’t have the capacity, the regulations or the political will to regulate the industry,” she said…” ” (Courier Times) (PA)- http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/riverkeeper-resigns-over-gas-drilling/article_54264bb9-4e2c-59d2-8b8b-4cd44cfd645d.html & http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/state/riverkeeper-resigns-over-gas-drilling/article_39120802-fd75-11e0-8b8d-0019bb30f31a.html “Mayor Nutter refrains from joining a suit to halt Marcellus Shale drilling: “…Despite a call from City Council, Mayor Nutter has declined to immediately join a lawsuit seeking to block Marcellus Shale drilling in the Delaware River basin. Howard M. Neukrug, the Philadelphia water commissioner, said in an interview last week that the city’s law department had not decided whether to join with New York state, which sued federal agencies in May to halt the start of drilling in the Delaware watershed until a broader environmental analysis is completed…”We’re looking at this and trying to figure out rationally what it is we’re looking for here, and certainly not the end of the Marcellus shale drilling,” Neukrug said last week…” ” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) (PA)- http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-23/business/30313329_1_marcellus-shale-drilling-shale-gas-water-supplies “Amendment may change but substance will remain: “…The amendment includes stipulations for activities ranging from metering stations to compressor facilities, all of which would be allowed in the agricultural district as a conditional use. A conditional use allows the supervisors to have the final say about whether an activity is appropriate for a certain area, which Solicitor Thomas Brennan said gives the township more control…Brennan said the document is not made to be perfect – situations and the law may change in the future and it is still amendable as needed. “We want to have it in place so that we have the protection we need by the end of the month,” he said…Brennan said the document is not made to be perfect – situations and the law may change in the future and it is still amendable as needed. “We want to have it in place so that we have the protection we need by the end of the month,” he said…” ” (The Dallas Post) (PA)- http://www.timesleader.com/TheDallasPost/news/Amendment_may_change_but_substance_will_remain_10-23-2011.html “Ordinance will strengthen gas zoning regulations: “…HARVEYS LAKE BOROUGH…The ordinance amending the zoning ordinance will allow mineral extraction, including gas and oil drilling, ancillary facilities, hydraulic fracturing water treatment and withdrawal facilities and a water reuse storage facility to the borough’s manufacturing district. ..” ” (The Dallas Post) (PA)- http://www.timesleader.com/TheDallasPost/news/Ordinance_will_strengthen_gas_zoning_regulations_10-23-2011.html “Blair could be Marcellus Shale hub: “…That middle location, plus the presence of Interstate 99, Route 22, Norfolk Southern and other railroad lines and a sizeable workforce, may clear the way for this area to bring in a fair share of Marcellus-related business – despite having no more than a narrow strip of shale along the county’s western edge, officials said…” ” (The Altoona Mirror) (PA)- http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/554735/Blair-could-be-Marcellus-Shale-hub.html?nav=742 “Business webinars present a better look at understanding opportunities related to Marcellus gas: “…”Your Business and Marcellus Shale: Moving Forward 2011″ will broadcast its fourth session, ‘The Process: How Do You Sell Into Industry?’ on Monday, October 24th at 9:00 AM to help local businesses understand and take advantage of the opportunity arising from development of Marcellus Shale…” ” (Penn State Extension)- http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/news/2011/09/copy2_of_new-webinar-series-to-focus-on-business-opportunities-related-to-marcellus-gas “Proposed gas amendment meets concern and praise: “…DALLAS TOWNSHIP…Resident Kim Jacobs felt some of the ordinance was inappropriate because the township has not made any drastic significant changes to its zoning map in about 60 years. She said rampant development and increased population in the agricultural district, where most natural gas activities would be allowed, should be considered as part of this process. Brennan said while rezoning may be in the township’s future, there is a restrictive time frame within which the amendment must be passed in order to set regulations…” ” (The Dallas Post)- http://www.timesleader.com/TheDallasPost/news/Proposed_gas_amendment_meets_concern_and_praise_10-23-2011.html “Multi-Well Pads in the Marcellus Shale: “…This article was excerpted by the author (Ladlee) from the Cornell University Community and Regional Development Institute Research and Policy Brief Series Issue Number 43/September 2011. A complete copy of the policy brief can be downloaded at: http://devsoc.cals.cornell.edu/cals/devsoc/outreach/cardi/publications …Jim Ladlee serves as Director for Penn State Extension in Clinton County and Associate Director for the Penn State Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, and Director of Special Initiatives for the Marcellus Shale Education and Training Center. Jeffrey Jacquet is a PhD Candidate at Cornell University and author of numerous Marcellus Shale Policy and Workforce Briefs…” ” (Penn State Extension)- http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/news/2011/10/multi-well-pads-in-the-marcellus-shale “Our View: New reason to hold off on fracking: “…A key point for all hydraulic fracturing supporters in New York to remember is that this natural gas isn’t going anywhere. It will be there if indeed a safe regulatory system is established. But we only get one environment, and a premature implementation of regulations just to get some fast money is not worth the long-term risks to this state’s environmental resources…” ” (The Citizen) (PA)- http://auburnpub.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_a90e4a6a-fd0e-11e0-b68d-001cc4c03286.html “Liquor sales, shale fee fight for spotlight/Legislators haven’t yet prioritized big-ticket issues awaiting action” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://citizensvoice.com/news/liquor-sales-shale-fee-fight-for-spotlight-1.1222008 “Occupy Wall Street movement has a clear message: “…Governors and the executive branch allow energy interests to dictate use of state and federal lands without regard for the environment. From Gov. Corbett pandering to Marcellus Shale drillers to President Obama’s support for environmentally hazardous gas pipelines, energy interests trump human and environmental health and safety…” ” (The Patriot-News) (PA)- http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/10/occupy_wall_street_movement_ha.html “Proposed natural gas pipeline unites political rivals in Jersey City and Hoboken” (New Jersey)- http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2011/10/proposed_natural_gas_pipeline.html National & International: “10/23/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-23 “DOE Seeks Tighter Controls on Natural Gas Production: “…The department’s Shale Gas Production Subcommittee called for increased measurement, public disclosure, and improvements in the environmental management of shale gas, which has skyrocketed to nearly 30% of U.S. gas output in the past decade. The report said industry and government should make information about shale gas production operations more accessible to the public; act to reduce environmental and safety risks with a focus on protecting air and water quality; promote best operating practices; and form a research and development program to improve safety and environmental performance. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the senior Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, said the federal government wants to increase its control of shale gas — although states regulate most production…” ” (PennWell Corporation)- http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/article-display/1160697381/articles/industrial-waterworld/volume-11/issue-5/columns/doe-seeks-tighter-controls-on-natural-gas-production.html “Sunday Times: The Wonder Gas That Could Cut Your Energy Bills” (The Global Warming Policy Foundation)- http://thegwpf.org/uk-news/4175-sunday-times-the-wonder-gas-that-could-cut-your-energy-bills.html (See also “Global Warming Policy Foundation” (Wikipedia)- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Warming_Policy_Foundation ) “Touting natural gas: “…Natural gas has proven to be economical, abundant, and — best of all — made in America!…I have sponsored common-sense legislation which allows us to conduct oil and natural gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Virginia, exposed the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service’s of blocking natural gas development in our country,…I have supported and will continue to support legislation that offers common-sense solutions to help proliferate the use of natural gas as a fuel for our transportation needs…” ” (Letter from U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry) (Louisiana)- http://www.iberianet.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/touting-natural-gas/article_7fad1bd8-fd45-11e0-b4b6-001cc4c002e0.html “Future bright for oil industry” (Gannett) (Louisiana)- www.theadvertiser.com/article/20111023/BUSINESS/110230337/ “Committee talks local energy: “…The state’s Senate Resources Committee met Thursday in Kenai to talk about resource development in Cook Inlet…Thursday’s meeting focused on Southcentral’s energy needs and the potential impact of a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope, with presentations from nine different entities…” ” (Louisiana)- http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2011-10-22/committee-talks-local-energy#.TqXeIHJczni “Fracking’s demands: “…attended the Oct. 10 hearing in Sanford on fracking, and would like to add a comment. I am a Certified Organic grower in Chatham County…Over and above all the other environmental damages fracking has caused in other parts of the country, depriving those who supply our food of water puts public food security at risk. We simply can’t live without water! I urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and our legislators not to give in to political pressure brought to bear by those whose wealthy and influential supporters stand to profit from allowing fracking…” ” (Letter to editor, North Carolina)- http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/23/1584873/frackings-demands.html “Scroggin appointed president of County Judges Association: “…He said right now the biggest issue he is dealing with in Faulkner County is an upcoming water test to be conducted by the Arkansas Geological Survey. The test will ensure that natural-gas drilling and other industries have not disturbed the water quality in the area. Preliminary results of a similar test conducted in Van Buren County showed that the water is safe to drink. “That was a positive sign,” Scroggin said…” ” (Arkansas)- http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/oct/23/scroggin-appointed-president-county-judge-20111023/?news-arkansas “Regulation review begins for NC “fracking” study: “…The nonprofit organization called the State Review of Oil & Natural Gas Environmental Regulations — or STRONGER — began its work Monday in Raleigh to examine programs against national guidelines. A member of the public, representatives from the industry and the state, and official observers are completing the review. Recommendations are expected by early February…” ” (AP) (North Carolina)- www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/story/10294579/ “Murray Energy may drill for gas: “…ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Murray Energy Corp. already produces 30 million tons of coal per year, and now company officials are considering the opportunity to drill for oil and natural gas in Ohio’s Utica Shale. “We do own gas and oil rights in all states where our mines are located and all options are on the table…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.timesleaderonline.com/page/content.detail/id/534267/Murray-Energy-may-drill-for-gas.html?nav=5002 “Mount Vernon’s Ariel Corp. sits atop compressor heap: “…Now, we are the biggest manufacturer of natural-gas compressors in the world — right here in Mount Vernon. We have somewhere in the neighborhood of 35,000 compressors out there operating everywhere in the world where there is oil and gas. The company has become pretty much — well, not pretty much — it is the industry leader in this particular business …” ” (Ohio)- http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2011/10/23/mount-vernons-ariel-corp–sits-atop-compressor-heap.html “Warren company is confident in its method of treating wastewater from natural gas wells: “…WARREN, Ohio – A Warren company is confident that an EPA study on wastewater discharges from natural gas wells will not curtail its operations or its vision for creating more jobs in Ohio…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.wfmj.com/story/15785482/warren-compnay-is-confident-its-method-of-treating-wastewater-from-natural-gas-wells “Utica Shale gas drillers primed to dig in Mahoning Valley: “…The Utica Shale exploration is ramping up, especially here in the Mahoning Valley, where new drilling permits have been approved, and 20,000 acres of freshly minted lease deals are nearly ready to be signed. Chesapeake Energy Corp., the Oklahoma City-based energy company, which is the No. 2 driller in America, and an affiliate, Ohio Buckeye Energy, have gobbled up all of the drilling permits through the week of Oct. 9, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/oct/23/utica-shale-gas-drillers-primed-to-dig-i/ “Millions of barrels of drilling wastes injected below Akron-Canton area” (Ohio)- http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/23/4000763/millions-of-barrels-of-drilling.html “Reservoir of natural gas could hurt state’s coal interests” (Ohio)- http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/10/23/reservoir-of-natural-gas-could-hurt-states-coal-interests.html “Questions fly at sand forum: “…Nine panelists with insight on a wide array of issues cleared up some confusion for concerned citizens Thursday night at the League of Women Voters’ silica sand forum…” ” (Minnesota)- http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/77333/ “Barnett Shale drilling wanes, booms elsewhere” (AP) (Texas)- http://www.kvue.com/news/state/Barnett-Shale-drilling-wanes-booms-elsewhere-132411528.html “Oil companies rushing to buy leases along Colorado’s Front Range: “…Between 2008 and 2011, leasing activity in six Front Range counties — Larimer, Weld, Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and El Paso — more than doubled, with 8,100 leases filed in the 12 months ending Aug. 30, according to county…In this highly competitive and often secretive game, land companies working for drillers try to assemble parcels and negotiate leases. Often leases aren’t filed in the oil company’s name. “Some companies are very sensitive,” said Mike Haley, vice president of Transcontinent Oil Co., a Denver- based land company. “They try not to tip their hand.” The stealth and shifting corporate decisions have left property owners confused and frustrated…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_19169758 “Your Letters: “…River District protects coal, oil shale water rights…Bennet and Udall should stop delay of SG Interests leases…Does WE CARE really threaten the gas industry?…” ” (Letters to the editor, Colorado)- http://www.postindependent.com/article/20111023/VALLEYNEWS/111029965/1021&ParentProfile=1077 “Land beneath Jesus statue at Big Mountain at risk for oil, mining exploration: “…Michael Jamison, of the NPCA’s Glacier Field Office, said he hopes the same passion the public has shown in saving the historic Jesus statue will carry over to protecting the land beneath it…” ” (Montana)- http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_5abc69a2-fd2f-11e0-afb8-001cc4c002e0.html “Plan would convert ferries to liquefied natural gas” (Washington)- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016592447_ferrygas24m.html “Former Texas mayor discusses shale gas in N.B.: “…”We wanted to listen to Mr. Tillman, to hear what his experience was, to identify the issues that he has experienced so that we can ensure as a government that we don’t experience them here,” said Sam McKewan, New Brunswick’s assistant deputy Minister for Lands, Minerals and Petroleum…” ” (Canada)- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/10/23/nb-tillman-shale-gas-experience.html “Stop Coal Seam Gas. Zero emissions by 2050/Science Says World Must Stop Coal Seam Gas Exploitation: “…From a scientific perspective (I am a 5-decade career biological chemist and after 40 years still teaching agricultural science students at a major Australian university), coal seam gas (CSG) developments should be stopped for three major reasons as set out below.. .” ” (Australia)- http://mwcnews.net/focus/politics/14321-coal-seam-gas.html & http://www.countercurrents.org/polya231011.htm “Biologists warn species at risk from new field: “…ENDANGERED species such as pygmy possums, bats, mice and striped wallabies will become extinct in northern NSW if the state’s largest gas field goes ahead as planned, biologists have warned the federal government…” ” (Australia)- http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/biologists-warn-species-at-risk-from-new-field-20111023-1meim.html e

MarcellusGasInfo PSU scientists release water testing report this week

Unlike the Duke study, they didn’t find methane. But the did find bromide, and that has them concerned. You can read about it (and get the link to the study) at
http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/10/study-on-marcellus-drilling-impacts-on.html

MarcellusGasInfo URGENT: Company seeks public utility staus- Tommorrow 10-26-11, 1pm in Uniontown and 6pm in Waynesburg

Gas Daily report- http://tinyurl.com/3jmykgu “…The hearings are scheduled for Hearing Room 1 in the Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown at 1 p.m. Oct. 26 and in Alumni Hall at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg at 6 p.m. Oct. 26…” Directions to 1pm hearing (Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown, PA)- http://g.co/maps/kacga Directions to 6pm hearing (Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, PA)- http://g.co/maps/2h63q http://www.heraldstandard.com/news/local_news/hearings-set-on-pipeline-company-s-public-utility-application/article_d0bf21b8-ae34-5d00-a8b7-8049b176a90d.html Hearings set on pipeline company’s public utility application Posted: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 2:00 am | Updated: 8:25 pm, Thu Sep 22, 2011. 0 comments The state Public Utility Commission (PUC) will hold two area hearings on a Texas company’s application to become a public utility before it builds a Marcellus shale gas pipeline in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties. The hearings are scheduled for Hearing Room 1 in the Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown at 1 p.m. Oct. 26 and in Alumni Hall at Waynesburg University in Waynesburg at 6 p.m. Oct. 26. Peregrine Keystone Gas Pipeline filed an application to begin to offer, render, furnish or supply natural gas gathering, compression, dehydration and transportation or conveying service by pipeline to the public in all municipalities located in Greene and Fayette counties and in East Bethlehem Township in Washington County on Sept. 17, 2010. The company has applied to be a public utility under the Public Utility Code, Title 66 of Pennsylvania’s Consolidated Statues. Becoming a utility would allow Peregrine to use eminent domain to acquire property for the proposed pipeline. All documents filed with the PUC regarding Peregrine’s application are available at the PUC’s website www.puc.state.pa.us by clicking on “Search for Documents” and entering the docket number A-2010-2200201. The public is welcome to attend the hearings and provide their comments. Customer testimony will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision. The PUC and state office of consumer advocate offer tips on how to participate. They include: n Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read. n Bring copies. If you have a written statement you would like to give to the judge as evidence, please bring two copies for the court reporter and several copies for the other participants. n Plan to be questioned. Parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-22-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/430-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-22-11-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-22-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: “Homicide charge filed in crash that killed Elmira woman: “…Jackson Township, Pa. — A Texas man is facing a vehicular homicide charge in connection with Friday morning’s crash in Tioga County, Pa. that killed an Elmira woman…Davidson works in the natural gas industry and is an employee of T3 Energy Services, located in Elmira, according to Pennsylvania State Police. He was driving a company truck at the time of the accident, according to police…” ” (The Corning Leader)- http://www.the-leader.com/topstories/x1606476646/Homicide-charge-filed-in-crash-that-killed-Elmira-woman “Leasing influence: Local officials need a primer on conflict of interest: “…In 45 of the 66 municipalities in the county, ground zero in Western Pennsylvania for the new industry, at least one official has a lease. Constituents who are wary of or opposed to drilling call it a deal with the devil. To everyone else, it’s at least bad judgment and maybe worse…A vexing situation exists in South Fayette, Allegheny County, where several of the township’s zoning board members have leases with Range Resources. Last week the board put off a decision on a challenge from the energy company to the township’s new drilling ordinance as calls mounted for those board members to recuse themselves. Even South Fayette’s solicitor believes it’s a conflict of interest, one that should be remedied by appointing alternate zoning board members to hear Range’s response to the law…” ” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11295/1183995-192.stm “Recent News on Natural Gas Drilling” (NYCDEP)- http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/news/natural_gas_drilling_news.shtml “UGI plans new natural gas pipeline for Luzerne County: “…UGI Energy Services plans to extend its Auburn Gathering System roughly 30 miles from its terminus in Wyoming County and connect with the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline, according to a UGI news release…”The process of filing of permits would likely occur when we have a better feeling for the route,” Terranova said, “Probably in the next several months.”…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://citizensvoice.com/news/ugi-plans-new-natural-gas-pipeline-for-luzerne-county-1.1221656 , http://tinyurl.com/4x64n28 & http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5493895/ugi-plans-new-natural-gas-pipeline-for-luzerne-county ‘UGI turns on natural gas gathering line, looks to expand: “…The proposed 30-mile addition would extend the line from Washington Twp. in Wyoming County to Luzerne County, where it will connect with Transcontinental Gas Pipeline. UGI Energy expects the extension to move between 200,000 to 500,000 Mcf per day of gas by 2013, serving Citrus and other producers, UGI Energy spokesman Peter Terranova said. The gas will be sold to both in-state and out-of-state markets…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/ugi-turns-on-natural-gas-gathering-line-looks-to-expand-1.1221638 “UGI Energy to spend $150 million on pipeline: “…”We’ll be taking the gas to market,” Terranova said. “It’s a brand-new pipeline.” He explained that UGI Energy will buy land along the route and will own the rights to construct and operate the pipeline on that land…” ” (Reading Eagle) (PA)- http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=340843 , http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5493881/ugi-energy-to-spend-150-million-on-pipelinew & http://www.planning.org/news/daily/story.htm?story_id=165027097 (Event) “Gas drilling and health on conference agenda: “…The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health will host its second annual conference on the health effects of Marcellus shale gas extraction. The conference will be from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland. The conference includes a panel of five experts from Pitt, Carnegie Mellon University and Duke University. The conference will explore the science and methodology of environmental health effects of natural gas extraction from shale deposits. For more information, visit http://www.shalegas.pitt.edu …” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) (PA)- www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_763419.html “Hempfield man to lead sanitation commission: “…The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission has elected Charles A. “Chuck” Duritsa of Hempfield as its chairman…Duritsa, 63, served as director of the Southwest Regional Office of the state Department of Environmental Protection from 1988 until his retirement in 2004. During his tenure as director of the 10-county region, he was responsible for programs in water quality; air quality; waste management; environmental cleanup; water supply; oil and gas management…The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, headquartered in Cincinnati, is the water pollution control agency for the Ohio River and its tributaries representing eight states — Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_763352.html (Video) “Drilling and the DEC: Responding to Economic Impacts: “…The presenters offered information on the revised Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS). Speakers addressed the portion of proposed drilling guidelines that intends to mitigate adverse social and economic impacts such as truck traffic, threats to food crops, and demand on local services…” ” (Video, Shaleshock Media) (NY)- http://shaleshockmedia.org/2011/10/22/drilling-and-the-dec-responding-to-economic-impacts/ “Hundreds oppose pipeline proposal: “…A group of federal regulators came to town Wednesday night and heard – with the exception of construction union members – that singular message from Jersey City residents, city workers, and elected leaders, echoed by hundreds of supporters. The same message was delivered by representatives from neighboring towns, and one development company raised a number of concerns…” ” (Hudson Reporter) (New Jersey)- http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/16141479/article-Hundreds-oppose-pipeline-proposal-Residents–officials–neighboring-towns-pull-no-punches-in-opposition-at-hearing-?instance=secondary_stories_left_column “Niagara Falls envisions profit in ‘fracking’ waste: “…Once treated, the fracking wastewater, to be brought in by truck or rail, would either be discharged into the Niagara River upstream of Niagara Falls or be reused in drilling, Roll said. The Niagara River flows between lakes Erie and Ontario, forming the border between western New York and Ontario…” ” (AP)- http://www.whiotv.com/ap/ap/us/niagara-falls-envisions-profit-in-fracking-waste/nFKxg/ (See also “Contaminant Characterization of Effluent from Pennsylvania Brine Treatment Inc., Josephine Facility: Implications for Disposal of Oil and Gas Flowback Fluids from Brine Treatment Plants”- http://www.archive.org/details/ContaminantCharacterizationOfEffluentFromPennsylvaniaBrineTreatment ) “Editorial: Sound step on fracking: “…The problem is that water doesn’t stay still. Once it reaches the system of waterways, it flows from state to state and even nation to nation. It’s one thing for states to have their own speed limits or sales tax rates, but another thing altogether when the subject is pollution produced in one state at the expense of others downwind or downstream…” ” (Buffalo News)- http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/buffalo-news-editorials/article603030.ece “Webinar Looks at Natural-Gas Compression in Pipeline Systems: “…Penn State Extension’s Web-based Marcellus Shale seminar this week examined the need for and performance of compressor stations in natural-gas pipeline delivery systems…His presentation covered the factors that necessitate gas compression and the requirements for increased compression throughout the lifetime of a gas well. It also looked at enclosed versus nonenclosed compression stations, as well as air-quality and noise concerns related to gas compression…” ” (Lancaster Farming)- http://www.lancasterfarming.com/-Webinar-Looks-at-Natural-Gas-Compression-in-Pipeline-Systems– (See also “Compressor Sites: Necessities and Expectations” (Penn State Extension)- http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/webinars/recorded/compressor-sites-necessities-and-expectations ) (Event) “ATTEND THE LARGEST UNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCE EVENT IN THE WORLD!: “…Hear from the most active companies pursuing the Marcellus play and from experts in many areas that will contribute to the success of the region. DUG East gives operators, investors, and the service industry the latest economics, activity, and new technology needed to successfully develop the Marcellus. Don’t miss the industry’s most exciting conference! Confirmed speakers for DUG East own or lease 4+ million acres in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays, and are running 40 rigs. Hear the deputy administrator of the EPA review the federal government’s stance on shale drilling. Learn how Marcellus shale’s enormous potential is creating fresh industries all around the Steel City, and how oil and gas companies are working to increase demand…November 15-17, 2011 David L. Lawrence Convention Center Pittsburgh, PA…” ” (Developing Unconventional Gas)- http://www.dugeast.com/ “Fox News visits Dryden: “…Fox News paid a visit to Dryden a few weeks ago to talk with Marie McRae and a few others about gas leases. They’ve released their report in at least two forms…” ” (Living in Dryden) (NY)- http://livingindryden.org/2011/10/fox_news_visits_dryden.html “Think tank: Governor’s gas impact fee needs work: “…A local public policy think tank and a related environmental group say Gov. Tom Corbett’s plan for regulating the natural gas industry doesn’t go far enough to protect citizens and the environment…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/gas-drilling/think-tank-governor-s-gas-impact-fee-needs-work-1.1221935 “Protesters target gas drilling: “…UNIVERSITY PARK — On Election Day, voters in State College will voice their opinion on banning natural gas drilling in the borough. On Friday, a group that supports that ban rallied to spread the message…” ” (Centre Daily Times) (PA)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/22/2959008/protesters-target-gas-drilling.html “Delaware Riverkeeper resigns from Citizens Marcellus Shale Commission: “…BRISTOL PA – Days before the Citizens Marcellus Shale Commission is scheduled to release its final report and recommendations, Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, resigned from her post as a Commissioner for the group. “While the final report will contain a number of good recommendations for reforming regulations needed to protect communities from the ravages of shale gas drilling, the Citizens Commission came up short in important ways including – it didn’t notice and implement its 5 statewide hearings so as to ensure full participation by all citizens who wanted to speak to the gas drilling issue; and it failed to give voice to the clear message and need that resulted from hearing testimony that there should be a stay on gas drilling until identified minimum protections for public health and the environment are first achieved,” said van Rossum. “In the final analysis, the Commission’s leadership insisted on what they deemed a politically palatable report, rather than one which fully served to seek protections from known harms and informational deficiencies associated with shale gas development.”…” ” (Statewide News Network, Inc.)- http://www.pocononews.net/news/2011/October/22/22Oct11-1.html “Anti-drilling advocate van Rossum quits coalition: “…A leading advocate against Marcellus Shale drilling in the Delaware River basin has resigned from a coalition of civic organizations because she says the group will not take a harder stand against shale-gas development…Van Rossum said the commission declined to support a moratorium on natural-gas development, as the Riverkeeper Network has advocated…” ” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) (PA)- http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-22/business/30310007_1_shale-gas-marcellus-shale-drilling-anti-drilling “Environmentalists divided on soon-to-be released shale commission report: “…”With what we heard from those who did participate in the hearings, myself and my organization simply could not condone or support these major failings,” said van Rossum in a prepared statement. Van Rossum also faulted the commission for its poor publicity of the hearings. As a result, she said, citizens did not have adequate opportunity to be heard on the highly controversial drilling issue…” ” (Courier Times) (PA)- http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/maya-van-rossum-resigns-from-shale-commission/article_e303acee-aff0-5f75-8662-1d5489c7c9eb.html & http://tinyurl.com/6zm2guh “Next big Marcellus debate: What to do with the Oil and Gas Lease Fund: “…Pennsylvania has leased about 700,000 acres of state forest land for drilling and related activities in the Marcellus Shale. All the royalties from those leases go into the Oil and Gas Lease Fund…This is the next great Marcellus Shale issue. We need to ensure it gets used wisely and not wasted on legislators’ pet projects…Already there are whispers at the state Capitol of using some of the fund in the coming years for transportation…” ” (The Patriot-News) (PA)- http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/10/next_big_marcellus_debate_what.html “YOURLETTERS: “…Rep. Glenn Thompson co-sponsored HR 1581, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act. This will open portions of the Allegheny National Forest for “access” and “management.” He justifies his action by hiding behind a technical designation — “wilderness” — while refusing to adequately look at the whole ecological picture. Thompson is an outdoorsman, but this is not about increased trail building. He seeks increased corporate natural gas access and management of, by and for oil and gas companies. According to Oil Change International, Thompson received $135,000 in campaign contributions from oil, gas and coal interests seeking increased access to the Marcellus Shale…” ” (Letter to Centre Daily Times) (PA)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/22/2959015/yourletters.html “Vote yes to say no to fracking: “…I urge voters in State College to vote yes on the charter amendment resolution. Called the Groundswell Initiative, it states that we have a right to clean air and clean water and it bans natural gas fracking within the borough…” ” (Letter to Centre Daily Times) (PA)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/22/2959015/yourletters.html “DEP: Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline Approved North Of Ulysses: “…Authorization ID: 896170 Permit number: ESX11-105-0008 Site: ULYSSES PIPELINE NETWORK Client: ALLEGHENY ENTERPRISES INC Authorization type: Expedited E&S Stormwater General Permit 1 Application type: New Authorization is for: SITE Date received: 09/26/2011 Status: Issued 10/17/2011…” ” (Solomons words for the wise) (PA)- http://solomonswords.blogspot.com/2011/10/dep-natural-gas-gathering-pipeline.html “Expert Says Quakes in England May Be Tied to Gas Extraction” (The New York Times via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11295/1184134-115.stm “Marcellus shale: The promise & pitfalls: “…Nick Loris is a policy analyst in the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation. A native of Quakertown, Pa., he researches and writes about energy prices and the economic effects of environmental policies and regulations…Q: Dominion is talking about exporting a billion cubic feet of natural gas per day through a terminal in Maryland…A:…This is a tremendous thing, and the ability to export will also be critically important…Q: What are some of the pitfalls that could be associated with this? A: One, I think, is the push to overregulate it…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_763122.html “DEP gas official says criticism dims accomplishments: “…Mr. Perry, who serves as DEP’s deputy secretary for oil and gas management, also contested criticisms that hydraulic fracturing isn’t regulated. He said that while federal officials do not oversee it, drillers are liable under the state’s Clean Streams Law and the Oil and Gas Act…More jobs would follow from expanding the use of natural gas, Mr. Perry said. He noted the interest from Royal Dutch Shell to build an ethane cracker plant to make plastics within the Marcellus region, estimated to have a $7 billion economic impact…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11295/1184084-503.stm “Commissioners candidates debate issues: “…The two Democrats and two Republicans running for Bucks County Commissioner …The candidates were also asked…if commissioners could help keep water in Bucks County safe as drilling for natural gas expands in other parts of the commonwealth. Ansinn said the state’s history with abandoned coal mines should provide a warning that the economic benefits of Marcellus Shale “can’t be at the expense of the quality of life.” Marseglia said “poisons” could reach the Delaware River and if she is elected to the board’s majority, she would call upon state representatives from Bucks County, who she said have done a good job seeking solutions to the risks of drilling, to come up with a plan to protect local water resources. Martin and Loughery said the shale formation has great economic potential but must be found in a responsible way…” ” (Doylestown) (PA)- http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/doylestown/commissioners-candidates-debate-issues/article_a1d55dc6-7bc5-5822-86d5-d5766e966549.html “With Natural Gas Booming, Coal is at a Crossroads: “…How does this all play in Pennsylvania’s coal country? In conjunction with the StateImpact Pennsylvania project, WHYY’s Carolyn Beeler visited the southwestern part of the state to find out…” ” (The Allegheny Front/WYEP via WITF via Newsworks/WHYY) (PA)- http://www.alleghenyfront.org/story.html?storyid=201110201412570.137232 (See also http://www.witf.org/regional-state-news/pa-s-coal-country-faces-threats-from-natural-gas-and-clean-air-advocates & http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/healthscience/item/26950-with-natural-gas-booming-coal-is-at-a-crossroads ) “Gas exports show need for energy policy: “…A recent request filed by a company that owns natural gas pipelines and storage facilities sheds light on the gold rush mentality that infuses the industry. Richmond, Va.-based Dominion Resources is asking the federal government to allow it to export 1 billion cubic feet per day of gas through a terminal in Maryland. The proposal comes at the same time the Marcellus Shale Coalition trade group is touting “energy security” as a reason to turn drillers loose on the land…To support its request, Dominion contends gas exports will help reduce the nation’s trade deficit, which would be laudable if depleting our resources didn’t jeopardize future energy reserves — and potentially increase the need for imported oil. Dominion’s plan reveals the company’s — and perhaps the industry’s — eagerness to place short -term profits ahead of the nation’s long -term welfare…” ” (The Times Leader ) (PA)- http://www.timesleader.com/opinion/columnists/bartizek/Gas-exports-show-need-for-energy-policy.html “OUTDOORS: Gas drillers in Pennsy need to frack off: “…I can tell you now that New Jersey looks pretty good compared to what’s happening up there. The Endless Mountains are toast, the land is being raped and scarred by the technology that can suck up natural gas from a mile under the earth and run horizontal pipelines to get at it. As one who witnessed what coal mining did, burning mountains of culm banks, black lung and death in flooded mines back in the 1950s, it amazes me that Pennsylvania would be so stupid to allow it to happen again…Bottom line: My happy hunting grounds are ruined. I hope you have some say in whether yours will be…” ” (New Jersey & PA)- http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2011/10/22/sports/doc4ea2fc02df690104820640.txt?viewmode=fullstory National & International: “10/22/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-22 “Welcoming the Winners of the 2010 National Medals of Science, Technology and Innovation to the White House: “…Rakesh Agrawal, Purdue University, won the 2010 National Medal of Technology and Innovation for an extraordinary record of innovations in improving the energy efficiency and reducing the cost of gas liquifaction and separation. These innovations have had significant positive impacts on electronic device manufacturing, liquefied gas production and the supply of industrial gases for diverse industries…” ” (The White House)- http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/21/welcoming-winners-2010-national-medals-science-technology-and-innovation-white-house (See also “Natural Gas – A versatile Resource with a Bright Future” (Rakesh Agrawal via Purdue University)- http://www.nt.ntnu.no/users/skoge/prost/proceedings/gas-processing-doha-2009/fscommand/Agrawal.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3f7zndw + “Former Air Products Technologist Rakesh Agrawal Presented National Medal of Technology and Innovation” (Air Products)- http://www.airproducts.com/company/news-center/2011/1021-former-air-products-technologist-presented-national-medal-of-technology-and-innovation.aspx ) (Event) “Shale Gas Environmental Summit, London 2-3 November: “…2nd to 3rd November 2011, Copthorne Tara Hotel, London, United Kingdom…” ” (The Global Warming Policy Foundation)- http://thegwpf.org/energy-news/4169-shale-gas-environmental-summit-london-2-3-november.html (See also “Shale Gas Environmental Sumit: “…This unique Summit will provide all key stake holders the opportunity to fully understand the environmental concerns around Shale development, the risks, challenges and drivers for economic growth…” ” (SMI Group)- http://www.smi-online.co.uk/events/overview.asp?is=5&ref=3742 ) “US appeals court upholds roadless rule in national forests: “…DENVER — A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a rule prohibiting roads on nearly 50 million acres of land in national forests across the United States, a ruling hailed by environmentalists as one of the most significant in decades. Mining and energy companies, however, say it could limit development of natural resources such as coal, oil and natural gas. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals backed the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule after lawyers for the state of Wyoming and the Colorado Mining Association contended it was a violation of the law…” ” (AP)- http://trivalleycentral.com/articles/2011/10/22/front/doc4ea30bfd3036b898549081.txt & http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/federal-appeals-court-upholds-rule-prohibiting-roads-on-national-forest-land/2011/10/22/gIQA43fw7L_story.html “Opinion: Drilling Down on the Family Farm: “…Standing there, in what used to be my family’s pasture, I was surprised by my own feelings as I watched a small army of workers rev up the machines that would crack open the Marcellus Shale deep below my land, the same rich cache of gas that New York now seems poised to exploit…” ” (The New York Times)- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/opinion/sunday/fracking-on-my-land.html?ref=opinion “Underground Industry: Gas Pipelines Are Big Business But Lightly Regulated: “…There’s also an entire class of pipelines that is largely unregulated. There are an estimated 200,000 miles of gathering lines – pipes that lead from wells to processing plants – in sparsely populated areas for which PHMSA does not set safety standards (the agency does regulate such lines in higher density areas). Most states do not regulate these lines either, so there is no reporting on any leaks that may be found. Siting is generally worked out by energy companies and landowners. These rural gathering lines are considered to be low risk not only because relatively few people live near them but also because they are generally smaller and operate at lower pressures than the lines that send gas from state to state. But in March, a federal advisory committee found that newer gathering lines, particularly those in shale gas development areas, are running at higher pressures and that operators should be required to submit safety reports. PHMSA, the federal regulator, is now considering whether to issue new regulations to cover these lines…” ” (ProPublica)- http://www.propublica.org/article/underground-industry-gas-pipelines-are-big-business-but-lightly-regulated/single & http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/22/underground-industry-gas-_n_1026422.html “Energy Transfer Partners Announces Long-Term Agreement with XTO Energy to Provide Gathering and Processing Services in the Woodford and Barnett Shales ETP to Construct Processing Plant and a 117-Mile Pipeline: “…Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. today announced it has entered into a long-term, fee-based agreement with XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, to provide natural gas gathering, processing and transportation services from both the Woodford and Barnett Shale regions. ETP will construct a 117-mile natural gas gathering pipeline from the Woodford Shale located in Oklahoma to its existing gathering and processing infrastructure in the Barnett Shale…” ” (Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.)- http://www.cnbc.com/id/44975196 , http://www.investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=5028&mn=21871&pt=msg&mid=11073758 & http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?articleid=20111021_49_E2_Energy185424 “‘Sea change’ of opportunity with natural gas: “…Chuck Wyrostock, outreach organizer for the Sierra Club of West Virginia’s natural gas campaign, said the economic benefits of the shale boom may be similarly short-lived. “There is some danger in young people getting trained in the area, when maybe five or ten years from now other factors will keep them from taking advantage of it any further,” he said. He said jobs in alternative energy may overtake the shale gas as America is weaned off fossil fuels. The Penn State study anticipated shale-related jobs would be available for 30 to 50 years, but that many workers would have to migrate over time, following the drilling rigs as they move from place to place…” ” (AP)- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/23/BUI91LIE3B.DTL&type=business&ao=all “More U.S. Towns Are Requiring Natural Gas Garbage Fleets, in Boon to Truck Makers” (InsideClimate News)- http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20111021/compressed-natural-gas-vehicles-garbage-trucks-clean-fuels-electric-cars-smithtown-new-york-fracking “Aspects of fracking: “…The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is required to assess the feasibility of how North Carolina could frack, not whether it should frack. Thus, DENR’s hands are tied by legislative fiat. DENR can loosen this somewhat by shaping their plan of study to follow professional standards…Clearly, DENR’s mandate for this particular study is top-down and industry-driven. Will DENR keep uppermost their basic mandate to protect the environment and natural resources of North Carolina? That mandate outweighs the narrow mandate of the task at hand…” ” (Letter to editor, North Carolina)- http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/23/1584863/aspects-of-fracking.html “School Board opposes cavern expansion: “…ABBEVILLE — The Vermilion Parish School Board unanimously passed a resolution Thursday opposing AGL expanding its natural gas storage facility at Lake Peigneur. Opposition: Company will use up to 3 million gallons of aquifer water a day to dissolve salt underground to create a void to store the gas over a period of about 4 years to complete the $2 million project…rinking wells are already showing signs of increased salinity. This is an invisible cancer that is occurring. AGL plans to pump salty brine 6,000 feet underground, which would permanently remove millions of gallons of water from the natural water cycle…” ” (Louisiana)- http://www.iberianet.com/forum/school-board-opposes-cavern-expansion/article_bb2d90d6-fcbc-11e0-9711-001cc4c002e0.html “$60M Spent In Road Repairs; Chesapeake Lauded For Quick Action: “…Bob Whipp, a retired West Virginia DOH supervisor and district engineer, now serves as Chesapeake’s director of corporate development for transportation and infrastructure…”Also, because we do have an engineering consulting firm that reviews all of the roads we use throughout the Northern Panhandle, we are able to dedicate contractors to year-round maintenance,” he said…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/560968/-60M-Spent-In-Road-Repairs–Chesapeake-Lauded-For-Quick-Action.html “20 Wells Planned In Ohio: “…Utica Shale Rush At Full Throttle…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/560966/20-Wells-Planned-In-Ohio.html “Rural Ohio is the Wild West as gas and oil companies compete for drilling rights: “…Land men, including free-wheeling shysters as well as legitimate gas and oil company employees, are swarming Ohio’s eastern counties, clogging county courthouses with their property record searches and pestering busy farmers. ..” ” (Ohio)- http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/10/gas_companies_swarm_in_frackin.html (See also “Talking Points for Selling Oil and Gas Lease Rights”- http://www.archive.org/details/TalkingPointsForSellingOilAndGasLeaseRights ) “Area landowners are weighing lease options: “…Noland said he feels comfortable with the company that would do any drilling and his concerns about the environmental impact have been allayed by talking with a professor at Marietta College…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/539507/ “‘Stars’ honored in Wellsville: “…The event was co-sponsored by the Wellsville Chamber of Commerce and Western Reserve Building & Construction Trades Council…The speakers for the evening focused on energy and job growth in the area. Don Crane, president of Western Reserve Building and Trades Council spoke about the building trade’s 100th year in the community and his excitement over natural gas replacing coal as the energy source for the Baard Energy project a project that will result in a plant being built outside of Wellsville. State Senator Jason Wilson also spoke on the Baard Energy project, and the idea of opportunity in the communities future…” ” (Ohio)- www.reviewonline.com/page/content.detail/id/548768/-Stars–honored–in-Wellsville.html “State Rep. Andy Thompson Co-Chairs Caucus on Appalachian Affairs: “…One of the possibilities we have for our part of the state is a cracker plan, which would be to take some of the fuels that are coming out of the utica shale, separate them and refine them and process them. And that we think will ignite a kind of come back of the chemical industry here as well and that will mean a lot of good jobs for our part of the state…” ” (Audio, WOUB) (Ohio)- http://woub.org/2011/10/21/state-rep-andy-thompson-co-chairs-caucus-appalachian-affairs “Ohio’s shale gas boom has begun, and sleepy Carroll County will never be the same/As drillers strike gas, sleepy Carroll County braces for boom times: “…A new industry has roared into once-sleepy Carroll County, offering a glimpse of the power of an energy boom, and much in this community will never be the same…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/10/oil_drilling_boom_comes_to_car.html “Hearing set in Osage Nation’s wind farm lawsuit: “…The tribe alleges that 94 wind turbines and their network of electrical lines and roads would interfere with oil production and harm the ecosystem of the tallgrass prairie…” ” (Oklahoma)- http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=14&articleid=20111022_14_A15_Withco183079 “Town reports fluid spill at drilling site: “…Cleanup is underway at the scene of a production fluid spill that occurred Thursday morning at the Cummings C gas well pad site in west Flower Mound. Approximately 450 barrels were spilled and 371 barrels were recovered immediately after the spill, which occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids, according to town officials…” ” (Texas)- http://crosstimbersgazette.com/local-news/1913-town-reports-fluid-spill-at-drilling-site.html “Dear Dallas: The Big Gas Mafia has you in their fracking crosshairs: “…If you don’t what want THIS COMPANY drilling in your neighborhood and if you don’t what to live next to this… Put down the remote control and get you self to this meeting on Thursday…” ” (TXsharon)- www.texassharon.com/2011/10/22/dear-dallas-the-big-gas-mafia-has-you-in-their-crosshairs/ “Cancer rates climb in Barnett Shale: “…Lorrie’s cancer is not included in the Department of State Health Services Flower Mound cancer cluster study because–despite the FACT that she contracted her cancer while living in Flower Mound–cancer statistics are kept in the location where the diagnosis occurred. Here is a map showing the neighborhood where Lorrie lived…” ” (TXsharon)- http://www.texassharon.com/2011/10/22/cancer-rates-climb-in-barnett-shale/ “Guest Commentary: We don’t need to drill it all: “…These tractor owners are not Occupy Wall Street types. They wear crushed and filthy felt cowboy hats. They have no iPhones. They don’t use Soft Soap. Lotion is as foreign an idea as complaining. And yet here they were, in these fractious times, going to meet their friends — 300 of them, in fact: the hippies and the hunters, the drummers and the Republicans, the women in long flowing dresses, the businessmen and the children, fellow cattlemen and grandparents. They gathered under the name the Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC), organized more than three years ago to protect 221,000 acres of Forest Service land just outside of Carbondale from gas drilling…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_19167334 “Guest Commentary: Clean air safeguards are key to cleaning up oil and gas drilling: “…As a Colorado resident, I have always enjoyed getting outside, exploring the outdoors in the Rocky Mountain National Park and breathing in the fresh air. However, that clean air is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Heavy oil and gas drilling is already spewing millions of tons of harmful pollutants Colorado’s air and it’s getting worse…” ” (Co-chair of the Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter’s Conservation Committee) (Colorado)- http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_19166675 “Roadless rule decision could affect Carbondale gas drilling: “…Officials with a local environmental organization are hopeful that a decision by a federal appeals court will reduce chances that natural gas wells will be drilled in the Thompson Divide area west and southwest of Carbondale. Sloan Shoemaker, executive director of Wilderness Workshop, said the appellate court’s decision to uphold a national rule that prohibits building roads on 49 million acres of public forests and grasslands could alter the status of some gas leases in Thompson Divide. “They aren’t in compliance with the Roadless Rule,” Shoemaker said of the leases, which allow road building…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.postindependent.com/article/20111022/VALLEYNEWS/111029977/1083&ParentProfile=1074 “Colorado stays course on roadless rule despite federal court ruling in favor of 2001 Clinton policy: “…”This ruling does not preclude further litigation, which could continue to create uncertainty,” Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Mike King said. “As a result, we will continue working to finalize the Colorado rule so we can provide clear and appropriate direction on the management and protection of national forest roadless areas in Colorado.”…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.realvail.com/article/1083/Colorado-stays-course-on-roadless-rule-despite-federal-court-ruling-in-favor-of-2001-Clinton-policy “Ultra gets OK for test wells: “…COLORADO SPRINGS — Ultra Resources will begin exploratory drilling for oil and gas in southeastern El Paso County by early next year after El Paso County commissioners on Thursday dropped a ban enacted three weeks ago…On Sept. 29, El Paso County commissioners suspended accepting new permits for exploratory drilling, so they could have time to write local land use regulations…Ultra asked the county to allow exploratory drilling, said Commissioner Dennis Hisey, because the suspension would have delayed its plans…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.chieftain.com/business/local/ultra-gets-ok-for-test-wells/article_2e9abbf8-fc53-11e0-ac47-001cc4c03286.html “Do Corporations Dominate Statewide Ballots?: “…• In 2008, T. Boone Pickens’s company contributed over $22 million to Proposition 10, outspending the ballot measure’s opponents 100-to-1. The initiative encouraged use of natural gas, which certainly would benefit the billionaire’s business interests…” ” (California)- http://townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/2011/10/23/do_corporations_dominate_statewide_ballots “Augusta first to approve natural gas pipeline TIF: “…Augusta became the first municipality to approve a tax break for a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run from Richmond through Augusta and nine other communities to Madison. Local and company officials said the Kennebec Valley Gas Company project could boost economic development in the region by bringing businesses, organizations and residents a cheaper, domestically produced fuel alternative…” ” (Maine)- http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/augusta-first-to-approve-natural-gas-pipeline-tif_2011-10-22.html “Shifting ground: “…Weeks ago, a provocative letter to the editor from Cabot Martin talked about the rapid change in energy markets as a result of the “shale gale,” the huge expansion of U.S. natural gas production as a result of fuels from massive shale gas fields. The letter had a simple thesis: things are changing quickly in the energy export industry, and the Muskrat Falls project should be considered in light of those changed baselines…Topics : Dominion Cove Point LNG LP , United States Department of Energy , United States , North America , New York City…” ” (Canada)- http://www.thewesternstar.com/Opinion/Columns/2011-10-22/article-2784009/Shifting-ground/1 “Shale gas could provide a lot of opportunities – expert: “…”You need that regulator experience and understanding of the technology so that you can go to the minister of energy, you can go to environmentalists, and say we can do this safely. Alberta has done this safely for 20 years,” Gingrich said. “It can be done safely. You just need this kind of information out to the public.”…” ” (Canada)- http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/gleaner/article/1450003 “Gas drill bid firm considers legal action: “…The firm has already said it will lodge an appeal with the Welsh Government against the Vale of Glamorgan council’s refusal of its plans to test drill for shale gas at the Llandow Industrial Estate…” ” (United Kingdom)- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2011/10/22/gas-drill-bid-firm-considers-legal-action-91466-29639251/ “Coal seam gas fight is about our future: “…Stop CSG Illawarra’s Jess Moore gave the speech below at the 3000-strong rally against coal seam gas mining that took place in Clifton, north of Wollongong, on October 16…” ” (Australia)- http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49162

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-21-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/429-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-21-11-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-21-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: “Lawsuit on Dryden’s gas drilling ban heads to court Nov. 4″ (Gannett) (NY)- http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/110210362/ “99% helps occupy West Village pipeline hearing: “…A contingent of some 200 people marched from the Occupy Wall Street protest in “Liberty Square,” following a speech by actor Mark Ruffalo, to the climactic last hearing of the proposed “Spectra Pipeline” or NJ-NY Expansion Project, which was held in the Greenwich Village School auditorium. The “99 Percenters” helped fill the auditorium after marching past City Hall, through Tribecca, SOHO and the West Village chanting “No fracking way.”…” ” (Examiner) (NY)- http://www.examiner.com/environmental-news-in-new-york/99-helps-occupy-west-village-pipeline-hearing “Residents angered by cancellation of gas hearing: “…MILFORD — A packed public hearing — expected to determine the fate of a proposed townwide moratorium on natural gas drilling — had to be canceled Thursday night when three of the Otsego County town’s elected board members failed to show up…Before the forum was canceled by town Supervisor Thomas Gale, several residents announced that shortly before they arrived at Town Hall, they had spotted one of the no-show board members, Olin Waters, walking his dog…” ” (The Daily Star) (NY)- http://thedailystar.com/localnews/x1511840404/Residents-angered-by-cancellation-of-gas-hearing (Event) “Gas hearing will give locals a voice: “…The city of Oneonta, Otsego 2000 and the Otsego County Conservation Association are sponsoring a public hearing on the draft state regulations at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Hunt Union Ballroom on the State University College at Oneonta campus. It will be moderated by Otsego County Planning Director Terry Bliss. The DEC will have no role in putting the event together, but will receive a stenographer’s transcription of statements made by residents at the forum…” ” (The Daily Star) (NY)- http://thedailystar.com/opinion/x2010687156/Gas-hearing-will-give-locals-a-voice (Event) “3rd Marcellus Shale Gas Environmental Summit: “…Agenda is now available for the 3rd Marcellus Shale Gas Environmental Summit taking place on October 24-25, 2011 in Pittsburgh, PA …Why attend the Marcellus Shale Gas Environmental Summit? *Learn to develop natural gas resources responsibly *Discover strategies to streamline permitting and compliance processes under stricter regulatory scrutiny *Hear tips and tactics from top PR executives to combat misinformation and public criticism…” ” (Upstream Online)- http://www.upstreamonline.com/doc_events/article263184.ece?instanceId=8679 “Chesapeake Rallies The Troops: “…The event, “Neighbor to Neighbor: Living the Drill” features two Bradford County (PA) dairy farmers, Carolyn Knapp and Carol French. I’ve heard these women – they speak honestly about how industrialized drilling has changed their agricultural landscape. They share accounts of how drilling has impacted their neighbors – some of whom have had to sell their livestock because the drilling made it impossible to move cows to pasture or bring hay back to the barn. The idea that people might be talking to their neighbors seems to bother Chesapeake, so Cox is asking drilling supporters to “attend and share with others the economic benefits that natural gas development has brought to your community and the positive impact the industry can have on our nation’s economy and energy security”…” ” (The Marcellus Effect)- http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/10/chesapeake-rallies-troops.html “Groups Call on Governor Christie to Safeguard the Public, Protect Drinking Water and Promote Clean Energy: “…Governor Christie is a voting member of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), the interstate/federal agency responsible for the water resources of the Delaware River Watershed, along with the Governors of the four states that drain to the Delaware River (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) and a federal representative (the Army Corps of Engineers). The DRBC will be meeting on November 21 at the War Memorial in Trenton to vote on proposed natural gas regulations that, if approved, would lift the current drilling moratorium in the Delaware Basin…To export that fracked gas, companies are requesting new and expanded pipeline projects across New Jersey‟s public lands, environmentally sensitive areas, and residential communities. These projects also call for new or upgraded compressor stations, increasing toxic air and climate change pollution in our state. Pipeline explosions across the country have caused people to be killed and property destroyed. Right now there are four projects being proposed in New Jersey at the federal level and more are expected with the continued expansion of fracking in the Marcellus Shale…” ” (New Jersey Sierra Club * Delaware Riverkeeper Network* Environment New Jersey Food and Water Watch * NJ Environmental Federation)- http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/resources/PressReleases/NJ%2010.20%20press%20release.final.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3n5ldgu (Event) “Drilling promoters coming to Canandaigua: “…Ontario County, N.Y. — With the heat on in many communities in the Finger Lakes region to impose a moratorium or ban hydrofracking, natural gas industry experts are revving up their promotion of the controversial drilling method by hosting a series of forums in the region. Next Wednesday, representatives from the natural gas industry will address Canandaigua-area residents at an event, “Fuel For Thought: A Community Conversation,” beginning at 7 p.m. in the Canandaigua Middle School auditorium…” ” (Messenger Post)- http://www.mpnnow.com/news/x1872802616/Drilling-promoters-coming-to-Canandaigua “Syracuse bans fracking” (WHAM) (NY)- http://www.13wham.com/news/state/story/Syracuse-bans-fracking/X6hRpVShRUyktiet0znqIA.cspx “Naples village enacts fracking ban: “…The state Department of Environmental Conservation is in the final approval stages for the drilling method that mixes water and chemicals to release natural gas from the Marcellus Shale that runs under a large swath of New York state, including portions of the Finger Lakes. Gas industry representatives are hosting a public forum at the Canandaigua Middle School auditorium on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. during a tour promoting fracking across upstate. “This is the most important issue I have ever seen,” said Donadio. At a Town Board meeting earlier this month, residents pressed the board to enact a moratorium in the town over concerns shared by many in the region who see hydrofracking as a threat to the water supply and tourism industry, as well as causing environmental havoc such as truck traffic and noise. The Village Board also passed a resolution urging the Town Board to impose a moratorium at its meeting Nov. 14, following a public hearing on the matter…” ” (Messenger Post) (NY)- http://www.mpnnow.com/towns/naples/x888171619/Naples-village-enacts-fracking-ban “Demonstrators ask Mayor Jennings to not veto ban on hydrofracking: “…ALBANY – The gas drilling debate hit the steps of Albany’s City Hall this morning. Demonstrators are calling on Mayor Jerry Jennings not to veto a ban on hydrofracking. The ban was passed by the common council earlier week. While there are currently no plans to drill within city limits, Councilman Dominick Calsolaro says he is not convinced that will always be the case…” ” (WNYT) (NY)- http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2339517.shtml?cat=300 “Coalition wants seat at gas drilling talks: “…At its September meeting, the Coalition of Watershed Towns approved the drafting of a letter asking Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office to include the Coalition on a special committee created by the governor to oversee gas exploration in the state…The Delaware County Board of Supervisors has opposed the restrictions on fracking claiming it is denying it’s citizens the right to extract the gas that lies underneath it…At its October meeting, Coalition attorney Jeffrey Baker announced that the request for inclusion on the panel was denied, although five new members were added to the committee. Noting the strong opposition to gas exploration by many communities, Baker said that it was possible for some towns to use its zoning laws to keep the gas drillers out of town if it choses to do so. While it is against the law to specifically zone out a legal activity, you can place enough restriction on an activity or industry that it would make it unprofitable as has been done with mining and quarrying…” ” (The Daily Mail) (NY)- http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2011/10/21/news/doc4ea0fb1909c13779466868.txt “Concern expressed about drilling’s impact on N.J.: “…Several green groups at a press conference Thursday called on Gov. Chris Christie to use his influence to beef up environmental protections against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Christie has a seat on the Delaware River Basin Commission, as do the governors of three other basin states: Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York. The five-member panel also includes the commander of the Army Corps of Engineers’ North Atlantic Division…” ” (Gannett) (New Jersey)- http://www.app.com/article/20111021/NJNEWS1002/310210023/ & http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111020/NJNEWS/310200055/ “Norse Energy puts N.Y. land rights for sale” (Gannett) (NY)- http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/110210398 (See also “Norse Energy shifts focus to Marcellus, Utica Shale drilling: “…In anticipation that rules allowing the use of high volume hydraulic fracturing to develop natural gas resources in the state of New York will soon be in place, Norse Energy has elected to immediately suspend Herkimer drilling. This will preserve cash for potentially more profitable Marcellus and Utica Shale planning, permitting and development…” ” (Norse Energy, 08-05-11)- http://www.pennenergy.com/index/petroleum/display/9301072540/articles/pennenergy/petroleum/exploration/2011/08/norse-energy_shifts.html ) “Libous hears gas drilling, flood damage concerns at town hall meeting: “…NEW BERLIN – New York State Senator Thomas Libous, R-52nd District, opened the floor to any state issue during a visit with New Berlin area residents Thursday night at the fire department…Libous responded by stating that he believes hydraulic fracturing to be “as safe a matter as any other industry,” and that permitting decisions “should be left to the experts.” He cited geologists and scientists as being experts and explained that the process was not a legislative one, but in fact, rested in the hands of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation…” ” (The Evening Sun) (NY)- http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2011-10-21/13394/Libous-hears-gas-drilling-flood-damage-concerns-at-town-hall-meeting/ “Feds eye gas drilling fluids: “…Under current federal regulations, wastewater from shale gas drilling cannot be directly discharged into waterways, so the excess is often sent to treatment plants, which may not be equipped to treat the fluid. The risk is that contaminants — including naturally occurring radium and other toxic substances — may never be removed before water is discharged into rivers that supply drinking water…” ” (AlbanyTimes-Union/Hearst)- http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-eye-gas-drilling-fluids-2229159.php “Southern Tier Economic Development Council releases draft of its strategic plan: “…Interestingly, the council seems to indicate hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale will not be the focus of its project. Specifically, the council issued a statement as part of its draft strategic plan saying: “High-volume hydraulic fracturing for natural gas is an issue being studied very closely by the U.S. EPA and currently under regulatory review by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The outcomes of these proceedings will have profound impact on the Southern Tier economy and most of upstate New York … Until there is a regulatory structure in place, we would not want to prejudge the experts and our regional council is not requesting state resources at this time.”…” ” (Gannett) (NY)- www.pressconnects.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/110210397/ “Mountainkeeper not satisfied with EPA’s announced fracking wastewater plan: “…“The government regulators continue to view fracking wastewater as industrial waste when, in fact, the components of the wastewater are hazardous waste – you’ve got diesel fuel and benzene and a list of 600 various chemicals that are endocrine disruptors, cancer causing, they are definitely a threat to health, and the government just is giving this industry a free ride,” he said. “Any other industry would have to treat the waste water as hazardous waste.”…” ” (Statewide News Network, Inc) (NY)- http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20111021-4.html , http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2011/October/21/frack_EPA_Mtnkr-21Oct11.html & http://freemanonline.com/articles/2011/10/21/news/doc4ea16622d1409573574494.txt “UGI plans Marcellus natural gas link to Transco: “…UGI Corp. subsidiary UGI Energy Services Inc. plans to invest about $150 million to link Marcellus shale natural gas production areas in Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties, Pa., with multiple Pennsylvania and interstate markets by extending its Auburn Gathering System 30 miles from its terminus in Wyoming County, Pa., to Luzerne County, Pa. The extension will include a connection to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline. UGI expects the extension to enter service in summer 2013. UGIES recently put the portion of its Auburn Gathering System from Wyoming County to Tennessee Gas Pipeline in Susquehanna County into service, moving gas being produced by Citrus Energy Appalachia LLC…” ” (Oil & Gas Journal)- http://www.ogj.com/articles/2011/10/ugi-plans-marcellus-natural-gas-link-to-transco.html “Congressman Hinchey Wants Gas Drilling Mortgage Rules Examined” (Video, WICZ) (NY)- http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=20686 “Pa. industry group to disclose drilling chemicals” (AP)- http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20111021_ap_paindustrygrouptodisclosedrillingchemicals.html (See also “Frequently Asked Questions | FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry: “…What chemicals are being disclosed on this website? All chemicals that would appear on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that are used to hydraulically fracture a well except for those that can be kept proprietary based on the “Trade Secret” ‡ provisions related to MSDS found on the Trade Secret link at 1910.1200(i)(1)…” ” (FrackFocus.org)- http://fracfocus.org/faq ) “Trade group agrees to list chemicals used in gas fracking: “…Marcellus Shale Coalition, a Cecil-based trade group of 200 natural gas companies, drillers and related businesses, issued a statement saying its members agreed to disclosed the contents of the chemicals in the fracking fluid used in each well on a national database, FracFocus.org …Several states, including Pennsylvania, have the information available but do not disclose some of the chemicals that companies claim are trade secrets…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_762992.html (See also “Frequently Asked Questions | FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry: “…What chemicals are being disclosed on this website? All chemicals that would appear on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that are used to hydraulically fracture a well except for those that can be kept proprietary based on the “Trade Secret” ‡ provisions related to MSDS found on the Trade Secret link at 1910.1200(i)(1)…” ” (FrackFocus.org)- http://fracfocus.org/faq ) “Marcellus Shale Coalition Will Require Companies To Disclose Fracking Chemicals” (NPR)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/21/marcellus-shale-coalition-will-require-companies-to-disclose-fracking-chemicals/ (See also “Frequently Asked Questions | FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry: “…What chemicals are being disclosed on this website? All chemicals that would appear on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that are used to hydraulically fracture a well except for those that can be kept proprietary based on the “Trade Secret” ‡ provisions related to MSDS found on the Trade Secret link at 1910.1200(i)(1)…” ” (FrackFocus.org)- http://fracfocus.org/faq ) “Marcellus drillers say EPA wastewater proposal is moot: “…Environmentalists welcomed the announcement. But Michael L. Krancer, secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, said inadequately treated wastewater discharges had virtually ceased this year because of stricter state rules…In most states, oil and gas wastewater is sent to EPA-regulated wells and injected deep into the earth. But Pennsylvania’s geology can’t absorb the fluids, so the industry sent much of its wastewater to treatment plants that could not remove the salt and heavy metals it contained. Last year, Pennsylvania officials approved new standards that require shale-gas wastewater to be treated to near-drinking-water standards before it can be discharged. The industry now recycles much of the wastewater to avoid costly treatment. What’s leftover is sent to out-of-state injection wells…” ” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) (PA)- http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20111021_Marcellus_drillers_say_EPA_wastewater_proposal_is_moot.html “Insight: N.Y. gas drillers’ victory soured by tough new rules” (Reuters)- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/21/us-newyork-shale-idUSTRE79K4YT20111021 “Gas industry unhappy with some fracking rules” (Gannett)- http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20111021/BUSINESS/110210325/ “NY Advisory Panel on Hydrofracking May Not Meet November Deadline: “…An advisory panel on hydrofracking in New York may not meet its initial November deadline to report on potential fees to charge gas drillers and other impacts on proposed hydrofracking on the state. Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt reports…” ” (Audio, WAMC)- http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1865991/ “Fracking vs. Mortgages: “…Communities are already seeing a softening of home sales as buyers are holding off making any investment until the issue of fracking is resolved. Realtors based Ulster and Westchester say those counties are big “second home communities” where people looking to get away from the NYC metropolitan area are looking for clean air and water – to get away from pollution – they say if fracking is allowed to begin in New York State it would impact the regions housing market…” ” (Audio, WAMC) (NY)- http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1866124/WAMC.New.York.News/Fracking.vs..Mortgages “Niagara Falls envisions profit in ‘fracking’ waste: “…NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) – The city that put Love Canal and Superfund in the environmental lexicon may get back into the business of dealing with toxic waste – this time willingly…” ” (AP) (NY)- http://www.live5news.com/story/15746604/niagara-falls-mulls-going-into-wastewater-business & http://online.wsj.com/article/APe76d13d8158a4d25978ec3a8e246ef2a.html “Fracking Wastewater Disposal Plan Could Send Contaminants Over Niagara Falls” (TreeHugger)- http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/fracking-wastewater-disposal-contaminants-over-niagara-falls.php “Guest essay: Watershed group vetoes hydrofracking: “…On Sept. 19, the Board of Directors of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association unanimously passed a resolution opposing the method of obtaining natural gas known as hydraulic fracturing in the Canandaigua Lake watershed in Ontario and Yates counties…The board concludes that, at present, this method of gas extraction poses a very real threat to the water quality of Canandaigua Lake, the economic vitality of the businesses in the area, and the quality of life of the watershed’s residents. The association’s analysis identified numerous factors of the industrial process and governmental oversight of hydraulic fracturing that need to be improved or corrected in order to reasonably assure Canandaigua Lake watershed’s continuing high water quality and environmental integrity. Among them are the following…” ” (Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association via Messenger Post) (NY)- http://www.mpnnow.com/highlight/x661605532/Guest-essay-Watershed-group-vetoes-hydrofracking “Your Turn #225: “…We supported Governor Cuomo’s efforts to permit hydraulic fracturing upstate under strict regulatory controls, creating thousands of jobs…..But other callers weren’t as agreeable…” ” (Cablevision Editorials Long Island Edition) (NY)- “County commissioners approve gas industry impacts study: “…The possibility that gas industry impact fee revenue will come to Lycoming County has spurred the county commissioners to conduct a study to determine exactly what those impacts are…” ” (Williamsport Sun-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/570011/County-commissioners-approve-gas-industry-impacts-study.html “Maya van Rossum resigns from shale commission: “…Delaware Riverkeeper Network member Maya van Rossum resigned her commission post late last week, citing the panel’s decision not to call for a statewide moratorium on natural gas drilling until regulations can be enacted. Van Rossum said although the commission’s report contained several good recommendations for reforming gas-drilling regulations, it failed to go far enough…” ” (Phillyburbs)- http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44989902/ns/local_news-delaware_valley_pa_nj/t/maya-van-rossum-resigns-shale-commission/ “Delaware Riverkeeper Resigns From Shale Commission: “…“Just last week Philadelphia City Council members unanimously voted to join a lawsuit led by Delaware Riverkeeper Network to compel DRBC to do a comprehensive environmental review before drilling is allowed to proceed in the basin. With all of these facts and such widespread support for the moratorium concept, including from those that testified before the Citizens Commission, how can the Commission say a stay is not palatable? With what we heard from those that did participate in the hearings, myself and my organization simply could not condone or support these major failings,” van Rossum concluded…” ” (North Country Gazette) (PA)- http://www.northcountrygazette.org/2011/10/21/shale_resignation/ “Safety Improvements for Route 220 Intersection: “…Changes are coming to a busy intersection in Lycoming County, changes meant to make it safer…Worth said something needs to be done, especially with the increased amount of traffic on Route 220 due to the growing natural gas industry. “It’s something that really wasn’t planned for. It’s created a lot of situations, Sheetz has compounded that,” said Worth added…” ” (Video, WNEP) (PA)- http://www.wnep.com/wnep-lyc-safety-improvements-for-route-220-intersection-20111021,0,2847867.story “South Fayette may ban explosives: “…South Fayette is considering banning the use of explosives in seismic testing, a natural gas exploration method. Commissioner Deron Gabriel made a motion Monday to advertise a draft ordinance that eliminates all references to explosives — a move he said would have the legal effect of prohibiting them in connection with seismic testing…Neighboring Findlay has banned the use of explosives in connection with seismic testing…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183347-57.stm “Commissioner candidates talk: “…The vote was split on whether the county did enough to prepare its citizens for the impacts of the gas industry. “I don’t think county residents were prepared for it at all,” Mussare said. Larson said the commissioners visited Texas to see how the industry impacted communities in that state. Even then, the speed in which industry-related change occurred locally was much quicker than expected, he said…” ” (Williamsport Sun-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/570010/Commissioner-candidates-talk.html “Shale-gas impact fee won’t do the job: “…Not only would Harrisburg be letting drillers get off without paying a type of tax imposed by every other major drilling state, but even aid meant to cover gas-related impacts could be undercut…” ” (The Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board)- http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq_ed_board/Shale-gas-impact-fee-wont-do-the-job.html & http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-21/news/30305549_1_impact-fee-fee-idea-drillers “When It Comes To An Impact Fee, It’s A House (Caucus) Divided” (NPR) (PA)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/21/when-it-comes-to-an-impact-fee-its-a-house-caucus-divided/ “Oct. 24 PA Environment Digest Now Available” (PA Environment Digest)- http://northcentralpa.com/feeditem/2011-10-21_oct-24-pa-environment-digest-now-available “Before fracking, insist on protections: “…New Jersey environmentalists have said they want Gov. Chris Christie to insist on strict protections for the water supply before agreeing to allow energy companies to beging using the fracking process along the Delaware. We wholeheartedly agree…” ” (Gannett) (New Jersey)- http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111022/NJOPINION0102/310220010/ (Video) “Spectra Public Hearing October 2011: “…October 19, 2011 public hearing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Jersey City, NJ residents concerning proposed Spectra Energy natural gas pipeline…” ” (Video, Jersey City List via Vimeo) (NJ)- http://vimeo.com/30857435 National & International: “10/21/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-21 “Town reports fluid spill at drilling site : “…Cleanup is underway at the scene of a production fluid spill that occurred Thursday morning at the Cummings C gas well pad site in west Flower Mound. Approximately 450 barrels were spilled and 371 barrels were recovered immediately after the spill, which occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids, according to town officials…Meanwhile, town officials have recently received complaints from residents about odors and air quality concerns in the general vicinity of Scenic Drive and FM 1171 where a gas well and compressor site are located…” ” (Texas)- http://crosstimbersgazette.com/local-news/1913-town-reports-fluid-spill-at-drilling-site.html “Fluid spill occurs in west Flower Mound: “…A production fluid spill was discovered at the Cummings C gas well site at approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday. According to town officials, the spill occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids. The operator of the site, Williams Production, reported the spill to the town and the Texas Railroad Commission (TRCC), and immediately began cleanup activities. The town and the TRCC responded to the site, and the required TRCC forms are in the process of being submitted. Williams estimated that approximately 450 barrels were spilled, 371 were recovered immediately after the spill. Impacted soils are required to be removed from the area. There was no surface water impacted from the spill. Cleanup at the site is being monitored, and a complete incident report is required to be submitted to the town within 30 days…” ” (Texas)- http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2011/10/21/flower_mound_leader/news/088.txt (See also “Gas Well Fluid Spill Update”- http://www.flower-mound.com/news/news_detail.php?id=460 ) “Flaring and venting up at home and abroad: “…A recent trip by the Herald to Rocky View County, about 30 kilometres north of the town of Cochrane, where five producers are drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing the Cardium for oil revealed some well-site venting that had one resident worried about air quality. “Condensate is in the air,” lamented rancher Gary Tresidder, who’s worried for the health of his horses already suffering from asthma thanks to airborne dust caused by increased road traffic…” ” (Canada)- http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2011/10/21/flaring-and-venting-up-at-home-and-abroad/ “US to develop natural-gas wastewater standards” (Desalination.Biz)- http://www.desalination.biz/news/news_story.asp?id=6176&channel=0&title=US+to+develop+natural-gas+wastewater+standards “FERC approves Marcellus-Canada natural gas expansions: “…FERC approved National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. and Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. projects that will allow Marcellus Shale gas to move north into Canada as well as supply domestic markets…”The Northern Access Project and the Station 230C Project will make bi-directional flow on National Fuel’s Line X and the jointly-owned NSLL possible, thus enabling National Fuel to provide transportation of natural gas for [Statoil Natural Gas LLC] north to an interconnection with TransCanada at the U.S.-Canada border,” FERC wrote. Some residents filed comments against the pipeline and compression upgrades during the FERC review, but the commission concluded mitigation measures would put to rest their concerns. FERC staff gave the projects a positive environmental review in August…” ” (FIRST ENERCAST FINANCIAL)- http://www.firstenercastfinancial.com/news/story/45420-ferc-approves-marcelluscanada-natural-gas-expansions (See also “Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Access Project and Station 230c Project”- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/04/05/2011-8030/national-fuel-gas-supply-corporation-tennessee-gas-pipeline-company-notice-of-intent-to-prepare-an , “Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Application”- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/04/05/2011-7990/tennessee-gas-pipeline-company-notice-of-application , “Notice of Public Scoping Meeting for the Proposed Northern Access Project”- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/05/25/2011-12892/national-fuel-gas-supply-corporation-notice-of-public-scoping-meeting-for-the-proposed-northern & “Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Access and Station 230C Projects”- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/08/23/2011-21451/national-fuel-gas-supply-corporation-tennessee-gas-pipeline-company-notice-of-availability-of-the ) “Environmental Protection Agency announces plans to regulate water from fracking: “…As wastewater from shale gas and coal-bed methane production is regulated, companies will probably have to process and reuse the water, injecting it again into the well to nudge the gas out, Grumbles said. Once the water can no longer be used, it could potentially be injected into regulated, deep underground storage wells…” ” (Los Angeles Times)- http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-frack-water-20111021,0,6915863.story “EPA Planning Regulations on Wastewater From Shale Gas, Coalbed Methane Wells: “…An association of natural gas exploration and production companies greeted the news of the regulatory plans cautiously…“We are already in contact with the agency and expect to be an active and vocal stakeholder in helping them determine what, if any, additional regulation is necessary and appropriate,” Whitten said…” ” (The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc)- http://www.bna.com/epa-planning-regulations-n12884903952/ “EPA announces plans to regulate “fracking”: “…Environmentalists cheered today’s news. Gas drillers gave a mild grumble. But as Marketplace’s Scott Tong reports from our Sustainability Desk, new rules could actually be a win for industry in the long run…” ” (Audio, American Public Media)- http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/10/21/pm-epa-announces-plans-to-regulate-fracking/ “Promise of federal standards for natural gas wastewater management on the horizon: “…The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced it will develop two standards for discharges of natural gas wastewater into streams and rivers under the Clean Water Act. While NRDC is encouraged that EPA is taking initiative on this crucial issue, these standards are a long time coming, and still a long way from being published. …” ” (NRDC)- http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/amall/this_blog_post_was_co-authored.html “EPA to issue shale gas wastewater regulations” (Gas Daily via Platts)- http://www.plattsenergyweektv.com/story.aspx?storyid=171697&catid=293 “Sierra Club hails pending fracking rules” (UPI)- http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/10/21/Sierra-Club-hails-pending-fracking-rules/UPI-58071319200583/ “Making Fracking Safe in the East and West: “…U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese General Secretary Hu Jintao recognized the importance of shale gas development to their nations by agreeing to the U.S.-China Shale Gas Resource Initiative in November 2009…In sum, the United States and its oil companies should not export hydraulic fracking technology without pairing that technology with safety standards and best environmental practices…” ” (Center for American Progress)- http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/10/china_fracking.html “Natural gas renaissance: “…As head of Spectra Energy Corp., a U.S. natural gas company, Gregory L. Ebel finds himself on the eco-friendly side of the energy debate…British Columbia, for example is a hotbed of activity. We are investing $1.5billion to put in new gas-processing facility. Then there has been an export permit for an LNG facility by the National Energy Board – it will happen by the middle of the decade, between $2-billion to $3-billion, which is great from a jobs perspective. The Southern Hills and Sand Hills pipelines are $4-billion worth of projects, with a 2013-14 time frame to bring natural gas liquids to the Gulf coast – that’s creating a huge uptick in the petrochemicals industry. We are also building a new $900-million pipeline into New Jersey and Manhattan that will come into service in late 2013…” ” (Financial Post)- http://business.financialpost.com/2011/10/21/natural-gas-renaissance/ “Expert Says Quakes in England May Be Tied to Gas Extraction” (The New York Times)- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/science/earth/22fracking.html “In the Barnett Shale, the bloom is off the boom: “…The boom is no more in the Barnett Shale. Drilling in the natural gas-rich North Texas field has sunk to its lowest level in more than seven years and is barely more than one-quarter of its 2008 peak…” ” (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/21/3463350/in-the-barnett-shale-the-bloom.html “Shell plans Kitimat natural gas export plant: “…Shell Canada has joined up with several Asian companies to buy a mothballed industrial plant in Kitimat, B.C., with the aim of using the site to export liquified natural gas to Asia…”We have significant gas operations in B.C. and the LNG exports potential of the West Coast is key to accessing the major markets in the Far East. The Far East is a major growth market,” said Doolan…” ” (CBC News) (Canada)- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/10/21/bc-lng-kitimat.html “Shale gas producers to face new water rules in 2014: “…Companies producing natural gas from shale rocks, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, face additional rules proposed for 2014 on water discharges from the operations, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…The EPA plans a similar rule in 2013 for wastewater from coalbed methane, which is now subject only to state regulation, according to the statement…The planned rulemaking process won’t apply to shale oil, Enesta Jones, an EPA spokeswoman, wrote yesterday…” ” (Bloomberg News via Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)- http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_762961.html “Dome: Meetings on fracking to be held in Raleigh: “…As the state moves forward with its evaluation of fracking – hydraulic fracturing to release underground natural gas – an outside organization will come to Raleigh next week to see how things are shaping up. The public will be permitted to attend the meetings but not speak. Written comments, however, will be accepted…” ” (North Carolina)- http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/21/1583260/meetings-on-fracking-to-be-held.html “$600,000 for Earth/Enviro Sciences: “…LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2011) − University of Kentucky’s Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences (EES), in partnership with UK alumnus Tom Spalding (’80, ’82), accepted a $600,000 gift from Pioneer Natural Resources Company Oct. 20. Spalding is vice president of Pioneer, a large independent oil and gas exploration company based in Dallas, with operations in Texas, Colorado, Alaska and South Africa…Tom [Spalding] and Pioneer want to make sure that we have faculty in these fundamental fields to maintain a pipeline of future earth scientists.”…“[Pioneer] wanted to fund a research professorship related to oil and gas: occurrences, exploration, discovery and development. That’s called stratigraphy,” Moecher explained…” ” (Lab Manager Magazine)- http://www.labmanager.com/?articles.view/articleNo/5928/article/-600-000-for-Earth-Enviro-Sciences “Six-figure salaries, but homeless: “…They’re pulling in fat paychecks, but now they’re also homeless. In the town of Williston, N.D., America’s newest oil boomtown, more than 6,000 job seekers have come from every corner of the country looking for work. Yet, oil companies and other developers haven’t been able to build housing units fast enough…” ” (Video, CNN)- http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/21/pf/america_boomtown_housing/index.htm?source=yahoo_hosted (Video) “Hydraulic Fracturing’s Role in Natural Gas Resource Development” (GeorgiaTech via YouTube)- (See also http://secleanenergy.gatech.edu/?p=580 & http://seminars.gatech.edu/hg_event/71057 ) “Puerto Rico’s Plan for Gas Pipeline Has Many Critics: “…Opponents of the pipeline, led by Casa Pueblo, an environmental group that once blocked mining projects in this area, say a pipeline cutting across mountains and running almost the full length of the tremor- and hurricane-prone tropical island is dangerous…“The impact on the environment, on our rivers, on our communities is enormous,” said Alexis Massol González, the founder of Casa Pueblo. “And there has been very little transparency about how this will be built, what the savings will be and how it will affect Puerto Rico.”…” ” (The New York Times & The Ledger)- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/22/us/puerto-ricos-plan-for-gas-pipeline-has-many-critics.html & http://www.theledger.com/article/20111021/ZNYT02/110213005?Title=Puerto-Rico-x2019-s-Plan-for-Natural-Gas-Pipeline-Has-Many-Critics&p=all “Arkansas Game and Fish Commission News Details 10/21/2011: “…In other business, the Commission:…*Approved up to $1 million to help fund development of a revised state water plan. Money for the plan will come from gas lease revenue. The plan will be developed by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission with input from the AGFC. …” ” (Arkansas)- http://www.agfc.com/Pages/newsDetails.aspx?show=314 “Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler Warns Landowners: Before Signing a Mineral Rights Lease, Check Your Mortgage: “…The Maryland Attorney General issued the following news release: Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler is warning landowners that signing a mineral rights lease could conflict with some requirements of their federally-approved home or farm mortgage. To ensure their homes and farms remain safe from legal entanglements, landowners should always check with their bank or mortgage lender before entering into a mineral rights lease…” ” (Targeted News Service) (Maryland)- http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=289844&type=newswires “Fracking should frighten us, despite the industry platitudes that paper over its dangers: “…More to the point, hydraulic fracturing to extract shale oil and gas is a frightening health threat. Dr. Walter Tsou, past president of the American Public Health Association, told the Philadelphia City Council that “politicians have explicitly avoided the public health question because if they were really confronted with it, they would stop hydraulic fracturing.” The half of 1 percent of fracking fluids that Bishop Jackson claims are “weak salts” and other minerals include carcinogens that are known to be potent even at very low concentrations. Meanwhile, state environmental protection agencies have dwindling resources to document the health threats associated with all aspects of shale gas extraction and to protect our drinking water…” ” (Letter to editor, Maryland)- http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-fracking-dangers-20111021,0,5711996.story “Gas rush leads to lawsuits on older leases/Gas companies battle over lease agreements: “…With companies lining up to become involved in deep-level gas drilling and fracking projects and obtaining gas leases for properties, questions about older signed leases have led to an increase in lawsuits at the Court House…In one case, Summitcrest Inc. of Acker Road, Summitville, is suing Eric Petroleum Corp., Ohio Buckeye Energy and Chesapeake Exploration LLC. Summitcrest has requested the judge order termination of the defendants’ rights to a gas drilling lease…The health department is also starting to get requests from those in areas near potential drilling sites asking for water quality and flow rate tests. Environmental Director Lori Barnes said there are several levels of testing and different fees for the various tests. A basic test costs $210, while the complete testing for various metals and volatile organic chemicals costs $755…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.salemnews.net/page/content.detail/id/547158/Gas-rush-leads-to-lawsuits-on-older-leases.html & http://morningjournalnews.com/page/content.detail/id/535394/Gas-companies-battle-over-lease-agreements.html “Ohio could be at the heart of shale boon: “…STEUBENVILLE – The vice president of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association says recent studies suggest Appalachia’s Marcellus shale, when fully developed, figures to be the second largest natural gas field in the world, even without taking the potential of the much larger underlying Utica shale into account. And that, he said, puts Ohio at the heart of it all. Stewart, guest speaker at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly investor’s luncheon Thursday at the Steubenville Country Club, said a recent study by OOGA’s Education Program suggests that during the next four or five years shale could generate as many as 200,000 jobs…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/565845/Ohio-could-be–at-the-heart–of-shale-boon.html “Foundation for Appalachian Ohio sees shale gas boom as opportunity to build permanent resources” (Ohio)- http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2011/10/foundation_for_appalachian_ohi.html “Ohio’s shale gas and oil could last 30 to 50 years but there is no guarantee of a quick economic boom” (Ohio)- http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2011/10/ohios_shale_gas_and_oil_could.html “Johnson: 204,000 Gas Jobs Headed to Ohio: “…Ohio Oil & Gas Association Executive Vice-President Tom Stewart joined Johnson, noting the jobs should consist of work in the areas of oil and gas production at the well and transmission (pipeline) operations…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/560867/Johnson–204-000-Gas-Jobs-Headed-to-Ohio.html “On Larry Kudlow radio show, Sen. Portman talks Ohio shale gas, stresses its importance to chemistry, creating jobs: “…On the Larry Kudlow Show on WABC Radio last Saturday, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) talked about shale gas and how it can put people to work in Ohio. He noted how America’s chemistry industry uses natural gas and how development of Marcellus Shale resources can help ensure that chemistry jobs stay here in the United States. An American Chemistry Council analysis found that a $3.2 billion investment in an ethylene production complex in Ohio would create more than 17,000 jobs…” ” (American Chemistry Matters) (Ohio)- http://blog.americanchemistry.com/2011/10/on-larry-kudlow-radio-show-sen-portman-talks-ohio-shale-gas-stresses-its-importance-to-chemistry-creating-jobs/ (See also “Shell’s new ethylene cracker in Appalachia may be the first of several” (ICIS)- http://www.icis.com/Articles/2011/08/29/9488406/shells-new-ethylene-cracker-in-appalachia-may-be-the-first-of.html ) “Legislature takes comments on 2012 Energy Plan draft: “…It led Gov. Butch Otter to create the Office of Energy Resources, which laid the groundwork for hundreds of millions of dollars of investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and even research and development when Congress passed the stimulus bill. When that money runs out there no money left and the lawmakers writing the current plan will have to address that. Idaho also has a new natural gas production industry and the plan will likely help guide policy on what may be a major economic opportunity but also has environmental and social challenges for people in the gas fields…” ” (Idaho Statesman)- http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2011/10/21/rockybarker/legislature_takes_comments_2012_energy_plan_draft (See also “DRAFT 2012 Energy Plan” (Idaho Legislative Council’s Interim Energy, Environment and Technology Committee)- http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2011/interim/energy1020_draftplan.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3cej8nw ) “Sand mining debate moves south to Winona: “…But in some areas of southeastern Minnesota, the sand is buried deep in the ground and the process of extracting that sand has met with environmental and health concerns. Earlier this year, Goodhue and Wabasha counties put a moratorium on sand mining mines…” ” (MPR News)- http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/statewide/archive/2011/10/sand-mining-debate-moves-south-to-winona.shtml “SE Minnesota residents not digging the ‘sand rush’: “…”I’m not against people making money, but we need to observe the rights of the rest of the citizens of the county,” Barb Nelson of Lewiston, said, after describing a talc-like powder on her furniture near another sand-mining operation. “That’s the cancer-causing silica,” another speaker told her. “It goes into your lungs.”…” ” (Minnesota Public Radio)- http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/archive/2011/10/frac_sand_mining_is_to.shtml “Maryland Governor Wants Wind, Solar Power to Compete With Gas” (BusinessWeek)- http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-21/maryland-governor-wants-wind-solar-power-to-compete-with-gas.html “State, federal agencies look to reduce pollution from fracking: “…The state Department of Natural Resources and the federal Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced steps aimed at assuring that the public is informed of what chemicals are used in the hydraulic fracturing process for extracting natural gas from shale and that production wastewater is disposed in a safe manner…Operators are required to file the reports, which will be public record, with the Office or Conservation or assign them to a public registry, such as FracFocus at www.fracfocus.org…” ” (Gannett) (Louisiana)- http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/110210315/ & www.theadvertiser.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/110210338/ (See also “New hydraulic fracturing regulation requires work permit, disclosure of fluids in Louisiana” (Louisiana Department of Natural Resources )- http://www.pennenergy.com/index/petroleum/display/5558175063/articles/pennenergy/petroleum/exploration/2011/10/new-hydraulic_fracturing.html , “Frequently Asked Questions | FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry: “…What chemicals are being disclosed on this website? All chemicals that would appear on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that are used to hydraulically fracture a well except for those that can be kept proprietary based on the “Trade Secret” ‡ provisions related to MSDS found on the Trade Secret link at 1910.1200(i)(1)…” ” (FrackFocus.org)- http://fracfocus.org/faq & ” “Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation Operations (LAC 43:XIX.118): “…7. Notwithstanding paragraph (4), if the specific identity of a chemical ingredient and the chemical ingredient’s associated CAS number are claimed to be trade secret, or have been finally determined to be entitled to protection as a trade secret under 29 C.F.R. Section 1910.1200(i), the entity entitled to make such a claim may withhold the specific identity of the chemical ingredient and the chemical ingredients associated CAS number from the list required by paragraph (4). If the entity entitled to make such a claim elects to withhold that information, the report must: a. disclose the chemical family associated with the ingredient; and b. include a statement that a claim of trade secret protection has been made by the entity entitled to make such a claim. c. An operator will not be responsible for reporting information that is not provided to them due to a claim of trade secret protection by the entity entitled to make such a claim…” ” (Page 2290 of Louisiana Register Vol. 37, No. 7 July 20, 2011)- http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1107/1107.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3u7usfu ) “Could an earthquake hit Austin? KVUE meteorologist Albert Ramon explains : ‘…Experts say these two quakes are most likely due to the exploration and extraction of natural gas. Although the act of drilling does not induce earthquakes, the extraction, or pumping of fluids at oil and gas fields can…” ” (Texas)- http://www.kvue.com/news/Albert-Ramon-explains-Texas-earthquakes-132307928.html “Cancer rates in Barnett Shale climb, residents want: “…People still living in the area surrounding Squibb’s old neighborhood in Wellington Estates in Flower Mound are concerned about possible cancer clusters, after a string of leukemia cases in children and breast cancer in women. Residents wonder if the danger isn’t just down the street, where there is natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale. State air testing near some natural gas facilities revealed high levels of benzene, a cancer-causing toxin. “People are getting sick and it doesn’t matter what color they are or their economic situation,” Sharon Wilson, organizer with the Texas Oil & Gas Accountability Project, said. The blogger believes that chemicals used in the drilling process may be playing a role in the spike in cancer rates. She wants the state to better investigate a possible connection. “The thing that all of these people have in common is oil and gas drilling in their neighborhood.” But Texas health officials haven’t found a link…” ” (Video, KDAF) (Texas)- http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-calls-to-invesigate-cancer-cases-in-barnet-shale-story,0,5969894.story “Council approves new ordinance: “…Companies hoping to profit from natural gas reserves in the Barnett Shale beneath Southlake will face tougher regulations in the future after the the city approved a new ordinance this week…At more than 70 pages long, the new ordinance focuses heavily on environmental, safety and aesthetic regulations…” ” (Texas)- http://impactnews.com/grapevine-colleyville-southlake/583-news/15377-council-approves-new-ordinance “Oil and gas leases, drought among topics for 2011 South Texas Farm and Ranch Show: “…“Oil and gas activity in this area has been booming, so we’ll be offering advice to landowners on how to successfully navigate lease negotiations and pipeline easements,” said Joe Janak, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in Victoria County. Leading that discussion will be Judon Fambrough, an attorney with the Texas Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, Janak said…” ” (Texas)- http://agrilife.org/today/2011/10/21/south-texas-farm-show/ “Delight at refusal of shale gas test drilling/Controversial bid to test drill for shale gas in South Wales rejected by Vale of Glamorgan councillors: “…Campaigners who fought plans to test drill at the Llandow Industrial Estate, in the Vale of Glamorgan, were last night celebrating a resounding victory. Councillors unanimously refused plans by Bridgend-based Coastal Oil and Gas to test drill for gas at the estate…” ” (United Kingdom)- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/barry/2011/10/21/delight-at-refusal-of-shale-gas-test-drilling-91466-29633942/ & http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/10/20/controversial-bid-to-test-drill-for-shale-gas-in-south-wales-rejected-by-vale-of-glamorgan-councillors-91466-29633502/ “Residents find being proactive key to minimizing oil and gas headaches: “…Residents of Peakview Estates learned proactivity was the best method for dealing with the oil and gas industry when one company decided to drill under their homes…” ” (Gannett) (Colorado)- http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20111021/WINDSORBEACON01/110210304 “Well, well, well… But in suburban Arapahoe County?: “…Neighbors of the Gun Club Estates in Arapahoe County are concerned about their future as a Texas-based oil company begins implementing a plan to drill up to 36 wells in a 30-square-mile plot of land in eastern Aurora. The neighbors are calling on county and state officials to implement regulations that at the very least require significant setback laws so that the drilling does not occur in their backyards…” ” (Colorado)- http://coloradostatesman.com/content/993102-well-well-well “Helms urges southwest to prepare for wave of oil production: “…North Dakota’s Department of Mineral Resources director looks north and sees something like a tsunami heading toward the agrarian countryside of Hettinger County and the deep southwest of North Dakota. It’s not that far off, and oil development will come over the countryside in a wave that will overwhelm people if they don’t get ready now. “That’s why we’re here. We don’t want you to get blown away like some of your sister cities have,”…” ” (North Dakota)- http://bismarcktribune.com/helms-urges-southwest-to-prepare-for-wave-of-oil-production/article_5f005718-fc1b-11e0-b4fd-001cc4c03286.html “New York company proposes natural gas plant in Troutdale: “…A well-financed New York energy developer wants to build a natural gas power plant to serve Portland General Electric customers…” ” (Oregon)- http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/10/new-york-company-proposes-natural-gas.html “Former Texas mayor to talk about shale gas: “…The former mayor of Dish, Texas, is in Fredericton Saturday to share his experiences with shale gas exploration. Calvin Tillman says the shale gas process started in Texas not too far from his town…And Tillman says there’s another issue people may not have thought about…Tillman says whether you are for or against the activity, you should attend his presentation Saturday afternoon at UNB. He says we need to understand the sales pitch is coming from an industry that will make big bucks, but he says there’s no hurry, so we need to make sure it’s done safely, correctly and respectfully….” ” (Audio, KHJ) (Canada)- http://www.khj.ca/channels/news/Story.aspx?ID=1559644 “Shale gas opponent from Texas in NB this weekend: “…MONCTON, N.B.- The former mayor of a small Texas town and an opponent of shale gas exploration is telling New Brunswickers his story this weekend. Calvin Tillman moved his family out of DISH, Texas several months ago because of air, water, and health concerns over hyrdrofracking in the town…” ” (Canada)- http://www.news919.com/news/local/article/290913–shale-gas-opponent-from-texas-in-nb-this-weekend “Liquid nitrogen in high demand for fracking process: “…Air Liquide Canada, a producer of industrial gases, opens western Canadian centre in Sherwood Park…” ” (Canada)- http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Liquid+nitrogen+high+demand+fracking+process/5589882/story.html & http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Liquid+nitrogen+high+demand+extraction+process/5589965/story.html “Eight kilometre well part of Encana update: “…“At Bighorn (in west central Alberta), we drilled our longest horizontal well to date during the quarter,” he said Thursday during the third-quarter 2011 call, describing an eight-kilometre long hole in the ground…” ” (Canada)- http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2011/10/21/eight-kilometre-well-part-of-encana-update/ “Assembly gas drilling guidance call over Vale rejection: “…More guidance is needed from the Welsh government over the decision whether to allow test drilling for shale gas, says a council leader…” ” (BBC) (United Kingdom)- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-15399052 & http://www.digitalhen.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-15399052 “NSW Lib warns of scare campaign against coal-seam gas: “…Farming and environmental groups opposed to CSG – which operates by pumping water into underground coal seams, depressurising them and extracting gas – have warned of risks to groundwater supplies and prime agricultural land. But Mr MacDonald, the party’s former country vice-president in NSW, said there was no data to support claims CSG is threatening agricultural production…” ” (Australia)- http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/nsw-lib-warns-of-scare-campaign-against-coal-seam-gas/story-fn59niix-1226173570571 “Origin Energy defends coal seam gas: “…Origin Energy chief Grant King has defended the coal seam gas industry after coming under criticism from broadcaster Alan Jones…” ” (Video, Australian Broadcasting Corporation)- http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/business/items/201110/s3344739.htm “BHP promotes ‘safer’ shale gas” (Australia)- http://www.smh.com.au/business/bhp-promotes-safer-shale-gas-20111021-1mcf9.html

MarcellusGasInfo Texas: “Fluid spill occurs in west Flower Mound”

http://www.courier-gazette.com/articles/2011/10/21/flower_mound_leader/news/088.txt Fluid spill occurs in west Flower Mound From staff reports Published: Friday, October 21, 2011 3:56 PM CDT A production fluid spill was discovered at the Cummings C gas well site at approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday. According to town officials, the spill occurred due to a failed weld in a line transporting fluids. The operator of the site, Williams Production, reported the spill to the town and the Texas Railroad Commission (TRCC), and immediately began cleanup activities. The town and the TRCC responded to the site, and the required TRCC forms are in the process of being submitted. Williams estimated that approximately 450 barrels were spilled, 371 were recovered immediately after the spill. Impacted soils are required to be removed from the area. There was no surface water impacted from the spill. Cleanup at the site is being monitored, and a complete incident report is required to be submitted to the town within 30 days.

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-20-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/427-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-20-11-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-20-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: (Event) “Pennsylvania Dairy Farmers Discuss Gas Drilling Fracking Deposit New York 10/23: “…Two Pennsylvania dairy farmers, Carol French and Carolyn Knapp, will describe their experiences after having leased their property for gas extraction at a public meeting, “Neighbor to Neighbor: Living the Drill”, to be held Sunday, October 23 at 2 pm in the State Theatre, 148 Front Street, Deposit, New York Landowners who have leased for gas drilling, those contemplating doing so, as well as the general public, elected officials and the press are invited to the presentation…” ” (NOFA-NY Catskill/Hudson Region)- http://nofanycatskillhudson.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/pennsylvania-dairy-farmers-discuss-gas-drilling-fracking-deposit-new-york-1023/ (See also http://links.chkenergy.org/servlet/MailView?ms=MzcyNTA0NTAS1&r=NTgzMDA0NTA1NAS2 ) (Directions- http://g.co/maps/a467n ) “DEP: Cabot OK to stop Dimock water deliveries: “…The approval, 24 hours after the natural gas driller asked to halt the deliveries, shocked the residents who have relied on the water for drinking and washing for nearly three years while regulators determined that faulty Cabot gas wells allowed methane to seep into their water…Ms. Gresh, the DEP spokeswoman, said Wednesday that if a water well is vented, as most in Dimock are, “it does not pose an explosive problem” if methane is concentrated there at combustible levels. She said water-quality data provided by a Cabot contractor that shows persistently high or surging methane in several Dimock wells “is a factor we will consider, but it is not the only factor” in determining whether and when Cabot can resume operations. “Other factors include Cabot’s compliance with the Dec. 2010 (consent order) and the information they provided in response to our May 9 letter,” she said…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/dep-cabot-ok-to-stop-dimock-water-deliveries-1.1220855 , http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid=%7B53e01e83-3014-4061-a628-97194226de7f%7D , http://www.sectorspdr.com/news/?do=newsStory&stype=db&newsID=9044435 & http://www.citiadr.idmanagedsolutions.com/news/global_story.idms?type=scrolling&ID_NEWS=209151478 “A Guide To Dimock’s Water Problems: “…Yesterday, we told you about the Department of Environmental Protection’s ruling that Cabot Oil and Gas no longer needs to supply waterto residents of Dimock, Susquehanna County Looking for background information on Dimock and its methane migration problems?…” ” (NPR)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/20/a-guide-to-dimocks-water-problems/ “EPA plans to regulate frack water: “…The average hydraulic fracturing well in the Marcellus Shale uses about 4.5 million gallons of water, Tom Beauduy, deputy executive director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, testified Thursday. The commission’s monitoring shows that, so far, “water quality is staying with normal limits,” Beauduy said. In an interview following Thursday’s hearing, Beauduy predicted the proposed EPA regulation would have “very little applicability in our basin” because very little of the flow-back water there is sent to wastewater treatment facilities. The Susquehanna River Basin stretches from Cooperstown to the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay. Most of the flow-back water that isn’t reused is shipped to Ohio for injection into deep wells, Beauduy said…” ” (Gannett) (NY)- http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20111020/NEWS01/110200448/ “Environmental Advocates of New York Commends US EPA for Setting Standards for Fracking Waste Disposal” (Environmental Advocates of New York)- http://readme.readmedia.com/Environmental-Advocates-of-New-York-Commends-US-EPA-for-Setting-Standards-for-Fracking-Waste-Disposal/3069192 “EPA to Establish Rules For Fracking Wastewater: “…But, fracking supporters questioned the need for of government involvement. Kathryn Klaber, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group active in the Northeast U.S., said, “This is yet another Washington solution in search of a problem, as treated Marcellus water in Pennsylvania is no longer discharged into surface waters,” Klaber said in a statement…” ” (WNYC)- http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/oct/20/epa-will-set-standards-disposal-fracking-fluids/ “EPA to set standards for wastewater from gas wells: “…After the DEP asked drillers in May to voluntarily stop disposal of drilling wastewater at sewage and wastewater treatment plants, the EPA responded by directing DEP to require, not ask, that drillers comply and to increase its water sampling near those plants. It also sought further details directly from drillers about their wastewater management practices…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183594-100.stm & http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5491958/epa-to-set-standards-for-wastewater-from-gas-wells “Industry representatives say DEC hydrofracking rules may keep drillers out: “…ALBANY — While scores of environmental groups have loudly expressed their concerns with the state’s proposed rules for shale-gas drilling, industry representatives are making clear they aren’t pleased, either…” ” (Gannett) (NY)- www.pressconnects.com/article/20111020/NEWS01/110200409 & www.stargazette.com/article/20111020/NEWS01/110200409 “UGI To Invest $150 Mln In Marcellus Gas-Gathering System: “…UGI Corp. (UGI)’s midstream and energy-marketing unit plans to spend about $150 million to expand its natural-gas gathering system in Pennsylvania’s increasingly productive Marcellus shale region. Stepped-up natural gas production from the Marcellus play and other North American shale rock formations has kept natural gas prices low, but has also boosted revenue for midstream energy companies like UGI, which continue to make money transporting more gas regardless of its price. Chairman and Chief Executive Lon R. Greenberg said the company’s latest investment will give Marcellus shale-area producers multiple avenues to move their natural gas to market. “Our expanded Auburn Gathering System will enhance our ability to bring plentiful, competitively priced, locally produced gas to consumers in Pennsylvania and throughout the Northeast,” Greenberg said. The investment will extend UGI’s Auburn gathering system 30 miles from its terminus in Wyoming County to Luzerne County and also connect to the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline. The company expects to finish the extension in the summer of 2013. A portion of the Auburn gathering system has already been placed into service, moving gas produced by Citrus Energy Appalachia LLC…” ” (Dow Jones via The Wall Street Journal)- http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20111020-719074.html “Could fracking waste water go to Falls?: “…With the decline of chemical plants in the Falls, the Water Board says it now has a lot of capacity for treating wastewater that is going unused. Officials say they can put the treatment plant to good use cleaning up wastewater from hydrofracking operations in New York, but residents and environmentalists are skeptical…” ” (Video, WIVB) (NY)- http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/niagara/Could-fracking-waste-water-go-to-Falls “Home to Love Canal, birthplace of Superfund: Niagara Falls, NY, mulls treating fracking waste: “…NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — The city that put Love Canal and Superfund in the environmental lexicon may get back into the business of dealing with toxic stew: It’s considering whether to truck in and treat wastewater left over from a natural gas drilling technique that involves pumping chemical-laced water into the earth…” ” (AP) (NY)- http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Love-Canal-to-fracking-Niagara-Falls-mulls-waste-2227476.php , http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/6a04a59c72344063a3453584f13b4841/Gas-Drilling-Frackwater/ , http://online.wsj.com/article/AP6a04a59c72344063a3453584f13b4841.html , http://www.steubencourier.com/topstories/x888171740/Niagara-Falls-mulls-going-into-wastewater-business & http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/21/3220402/niagara-falls-mulls-going-into.html “Hydrofracking deadline likely to be missed: “… A state advisory panel on hydrofracking in New York may not meet its initial November deadline to report on potential fees to charge gas drillers and impacts of the controversial process on the state. Rob Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York and a member of the Cuomo administration’s environmental department’s fracking advisory committee, said he’s been told to expect to attend meetings until the end of January, which could delay the initial November 1 timetable for the committee to report. Moore said several other state agencies that need to provide input on how to structure potential fees for gas drillers and other impacts were not yet prepared to do so. A meeting that was planned for October 14 was cancelled. “You have four of the five agencies involved in this that were clearly caught flat-footed,” Moore said…” ” (WNYC) (NY)- http://empire.wnyc.org/2011/10/hydrofracking-deadline-likely-to-be-missed/ “Ithaca Advances Plan to Prohibit Fracking: “…The committee voted to follow in the path of the Town of Ithaca and extend the ban to the City of Ithaca. The Town of Ithaca blocked the practice on its land on July 11. Three other Tompkins County towns — Danby, Dryden and Ulysses — have also passed resolutions since July…” ” (The Cornell Daily Sun) (NY)- http://www.cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2011/10/20/ithaca-advances-plan-prohibit-fracking “Naples village bans hydrofracking for one year: “…Naples, N.Y. — The Village Board last night unanimously passed a moratorium prohibiting hydrofracking in the village and is urging the Town Board to follow suit with a temporary ban on the controversial natural gas drilling method. The local law keeping hydrofracking out of the village for one-year is a crucial step, said Village Board member Mark Donadio. The gas industry is putting a lot of money and energy into slick promotion of hydrofracking and lining up leases in preparation for when the drilling technique is allowed in New York, he said…” ” (Messenger Post)- http://www.mpnnow.com/ontario_county/x319039033/Naples-village-bans-hydrofracking-for-one-year “Bethel pledges to collect $25,000 fine, battle continues over Yasgur’s Farm events: “…Zoning and gas drilling: Also at the meeting, Sturm said the proposed zoning amendment, which would ban high impact industrial activities in the town, including gas drilling, was too broad and needed to be reviewed. He said, for instance, that banning all industrial activity was not necessarily the best fit for the Town of Bethel. He appointed a zoning review committee to take another look at the amendment, which was prepared pro bono by lawyers and gas drilling activists Helen and David Slottje, and to suggest changes to the town board, which would then vote on whether to accept them. Sturm made clear, however, that gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing would continue to be banned from the entire town…” ” (River Reporter) (NY)- http://www.riverreporteronline.com/news/14/2011/10/19/bethel-pledges-collect-25000-fine-battle-continues-over-yasgur%E2%80%99s-farm-events “FOIL seeks Cuomo meetings with Indian Point, shale gas interests: “…An environmental and food safety advocacy group is using the state Freedom of Information Law to uncover the history of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s meetings on natural gas hydraulic fracturing and the Indian Point nuclear power reactor. The Washington, D.C.-based Food & Water Watch filed its request Thursday for written records kept by the governor concerning meetings that dealt with hydrofracking and the nuclear power plant that supplies New York City…” ” (Albany Times Union)- http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/FOIL-seeks-Cuomo-meetings-with-Indian-Point-2229087.php “Pure Waters wants more ’fracking comment time: “…SLWPA is requesting the extension in order to allow volunteer organizations and the public at large to respond to this collection of interrelated documents in a responsible way. “It is virtually impossible to do this on the short timetable that the DEC has set,” the group noted…” ” (Finger Lakes Times) (NY)- http://www.fltimes.com/news/local/article_167c1614-fb33-11e0-88e2-001cc4c002e0.html , http://tinyurl.com/3cbare2 & http://senecalake.org/uploads/FLT-SLPWA_Wants_More_Fracking_Comment_Time.pdf “Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association urges Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Martens to extend comment period for drilling regulations: “…On behalf of the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association I am requesting that you and Commissioner Martens extend the length of the public comment period on what many consider to the biggest challenge to the environment…” ” (Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association)- http://senecalake.org/uploads/SLPWA_News_Media_Pak101911.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3ed2k2p “Hydrofracking: hot topic: “…What is fracking, and how does it affect families in the Rochester area? Hundreds of people turned out for a panel discussion Sunday at Temple B’rith Kodesh, on Elmwood Avenue, to find out…” ” (Examiner) (NY) – http://www.examiner.com/natural-family-living-in-rochester/hydrofracking-hot-topic “Woes in fine print in drill leases: “…More generally, bankers are concerned because many leases allow drillers to operate in ways that violate rules in landowners’ mortgages. These rules also require homeowners to get permission from their mortgage banker before they sign a lease — a fact that most landowners do not know…” ” (Albany Times Union)- http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Woes-in-fine-print-in-drill-leases-2227297.php “Increase In Truck Traffic Through Downtown Elmira (VIDEO): “…Public Works director Andy Avery attributes the increase to work on Route 17 and the natural gas boom in the Northern Tier. He says a lot of the trucks using Clemens Center Parkway aren’t supposed to…” ” (Video, WENY) (NY)- http://www.weny.com/News-Local.asp?ARTICLE3864=9162152 “Lower Hudson Valley Legislators Ranked for Support of Environmental Bills: “…An annual voters guide published by an environmental group outlines how state legislators voted on environmental issues last session…” ” (Patch) (NY)- http://rye.patch.com/articles/lower-hudson-valley-legislators-ranked-for-support-of-environmental-bills “Letter: Canandaigua Lake watershed deserves equal protection: “…Canandaigua Lake has a very high-quality water supply (rated Class AA) with the same rudimentary precautions as the NYC and Syracuse water supplies. The lake provides drinking water for more than 60,000 people. If the lake’s water were to be polluted by hydrofracking chemicals or sludgy, radioactive, salt water brine (brought up from underground), the water would then be rendered unusable for humans or domestic animals. By giving NYC and Syracuse watersheds special protections, the DEC is implicitly admitting that the hydrofracking process is inherently unsafe, and is denying New Yorkers equal protection of the law…” ” (Letter to editor, Messenger Post) (NY)- http://www.greecepost.com/highlight/x319040302/Letter-Canandaigua-lake-watershed-deserves-equal-protection “Environmental Protection staffer explains changes: “…According to Dan Vilello, community relations and revitalization consultant with the DEP’s northcentral region office, two of those changes focus on issues near to the hearts of central Pennsylvanians: Natural gas and water…The Bureau of Oil and Gas has been changed to the Office of Oil and Gas Management, which will allow more consistency with how the agency’s oversees and enforces oil and gas development in the state. Vilello said the change elevates the former bureau to the same level of importance as the agency’s Office of Minerals Resources Management…” ” (Williamsport Sun-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/569977/Environmental-Protection-staffer-explains-changes.html “Harveys Lake lays down law for oil, gas companies: “…Harveys Lake council unanimously passed an ordinance regulating all things oil and natural gas-related, from drilling to pipelines…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://citizensvoice.com/news/harveys-lake-lays-down-law-for-oil-gas-companies-1.1220608 “Independence moves to regulate gas drillers: “…As Range Resources prepares to explore the Marcellus shale natural gas deposits beneath Independence Township, the township supervisors are preparing to adopt an ordinance that will regulate the extraction process. The supervisors plan a public hearing on the proposed ordinance at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 and will consider adoption at the regular monthly meeting that will take place immediately after the hearing…” ” (Beaver County Times) (PA)- http://www.timesonline.com/news/independence-moves-to-regulate-gas-drillers/article_09e5b9c6-a1ee-565d-9a01-3e1b79481262.html “South Fayette Manager May Take Gas Drilling Job: “…The manager of an Allegheny County township engaged in a major legal battle with Range Resources is stepping down…to possibly take a job in the natural gas industry…” ” (NPR) (PA)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/20/south-fayette-manager-may-take-gas-drilling-job/ “South Fayette manager resigns amid controversy over Marcellus Shale: “…His departure comes amid the township’s battle over Marcellus Shale development and the legal challenge by gas firm Range Resources of the municipality’s natural gas drilling regulations. MarkWest is a strategic partner with Range Resources…Mr. Hoy could become the second township administrator to resign this year to take a job with MarkWest Liberty, an affiliate of drilling firms Range Resources and Chesapeake Energy that processes and transports natural gas extracted from the Marcellus Shale…Over the past couple of years, he has helped to develop the township’s drilling and processing regulations as well as a proposed overlay plan that would have expanded the areas where drilling is permitted…”I wish the community the best,” he said…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183348-57.stm “Showdown over drilling seen in South Fayette case: “…More than 250 people attended opening night of the biggest show in South Fayette last week: the Range Resources challenge of the township’s drilling law. In what’s being viewed as a test case for the limits of local regulation, the natural gas firm contends South Fayette’s ordinance is so strict that, in effect, it prevents drilling from occurring in the township at all…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183362-57.stm “CW Court candidates spar in forum: “…The two candidates vying for an open seat on the Commonwealth Court traded barbs during a forum this morning over their respective backgrounds and what those anecdotes say about how they would craft opinions…The two women are competing for the open judge seat on the state appellate court tasked with hearing legal disputes involving government entities. They noted the breadth of the court’s docket, which ranges from labor matters to zoning conflicts as well as environmental issues involving Marcellus Shale gas drilling…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://earlyreturns.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/early-returns-20/53-post-gazette-staff/3492-cw-court-candidates-spar-in-forum “State police solicit concerns in Burrell Township: “…In other business, the supervisors also received correspondence from MDS Energy, Ltd., of Kittanning, notifying them that the company would be submitting permit applications to the state Department of Environmental Protection in order to drill Marcellus Shale wells in the township. The state requires that municipalities be notified by companies interested in drilling before a water management plan is submitted as part of the gas well permit application…” ” (Blairsville Dispatch) (PA)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/blairsvilledispatch/s_762914.html “Report: Economic Consequences of Marcellus Shale Gas Extraction: “…As you will see in the report, the consequences that should concern us all go well beyond environmental concerns, and their economic implications include costs as well as benefits. On balance, is shale gas extraction likely to be an economic winner? Not necessarily. We conclude that while there are real economic benefits for some parties, if shale gas extraction is to be at all a positive force for economic development broadly and long term, it will require intensive planning and a new structure of regulation, monitoring and enforcement – along with the means to pay for it – that are not currently in place…” ” (Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University)- http://www.fractracker.org/?p=1094 & http://solomonswords.blogspot.com/2011/10/cornell-projects-marcellus-shale.html?m=1 (See also “Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling“- http://www.greenchoices.cornell.edu/development/marcellus/ ) “Peters Township to Test Natural Gas Vehicles: “…Representatives from Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and North Strabane met Wednesday with Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PRCC) to kick off a study to determine the feasibility of converting municipal vehicle fleets to alternative fuels…PRCC is the recipient of a grant from the Heinz Endowments to cover the cost of the study, which will be performed by Life Cycle Engineering, Inc., and P.C. McKenzie. While the outcome of the study is to be a guide for the conversion of the participants’ municipal fleets, it will also serve as a roadmap for municipalities throughout western Pennsylvania for fleet conversion. Jan Lauer, president of PRCC, indicated that PRCC chose to work with these South Hills municipalities given their proximity to the Marcellus Shale gas activity and the professional nature in which the communities are governed. PRCC believes that these communities can serve as a model for municipalities throughout western Pennsylvania when it comes to conversion to alternative fuels for their fleets…” ” (Patch) (PA)- http://peters.patch.com/articles/xx-fcf57dad “Corbett Administration Shifting Focus of Clean Energy Grants: “…The Authority is giving $500,000 to Pittsburgh, to purchase two natural gas-fueled garbage trucks…PEDA is also giving $250,000 to a Bedford County health center, to help purchase a natural gas-powered heating system…” ” (NPR) (PA)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/20/corbett-administration-shifting-focus-of-clean-energy-grants/ “Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Cawley Says Marcellus Shale Creating Jobs in Mount Joy: “…In July, the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission – led by Cawley – unanimously approved and sent 96 recommendations to the governor for responsible natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, Governor Corbett unveiled his natural gas plan, which is based largely on these recommendations…” ” (Pennsylvania Office of the Lieutenant Governor via PRNewswire via COMTEX) (PA)- http://www.marketwatch.com/story/pennsylvania-lt-governor-cawley-says-marcellus-shale-creating-jobs-in-mount-joy-2011-10-20 “Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy Against Natural Gas Pipeline: “…JERSEY CITY, NJ (WCBS 880) – A natural gas pipeline bound for Manhattan is planned to go under parts of Hudson County and both supporters and opponents got to voice their opinions at a meeting in Jersey City on Wednesday night…” ” (Audio, WCBS) (New Jersey)- http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/20/jersey-city-mayor-jerramiah-healy-aganist-natural-gas-pipeline/ “Fracking opponents urge Chris Christie to prevent natural gas drilling: “…Christie has a seat on the Delaware River Basin Commission, as do the governors of three other basin states: Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York…“As one of the five voting members, Gov. Christie can decide: Is he going to stand up for clean water? Is he going to stand up for clean energy and insist that renewables and energy efficiencies are good for New Jersey instead of drilling for gas in our watershed?” Carluccio said. “Or is he going to lay down with industry and let this gas drilling move ahead?”…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111020/NJNEWS/310200055/Enviros-urging-gov-to-oppose-gas-drilling National & International: “10/20/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-20 “CETA: A threat to local democracy: “…Europe is also in a race with China to nail down access to raw resources such as Canada’s fish, potash, natural gas, forests, and minerals and will gain permanent access to these resources through an “investor-state” provision of CETA that will give European corporations the right to sue Canadian governments if they try to interfere with their “right to profit.”…” ” (Canada)- http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/maude-barlow/2011/10/ceta-threat-local-democracy “Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews; Correction of Comment Period Closing Date: “…The EPA is announcing that the period for providing public comments on the August 23, 2011, “Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews,” closes on October 31, 2011. This notice does not address the requests the EPA has received for extending this period…” ” (Environmental Protection Agency via Federal Register)- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/10/20/2011-27237/oil-and-natural-gas-sector-new-source-performance-standards-and-national-emission-standards-for “ANGA Comments on EPA Schedule to Develop Natural Gas Wastewater Standards: “…“Like all oversight of natural gas development, wastewater disposal is actively regulated at the state level. ANGA continues to believe that state regulatory professionals are best qualified to assess the unique geological characteristics of the shale plays in their region and the appropriate water disposal requirements that arise from those conditions. As EPA officials move forward we encourage them to partner with the states and take into serious consideration state regulators’ existing on-the-ground expertise and ongoing oversight activities…” ” (America’s Natural Gas Alliance)- http://www.pennymotion.com/oil-energy-news/anga-comments-on-epa-schedule-to-develop-natural-gas-wastewater-standards/ “EPA launches rule governing natural gas well water: “…The EPA said that it has reviewed data from states and other sources that show “elevated levels of pollutants entering surface waters as a result of inadequate treatment at facilities.” Those materials can include naturally occurring radium, bromide, and other toxic or radioactive substances that can be pulled out of the ground when water is produced at natural gas wells. Typically with other sectors, industrial wastewater is pre-treated before it is sent to municipal treatment facilities, lest contaminants damage the facilities (risking the release of raw sewage) or remain in the fluid even when it is ultimately discharged into waterways. “There really isn’t good treatment available for some of the things that are in the wastewater” from natural gas drilling, said Cynthia Dougherty, director of the EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on the issue this afternoon. “This is an issue we’ve been working on, particularly with Pennsylvania, because there were a number of sewage treatment plants (there) that were being asked to take the water.”…” ” (FuelFix)- http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/10/20/epa-launches-rules-governing-natural-gas-well-water/ “EPA Plans to Issue Rules Covering Fracking Wastewater: “…The EPA has the authority to issue permits for such discharges, but current rules allow shale gas drillers to pass their waste through public sewage plants even if those plants are not equipped to remove pollutants. (There are currently no rules covering wastewater from coalbed methane drilling, a type of gas production that drills into coal seams, so those wastes can be discharged without treatment.)…” ” (ProPublica)- http://www.propublica.org/article/epa-plans-to-issue-rules-covering-fracking-wastewater “Fracking Wastewater Disposal To Be Regulated, EPA Says” (AP)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/epa-regulation-frack-wastewater_n_1022469.html & http://www.salon.com/2011/10/20/epa_to_regulate_disposal_of_fracking_wastewater/ “U.S. EPA developing wastewater rules for shale gas: “…”The EPA isn’t the thing operators should worry about,” Book said. “The headline risk from federal water regulations is likely to be a footnote to state rules likely to already be in place.”…” ” (Reuters)- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/20/us-usa-fracking-epa-idUSTRE79J7RY20111020 “US to set water pollution standards for ‘fracking’ “ (AFP)- http://www.france24.com/en/20111020-us-set-water-pollution-standards-fracking “EPA to regulate disposal of hydraulic fracturing wastewater: “…In Colorado, where regulators have been working through a backlog of old spill enforcement cases, officials have said disclosure of fracking fluid chemicals won’t necessarily stop accidental leaks associated with faulty pipelines, well casings or pit liners meant to keep fluids stored for reuse from leaking into groundwater…” ” (The American Independent News Network)- http://www.americanindependent.com/200432/epa-to-regulate-disposal-of-hydraulic-fracturing-wastewater & http://coloradoindependent.com/103545/epa-to-regulate-disposal-of-hydraulic-fracturing-wastewater (See also “Natural gas industry regulators, officials say fracking chemical disclosure won’t stop spills”- http://coloradoindependent.com/87978/natural-gas-industry-regulators-officials-say-fracking-chemical-disclosure-wont-stop-spills ) “EPA to set standards for natural gas wastewater: “…The risk is that contaminants – including naturally occurring radium and other toxic substances pulled out of the ground – may never be removed before water is discharged into rivers that supply drinking water. Cynthia Dougherty, director of the EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, said the contaminants also can damage treatment plants, threatening the release of raw sewage into local waterways. “There really isn’t good treatment available for some of the things that are in the wastewater” from natural gas drilling, Dougherty told the Senate energy panel…” ” (Houston Chronicle)- http://www.chron.com/business/article/EPA-to-set-standards-for-natural-gas-wastewater-2228956.php , http://tinyurl.com/3lb9mdw , http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/10/20/epa-launches-rules-governing-natural-gas-well-water/ & http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/10/20/epa-launches-rules-governing-natural-gas-well-water/ “Inhofe criticizes EPA’s proposed fracking regs: “…U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe characterized EPA’s announcement on wastewater standards for natural gas extraction as yet another attack by the Obama administration on fossil fuels…” ” (Tulsa World)- http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=335&articleid=20111020_335_0_WASHIN493778 “Inhofe Comments on EPA Announcement Regarding Wastewater Discharge Regulation” (U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works)- http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=22fd0879-802a-23ad-434e-eb07896340fa “Louisiana to require fracking disclosure: “…Louisiana will require operators to reveal chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and provide more information on the process during permitting, the state regulator said Thursday…” ” (Upstream)- http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article284767.ece (See also “Louisiana Hydraulic Fracturing State Review: “…DEQ has procedures for keeping proprietary formulations confidential. In the event of an emergency, requests for confidential information from medical personnel would be channeled through DEQ…” ” (Louisiana Department of Natural Resources)- http://www.strongerinc.org/documents/Final%20Louisiana%20HF%20Review%203-2011.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/3ga48mg ) “The Fracking Industry’s War On The New York Times — And The Truth: “…That campaign of intimidation and obfuscation has been orchestrated by top shelf players like Exxon and Chesapeake aligned with the industry’s worst bottom feeders. This coalition has launched an impressive propaganda effort carried by slick PR firms, industry funded front groups and a predictable cabal of right wing industry toadies from cable TV and talk radio. In pitting itself against public disclosure and reasonable regulation, the natural gas industry is once again proving that it is its own worst enemy…” ” (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.via The Huffington Post)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/fracking-natural-gas-new-york-times-_b_1022337.html “Industry Insider Says It’s Time to Make Fracking Cool: “…During the conference, “Enhancing Shale Oil & Gas Development Strategies” in Denver, Tisha Conoly-Schuller the president and CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association (COGA) outlined the reasons why the public has turned against hydraulic fracturing and ways to fix this public relations nightmare. The solution, in her mind, was simple: Make fracking cool. Among the many recommendations was to “[reposition] the industry to appeal more broadly to young people.”…” ” (The Huffington Post)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-schenkel/fracking_b_1022323.html “7 Ways the Oil and Gas Industry is Buying Fracking Policy (and What You Can Do About It)” (08-17-11, The Huffington Post)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wenonah-hauter/fracking-oil-gas-industry_b_929170.html “President of Iceland: Our Clean Energy Economy Helped Us Survive the Financial Crisis” (Tree Hugger)- http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/president_of_iceland_clean_energy_economy_financial_crisis.php “Banking on Shale Gas to Preserve Wetlands: “…After these companies knock down levees, fill ditches and canals, replace invasive plants with native species, and prove that the changes can be sustained over time, they receive “credits” that each represent roughly an acre of wetland. These banks, often backed by private equity, pension funds, and university endowments, profit by reselling the credits to companies that destroy wetlands…The bottom line: Drilling for shale gas has boosted mitigation banks, which sell credits for restored wetlands to companies that destroy swampland…” ” (BusinessWeek)- http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/banking-on-shale-gas-to-preserve-wetlands-10202011.html & http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44982537/ns/business-us_business/ “US gas gambler holds all the aces: “…RICH Kinder is corporate America’s gambling man, and to date he has a pretty good record of knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. Many doubted his 1996 call to abandon the presidency of Enron, the energy company that Fortune magazine named America’s most innovative company six years running and where Kinder had worked for 16 years…As this week marked 10 years since Enron collapsed under the weight of one of the world’s biggest corporate fraud scandals, Kinder was unveiling one of the biggest mergers this year. His company Kinder Morgan’s $US21.1 billion ($A20.5 billion) play for El Paso Corp is set to create the world’s largest pipeline network which, if put end to end, would encircle the globe three times…” ” (Australia)- http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/us-gas-gambler-holds-all-the-aces-20111020-1ma70.html , http://www.smh.com.au/business/us-gas-gambler-holds-all-the-aces-20111020-1ma70.html & http://www.businessday.com.au/business/us-gas-gambler-holds-all-the-aces-20111020-1ma70.html “Exporting Natural Gas is Planned” (FrackCheckWV.net)- http://www.frackcheckwv.net/2011/10/20/exporting-natural-gas-is-planned/ “Spectra Energy and Progress Energy strike gas processing deal in B.C.: “…U.S. pipeline giant Spectra Energy Corp (NYSE:SE) has struck multi-year agreements with Progress Energy Resources Corp. o provide natural gas gathering and processing services on the gas explorer’s output in northeastern British Columbia…Future gas from the region is expected to be liquefied and shipped by tanker from the West Coast to China, Japan, South Korea and other Asian consumers….” ” (Canada)- http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/52302–spectra-energy-and-progress-energy-strike-gas-processing-deal-in-b-c “PERSONNEL FILE: Flanery to chair State Bar Energy Law Committee: “…Steptoe & Johnson attorney Sharon O. Flanery has been named chair of the West Virginia State Bar’s new Energy Law Committee. As chair, Flanery will be responsible for helping lead the committee’s efforts involving the energy industry in West Virginia. The committee will focus on the legal issues impacting our state’s energy future. Flanery is a member of Steptoe & Johnson and leader of the firm’s Energy Group. She focuses her legal practice in the areas of energy and mineral law with a client base that includes major oil and gas, coal, coalbed methane, pipeline and hydro companies. Flanery is a petroleum engineer with both an operating and legal background in the energy industry…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.wvrecord.com/news/239113-personnel-file-flanery-to-chair-state-bar-energy-law-committee “Natural gas industry reps talk Marcellus Shale: “…CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Advocates of Marcellus Shale drilling held a public meeting Thursday evening to promote the benefits of, and allay fears about, the development of the huge natural gas reserve. About 20 people attended the meeting, which was hosted by Energize West Virginia and America’s Natural Gas Alliance and held at the Kanawha County Courthouse. All seemed to be in favor of Marcellus drilling, and didn’t seem concerned about any effects from the process…” ” (West Virginia)- http://wvgazette.com/News/201110200218 “W.Va. Analysts Disagree about States’ Natural Gas Taxation: “…No conclusion about relative tax burdens is to be drawn from Marshall University study, author clarifies…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110560 “EPA to Develop Standards for Gas Industry Wastewater Disposal: “…Independent Oil and Gas Association Executive Director Charlie Burd pointed out that West Virginia municipal wastewater treatment plants currently are not accepting wastewater from the extraction of shale gas. “The problem with the water coming off the Marcellus shale is it’s very high in salt,” Burd said…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.cbs59.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110581 “Deep Pockets: A three-day series: “…Drillers are eager to tap a vast reservoir of natural gas and oil within shale beneath Ohio. To get it, they’ll lease millions of acres and use a process called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” which could employ thousands and heat Ohio homes for decades. Critics, however, say the practice could pollute the land, air and water. Our three-day series focuses on environmental issues that spring from horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing…” ” (The Columbus Dispatch) (Ohio)- http://www.dispatch.com/content/topic/news/2011/ohio-drilling.html “Critics: Ohio, industry too cozy: “…Environmental advocates have said for years that state officials and regulators are too cozy with industry and don’t give equal weight to public concerns. The growing interest in oil and gas in Ohio is simply another example, they complain. “These agencies have an open-door policy with industry that they don’t with the public,” said Teresa Mills, director of the Buckeye Environmental Network, an environmental-advocacy group. “I guess transparency only goes one way.”…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/09/27/critics-ohio-industry-too-cozy.html “Oil And Gas Forum Held At EGCC: “…Ohio U.S Congressman Bill Johnson stopped by Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville Thursday to host a forum on gas and oil drilling associated with the Utica Shale. As this topic continues to gain momentum, lawmakers, business owners and residents showed up at the forum to prepare for a big economic boom expected to come with the drilling industry. “My concern is that we won’t take advantage of it quickly enough,” said Johnson…”I’m going to be working hard to make sure what happens here in eastern and southeastern Ohio is a permanent change of the landscape in terms of job creation,” said Johnson. “In terms of prosperity, we’re not going to watch these oil and gas companies come in and take the resource and leave.”…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.wtov9.com/news/29543147/detail.html “Campbell council wary of fracking-waste disposal well: “…The company wants to drill a well and inject brine from fracking fluid that comes back to the surface at gas wells in Pennsylvania…The disposal well would be 9,000 feet deep and accept 105,000 gallons a day of the waste, a company representative has told council. The city would be paid $20,000 to let the company dig the well, then could make up to $90,000 a year on the lease. Mayor Bill VanSuch and city administrator Jack Dill told council at its caucus meeting Wednesday that the legislation would allow them to negotiate, not allow the company to go forward. “We’d bring it back to council,” Dill said. But council members said they are wary.” ” (Ohio)- http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/oct/20/campbell-council-wary-of-fracking-waste-/ “Sharon trustees consider fracking ban: “…Concerned citizens would like the Sharon Township Board of Trustees to place a ban on “fracking” on property owned or maintained by the township, trustees heard at their Oct. 11 meeting. “It’s not that we’re against gas drilling — we’re against being poisoned,” said resident Kathie Jones. Case in point, she introduced the testimony of Granger Township resident Mark Mangan, whose well water reportedly was contaminated with salt, cement and natural gas after two oil wells were drilled at a park near his home by horizontal hydraulic fracturing in 2008. Mangan has since had to abandon his well and install an expensive cistern, he told trustees…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.akron.com/akron-ohio-community-news.asp?aID=13889 “Be aware of lack of protection in oil and gas leases: “…I received a lease in the mail from an oil and gas corporation actively buying leases in Athens County. It looks a lot like the old leases that we know from our grandparents or our neighbors’ grandparents. But deep shale drilling with horizontal hydraulic fracturing is very different from what we know from the past…If you recognize the risks and you still want to lease, take a look at the model lease that Rural Action is soon to publish. It has provisions that can help protect the landowner from some of the problems listed above and will be available at http://lookbeforeyoulease.wordpress.com …” ” (Ohio)- http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-35099-be-aware-of-lack-of-protection-in-oil-and-gas-leases.html “Opinions fractured on idea of gas ‘fracking’ in NC: “…State geologists say North Carolina’s Sandhills region is sitting on a bonanza of natural gas, but some residents say the energy isn’t worth the risk of drilling for it…” ” (Video, WRAL) (North Carolina)- http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10243004/ “Outside review of NC oil and gas regulations to take place next week: “…From the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources: Public can observe review, part of legislatively mandated study of shale oil and gas RALEIGH – A non-profit organization asked by state environmental officials to review the state’s oil and gas regulatory programs as part of a legislatively mandated study of oil and gas exploration in North Carolina will begin its public review of these programs next week in Raleigh…” ” (North Carolina)- http://www.mountainx.com/article/36592/Outside-review-of-NC-oil-and-gas-regulations-to-take-place-next-week “The Growing Natural Gas Economy: “…How natural gas will power the future of Louisiana is yet to be seen…NEW ORLEANS, La. – Louisiana’s natural gas has given the state an economic advantage over its neighbors, but the implementation of a thriving natural gas economy is still in its infancy…” ” (Louisiana)- http://www.thepelicanpost.org/2011/10/20/the-growing-natural-gas-economy/ “Chesapeake expands energy education program: “…Chesapeake Energy Corp. has expanded an Oklahoma Energy Resources Board program that teaches students about the oil and gas industry…She said Chesapeake reaches out to schools and organizations that work with kids to offer the company’s expertise…” ” (Oklahoma)- http://newsok.com/chesapeake-expands-energy-education-program/article/3615356 “Valley Ranch to get gas drilling as new neighbor courtesy of Dallas: “…According to the minutes of the meeting, Item #64 former councilman Steve Salazar moved to close the public hearing and councilman Tennell Atkins seconded the motion. Councilwoman Hill was not present, and all members voted to approve. Just like that. No public discussion. Once again, under the radar was the way to ‘git’er done’….The Special Use Permit has been approved by the Dallas City Planning Commission, the Dallas City Council and the next step is just the permit and then it’s full speed ahead. Granting that permit could happen this week, next month, at any time without notice. It’s too late for that now. Once the wells are installed,not only will living at Valley Ranch will be more than a lifestyle, drilling will be a lifestyle as well…” ” (Texas)- http://dallasdrilling.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/valley-ranch-to-get-gas-drilling-as-new-neighbor-courtesy-of-dallas-2/ “Chesapeake’s drilling plan smacked down: “…Last week, on Chesapeake Energy’s request to “force pool” some residential properties for drilling in the Glen Garden neighborhood of southeast Fort Worth, commissioners Barry Smitherman and David Porter politely but decidedly beat up on the big local company and its attorneys for belligerent behavior…The commission rejected Chesapeake’s request, saying the company failed to make a “fair and reasonable offer” to those owners as required by the Mineral Interest Pooling Act…” ” (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/20/3460294/chesapeakes-drilling-plan-smacked.htm “Some new crooks in the Canadian Tar Sands Pipeline: “…There are many reasons why East Texans should fight being forced to serve as a conduit for sending dirty tar sands crude to China- among the greatest investors in Canadian tar sands fields. To name a few:…” ” (Letter to editor, Texas)- http://www.thevindicator.com/opinion/article_77b2f35c-fb48-11e0-aa76-001cc4c002e0.html “Redistricting roulette: Colo. fed. lawmakers testify at ongoing district court trial: “…Some of the six maps being weighed in district court would split off parts of Eagle County and lump them in with Tipton’s district. Oil and gas drilling and mining concerns on public lands are much bigger issues in CD3, which includes heavily drilled Garfield County just to the west of Polis’s mountain enclave…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.americanindependent.com/200238/redistricting-roulette-colo-fed-lawmakers-testify-at-ongoing-district-court-trial “Real estate picture a mixed bag: “…“We have a situation with a lot of forced sales,” said Dave Hardy, the owner of Bayfield Realty. “We have a lot of repossessions and relocations of oil and gas people that’s driving prices down. But I feel like we’ve hit the bottom of pricing.”…” ” (Colorado)- http://durangoherald.com/article/20111020/NEWS01/710209933/ “Hundreds show up at Fairbanks open comment on ANWR: “…FAIRBANKS — Hundreds of local residents flooded the Carlson Center on Wednesday, eager to weigh in on whether the future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should be focused on wilderness or oil development…” ” (Alaska)- http://newsminer.com/bookmark/16109854-Hundreds-show-up-at-Fairbanks-open-comment-on-ANWR “Windsor Energy could lose exploration licence: minister: “…He said he fears for the province if companies think they are above the regulations. “What happened in Sussex is kind of a slap in the face to everyone. It’s an insult to the mayor and council. I am sure it is an insult to the minister and it’s an insult to the government too,” Landry said. Landry is convinced the province isn’t ready for even the early exploration stages that could lead to a shale gas industry. “We need a moratorium,” Landry said…” ” (Canada)- http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/1449260 “Gas flaring, venting may rise as prices languish: “…Low gas prices are also driving the trend, said James Vaughan, team leader for venting and flaring for the Energy Resources Conservation Board, adding that companies are allowed to burn or release unwanted gas produced with oil or liquids if it’s not economically viable to recover it. “With things ramping up, with industry ramping up, with development ramping up, there’s always the possibility you could see some increases in flaring and venting volumes,” he said Wednesday…” ” (Canada)- http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/flaring+venting+rise+prices+languish/5578885/story.html “Canada Tour: “…CNB Action & Other Shale Gas Alliance groups Invite you to Hear… Calvin Tillman Former Mayor Dish, Texas…Hear Calvin’s first-hand experiences as the Mayor of Dish Texas – a community of 200 people, 60 gas wells, realestate devaluations, air pollution & health problems…” ” (Calvin Tillman, Former Mayor of DISH, TX) (Canada)- http://baddish.blogspot.com/2011/10/canada-tour.html “Shell Buys Potential British Columbia LNG Export Site From Cenovus: “…Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Shell acquired the site on behalf of a joint venture, with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp., China National Petroleum Corp. and Korea Gas Corp., that’s exploring shipping super-cooled LNG from Canada to customers in Asia…” ” (Dow Jones) (Canada)- http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/10/20/shell-buys-potential-british-columbia-lng-export-site-from-cenovus/ “Shell buys LNG site on Canada’s Pacific Coast: “…Shell’s plant would be the third considered for the region as Western Canadian natural gas producers look to tap high-paying Asian markets for the burgeoning output of the region’s shale gas fields…Encana, Canada’s biggest natural-gas producer, welcomes the possibility that Shell could put up another LNG terminal, since the additional export capacity would allow more gas to flow out of the sated North American market…” ” (Reuters) (Canada)- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/20/shell-lng-idUKN1E79J0U520111020?type=companyNews “Environment agency says cuts will limit oversight: “…The federal watchdog that keeps an eye on natural resources projects to prevent environmental damage says it could soon be understaffed and overworked, limiting its ability to do its job…” ” (Canada)- http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/10/20/pol-environmental-assessment-committee.html “Minister challenged by British students during pro-oilsands tour: “…Canadian Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver hit a bump in the road Thursday during a pro-oilsands pitch at the London School of Economics, as environmental activists and students interrupted his message and peppered him with questions challenging his ongoing international lobbying campaign…” ” (Canada)- http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Minister+challenged+British+students+during+oilsands+tour/5581538/story.html “Residents concerned about fracking: “…Pearsall-Pickup said her group then sent a series of 42 questions out to half a dozen Calgary oil companies, none of whom responded with answers, though some said they might. “Two didn’t even acknowledge us,” she said. “That really concerns us. When the industry will not work with the residents, we’re forced to seek answers elsewhere.”…” ” (Canada)- http://www.cochranetimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3340800 “Vale of Glamorgan fracking gas test drill background: “…The concern by The Vale Says No campaign group, after scanning the internet is that potentially it claims, that between 30 and 70% of chemicals stay underground after fracking. Some of the chemicals used are also feared. They also question how many jobs will be created, how much cheap gas in reality will be available as an energy source in Britain, and how many, or how few, will profit from prospecting shale gas or coal bed methane underground in Britain…” ” (BBC) (United Kingdom)- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-15381116 “Controversial bid to test drill for shale gas in South Wales rejected by Vale of Glamorgan councillors” (United Kingdom)- http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/10/20/shale-gas-test-drilling-rejected-91466-29633502/ “Enviromental concerns impact Shale Gas: “…The success of shale gas projects in the United States has attracted global attention. Between the years 2000 and 2009, the share of shale gas in total US natural gas production increased from 1% to 20% and the US and foreign companies have invested heavily in this sector. However, public concern about the environmental impacts of shale gas operations is the most serious problem faced by the industry everywhere…” ” (CGES) (United Kingdom)- http://www.cges.co.uk/resources/articles/2011/10/20/enviromental-concerns-impact-shale-gas “Thousands sign Hunter CSG petition: “…The Hunter Valley Protection Alliance says it has collected 10,000 signatures on a petition opposing coal seam gas extraction in the Broke-Bulga region…” ” (Australia)- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-21/thousands-sign-hunter-csg-petition/3591370 “The right to say “yes” or “no”: “…LANDHOLDERS have the right to say no to gas companies. If they turn up on your doorstep feel free to give me a call,” State Member for Barwon Kevin Humphries said. The battle between landholders, mining companies and the government is far from over according to Mr Humphries, who was responding to issues raised at the Gunnedah food security forum last week…” ” (Australia)- http://www.moreechampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/the-right-to-say-yes-or-no/2332025.aspx “Tony Abbott changes tack over coal seam gas on farms: “…ONY Abbott has backed away from his position that farmers should be able to keep gas companies off their land, saying a responsible government shouldn’t “lock the gate” on billions of dollars of investment. Speaking to 2GB’s Alan Jones program this morning, Mr Abbott carefully avoided a repeat of his declaration to the broadcaster in August that farmers should “have a right to say no”….” ” (Australia)- http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-changes-tack-over-coal-seam-gas-on-farms/story-fn59niix-1226172642421

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-19-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/426-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-19-11-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-19-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: “Towns Take On Corporate Bullies: “…Across the country, other towns frustrated by the failure of federal and state authorities to regulate fracking are acting to protect property rights, public health, and local economies. At least a dozen New York municipalities, including Buffalo, have banned fracking. In Peters Township, Pennsylvania, a judge has approved an anti-drilling referendum. In Morgantown, West Virginia, the city council passed a fracking ban—later overturned by the courts. Massillon, Ohio, officials recently rejected a major gas-drilling lease…” ” (The Epoch Times)- http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/opinion/towns-take-on-corporate-bullies-63006.html “Re: December 15, 2010 Consent Order and Settlement Agreement Provision of Temporary Water” (Scott Perry, Acting Deputy Secretary, Office of Oil and Gas Managment) (PA)- http://www.archive.org/download/ReDecember152010ConsentOrderAndSettlementAgreementProvisionOf/1567_001_text.pdf & http://tinyurl.com/65l8q76 “Cabot argues to resume drilling in Dimock as tests show surges of methane in water wells: “…The test results released to The Times-Tribune this week by the state Department of Environmental Protection reveal that high methane levels persist in more Dimock water wells than has previously been reported and, in at least five water supplies this year, have reached concentrations at which the gas in an enclosed space becomes an explosion risk. The DEP released data for only six of the 18 water supplies state regulators have found impacted by methane linked to Cabot’s Marcellus Shale drilling operations in Dimock. It did not release sample results for any of the 11 affected homeowners suing Cabot over alleged damage to their health and property…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/gas-drilling/cabot-argues-to-resume-drilling-in-dimock-as-tests-show-surges-of-methane-in-water-wells-1.1220204 “Cabot Claims New DEP Info Proves It Didn’t Cause Dimock Methane Migration” (NPR)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/19/cabot-claims-new-dep-info-proves-it-didnt-cause-dimock-methane-migration/ “Gas company asks to resume drilling in Dimock, Pa.: “…In its letter to DEP, Cabot asserted Dimock’s water is clean and said it wants to stop delivering temporary water to affected residents…DEP also raised questions in May about the integrity of several of Cabot’s existing gas wells, saying they continued to leak methane, indicating faulty construction. In its letter Monday, Cabot said DEP had misinterpreted state regulations dealing with well integrity…” ” (AP) (PA)- http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9QF01L80.htm “DEP Rules Cabot Can Stop Delivering Water: “…In Susquehanna County a gas company will soon stop delivering water to folks affected by contaminated wells, and people affected by that decision are angry…” ” (Video, WNEP) (PA)- http://www.wnep.com/wnep-susq-dep-ruled-cabot-met-clean-water-standard-20111019,0,6222460.story “Dimock, Pennsylvania Residents Will Stop Receiving Water From Fracking Company / Driller OK to halt water to Dimock” (AP)- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/dimock-pennsylvania-replacement-water_n_1019743.html & http://www.timesleader.com/news/Driller-OK-to-halt-water-to-Dimock-.html “DEP: Cabot can stop delivering water to Dimock residents impacted by methane migration: “…Scott Perry, DEP’s Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Oil and Gas Management, wrote in a letter Tuesday that Cabot had met the obligations relating to the replacement water supplies outlined in a December settlement between Cabot and the agency…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/dep-cabot-can-stop-delivering-water-to-dimock-residents-impacted-by-methane-migration-1.1220361 “Will Dimock Be the New ‘Alamo’ for Fracking Foes?” (NPR)- http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2011/10/19/will-dimock-be-the-new-alamo/ “NY: Countdown to Hydrofracking: “…Hydraulic Fracturing seems to be on everyone’s radar. Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports on the remaining questions about the cost to New York State and the impact on the environment and human health…” ” (Audio, WAMC) (NY)- http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1865258/ “Methane migration, other water problems explored at Oil & Gas Force Meeting: “…The question, says former Wilkes University professor and professional geologist Brian Oram, is whether that problem is a result of Marcellus Shale gas extraction or has always been with us and is only coming to light now due to the increased scrutiny gas drilling has brought about…” ” (Wayne Independent) (PA)- http://www.wayneindependent.com/news/x268460883/Methane-migration-other-water-problems-explored-at-Oil-Gas-Force-Meeting (Event) “Pennsylvania landowner talks drilling: “…A Bradford County, Pa., landowner will speak about the ways in which the arrival of the shale gas extraction industry has changed daily life for her family and neighbors and about how it has affected their sense of place. Ruth Tonachel, a sixth-generation resident of Towanda, will speak from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Danby Town Hall, 1830 Danby Road. Tonachel co-owns and manages one of the largest remaining tracts of unleased land in Bradford County. A question-and answer-period and discussion will follow the presentation…” ” (Gannett) (NY)- http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20111019/NEWS01/110190362/Pennsylvania-landowner-talks-drilling (See also http://innovationtrail.org/post/front-lines-fracking-get-personal ) “John Holtz: Don’t let fracking ruin clean water for our kids: “…In 1995, the vice president of the World Bank declared that the wars of the 21st century would be fought over water like war was fought over oil in the 20th century. In May of 2000, an article in Fortune Magazine declared, “Water is the Oil of the 21st Century.” To buy a gallon of boutique spring water today costs at least twice as much as purchasing a gallon of gasoline. Which is more valuable? Which resource can keep being renewed and replenished? Which one are we about to let our government grant dominion over the other?…” ” (Letter to editor, Hopestar) (NY)- http://www.hopestar.com/opinions/columnists/x1199435156/John-Holtz-Dont-let-fracking-ruin-clean-water-for-our-kids “Staten Islanders Voice Concerns About Natural Gas Line: “…The public comment period on the fate of a controversial gas line expansion is winding down, ending Oct. 31. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will review the public feedback and issue their final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by January 2012, determining if a permit for the project will be approved. Texas Eastern, a subsidiary of Spectra Energy, applied for the permit to construct 19.8 miles of new and replacement pipeline from New Jersey through Staten Island and into Manhattan back in December 2010. The gas company claims the line would benefit New Yorkers by bringing an additional source of energy, though some opponents assert the risks don’t justify the benefits…” ” (The Epoch Times)- http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-states/staten-islanders-voice-concerns-about-natural-gas-line-63051.html “Let surcharge on wealthy expire: “…And Deputy Majority Leader Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) is wrong to hint that if he can’t get support for hydrofracking, a controversial means of natural gas extraction he hopes can revive his region’s economy, he might drop his opposition to the surcharge extension. Hydrofracking should be decided on the merits alone, and pursued only if scientists and regulators find that it can be done in New York without poisoning groundwater. It’s much too grave a matter for cavalier horse-trading…” ” (Newsday) (NY)- http://www.newsday.com/opinion/let-surcharge-on-wealthy-expire-1.3258391 (Events) “Gas industry representatives to speak in Canandaigua: “…Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY) is hosting forums across the region through December to discussion hydrofracking and answer questions from the public. Tom Johnson, vice president of Alpha Geoscience, an environmental and geological consulting group, and Jeff Heller from Steuben County Landowners Coalition will lead the conversation. Representatives from America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) will also be on hand. ..” ” (MPNnow) (NY)- http://www.mpnnow.com/business/x268461233/Gas-industry-representatives-to-speak-in-Canandaigua “State prisons eyed for drilling: “…Sixteen state-owned prisons within the Marcellus Shale formation, including Waymart in Wayne County, are being eyed as locations for natural gas drilling, according to a legislative report released Wednesday. The report by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee also identifies state prisons at Retreat in Hunlock Creek and at Dallas as being near the formation…The report, which looks at managing state-owned properties, notes that legislation must be passed to give state agencies not involved in conservation efforts the authority to sign drilling leases. The Corbett administration supports bills in the legislative hopper to accomplish this…Addressing the matter of subsurface mineral rights, the report said little information is available about who owns the mineral rights under state-owned property. It recommends that counties in the Shale region update and digitally scan title records and tap potential impact fee revenues to pay for the work. The streambeds of navigable waterways and the mineral rights under them are owned by the state, the report said…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications) (PA)- http://citizensvoice.com/news/state-prisons-eyed-for-drilling-1.1220635 (See also “An Inventory of State-owned Real Property and Subsurface Mineral Rights” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/58.PDF & “Presentation by Rick Jones, Counsel, at October 19, 2011, Meeting” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/45prs.PDF ) “Allow gas drilling near prisons and colleges, report says: “…Land surrounding Pennsylvania’s state prisons and the State System of Higher Education colleges are among the commonwealth-owned property that should be considered for gas drilling, according to a report issued this morning. Issued by a joint legislative committee, the report concludes that agencies beyond the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission should be allowed to enter into lease agreements for gas drilling. Those agencies also should be allowed to retain a portion of any drilling-related revenues, according to the report…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11292/1183221-100.stm & http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5489051/allow-gas-drilling-near-prisons-and-colleges-report-says (See also “An Inventory of State-owned Real Property and Subsurface Mineral Rights” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/58.PDF & “Presentation by Rick Jones, Counsel, at October 19, 2011, Meeting” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/45prs.PDF ) “Calls for further action on surplus property and state land in Marcellus Shale: “…*DGS should take the lead in assisting agencies in developing natural gas lease agreements. *Counties in the Marcellus Shale region should take steps to update their title records…” ” (The News Eagle) (PA)- http://www.neagle.com/news/x485799854/Calls-for-further-action-on-surplus-property-and-state-land-in-Marcellus-Shale (See also “An Inventory of State-owned Real Property and Subsurface Mineral Rights” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/58.PDF & “Presentation by Rick Jones, Counsel, at October 19, 2011, Meeting” (PA Legislative Budget & Finance Committee)- http://lbfc.legis.state.pa.us/reports/2011/45prs.PDF ) “Compressor Sites: Necessities and Expectations” (Penn State Extension)- http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas/webinars/recorded/compressor-sites-necessities-and-expectations “Damascus budget proposal ready for public inspection: “…The supervisors resolved to send a letter to the township planning commission instructing them to begin working on an ordinance governing gas pipeline compressor stations and associated structures, explaining that there is currently no such ordinance in the township…” ” (Wayne Independent) (PA)- http://www.wayneindependent.com/news/x984144773/Damascus-budget-proposal-ready-for-public-inspection “Forest Hills Bans Gas Drilling: “…Forest Hills Council unanimously passed an ordinance banning natural gas drilling in the borough at its regular meeting Wednesday evening. The measure, which comes after months of urging from environmental advocates, forbids “the extraction of and/or exploration for natural gas within the borough of Forest Hills,” according to the ordinance title…” ” (Patch) (PA)- http://foresthills-regentsquare.patch.com/articles/forest-hills-bans-gas-drilling “Law professor casts doubt on Rush Twp. ordinance: “…According to Penn State law professor Ross Pifer:…Acting to protect the constitutional rights of township citizens would not enable the municipality to bypass the preemptive provisions of section 602. One of the expressed purposes in the Oil and Gas Act is to ‘[p]rotect the natural resources, environmental rights and values secured by the Pennsylvania Constitution.’ Thus, the General Assembly already has considered Pennsylvania citizens’ constitutional rights to clean water when it enacted the Oil and Gas Act.”…” ” (State College – Centre Daily Times) (PA)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/19/2956267/law-professor-casts-doubt-on-rush.html “Coal out, natural gas facility in: “…The Baard Energy project is being resurrected, with natural gas replacing coal as the energy source used to produce synthetic diesel and jet fuel…In exchange for switching from coal to natural gas, the NRDC and Sierra Club agreed to drop its appeals challenging the permits issued for the Baard project by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…Planck is seeking to have its permits modified to allow for the switch to natural gas, and a public hearing and review period will be held. The agreement contains other benchmarks that must be met by Planck. “We’ll hit those goals. We’re not anticipating any further problems with them (NRDC and Sierra Club),” he said…” ” (The Review) (PA & Ohio)- http://www.reviewonline.com/page/content.detail/id/548665/Coal-out–natural-gas-facility-in.html “Bill would set standards for oil and gas well pad construction: “…Keller’s legislation, House Bill 29, the Oil and Gas Well Pad Construction Standards Act, would require the board specifically and the state generally to establish standards for land clearing, excavation, grading, road construction, well pad construction and stabilization activities, among others, he said…” ” (The Daily Item) (PA)- http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x2021669473/Bill-would-set-standards-for-oil-and-gas-well-pad-construction/ (Event) “Big Shale Teach-In: “…Please join us for a one-day summit on the issues related to the production, utilization, and future management of this natural resource. A wide range of experts will discuss the various aspects of gas drilling…FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4TH, 9AM – 4PM…Philadelphia, PA…” ” (PA)- http://bigshaleteachinphilly.eventbrite.com/ (See also http://www.temple.edu/environment/NRDP_shale_2011.htm ) “Commissioners back growing greener program: “…The county has used Growing Greener funding for projects such as clean up of Contrary Run, which contributed acid mine runoff to Sandy Run and Beech Creek; supporting stream restoration projects; rehabilitating community parks and trails around the county; and farmland preservation…Funding is now running out. The coalition is calling for a state investment of $200 million a year and setting up a dedicated funding source for the program. Bean said the coalition would like to see some of that funding go to address problems from natural gas drilling if they arise…” ” (Centre Daily) (PA)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/19/2955235/commissioners-back-growing-greener.html “3 South Hills municipalities to test natural gas vehicles: “…Representatives from Peters, Upper St. Clair, and North Strabane met today with Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities to kick off a study aimed at determining the feasibility of converting municipal fleet vehicles — such as dump trucks, police cars, fire trucks and ambulances — to alternative fuels…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11292/1183341-100.stm “Commissioner candidates debate jobs, jobs and jobs: “…The mantra of “job creation and economic development” has dominated the race for Beaver County commissioner and that continued Wednesday during a county Chamber of Commerce-sponsored debate at Penn State-Beaver…Earlier, Amadio told the audience that a natural gas pipeline is being built and that the county will see the benefit of Marcellus shale drilling in 2013. “The boom’s coming,” Amadio said. “2013, the explosion’s going to happen, the boom’s going to happen in Beaver County.”..” ” (Beaver County Times) (PA)- http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_news/commissioner-candidates-debate-jobs-jobs-and-jobs/article_50802584-22b5-5e23-bd69-af4d663e25ed.html “Lebanon County commissioner candidates talk agriculture: “…But every candidate admitted that he or she is no expert when it comes to Marcellus Shale drilling and the potential impact it may have on the county, even though it doesn’t have much of the natural gas-producing rock. All said they would rely on consultants and the county’s planning department for guidance. Phillips noted that “time is on the county’s side” because it will benefit from the experiences of those in the northwestern counties, where Marcellus Shale is more plentiful and gas extraction is already under way…” ” (Lebanon Daily News) (PA)- http://www.ldnews.com/lebanonnews/ci_19149917 “Selling our resources is selling out America: “…Call me old fashioned, but I think the natural resources in our American soil are there for our use. I don’t have a problem with a company making a profit developing those resources for American consumption. But as Dominion states, we are already exporting American gasoline and oil resources to other countries. Is this why we pay significantly higher costs to buy foreign oil and gasoline to use here at home? Now it seems that they want to deplete our natural gas reserves so they can make a huge profit supporting the very competitors that have crippled our economy…” ” (Letter to editor, AuburnPub) (PA)- http://auburnpub.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_e23b6b7e-faa7-11e0-9923-001cc4c03286.html “The Marcellus Shale and You: Recap of October 15 Radio Show: “…This week on “The Marcellus Shale and You,” show host, Tejas Gosai, featured two industry leaders who discussed the latest shale news and answered listeners’ questions regarding minerals and leasing mineral rights…” ” (Audio, TheMarcellusShale.com)- http://themarcellusshale.com/the-marcellus-shale-and-you-recap-of-october-15-radio-show/ “Public Meeting on the Proposed Spectra Energy Natural Gas Pipeline Tonight: “…The meeting will be one of the last public hearings on the issue before FERC makes a final decision on the plan…Since the plan was first proposed, Mayor Healy, the City Council, and various residents and environmental organizations have strongly opposed the plan…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2011/10/19/public-meeting-on-the-proposed-spectra-energy-natural-gas-pipeline-tonight/ (See also http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2011/10/12/jersey-city-officials-say-ferc-report-is-too-favorable-to-spectra-energys-proposed-pipeline-which-they-dub-a-recipe-for-disaster/ ) “NJ Natural Gas Upgrading Pipelines in Peninsula Area: “…New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) is currently in the process of replacing approximately 1.4 miles of aging natural gas distribution pipelines that serve Little Silver, Oceanport, Fair Haven and Rumson. The existing 6-inch and 8-inch steel distribution main pipeline, which primarily runs beneath Seven Bridges Road, will be replaced by a 12-inch steel line “to improve system pressure and reliability to the peninsula area,” a release from NJNG said…The project is part of NJNG’s Accelerated Infrastructure Program (AIP II), which pushes forward previously approved infrastructure projects to spur economic development…” ” (New Jersey)- http://littlesilver.patch.com/articles/nj-natural-gas-upgrading-pipelines-in-peninsula-area “Jersey City public hearing on Spectra Energy pipeline begins: “…The public hearing to discuss Spectra Energy’s controversial natural-gas pipeline proposal has just begun, and it could be a long night. There are already around 70 speakers set to voice their opinion on the project,…Around 200 people are assembled inside the Ferris High School auditorium, some holding signs that read, “We need jobs now! Yes to the Pipeline” and others holding “No gas pipeline” placards…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2011/10/jersey_city_public_hearing_on.html “Eyeing jobs, construction workers back proposed gas line at Bayonne hearing: “…Calling for union jobs, roughly 100 construction workers last night packed the final public hearing in Bayonne before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decides whether to approve Spectra Energy’s controversial natural gas pipeline plan. At least 10 of the 15 people who spoke at the meeting at Knights of Columbus Hall on Avenue C urged the commission to approve the Texas energy company’s plan to extend an existing Staten Island pipeline through parts of Bayonne, Jersey City and offshore Hoboken…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/10/eyeing_jobs_construction_worke.html “Healy, Cunningham cheered for their opposition to Spectra pipeline proposal: ‘…Cunningham, meanwhile, tore into the members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is tasked with approving the pipeline proposal. The report issued by FERC in September that said the pipeline would have little impact on residents’ safety is a “mockery,” she said. “At worst, it is an outright fabrication of opinions masquerading as unbiased truth,” Cunningham said. “I could not find any real independent thinking.”…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2011/10/healy_cunningham_cheered_for_t.html National & International: “10/19/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-19 “Scientist Calls For End To Percentage Depletion for All Extraction – Not Just Oil: “…Oil and gas companies enjoy savings of over $500 million each year from percentage depletion allowances in addition to other subsidies such as $6 billion in royalty free extraction from public land over the next 5 years according a report to the Government Accountability Office. Meanwhile, the societal, health and environmental costs of petroleum use are immeasurable. Estimates range from $500 billion to over $1 trillion dollars each year in added healthcare costs and environmental damage. These hidden costs are, in effect, massive subsidies that taxpayers are forced to shoulder. We are essentially paying extraction companies to take our natural resources and sell them back to us. They shouldn’t get to pretend as if they are losing money on the deal…” ” (Forbes)- http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2011/10/19/scientist-calls-for-end-to-percentage-depletion-for-all-extraction-not-just-oil/ “Landowners Express Concern Over Fracking: “…Opposition to energy company plans…” (Video, FOX News)- http://video.foxnews.com/v/1225229820001/landowners-express-concern-over-fracking “Energy in America: Drilling Regrets: “…N.Y. residents trying to get out of allowing gas companies to drill deep into their properties…” ” (Video, FOX News)- http://video.foxnews.com/v/1224768054001/energy-in-america-drilling-regrets “EPA Announces Schedule to Develop Natural Gas Wastewater Standards/Announcement is part of administration’s priority to ensure natural gas development continues safely and responsibly” (Environmental Protection Agency)- http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/91E7FADB4B114C4A8525792F00542001 (See also http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/304m/ ) “Senate panel queries EPA on gas ‘fracking’: “…State of play: A Senate hearing Thursday will wade into explosive questions about the nexus between natural-gas drilling and water pollution. A Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee panel will hear from a senior Environmental Protection Agency water quality official at a hearing about natural gas in eastern states developed through the controversial drilling method called hydraulic fracturing. The method, dubbed “fracking,” is enabling a natural-gas boom in Pennsylvania and other states but bringing fears of groundwater contamination along with it. EPA is currently conducting a major study of the effects of fracking, which industry groups contend is safe and isn’t leading to water pollution. Witnesses at the hearing include Cynthia Dougherty, who directs EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water…” ” (The Hill)- http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/188595-overnight-energy (See also http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=f443c03b-da42-837b-6bce-d209db351414 ) “Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages: “…But bankers and real estate executives, especially in New York, are starting to pay closer attention to the fine print and are raising provocative questions, such as: What happens if they lend money for a piece of land that ends up storing the equivalent of an Olympic-size swimming pool filled with toxic wastewater from drilling? Fearful of just such a possibility, some banks have become reluctant to grant mortgages on properties leased for gas drilling. At least eight local or national banks do not typically issue mortgages on such properties, lenders say…” ” (The New York Times)- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/us/rush-to-drill-for-gas-creates-mortgage-conflicts.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all “Safety First, Fracking Second: “…All these states are flying blind. A long list of technical questions remains unanswered about the ways the practice could contaminate drinking water, the extent to which it already has, and what the industry could do to reduce the risks…” ” (Scientific American)- http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=safety-first-fracking-second “Ceres Introduces Tool for Managing Global Water Risks: “…A burgeoning global population, unprecedented droughts and extreme floods have hit a number of industries including agriculture, electric power, beverage and apparel, but investors have few avenues to determine how well companies are managing water risks, according to Ceres. Ceres says in a report “The Ceres Aqua Gauge: A Framework for 21st Century Water Risk Management,” that while some companies are taking action to address these risks, others are not. Water risks are increasingly impacting businesses’ supply chains and other areas…Even as companies accelerate water efficiency and improved water resource management, pressures are likely to worsen, Ceres says. Many regions are on course to suffer major freshwater deficits over the next two decades, according to the report. Ceres cites a recent study led by McKinsey, which finds that the world may face a 40 percent global shortfall between forecast demand and available supplies by 2030.” ” (NU Online News Service)- http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2011/10/19/ceres-introduces-tool-for-managing-global-water-ri?t=loss-control “New Energy Jobs Won’t Solve the U.S. Unemployment Problem: “…The underwhelming numbers should not be surprising. After all, energy production is not a large part of the U.S. economy. The mining sector — which includes oil, gas, and coal production — makes up only 1.9 percent of U.S. GDP…” ” (Foreign Affairs)- http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/136599/michael-levi/new-energy-jobs-wont-solve-the-us-unemployment-problem “U.S. politicos praise Alberta oilsands: “…As the Keystone XL pipeline debate continues, three U.S congressman toured northern Alberta’s oilsands on a fact-finding mission Tuesday. Congressmen Bob Latta, John Shimkus and Joe Wilson spent the day touring Fort McMurray oilsands facilities, led by International, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations Minister Cal Dallas. The trio said they came away impressed with the oilsands and convinced of its critical role in their country’s energy future…” ” (Canada)- http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/10/19/18846921.html “Researchers Determine Fracking Proximity: “…In an eView paper of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, researchers from the University of Central Arkansas, University of Arkansas and the Environmental Protection Agency estimate the average proximity of drill platforms to surface lakes and streams for two large shale basins underlying much of the eastern US. They review available information on potential threats to surface waters, and conclude that policy makers have woefully little data to guide accelerating natural gas development…” ” (1105 Media)- http://eponline.com/articles/2011/10/19/researchers-determine-fracking-proximity.aspx “Officials say gas study doesn’t measure up: “…A Marshall University study that found West Virginia gas producers generally pay higher taxes than companies in other states doesn’t tell the whole story, according to the Center on Budget and Policy, a liberal policy group. A Marshall team led by professor Calvin Kent compared West Virginia to 18 other states, including Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. “West Virginia places more taxes and fees on natural gas production than most of the other states which were studied,” Kent and his team concluded in the recently released report. But Kent and his team didn’t measure the actual taxes gas companies pay, said Ted Boettner, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.dailymail.com/News/201110180180 “More Energy Deals Likely In The Pipeline: What This Means For Investors: “…First and foremost, expect energy production in the US to continue to increase, keeping downward pressure on natural gas prices, and potentially downward pressure on oil prices in the coming years. It takes years to build the plants, refineries, and infrastructure to use the new oil, NGLs, and natural gas that is coming on the US market, and just as long to build out the export infrastructure to move the resources out of the country…Add to that a weak US dollar making US companies more affordable to foreign purchasers, and combing the US oil and gas arena for deals makes a lot of sense. William’s E&P business will likely be in play after it is spun out in late 2011 or early 2012, and Kinder Morgan has already said it plans on selling El Paso’s E&P business….” ” (Seeking Alpha)- http://seekingalpha.com/article/300514-more-energy-deals-likely-in-the-pipeline-what-this-means-for-investors “Williams nixes plans for IPO spinoff: “…Williams Cos. Inc. has aborted a plan to hold an initial public offering for its exploration and production subsidiary WPX Energy Inc. and instead will separate the new company completely through a tax-free spinoff to shareholders by the end of the year…” ” (Oklahoma)- http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=49&articleid=20111019_49_E1_Willia892199 “Plant opts for natural gas: “…The stalled Baard Energy project previously tabbed to bring thousands of jobs to Columbiana County is being resurrected now with natural gas replacing coal as the energy source used to produce synthetic diesel and jet fuel…In exchange for switching from coal to natural gas, the NRDC and Sierra Club agreed to drop appeals challenging the permits issued for the Baard project by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/563031/Plant-opts-for-natural-gas.html “Early promise of Utica shale deposits encourages Gov. Kasich: “…Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday put on his cheerleader hat to boost drilling for natural gas, oil and other liquids from the Utica shale formation under eastern Ohio…Ohio expects to impose impact fees that would be assessed on drillers to correct any problems that arise, Kasich said, but those plans are incomplete. The state is confident its laws on drilling are strong enough to minimize problems…The event was organized because many out-of-state drilling companies are coming into Ohio. The event gives them a chance to meet and interact with Ohio firms, said Tom Stewart, executive vice president of the statewide group…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5489024/early-promise-of-utica-shale-deposits-encourages-gov-kasich “EPA tests for air quality near Morgantown gas wells: “…Environmental regulators say initial air tests near a Marcellus shale gas well in Morgantown showed no problems. The tests were sought by residents concerned about air quality near schools surrounding the Northeast Natural Energy operation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3 spokesman Roy Seneca says three tests were performed at SkyView Elementary School. Two were done before hydraulic fracking operations began and the third was done during fracking earlier this month. Seneca tells the Dominion Post the basic results of the third set of tests didn’t identify any levels of concern or air problems. He says those were sent to a laboratory for additional testing and officials are awaiting the results. The company began fracking two wells last month but a mechanical problem last week temporarily stopped them…” ” (Audio. WVPubcast) (West Virginia)- http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=22280 “Drilling Debate: As Marcellus Committee Work Nears End, Pushback Begins: “…The joint legislative interim committee on Marcellus shale is close to finishing its work on drafting new regulations for the drilling industry, but an association representing the industry has registered complaints with the committee’s work so far…The bill offered new regulations for natural gas wells using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Although SB 424 was aimed at wells in Marcellus shale formations, it specifically addressed wells disturbing a certain amount of surface acreage and using a certain amount of water in the hydraulic fracturing process. ..Committee members, particularly Delegate Woody Ireland, R-Ritchie, expressed frustration about the lack of hard data on how wells affect air and noise levels in their immediate areas…” ” (West Virginia)- http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110505 “Chesapeake Eyes St. C for Offices: “…ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Chesapeake Energy plans to build administrative offices on nearly 30 acres of land at Fox Commerce Park, Belmont County officials said Wednesday…Now, Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake – who has been drilling wells and acquiring land in the Marcellus Shale across West Virginia and Pennsylvania for a few years – plans to make significant investments in Ohio…” ” (West Virginia)- www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/560852/Chesapeake-Eyes-St–C-for-Offices.html “West Virginia has highest gas taxes in the Marcellus region: CBED” (Platts)- http://www.platts.com/weblog/oilblog/2011/10/19/w_va_has_highes.html “Council candidates debate: “…Thirteen candidates vying for a seat on Marietta City Council met Wednesday night during the second candidates’ forum this week at Marietta College’s WCMO television studios…The six candidates running for council-at-large are Republicans Crandall and Glen McCabe Jr.; Democrats Noland and Denver Abicht; and Independents Michael Mullen and Michael Boersma. The candidates were asked to comment on the projected Marcellus and Utica shale oil and gas boom’s potential impact on Marietta…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/553222/Council-candidates-debate.html “Additional Marcellus Shale Wells Proposed in Mon County: “…Chesapeake Energy already has four wells that drill for the Marcellus Shale gas in Monongalia County and now they want to add two more. One of the proposed sites sits just south of Goshen Road. The other sits just off of Interstate 79 near Carrol and Carrol Sawmill Road. If they’re approved, they would bring the total number of approved Marcellus Shale drilling wells to 15 in the county. Officials with the the Department of Environmental Protection say they haven’t started to review the applications for the new wells and says it could take up to 90 days for a final decision. “There is a back log of permits right now,” Tom Aluise with the DEP said. “We’re looking at the earliest these permits could be approved is December.” They say they expect more companies to apply for drilling permits soon…” ” (Video, WDTV) (West Virginia)- http://www.wdtv.com/index.php/home/local-news/9608-additional-marcellus-shale-wells-proposed-in-mon-county “Natural gas ordinances pass: “…While the two ordinances addressing natural gas were approved Tuesday night, neither OKs any project for providing natural gas to the Hopkinsville megasite. Instead, for Councilman Don Ahart, the measures will allow the city to formally look at any Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority or Atmos Energy project that would run a natural gas line to the 2,100-acre industry-ready site…” ” (Kentucky)- http://www.kentuckynewera.com/web/news/article_e8d1cb6a-fa14-11e0-9bdd-001cc4c002e0.html “Oil and Gas Commission OKs Budget for New Gas-Permitting Unit: “…Idaho’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission wants to make the process of reviewing and issuing permits for the growing industry of gas exploration more formal. As a result, the commission has approved a new so-called “decision unit,” to be effective at the beginning of the 2013 Fiscal Year, next July. Funding for the program decision unit would top $128,000 and would need final approval from the Idaho Legislature in next year’s budget negotiations. Natural gas exploration has come to the forefront in western Idaho since Bridge Resources began drilling in Payette County with some success…” ” (Idaho)- http://www.boiseweekly.com/CityDesk/archives/2011/10/19/oil-and-gas-commission-approves-budget-for-new-gas-permitting-unit “A Time to Drill: “..Oil and gas men, armed with seismic graphs identifying potential finds like the Northeast Basile Prospect in Evangeline Parish and the Theall Prospect in Vermilion Parish, attempted to make deals Tuesday with investors willing to share the costs and risks of drilling. Hundreds from the oil and gas industry gathered Tuesday at the Cajundome Convention Center for the Gulf Coast Prospect and Shale Expo presented by the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association…” ” (Louisiana)- http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20111019/BUSINESS/110190350/A-Time-Drill “Position Description: Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist – Air Quality: “…The Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist will serve as a subject matter expert and provide ongoing support to field organizations for compliance with various environmental regulation and reporting requirements. The areas of expertise include Air Quality, and may also include OSHA, DOT, and EPA relating to Safety and Risk Management…PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSBILITIES: …” ” (SemGroup, L.P.) (Oklahoma)- http://jobview.local-jobs.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=101560036 “Xtreme Oil & Gas Completes Final Testing on Saltwater Disposal Well: “…Xtreme Oil & Gas, Inc…, an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development, acquisition, and production of crude oil and natural gas, announced today that its Saltwater Disposal Well has completed the final testing required by the Oklahoma Corporate Commission and finished acidizing and fracking the formation to accept saltwater. The well exhibits unique characteristics for a prolonged period of revenue generation of up to 20 years and stable margins. XTOG’s acidizing work resulted in the well transitioning to a vacuum stage where it will naturally draw in saltwater, creating cost savings for well operations…” ” ( Xtreme Oil & Gas, Inc.) (Oklahoma)- http://www.marketwatch.com/story/xtreme-oil-gas-completes-final-testing-on-saltwater-disposal-well-2011-10-19 “Osage Nation files lawsuit in opposition to wind farm: “…The Osage Nation is concerned that 94 wind turbines and their network of electrical lines and roads would interfere with oil production and harm the delicate ecosystem of the tallgrass prairie…” ” (Oklahoma)- http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=14&articleid=20111019_14_A1_TheOsa738975 “KCC chair: Future is murky but have a plan: “…The country’s economic future is cloudy, but guessing right and acting accordingly is important, according to Mark Sievers, chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission…Regulatory action affects how much oil and gas operators pay in operating costs and to borrow money. He said other major policy issues facing the industry include: * The amount of water it takes to drill, especially the horizontal fracturing, the arid western parts of the state. He has calculated it takes 5 million gallons of water to drill one of these. “There is a potential for pushback on that particular issue,” he said. * How far must a fracked well be to the edge of the leased property in order to keep it from trespassing into the neighboring lease. Also, he said, there has been concern in the eastern states that fracking causes earthquakes or other environmental issues — which he downplayed on Tuesday…” ” (Kansas)- http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/19/2067550/kcc-chairman-future-may-be-murky.html “Belfield debates proposed gas facility: “…A proposed $10 million facility that would store natural gas for loading onto railroad cars is raising safety concerns in the southwestern North Dakota town of Belfield. Bear Tracker Energy LLC wants the town to rezone land less than a mile outside city limits and grant a permit for the facility that could store up to 1 million gallons of gas. That would include equipment to separate natural gas into specific products such as propane and butane…” ” (AP) (North Dakota)- http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/belfield-debates-proposed-gas-facility/article_08759262-fa01-11e0-90a9-001cc4c002e0.html “Lizards and Fracking Dominate Energy Talks in Ward County: “…The big players in oil and gas congregated in Ward County to discuss key issues they’re facing right now, which they believe will ultimately threaten the economy. The first problem on their list is hydraulic fracturing. “Many people are concerned about potential damage to fresh water but most [if not] all scientists can tell you that there’s no evidence with the proper techniques that there’s ever been any damage to the fresh water,” Ben Sheppard with the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, said. They say the Environmental Protection Agency is trying to crack down on their ability to continue fracking, claiming the technique is dangerous and contaminates the groundwater. Oil and gas experts couldn’t disagree more…” ” (Texas)- http://www.newswest9.com/story/15735331/oil-industry-experts-talk-lizards-and-fracking “Residents, industry argue over Fort Worth drilling ordinance: “…One Chesapeake Energy official warned the council to “leave well enough alone”…Ester McElfish of the North Texas Communities Alliance said the council needs to continue the hearing to allow more residents to speak. Scheduling it with a redistricting hearing had many believing they would wait all night to be heard, she said. Libby Willis, president of the Fort Worth League of Neighborhoods, urged the city to make even tougher restrictions than currently proposed and not to lift the moratorium on saltwater disposal wells. The city requires the water used in fracturing to be trucked out of the city. Proposed changes in the ordinance include a recommendation to require a special permit, and more waivers from surrounding property owners, for multiwell pad sites. Waivers would also be required from all affected parties, or 75 percent with council approval, for any pad site within buffer zones…” ” (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/18/3454773/residents-industry-argue-over.html “Southlake approves 1,000-foot buffer from gas wells to home/Southlake maintains setback rules for drilling near homes: “…After months of debate, the City Council decided to keep setbacks from natural gas wells to houses at 1,000 feet, meaning gas production companies could apply to drill in Southlake again next month…” ” (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/19/3455171/southlake-approves-1000-foot-buffer.html & http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/19/3457420/southlake-maintains-setback-rules.html “Drilling ordinance: “…Just two years ago, Fort Worth updated its ordinance to address issues related to natural gas development, and now we are at it again. Are our city leaders so shortsighted that they can’t write an ordinance that can last?…As a drill site owner, I believe the ordinances are working and working well. More than 100 sites have been developed within Fort Worth, and these changes would put many of them at risk of losing their production value. In other words, people who have already been impacted may well never see a benefit if Fort Worth changes its ordinance…” ” (Letter to editor, Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/19/3457277/mansfield-school-bonds-fort-worth.html “Drilling ordinance (2): “…As a mother, small-business owner, multiple mineral lease owner and daughter of a cancer survivor who benefits from gas royalties, I just can’t believe that Fort Worth would seek to reduce its revenue from the natural gas industry, while at the same time increasing the number of well sites within the city…The new provisions being proposed by the city of Fort Worth in its gas ordinance would likely increase the number of natural gas sites, further expanding the impact of the natural gas industry — seemingly against the original goals of less impact on neighborhoods. It’s not hard to figure out that at existing sites where waivers were required, residents are less likely to sign additional waivers or to sign them for a reasonable price as it is only reasonable to be compensated for inconvenience. This provision would essentially put a gun to the head of any producer to pay exorbitant amounts for any change to any site and eliminate the ability to use those sites already in place. Why are we trying to regulate this industry so much? We just went through this two years ago. Let’s use the sites already existing and not push for more sites in new neighborhoods…” ” (Letter to editor, Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/19/3457277/mansfield-school-bonds-fort-worth.html “Drilling woes: “…I’m a Fort Worth property owner affected by the proximity of the Valkyrie pad site, which is 200 feet from my back yard. Although I signed a lease, I didn’t know Chesapeake would erect a site by our neighborhood, and I did not sign a waiver agreeing to this location. During the drilling process, I experienced many discomforts ranging from horrific noise 24 hours a day to cracked floor tiles and foundation. I am 71 years old and own my home, where I had planned to live permanently. I have high blood pressure and a blood-clotting disorder. My health is deteriorating due to stress and sleepless nights. I’ve tried to sell my house and even lowered the price. It didn’t attract anyone. Potential buyers were not interested when they learned the house was next to a gas well. Those who visited saw the green barrier prominently visible from my back door and weren’t interested in looking further. Who in their right mind would buy a house next to a gas well? Chesapeake started this problem and needs to resolve it. I wrote to Chesapeake asking it to please buy my house. The company declined…” ” (Letter to editor, Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/19/3457277/mansfield-school-bonds-fort-worth.html “Water treatment facility to make water used to fracture shale reusable: “…Dirty water used to fracture shale will soon be reusable. A new water treatment plant in South Texas will recycle the water and give it back to oil and gas companies. Jessie Degollado has a look at the new facility…” ” (Video, KVUE) (Texas)- http://www.kvue.com/news/state/Water-treatment-facility-to-make-water-used-to-fracture-shale-reusable-132186363.html “Wood County delays frac sand decision: “…Wood County Board members delayed a decision Tuesday that would have prevented contracts between the county and frac sand haulers — a practice some have called an unnecessary hindrance to the industry…” ” (Wisconsin)- http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20111019/CWS03/310190078/Wood-County-delays-frac-sand-decision (Event) “Colorado State University to Host Natural Gas Symposium with Former Gov. Bill Ritter, Industry Leaders, Environmental Experts on October 26: “…FORT COLLINS – Colorado State University experts in natural gas and environmental sustainability will come together Oct. 26 for a scientific conference to help the community understand the natural gas economy and its impacts in Colorado and around the globe. Former Gov. Bill Ritter who now directs CSU’s Center for the New Energy Economy, Bryan Willson, director of CSU’s Clean Energy Supercluster, and Diana Wall, director of the School of Global Environmental Sustainability, will host the conference, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., at the Marriott Fort Collins, 350 E. Horsetooth Road. The conference is free and open to the public, but due to limited space, registration is required at http://www.naturalgas.colostate.edu/ …” ” (Colorado State University)- http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/5942 “Sussex mayor denounces seismic testing company: “…Sussex Mayor Ralph Carr is denouncing the tactics of a seismic surveying company as a “monumental” mistake after it pushed ahead with tests without the town’s approval. The Town of Sussex is now asking Premier David Alward and his Progressive Conservative government to take action against Seismotion, which performed tests inside Sussex boundaries on Monday…” ” (Canada)- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/10/19/nb-sussex-vote-seismic-tests-514.html “‘A black mark:’ Sussex mayor: “…Councillors in Sussex are fuming over Windsor Energy Corp’s decision to curtail their vote and proceed with seismic testing within town boundaries…”I’m very disappointed and I feel let down by the industry. Period,” said Mayor Ralph Carr. “This is a black mark on the industry in my opinion. “This did not help their cause at all – our level of trust has diminished.”…” ” (Canada)- http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/1448933 “Kitimat LNG Partners Announce Export Licence Approval By National Energy Board: “…Kitimat LNG partners Apache Canada Ltd. (Apache Canada), EOG Resources Canada Inc. (EOG Canada) and Encana Corporation (Encana) today announced that the National Energy Board (NEB) has granted Kitimat LNG a 20-year export licence to ship liquefied natural gas from Canada to international markets. “The Kitimat LNG project represents a remarkable opportunity to open up Asia-Pacific markets to Canadian natural gas and we’re leading the way in being able to deliver a long-term, stable and secure supply to the region,” said Janine McArdle, Kitimat LNG President…” ” (KM LNG)- http://www.hydrocarbononline.com/article.mvc/Kitimat-LNG-Partners-Announce-Export-Licence-0001 “Clean energy will generate much needed jobs for B.C: “…Research in other jurisdictions shows that, dollar for dollar, investments in clean-tech and clean-energy construction, manufacturing and installation creates more jobs than traditional energy development does. Back in 2004, a University of California at Berkeley survey found that renewable energy technologies create more jobs per average megawatt of power generated and per dollar invested than natural gas and coal…” ” (Canada)- http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Clean+energy+will+generate+much+needed+jobs/5572206/story.html “Pembina to invest C$230 million to expand Resthaven natural gas plant: “…The Resthaven natural gas plant capacity increase, the first of a two-phase expansion, is scheduled to come on stream in late 2013. With this initial expansion, Encana expects to boost its extraction of natural gas liquids (NGLs) at Resthaven from about 1,000 barrels per day to about 8,000 barrels per day. The second expansion is expected to provide Encana with another 4,000 barrels per day of extracted NGLs from its growing liquids-rich natural gas production in the region…” ” (Canada)- http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5485928/pembina-to-invest-c-230-million-to-expand-resthaven-natural-gas-plant “Hundreds rally in Brisbane to defend water from CSG” (Australia)- http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/49141

MarcellusGasInfo Chesapeake exhorts pro-drillers to infiltrate (and possibly disrupt) community meetings

OK, we know the EID folks by now. And we know that industry representatives infiltrate local meetings. So why the email from Chesapeake yesterday asking folks to attend a meeting they are not sponsoring? Why not filter that through EID at least so it’s not coming straight from the coordinator of corporate development for Marcellus Shale? Thanks to the guy who forwarded the email from Jennifer Cox – you know who you are……
http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/10/chesapeake-rallies-troops.html

MarcellusGasInfo Forbes: “Scientist Calls For End To Percentage Depletion for All Extraction – Not Just Oil”

“…Oil and gas companies enjoy savings of over $500 million each year from percentage depletion allowances in addition to other subsidies such as $6 billion in royalty free extraction from public land over the next 5 years according a report to the Government Accountability Office. Meanwhile, the societal, health and environmental costs of petroleum use are immeasurable. Estimates range from $500 billion to over $1 trillion dollars each year in added healthcare costs and environmental damage. These hidden costs are, in effect, massive subsidies that taxpayers are forced to shoulder. We are essentially paying extraction companies to take our natural resources and sell them back to us. They shouldn’t get to pretend as if they are losing money on the deal…” “Scientist Calls For End To Percentage Depletion for All Extraction – Not Just Oil” (Forbes)- http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2011/10/19/scientist-calls-for-end-to-percentage-depletion-for-all-extraction-not-just-oil/

MarcellusGasInfo Scientific American: “Safety First, Fracking Second”

“…All these states are flying blind. A long list of technical questions remains unanswered about the ways the practice could contaminate drinking water, the extent to which it already has, and what the industry could do to reduce the risks…” http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=safety-first-fracking-second Safety First, Fracking Second Drilling for natural gas has gotten ahead of the science needed to prove it safe By The Editors | October 19, 2011 | 7 A decade ago layers of shale lying deep underground supplied only 1 percent of America’s natural gas. Today they provide 30 percent. Drillers are rushing to hydraulically fracture, or “frack,” shales in a growing list of U.S. states. That is good news for national energy security, as well as for the global climate, because burning gas emits less carbon dioxide than burning coal. The benefits come with risks, however, that state and federal governments have yet to grapple with. Public fears are growing about contamination of drinking-water supplies from the chemicals used in fracking and from the methane gas itself. Field tests show that those worries are not unfounded. A Duke University study published in May found that methane levels in dozens of drinking-water wells within a kilometer (3,280 feet) of new fracking sites were 17 times higher than in wells farther away. Yet states have let companies proceed without adequate regulations. They must begin to provide more effective oversight, and the federal government should step in, too. Nowhere is the rush to frack, or the uproar, greater than in New York. In July, Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted a ban on fracking. The State Department of Environmental Conservation released an environmental impact statement and was to propose regulations in October. After a public comment period, which will end in early December, the department plans to issue regulations, and drilling most likely will begin. Fracking is already widespread in Wyoming, Colorado, Texas and Pennsylvania. All these states are flying blind. A long list of technical questions remains unanswered about the ways the practice could contaminate drinking water, the extent to which it already has, and what the industry could do to reduce the risks. To fill this gap, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now conducting comprehensive field research. Preliminary results are due in late 2012. Until then, states should put the brakes on the drillers. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie set an example in August when he vetoed a bill that would permanently ban fracking, then approved a one-year moratorium so his state could consider the results of federal studies. The EPA, for its part, could speed up its work. In addition to bringing some rigor to the debate over fracking, the federal government needs to establish common standards. Many in the gas industry say they are already sufficiently regulated by states, but this assurance is inadequate. For example, Pennsylvania regulators propose to extend a well operator’s liability for water quality out to 2,500 feet from a well, even though horizontal bores from the central well can stretch as far as 5,000 feet. Scientific advisory panels at the Department of Energy and the EPA have enumerated ways the industry could improve and have called for modest steps, such as establishing maximum contaminant levels allowed in water for all the chemicals used in fracking. Unfortunately, these recommendations do not address the biggest loophole of all. In 2005 Congress—at the behest of then Vice President Dick Cheney​, a former CEO of gas driller Halliburton—exempted fracking from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Congress needs to close this so-called Halliburton loophole, as a bill co-sponsored by New York State Representative Maurice Hinchey would do. The FRAC Act would also mandate public disclosure of all chemicals used in fracking across the nation. Even the incomplete data we now have suggest specific safety measures. First, the weakest link in preventing groundwater contamination is the concrete casing inside well bores [see “The Truth about Fracking,” by Chris Mooney]. Inspection of casings should be legally required. Second, the toxic fluid that is a major by-product of fracking is routinely stored in open pits, which can overflow or leach into the soil. It should be stored in tanks instead. Third, gas companies should inject tracers with the fracking fluid so inspectors can easily see whether any of the fluid ends up in the water streaming from residents’ faucets. Finally, companies or municipalities should have to test aquifers and drinking-water wells for chemicals before drilling begins and then as long as gas extraction continues, so changes in groundwater are obvious. It is in the industry’s interest to accept improved oversight. Public opinion is turning against fracking. That is unfortunate, because more natural gas could benefit everyone. With basic precautions, we can enjoy both cleaner energy and clean water.

MarcellusGasInfo “Senator Libous will be in New Berlin, NY Tonight at 6 pm!”

Directions- http://g.co/maps/yay56 Senator Libous will be in New Berlin Tonight at 6 pm! Where: New Berlin Firehouse [behind NBT Bank] When: 6 – 7:30 pm Kim Felter Canarelli who is running for Town Council in New Berlin will be presenting a petition to Senator Libous asking for him to apologize to his constituents And downstate Colleagues per the article from the Binghamton Press and Sun bulletin that appeared on October 14, 2011 telling downstate Politicians to stay out of Upstate Hydrfracking issues. The petition currently has 30 signatures and I will be standing there waiting for more people to sign the petition. It will then be presented to Senator Libous asking for his apology. Downstate Politicians have put forth great efforts to reveal the dangers of Hydrofracking. We want them to stay involved in upstate Politics!! Senator Libous does not speak for us! Please be at the New Berlin Firehouse Tonight at 6 pm to support this petition and others who are fighting Hydrofracking issues. If we do not show up tonight and state our opposition to Drilling in Chenango County, Senator Libous will have the floor to do whatever he wants.

MarcellusGasInfo Ian Urbina via The New York Times- “Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/us/rush-to-drill-for-gas-creates-mortgage-conflicts.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Drilling Down Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News A natural gas drilling rig next to an impoundment pit in Washington County, Pa. Such pits are often used to store toxic drilling waste. By IAN URBINA Published: October 19, 2011 As natural gas drilling has spread across the country, energy industry representatives have sat down at kitchen tables in states like Texas, Pennsylvania and New York to offer homeowners leases that give companies the right to drill on their land. And over the past 10 years, as natural gas has become increasingly important to the nation’s energy future, Americans have signed more than a million of these leases. But bankers and real estate executives, especially in New York, are starting to pay closer attention to the fine print and are raising provocative questions, such as: What happens if they lend money for a piece of land that ends up storing the equivalent of an Olympic-size swimming pool filled with toxic wastewater from drilling? Fearful of just such a possibility, some banks have become reluctant to grant mortgages on properties leased for gas drilling. At least eight local or national banks do not typically issue mortgages on such properties, lenders say. A credit union in upstate New York has started requiring gas companies to promise to pay for any damage caused by drilling that may lead to devaluation of its mortgaged properties. Another will make home loans only to people who expressly agree not to sign a gas lease as long as they hold the mortgage. More generally, bankers are concerned because many leases allow drillers to operate in ways that violate rules in landowners’ mortgages. These rulesalso require homeowners to get permission from their mortgage banker before they sign a lease — a fact that most landowners do not know. Last year, Jack and Carol Pyhtila spent several weeks working to refinance the mortgage on their roughly 30 acres in Tompkins County, N.Y. But when they arrived to sign the mortgage, the lender, Visions Federal Credit Union, had taken a closer look at the lease on their land and revoked its offer, said Mr. Pyhtila, 72. “They told us there was not enough information yet to know how the lease would affect the property value and they were not sure if it followed the mortgage rules,” he said. Another bank agreed to refinance their loan several months later. Lenders predict that the conflicts between leases and mortgage rules are not likely to cause foreclosures, nor have they resulted in broad litigation or legislation. But many of the leases do constitute “technical defaults” on the mortgages, lenders say, and will likely result in new rules from local banks and additional hurdles to getting a home loan or refinancing a mortgage. Some real estate agents have started raising red flags. “When you decide to sell your house you may find it difficult to do so because many banks, here and elsewhere, will not mortgage properties with gas leases, which, in turn, limits the number of buyers willing and able to buy your property,” wrote Linda Hirvonen, an agent in Ithaca, N.Y., in a newsletter last month. Banks establish rules for how mortgaged properties can be used, to help ensure that they will hold their value . Banks also need to guarantee that their mortgages meet certain standards so that they can sell them to institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which bundle and sell these mortgages to investors. “In terms of litigation, there is a real potential for a domino effect here if lenders at each step of the way made guarantees that are invalid,” said Greg May, vice president of residential mortgage lending at Tompkins Trust Company, headquartered in Ithaca. Banks resell more than 90 percent of new residential mortgages in the United States to institutions like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. It is not clear how many mortgages held by major secondary lenders or investors have oil or gas leases on them that do not comply with mortgage rules. But if even a small percentage do, tens of billions of dollars in mortgages might be affected, raising new concerns for an industry that has suffered in recent years from home loans that proved much riskier than expected. Some lawyers who specialize in oil and gas leases said they were not worried. “The leases have not created any practical conflict or issue with mortgages,” said Adam J. Schultz, a lawyer in Syracuse, adding that there are thousands of gas leases on mortgaged properties in New York and Pennsylvania and that state environmental regulations helped protect property values. Most of the bankers and mortgage experts interviewed also emphasized that they were not opposed to expanded drilling. The surge in such drilling has created thousands of jobs, bolstered American energy supplies and turned some landowners into millionaires, they said. However, the banking industry is only starting to appreciate the complexity and possible consequences, they added. “It’s truly Pandora’s box,” said Cosimo Manzo, a vice president of First Heritage Financial, a mortgage services company in Philadelphia, during a presentation to Pennsylvania lenders posted online in July by a state credit union association. He also compared getting leases to comply with mortgage rules to solving a Rubik’s Cube. If local banks do not require that leases comport with mortgage rules, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may stop buying mortgages from these banks, Mr. Manzo said. Other experts warned that the two institutions, or investors who bought mortgage-backed securities, may also force local lenders to buy back noncompliant mortgages. Real estate experts said the chances for conflicts between leases and mortgages were growing as drilling increased in more populated areas. The issue has garnered the most attention among lawmakers and lenders in New York, partly because the state’s rules for how close to homes drilling may be undertaken are more lax than in some Western states where there has been drilling for years. Attention From Lawmakers Lawmakers have started asking more questions about the interplay of leases and mortgages. In September, after The New York Times asked them about the issue, two Democratic congressmen, Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts and Maurice D. Hinchey of New York, asked Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac how they intended to rectify any breaches of their standards caused by drilling leases. State legislators from New York, Ohio and Maryland have also sent letters to regulators seeking more information. In October, Mr. May published a report after a Tompkins County legislator, Carol Chock, asked him to look into the issue. The report described various conflicts between leases and mortgages over such things as minimum distances between gas wells and homes and the construction of wastewater ponds. Mr. May said the issue was causing “a high level of concern for prudent banks and lenders.” He and other bankers have also questioned how the growing grid of buried pipelines that carry natural gas from wells to consumers will comply with mortgage rules. A separate report from the Congressional Research Service, the research arm of Congress, said signing a drilling lease without prior approval on a property with a mortgage owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac “generally will be considered an act of default under the mortgage.” That could give either of the federally run companies the right to demand immediate payment of the full loan and even foreclose on the property if the owner cannot pay, the report said. Representatives for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, declined to comment. Other officials at Fannie Mae, who were not authorized to speak to reporters, said it was unclear how many mortgaged properties with noncompliant leases Fannie Mae owned or had unwittingly sold to investors. Since drilling leases are frequently on farms and Farmer Mac, which purchases farm, ranch and rural homeowner mortgages, has many of the same rules as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, potential conflicts between mortgages and leases exist there, too. A spokesman for Farmer Mac said he did not believe leases posed a significant financial risk. Some bankers have emphasized that the conflicts between mortgages and leases can be resolved. But that first requires more guidance from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other secondary lenders about what types of appraisals and title insurance are appropriate for mortgaged properties with leases, and whether the risks and values of these properties need to be reassessed, said Bill Crane, a senior vice president of CFCU Community Credit Union in Ithaca. Other lenders said they needed mortgage rules relating to leased properties to be followed uniformly so that bankers who enforced these higher hurdles were not left at a competitive disadvantage. In New York, these lenders added, regulators need to change regulations to require a larger buffer zone between homes and wells so that drilling complies with mortgage rules. “New York needs the drilling jobs,” said Ralph Kelsey, a senior vice president of Tioga State Bank in Tioga County, N.Y. “We also need a lot more answers to these questions.” Last year, Mr. Kelsey gave a presentation warning that since intensive drilling is relatively new in New York and Pennsylvania, there is a lack of historical data about how drilling affects property values, which in turn raises questions about whether appraisals will meet mortgage guidelines. Rare Requests for Clearance Data is scarce on how often landowners or drilling companies are getting written permission from lenders before putting leases on mortgaged properties. Most mortgage experts said the requests were rare. Bank of America receives roughly 100 requests per month nationwide, a company spokesman said. Fewer than a dozen such requests are sent directly to Fannie Mae each year, according to Fannie Mae officials. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, GMAC Mortgage and the Mortgage Bankers Association declined to comment beyond saying they decided mortgages case by case and noting that the landowner or the gas company is responsible for ensuring leases do not violate mortgages. In private e-mails, some lenders said drilling leases could create problems for getting a mortgage. It is “very difficult to obtain financing due to the potential hazard” as well as “unknowns,” an official at Wells Fargo wrote to a mortgage broker in northeastern Pennsylvania in April 2010. Drilling officials offered a different view. They said that the income from lease bonuses and gas royalties actually enhanced property values, and that mortgage lenders welcomed gas drilling because it provided borrowers with extra income that could be used to pay off their mortgages. New York environmental regulators recently published a report indicating that property values go up regionally with an influx of drilling jobs. But the report also said research showed the value of properties closest to drilling would likely decrease. Chesapeake Energy, a major natural gas producer, does not seek approval from lenders before finalizing leases on mortgaged properties but asks permission later for properties where wells will be drilled and withholds royalties until consent is obtained, said Jim Gipson, a company spokesman. However, lenders warned that mortgage rules required approvals from lenders before drilling leases were signed. They also noted that such approvals were required on all leases, not just those where wells are drilled. Landowners said they were unaware of the rules set by their mortgages. “It never even dawned on me to talk to the bank before I signed my lease,” said Marie McRae, 67, who raises horses in Freeville, N.Y., outside Ithaca. She leased 13 acres of her farm in 2008, but came to regret her decision and has publicly criticized drilling. Asked by The Times to review the mortgage regulations and a collection of leases, Shaun Goho, a lecturer at Harvard Law School and co-author of a guide to natural gas leasing, said he was alarmed by various potential conflicts between leases and mortgages. He added that he planned to revise the guide this fall to include a discussion of these conflicts. Officials from Exxon Mobil, the largest natural gas producer in the United States, and America’s Natural Gas Alliance, a trade association, declined to comment. This is not the first time that questions have been raised about whether mortgages comply with standards set by major lenders. The assembly-line way that mortgages are sold and resold makes it difficult to track liability and risk and to ensure that guidelines are being followed, said Eric Forster, a real estate and mortgage expert who is the managing principal in Forster Realty Advisors of Los Angeles, which often consults on real estate litigation. “The subprime mortgage mess was the first symptom of this larger problem,” he said. “And these leasing issues represent a second symptom.” Kitty Bennett contributed research. A version of this article appeared in print on October 20, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: A Rush to Sign Leases for Gas Runs Into Mortgage Restriction.

MarcellusGasInfo Recent Gas Drilling News (10-18-11 11:30PM EDT)

See also http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news http://sustainableotsego.org/recent-gas-drilling-news/425-recent-gas-drilling-news-10-18-11-1200am-1130pm-edt Recent Gas Drilling News (10-18-11 11:30PM EDT) NY, PA & NJ: “Washed-out bridge will be inconvenience: “…”A washed-out bridge could create an inconvenience to residents of East Sorber Mountain Road and the Salansky Marcellus Shale Natural gas well on Zosh Road has been plugged, township supervisors said at their meeting Wednesday night…The natural gas well constructed last year on Zosh Road is plugged. Salansky announced the well pad has been removed by Encana Oil and Gas. Since the well did not yield the large quantities of gas, the pipe has been capped and is “4 feet below plow depth,” she said. “The area is now a farm field,” she said…” ” (The Dallas Post) (PA)- http://www.timesleader.com/TheDallasPost/news/Washed-out_bridge_will_be_inconvenience_10-18-2011.html “Drilling leaves tainted aquifer/Pa. gas drilling town’s water still fouled: “…Some Dimock residents say their water wells were fouled not only with methane that DEP said migrated from improperly cemented Cabot gas wells, but possibly also with toxic chemicals commonly used in the drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking. Fracking uses high-pressure injection of millions of gallons of water, sand and chemical additives to get gas from shale deposits more than a mile underground. The company denied responsibility, saying it doesn’t use the chemicals that a consultant working for the plaintiffs found in the wells last year. Cabot suggested a nearby auto repair shop was to blame…” ” (AP)- www.timesunion.com/news/article/Drilling-leaves-tainted-aquifer-2220919.php , http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111018/BUSINESS06/111018048/ & http://online.wsj.com/article/APd6b96a4fbd054e40b163f232dfd1556b.html “Gas company asks to resume drilling in Dimock, Pa.” (AP)- http://www.centredaily.com/2011/10/18/2954791/gas-company-asks-to-resume-drilling.html “Defying Open Meeting Law, Town of Sidney OKs Pipeline: “…Then, after calling the meeting to order McCarthy immediately tossed the agenda aside and called for a vote on the pipeline project. The proposal – to provide a 50-year franchise to Leatherstocking Gas Co. for a gas pipeline through Sidney, Coventry, and Bainbridge and eventually connecting with the Millennium pipeline and eastern ports – has been a point of controversy all summer long. Without allowing for any discussion, McCarthy called for a vote…” ” (The Marcellus Effect)- http://www.watershedpost.com/2011/sidney-gives-leatherstocking-pipeline-go-ahead “Cortland clerk fights abusive gas leasing practices: “…Larkin is Cortland’s county clerk, and like others across the state, is one of the few people who sees the contracts made between drilling companies and landowners. Leases are considered private contracts, and therefore aren’t overseen by any agency at the state level. As a result, Larkin says she sees companies try to record improper documents all the time, including adding five year extensions to leases that explicitly rule them out…” ” (Innovation Trail) (NY)- http://innovationtrail.org/post/cortland-clerk-fights-abusive-gas-leasing-practices “Council OKs ban on gas drilling: “…ALBANY — City lawmakers brushed aside fears of costly lawsuits from the oil and gas industry Monday night and narrowly approved a ban on gas drilling inside city limits, a move aimed squarely at the controversial drilling technique known as hydrofracking. In doing so, the Common Council joined Buffalo, Cooperstown and what advocates said have been more than 50 other cities, towns and counties in New York that have somehow limited the practice before state environmental regulators can start issuing gas companies permits to start drilling…” ” (Albany Times Union)- http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Council-OKs-ban-on-gas-drilling-2223550.php & http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/albany-lawmakers-ban-hydrofracking-1.3255196 “Albany Common Council votes to ban fracking” (FOX23)- http://www.fox23news.com/news/local/story/Albany-Common-Council-votes-to-ban-fracking/PdJyGqwdsEyAWj6f_v5IeA.cspx “Common councilors consider gas drilling ban: “…Syracuse common councilors are preparing to take new action to ban hydrofracking in the city. They are likely to vote on the bill at a meeting next week…” ” (Video, YNN) (NY)- http://centralny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/560875/common-councilors-consider-gas-drilling-ban/ “River Symposium panel focuses on community effects of gas drilling: “…LEWISBURG, Pa. – Gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale is transforming the region with promises of political and economic gain, but those perceived benefits must be balanced with the “social” effects on communities, a panel of experts agreed this weekend. A group of professors and regional leaders came together Friday at Bucknell University for a panel discussion: “Understanding community impacts of Marcellus Shale development: strategies and questions.”…” ” (Bucknell University)- www.bucknell.edu/x72476.xml “Ball Wants Cuomo to Get Tough on Fracking” (Scarsdale Patch) (NY)- http://scarsdale.patch.com/articles/ball-wants-cuomo-to-get-tough-on-fracking-baa75348 “NYRAD Member Respond To Senator Libous: “…NYRAD members have responded to Senator Tom Libous’s recent statements about gas drilling. The State Senator has asked lawmakers from downstate to “butt out” of the fracking conversation in the Southern Tier. But a NYRAD Board Member said the Senator is out of touch and needs to understand the concerns of residents…” ” (Video, WICZ FOX40) (NY)- http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=20642 “Don’t wait to study fracking and health: “…First, if health impacts were “considered” why is there hardly a mention of public health impacts in the 1,500-plus pages of the Cuomo administration’s drilling proposal? Second, it’s irresponsible to assume New York doesn’t need to understand the health impacts of fracking simply because the state’s drilling proposal may be better than those of Texas, Louisiana and other states friendly to the gas industry…” ” (Letter from Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York, Gannett) (NY)- http://www.lohud.com/article/20111018/OPINION/110180311/Don-t-wait-study-fracking-health “Radiation Problems due to Hydrofracking: “…In this interview with Dr. Marvin Resnikoff, the threats of radiation problems due to hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale are discussed. For more information about Dr. Resnikoff, go to http://rwma.com/ For more information about the problems with hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale, go to http://newyorkwater.org/ …” ” (Shaleshock Media) (NY)- http://shaleshockmedia.org/2011/10/18/radiation-problems-due-to-hydrofracking/ “Does New York City Really Need a New Natural Gas Pipeline, At the End of The High Line?” (TreeHugger)- http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/10/does-new-york-need-natural-gas-pipeline-at-the-high-line.php “Broome executive candidates spar: “…Both candidates said they are in favor of safe natural gas drilling. “The New York State (Department of Environmental Conservation), I believe, will be issuing permits this coming spring. Whether you’re for it or against it — it’s coming,” Brennan said. “I think the DEC has done a good job, a thorough job, of writing 1,000 pages of regulations.” It would give a much-needed economic boost to the area, Preston said…” ” (Gannett) (NY)- http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20111018/NEWS01/110180395/Broome-executive-candidates-spar “Candidates for County Executive hold debate: “…Despite the differences, the candidates do have a few things in common. Both say they support natural gas drilling that is safe and monitored…” ” (Video, YNN) (NY)- http://centralny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/560896/candidates-for-county-executive-hold-debate/ “Report Says Indian Point is Replaceable: “…A new study released by Riverkeeper, the Hudson River environmental advocacy group, says that power coming from Indian Point could be replaced by 2020, without disrupted energy reliability for the metropolitan area…According to the study by Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Fund, there is an energy surplus in the metropolitan area, and with energy efficiencies and new energy generators, such as natural gas and wind power, the region won’t need new energy facilities to come online until 2020 to maintain reliability…” ” (The Daily Greenburgh) (NY)- http://www.thedailygreenburgh.com/news/report-says-indian-point-replaceable “How Essential Is Indian Point?: “…So, what would those alternatives be? New York’s electricity infrastructure resembles its highway system, prone to saturation. Once in a while, though, new transmission capacity does gets added. This month, in a little-noticed development, the Bayonne Energy Center finished a 6.75-mile cable that runs from Bayonne, N.J., under the Kill Van Kull, through Upper New York Bay to Gowanus Bay and then to Con Edison’s Gowanus substation. The company plans to build a 512-megawatt gas-fired power station on the New Jersey side…” ” (The New York Times)- http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/how-essential-is-indian-point/ “Extension director honored for work on collecting natural gas info: “…NORWICH – Ken Smith, executive director of the Chenango County Cooperative Extension, will be recognized as one of the 2011 David J. Allee and Paul R. Eberts Community and Economic Vitality Award recipients today at Cornell University. According to Cornell’s Community and Regional Development Institute, the award is given in recognition of innovative research and development of creative solutions to community issues. This year, Smith and his colleagues of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marcellus Shale Team will be awarded for their work in providing accurate, research based information about the process of natural gas drilling and its implications…” ” (The Evening Sun) (NY)- http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2011-10-18/13352/Extension-director-honored-for-work-on-collecting-natural-gas-info/ “Review of natural gas well failure in Bradford County shows no lasting damage: “…Chesapeake released information late Saturday from SAIC, an Oklahoma consulting company the company hired to review the incident. DEP spokeswoman Katy Gresh was unable to provide a comment late Saturday evening. In the Sunday Times’ initial review of the report, SAIC consultants said heavy rainfall in April diluted the wastewater that spilled into Towanda Creek, resulting in “minimal and short-term impacts.”…” ” (Times-Shamrock Communications)- http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/review-of-natural-gas-well-failure-in-bradford-county-shows-no-lasting-damage-1.1218830 & http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid=%7B5a5159ed-dc06-495b-b600-8e37ef856617%7D “Report Details Impact from Gas Well Blowout: “…In the six months since that natural gas well blowout near Canton, many have wondered how bad it was. Did it damage private drinking wells or did drilling fluids harm the Towanda Creek? Now, Chesapeake Energy has released its findings…” ” (WNEP) (PA)- http://www.wnep.com/wnep-report-details-impact-from-gas-well-blowout-20111017,0,6193847.story “Fracking gets a clean bill of health: “…Chesapeake funded the study, which was conducted according to DEP protocols and accepted by the agency and presents the large set of data and technical tables…” ” (NY Post)- http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/fracking_gets_clean_bill_of_health_4fKUCwH7xxh4EjhKrn8HFI “No Lasting Impacts From Gas Well Blowout: “…Chesapeake now highlights an independent study by SAIC which found none of the nearby private water wells were impacted. Land, small tributaries, and the creek however, were temporarily contaminated…” ” (WBNG News)- http://www.wbng.com/news/local/No-Lasting-Impacts-From-Gas-Well-Blowout-132064998.html “Hydrofracking threatens Finger Lakes region: “…In the draft impact statement, the state fails to address the huge cumulative environmental impact of a process that is expected to involve the construction of thousands of gas wells, thousands of miles of access roads and pipelines and other associated infrastructure…” ” (Letter to editor from Finger Lakes Land Trust) (NY)- http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2011/10/hydrofracking_threatens_finger.html “Drilling impact would be heavy: “…What’s more, in light of recent budget and staff cuts, the state doesn’t appear to have the necessary enforcement and responses in place to deal with sweeping hydrofracking operations. In fact, an internal report from the state Department of Health says that if high-volume hydrofracking moves forward in New York the agency will need additional funding to address potential health impacts and assist with regulating the industry…” ” (Opinion, The Poughkeepsie Journal) (NY)- http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20111018/OPINION01/110180313/ “National, state Sierra Club may align on fracking: “…On Sunday, Downs told a crowd gathered at Temple B’rith Kodesh that the state chapter has been pressuring the national club to change its position. The national Sierra Club is revisiting its position, Downs said, and has acknowledged that there are huge problems with fracking. Ultimately, Downs wants the state chapter to have the autonomy to push for a statewide ban on fracking…” ” (Rochester City Newspaper) (NY)- http://www.rochestercitynewspaper.com/news/blog/2011/10/National-state-Sierra-Club-may-align-on-fracking/ “South Fayette manager resigns: “…Mike Hoy, the South Fayette manager for nearly 11 years, announced Monday night that he is resigning from the township and taking a job at MarkWest, the natural gas processing firm…The departure comes amid the township’s battle over Marcellus Shale development and the legal challenge by gas firm Range Resources of the municipality’s natural gas drilling regulations. MarkWest is a strategic partner with Range Resources…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11291/1183003-100.stm “South Fayette manager cites natural gas fight as reason for leaving: “…He wouldn’t say where he might go to work, because he hasn’t formally accepted a job offer…Texas-based Range Resources with offices in Cecil, one of the biggest drillers of the Marcellus shale, has asked the township’s zoning hearing board to overturn the ordinance, calling it a de facto ban on drilling…Commissioner Cindy Cox echoed Sray’s praise for Hoy. “He’s been a very good employee. He’s been very dedicated to the township and always put the township’s need first,” Cox said. Sray, a member of the board for 18 years, said Hoy’s concerns about divisions among people in the township are well-founded…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) (PA)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_762550.html “Drilling foes blocked from seeking donors at two shopping websites: “…Two national retailers said they will not help a South Fayette community group raise money to fight natural gas drilling. Minneapolis-based electronics and appliance seller Best Buy Co. Inc. barred the Friends of South Fayette from its online purchasing program in June. Finish Line, an Indianapolis-based seller of athletic shoes and gear, said it plans to do the same. Such programs allow people to shop online and donate a portion of sales to groups such as Friends of South Fayette. “We always retain the right to revoke affiliate status at any time to any site,” Finish Line spokesman Alex Yovanovich said. “In the case of the Friends of South Fayette, because it is based on a political platform, this site would not have met our general guidelines.”…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) (PA)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_762551.html “Many officials hold leases with shale drillers: “…During a contentious meeting in South Fayette last week, the township’s zoning hearing board delayed a decision about a challenge mounted by gas driller Range Resources after calls for several members of the board to recuse themselves from discussions because they have signed gas leases with the Texas-based driller. “It cannot be more clear to me that it’s a conflict of interest,” said South Fayette solicitor Jonathan Kamin, who wants zoning board members to recuse themselves so supervisors can appoint alternate members to hear Range’s response to a recently approved gas well drilling ordinance…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11289/1182296-503.stm “Opponents of gas metering station continue to air concerns: “…Opponents of a proposed natural gas metering station continued to testify at a Dallas Township Zoning Board hearing Monday evening. Chief Gathering LLC has submitted an application to build a natural gas metering facility off Hildebrandt Road, about 1,300 feet from the Dallas School District campus. The meter would measure gas flowing through a gathering line from wells in Susquehanna and Wyoming counties to the Transco interstate pipeline…” ” (The Dallas Post) (PA)- http://www.timesleader.com/TheDallasPost/news/Opponents_of_gas_metering_station_continue_to_air_concerns_10-18-2011.html “Senate Dems call for shale training $: “…”There’s no question that a lot of people remain out of work,” said Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline. “We have to encourage re-training, matching them up with openings.”…The proposal on more job training for the natural-gas industry suggests that the first $5 million raised from an impact fee each year should be set aside for preparing workers. That measure, sponsored by Sen. Tina Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, also calls for creating a call center to connect potential workers with training programs, with a preference to disabled Pennsylvanians in filling those call-center openings. Fontana said he expects that job-training assistance will be among a multitude of amendments to be offered to the eventual drilling fee legislation…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://earlyreturns.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/early-returns-20/53-post-gazette-staff/3475-senate-dems-call-for-shale-training- “State: Marcellus gas drilling jobs increase in Pa” (AP) (PA)- http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/state-marcellus-gas-drilling-jobs-increase-in/db14196ff12c4b7c8b8a24ed6017b5ed & http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111018/NEWS90/111019719 “New Pa. Govt. Data Demonstrates Powerful Job Creation Impact of Marcellus Shale” (Marcellus Shale Coalition)- http://www.northcentralpa.com/feeditem/2011-10-18_new-pa-govt-data-demonstrates-powerful-job-creation-impact-marcellus-shale “Pitts: Leave natural gas drilling regs to states: “…U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts and a dozen other members of the state’s congressional delegation are urging President Barack Obama to leave regulation of the booming natural-gas drilling industry to individual states…Pitts spokesman Andrew Wimer said the congressman signed the letter to impress upon the Obama administration the positive impact the industry is having on the nation’s fragile economic recovery and to discourage any new federal regulations that might dampen further job-creation. Pitts, a Republican from Chester County, represents Lancaster County in the 16th Congressional District…The lawmakers, in making their case for no federal regulations, cite a July report prepared by Penn State and University of Wyoming researchers and paid for by the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a trade association for the gas companies…” ” (Lancaster Online) (PA)- http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/481362_Pitts–Leave-natural-gas-drilling-regs-to-states.html “Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly oppose drilling in parks; clear majority opposes drilling in state forests: “…The first statewide poll by the nonpartisan Mercyhurst College Center for Applied Politics (MCAP), taken between September 19 and October 7, has found that a clear majority – 57 percent – of Pennsylvanians oppose ANY drilling for natural gas in state forests, and that two thirds of Pennsylvanians – 67 percent – oppose drilling within state parks…A clear majority of Pennsylvanians (60 percent) say that they don’t believe corporations extracting gas from the Marcellus Shale formation “truly care about protecting the environment”. The industry could go a long way in demonstrating their environmental sensibilities by respecting the moratorium on further leasing of the state forest and by taking the pledge to stay out of state parks…” ” (PennFuture)- http://pennfuture.blogspot.com/2011/10/pennsylvanians-overwhelmingly-oppose.html “North East supervisors approve restrictions on natural gas drilling: “…NORTH EAST — North East Township supervisors on Monday unanimously approved regulations they call a “start” toward controlling oil and natural gas development in the township. The new regulations require a conditional use permit plus planning commission and supervisors’ approval to drill a commercial gas well in a residential neighborhood. Energy companies also would need a permit and approval to locate a gas compressor or processing plant in a residential, commercial or agricultural zone…” ” (Erie Times-News) (PA)- http://www.goerie.com/article/20111018/NEWS02/310189956/North-East-supervisors-approve-restrictions-on-natural-gas-drilling & http://www.istockanalyst.com/business/news/5483024/north-east-supervisors-approve-restrictions-on-natural-gas-drilling “Shale-related plant coming to Tipton: “…The Altoona area will share in the growth from the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom with Gardner Denver’s construction this winter of a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing plant near Tipton…” ” (The Altoona Mirror) (PA)- http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/554580/Shale-related-plant-coming-to-Tipton.html?nav=742 “Corbett: Gardner Denver to Create 40 Jobs in Blair County: “…Gov. Tom Corbett has announced that Gardner Denver Inc.’s Engineered Products Group will locate a new Aftermarket Service Center in Antis Township, creating at least 40 new jobs…The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, or GAT, a group of economic development professionals who work directly with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania. GAT provides site selection assistance, coordinates the involvement of other state agencies as needed, and packages the appropriate economic development funding for the project…” ” (PA Office of the Govener Press Release)- http://gantdaily.com/2011/10/18/corbett-gardner-denver-to-create-40-jobs-in-blair-county/ & http://www.pa.gov/portal/server.pt/document/1204556/governor_corbett_says_gardner_denver_to_create_40_jobs_in_blair_county (See also http://www.gardnerdenver.com/Industries/Oil_and_Gas.aspx ) “Mayor Ravenstahl pushes trash trucks that run on natural gas: “…Although Shields agreed that natural-gas-powered trucks are more fuel-efficient and produce less pollution, he said processes used to extract natural gas — particularly from drilling in Marcellus shale — harm the environment. Industry advocates argue that drillers are regulated and take steps to protect the environment…” ” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) (PA)- http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_762339.html (Event) “Webinar Oct. 20 to look at natural-gas compression in pipeline systems: “…Penn State Extension will sponsor a Web-based seminar at 1 p.m. Thursday that will examine the need for and performance of compressor stations in natural-gas pipeline delivery systems. The 75-minute session will feature a presentation by Glenn Wininger, project engineer with Englobal Engineering Inc., titled “Compressor Stations: the Necessity and Expectations.” In the last few years, a pipeline system to transport gas from the thousands of wells drilled into the mile-deep Marcellus Shale formation has expanded rapidly in states such as Pennsylvania. “It is necessary for the gas industry to compress gas for transport in pipelines,” Wininger said. “In my talk, I will try to offer a basic understanding of gas compression and the different types of compression units.” Wininger said his presentation will cover the factors that necessitate gas compression and the requirements for increased compression throughout the lifetime of a gas well…” ” (Pennsylvania Business Central)- http://www.pabusinesscentral.com/2011/10/webinar-oct-20-to-look-at-natural-gas-compression-in-pipeline-systems/ “Clearfield County commissioner candidates take part in forum: “…PHILIPSBURG – The four Clearfield County commissioner candidates were on hand yesterday at Windy Hill Village in Philipsburg to take part in a forum hosted by the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership…For the Marcellus shale issue, Sobel said the industry is here to stay and people will be forced to get used to it in coming years. Sobel said it has good economical potential, however, he voiced his concerned with the use of frack water. “I think we need to learn to deal with it, learn to live with it and reap the advantages it brings,” said Sobel. “However, we also have to keep an eye on the environment.” McCracken said the industry is great in creating jobs but said he has the same environmental concerns. McCracken said he supports treating and rehabilitating frack water, but is strongly objected to storing frack water underground. He also said by rehabilitating the frack water, plants would be built and therefore more jobs would be created by the process. Monella and McMillen were given a minute for a rebuttal on the matter. Monella said he feels some areas need to be preserved from the process. He agreed that while it creates jobs, the environment needs to be protected. McMillen said she feels if the companies follow the best practices, then gas drilling can be done safely…” ” (The Progress News) (PA)- http://www.theprogressnews.com/default.asp?read=28635 “Corbett should be commended for his fee plan” (Letter from Research Fellow for Commonwealth Foundation, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11291/1182847-110-0.stm “Commissioner concerned about impact fee regulation: “…Lycoming County Commissioner Jeff C. Wheeland on Monday predicted a flurry of activity focused on getting legislation enacted that would authorize the imposition of a gas industry impact fee…” ” (Williamsport Sun-Gazette) (PA)- http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/569914/Commissioner-concerned-about-impact-fee-regulation.html “The Hunt For The Orphan, Abandoned, Plugged and Un-Plugged Oil and Gas Wells in Pennsylvania: “…THE HUNT KICKS OFF November 1st, 2011! The hunt will end when every abandoned well is properly plugged in Pennsylvania! Join us to help locate and photograph these wells!…” ” (ScavengerHuntPA)- http://scavengerhuntpa.tripod.com/ “Jack Hanna supports fracking: “…”I have no problem with Marcellus Shale,” Hanna said. “We need the resource, and we can’t be captives to our environment.” He plans to incorporate the fracking sites near his conservation center into his tours…” ” (The Altoona Mirror) (PA)- http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/554622/Jack-Hanna-supports-fracking.html “Coffeetown Releases Gas Drilling and the Fracking of a Marriage by Stephanie Hamel: “…Gas Drilling and the Fracking of a Marriage, by Stephanie C. Hamel, is a memoir about an environmental scientist who is tempted to betray her ideals by the promise of extravagant royalties…” ” (BriefingWire.com)- http://www.briefingwire.com/pr/coffeetown-releases-gas-drilling-and-the-fracking-of-a-marriage-by-stephanie-hamel (Events) “Public hearing on proposed Spectra Energy natural-gas pipeline tonight in Bayonne: “…Bayonne officials have been muted in their response to the Houston energy giant’s plan, in contrast to the vociferous opposition shown by Jersey City officials. In December, Spectra revised its original plan to run the 30-inch pipeline along residential streets in Bergen Point, and moved the pipe under the Kill Van Kull instead. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 669 Ave. C. FERC will meet in Jersey City tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Ferris High School, 35 Colgate St…” ” (New Jersey)- http://www.nj.com/bayonne/index.ssf/2011/10/public_hearing_on_proposed_spe.html (See also http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventDetails.aspx?ID=6029&CalType=%20&CalendarID=119&Date=&View=Listview ) National & International: “10/18/2011 Natural Gas Daily Report” (The Carbon Capture Report)- http://gas.carboncapturereport.org/cgi-bin//dailyreport?DATE=2011-10-18 “Boom Town: What Brings Thousands of Jobs to One Ohio Town?: “…”I just want to work. That’s about it. … I want to work.” …” ” (ABC News)- http://abcnews.go.com/US/boom-town-ohio-town-sees-thousands-jobs/story?id=14761821 “Unemployed Turn to Natural Gas Industry for Employment Opportunities: “…“There is some danger in young people getting trained in the area, when maybe five or ten years from now other factors will keep them from taking advantage of it any further,” said Chuck Wyrostock, who is an outreach organizer for the Sierra Club of West Virginia’s natural gas campaign. According to Wyrostock, it is possible that a push for alternative energy may ultimately wean the country off fossil fuels, which would leave those who have been trained in the natural gas industry in a precarious position. While most experts feel shale-related jobs will remain available for the next 30 to 50 years, they do concede that workers may have to migrate as they follow drilling rigs from one place to the next…” ” (Allvoices)- http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/10643607-unemployed-turn-to-natural-gas-industry-for-employment-opportunities “Rapid expansion of natural gas development poses a threat to surface waters: “…Extraction of natural gas from hard-to-reach reservoirs has expanded around the world and poses multiple environmental threats to surface waters. Improved drilling and extraction technology used to access low permeability natural gas requires millions of liters of water and a suite of chemicals that may be toxic to aquatic biota. There is growing concern among the scientific community and the general public that rapid and extensive natural gas development in the US could lead to degradation of natural resources. Gas wells are often close to surface waters that could be impacted by elevated sediment runoff from pipelines and roads, alteration of streamflow as a result of water extraction, and contamination from introduced chemicals or the resulting wastewater. However, the data required to fully understand these potential threats are currently lacking. Scientists therefore need to study the changes in ecosystem structure and function caused by natural gas extraction and to use such data to inform sound environmental policy…” ” (Ecological Society of America)- http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/110053 (See also “How close is too close? Hydrofracking to access natural gas reservoirs poses risks to surface water”- http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-hydrofracking-access-natural-gas-reservoirs.html ) “It’s Official: ‘Age Of Shale’ Has Arrived” (The Wall Street Journal)- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203658804576637392455424656.html , http://www.thegwpf.org/international-news/4135-its-official-age-of-shale-has-arrived.html & http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/10/18-8 (See also “The ‘Age of Shale’ and America’s Energy Future”- http://www.energyindepth.org/2011/10/the-age-of-shale-and-americas-energy-future/ “Deal gives nod to gas despite political uncertainty: “…But Kinder Morgan’s deal reflects its confidence that natural gas will power the U.S. for decades to come – trumping renewables such as solar and wind – and that power plants increasingly will switch from dirtier burning coal to natural gas. As long as energy producers keep extracting natural gas from shale formations throughout the U.S., Kinder Morgan is betting that they will need a vast pipeline network to transport the fossil fuel…” ” (Houston Chronicle)- http://www.chron.com/business/article/Deal-gives-nod-to-gas-despite-political-2225161.php “Battles Over the Federal Policies Regulating Hydraulic Fracturing: “…These developments leave much uncertainty about the development of hydraulic fracturing operations. While calls for overly stringent federal controls on hydraulic fracturing are not likely to prevail, it is also unlikely that these issues will be left solely to state regulation. The stringency, scope and of combination of federal and state regulation in this area will be resolved through the political and regulatory processes. For now, there remains a window of opportunity for companies involved in natural gas development to help shape the regulatory future…” ” (K&L Gates)- http://www.klgates.com/files/Publication/1b96728f-2745-423a-9944-ea82131351e2/Presentation/PublicationAttachment/58b4e457-473d-425d-92ce-eca65337dafa/alert_public_policy_101711.pdf , http://tinyurl.com/3v52rkn & http://www.viewdocsonline.com/document/22cgfz “Harry Reid to force Tuesday vote on Obama commerce secretary: “…Bryson was also a co-founder of the National Resources Defense Council, a left-leaning environmentalist organization. “He isn’t just a supporter of it,” Inhofe emphasized. “He helped found it.” Inhofe also said Bryson could not possibly affect the economy in a positive way as Commerce Secretary. “Why have a guy as Secretary of Commerce who’s against commerce?” Inhofe asked. Bryson opposes drilling for fossil fuels and hydrofracking natural gas deposits, the senator said, and wants to rely “solely on green energy where the technology does not exist yet.”…” ” (The Daily Caller)- http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/18/harry-reid-to-force-tuesday-vote-on-obama-commerce-secretary/ “US Senate approves pipeline safety bill: “…The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a pipeline safety bill on Monday that would require strength-testing of old pipes and hike fines for safety violations after a series of accidents and explosions. The legislation was sparked by an explosion a year ago in San Bruno, California, on a line owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Co . The explosion destroyed a neighborhood and killed eight people…” (Reuters)- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/18/usa-pipeline-safety-idUSN1E79G1ZS20111018 “Petronet eyes capacity at LNG terminals in US, Australia: “…New Delhi: Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s largest liquefied natural gas importer, is in talks to acquire capacity at proposed LNG terminals in the US and Australia with a view to tie up long-term gas supplies. “Five projects (in the US) have applied to US authorities for approval to export gas,” Petronet CEO and Managing Director A K Balyan told reporters here. “We are talking to some of them with an aim to tie up long-term volumes.” He refused to give details. With domestic gas output falling, companies are looking at new LNG contracts to meet the growing energy demand. Besides Petronet, state-owned gas utility GAIL India, too, is looking to acquire capacity at proposed LNG terminals on the US Gulf Coast. So far, Cheniere’s Sabine Pass, Freeport LNG and Southern Union’s Lake Charles are the three projects that have applied to export LNG…” ” (India)- http://zeenews.india.com/business/companies/petronet-eyes-capacity-at-lng-terminals-in-us-australia_32459.html “Eminent Domain Fight Has a Canadian Twist: “…A Canadian company has been threatening to confiscate private land from South Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico, and is already suing many who have refused to allow the Keystone XL pipeline on their property even though the controversial project has yet to receive federal approval…” ” (The New York Times)- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/us/transcanada-in-eminent-domain-fight-over-pipeline.html & http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20111017/ZNYT02/110173043/-1/news38?Title=Eminent-Domain-Fight-Has-a-Canadian-Twist “Kinder Morgan: Meet the next fossil-fuel giant: “…Kinder Morgan made a $22 billion bid for El Paso Corp to form a pipeline conglomerate that will dominate the business of sending fossil fuels from place to place. You might not know it, but this is a very big deal for your ability to drive your car, heat your house, and turn on your lights. Suddenly, Kinder Morgan would be the fourth-largest energy company in America…” ” (Grist)- http://www.grist.org/fossil-fuels/2011-10-18-kinder-morgan-meet-the-next-fossil-fuel-giant “Kinder Morgan Accelerates Growth With El Paso Purchase: “…The company will be expanding its role as part of a growing network of pipeline and storage assets bringing domestic natural gas from new fields to power plants and, potentially, even export terminals…” ” (AOL Energy)- http://energy.aol.com/2011/10/18/kinder-morgan-accelerates-growth-with-el-paso-purchase/ “Enron castoffs became pipeline empire: “…The deal may be the pinnacle of a 15-year journey that saw Kinder take a handful of unwanted pipelines from Enron and build them into a booming energy empire…” ” (Houston Chronicle)- http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Enron-castoffs-became-pipeline-empire-2223435.php & http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/10/18/enron-castoffs-became-pipeline-terminal-empire/ “More Mergers Likely in Booming Shale Production Business: “…The more than $25 billion in energy deals this week suggest there could be a lot more merger activity among companies looking to gain a foot hold in the oil and gas shale boom that is transforming the American energy business…” ” (CNBC)- http://www.cnbc.com/id/44937731 & http://loga.la/haynesville-shale-news/?p=863 “Natural gas expansion fuels $21B pipeline deal: “…Kinder Morgan’s pipelines in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest and Texas will merge with El Paso’s network that spreads from the Gulf Coast to New England, as well as to the west through New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. The pipeline system connects to many important natural gas shale plays, including the Marcellus Shale, which lies beneath much of Pennsylvania, and the Utica Shale in New York and Ohio. “Major acquisitions like this underscore the critical and expanding role America’s abundant natural gas reserves, particularly right here from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations, will continue to play in fueling our nation for decades to come,” said Kathryn Klaber, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group…” ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)- http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11290/1182766-84-0.stm “US natural gas giant Kinder Morgan expands empire in US$20.7 bil. deal: “…Kinder Morgan plans to buy El Paso Corp. in a US$20.7 billion deal that’s expected to create America’s largest natural gas pipeline operator…” ” (Associated Press)- http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/americas/2011/10/18/320153/US-natural.htm “Kinder-El Paso Merger to Face Antitrust Scrutiny: “…To get the deal done, they say, the companies will likely have to sell significant assets, especially in regions where they overlap. But it is unlikely the deal would be blocked outright, the lawyers said…” ” (The Wall Street Journal)- http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203658804576639361756249384.html “Kinder Morgan Bondholders Face El Paso Risk: Corporate Finance: “…Kinder Morgan said in an investor presentation on Oct. 16 it will borrow $11.5 billion, before lowering its obligations within two years by selling some of El Paso’s assets and transferring others to affiliated partnerships. While the takeover announcement bolstered the Houston-based company’s stock, the cost to protect its bonds from default with credit derivatives soared by the most since 2006. Chief Executive Officer Richard Kinder will be seeking to repay the loans from Barclays Plc as the economy slows and corporate borrowing costs hover near the highest since 2009. Moody’s Investors Service put Kinder Morgan on review for a downgrade today, citing “significant market risk” from the deleveraging plan…” ” (Bloomberg)- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/10/18/bloomberg_articlesLT9SN91A1I4H.DTL “El Paso’s ‘Juicy’ Shale Assets May Attract Reliance, Statoil/El Paso’s ‘Juicy’ U.S. Shale Gas Assets May Attract Reliance, Occidental: “…India’s Reliance Industries Ltd., Norway’s Statoil ASA and Occidental Petroleum Corp. may be among bidders for El Paso Corp.’s oil and natural-gas unit as the companies seek to expand their stakes in U.S. shale fields. Kinder Morgan Inc. is seeking a buyer for El Paso’s exploration business to help pay off debt from this week’s $21.1 billion takeover of the rival pipeline company, which creates the biggest gas pipeline network in the U.S…Among Chinese companies, state-controlled Cnooc Ltd. would be the most likely bidder because it already holds stakes in Texas shale-gas assets, Neil Beveridge, a Hong Kong-based senior analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., said by telephone today. The El Paso assets “are reasonably priced” and “well within” Cnooc’s financing capabilities, he said…” ” (Bloomberg)- http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-18/el-paso-s-juicy-shale-assets-may-attract-reliance-statoil.html & http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-18/el-paso-s-juicy-u-s-shale-gas-assets-may-attract-reliance-occidental.html “New Natural Gas Business Gives Gas Midstream Sector Renaissance: “…Natural gas’ midstream business is seeing a new direction and growth as natural gas from shale reservoirs continues to grow and expand. Usually in the gas business, midstream activities are seen as a part of the downstream – the marketing, distribution and consumption – ends of the business. Now, with so much activity in the areas of gathering, storage, treating and processing, and pipelines at the intra and interstate levels for natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs), it is coming into its own…” ” (Pipeline & Gas Journal)- http://www.pipelineandgasjournal.com/new-natural-gas-business-gives-gas-midstream-sector-renaissance?page=show “Pipeline MLPs May Start To Consolidate After Kinder Morgan’s Acquisition Of El Paso: “…On Sunday, October 16, Kinder Morgan (KMI) announced plans to acquire El Paso Corporation (EP). In May, El Paso announced its own plans to spilt itself into two companies: a pipeline company and an exploration and production company. Kinder Morgan has also stated it plans to sell El Paso’s exploration and production division. Kinder Morgan will gain approximately 43,000 miles of gas pipelines from El Paso, increasing its gas pipelines to about 67,000 miles. This deal is being seen as a possible starting salvo for a coming barrage of consolidation among pipeline companies that distribute oil and gas within the United States…” ” (Seeking Alpha)- http://seekingalpha.com/article/300293-pipeline-mlps-may-start-to-consolidate-after-kinder-morgan-s-acquisition-of-el-paso “Williams Cheap Target for Pipeline After El Paso Deal: Real M&A” (Bloomberg)- http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/10/18/bloomberg_articlesLT9MK61A74E9.DTL&ao=all “What Is The Future Of Natural Gas Use In The U.S.?: “…The Kinder Morgan deal will likely make the company the largest natural gas pipeline operator in North America. This comes at a time when more people in the U.S. are becoming reliant on the fuel. For more, Robert Siegel speaks with Daniel Yergin, chairman of IHS Cambridge Energy Associates and author of The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World…” ” (Audio, NPR)- http://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141434059/what-is-the-future-of-natural-gas-use?ft=1&f=1007 “Statoil Buys Brigham for $4.4 Billion to Get Bakken Shale: “…Statoil ASA, Norway’s biggest oil company, agreed to buy Brigham Exploration Co. for about $4.4 billion in cash, expanding in unconventional U.S. assets …” ” (Bloomberg)- http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LT7ETW6JTSEB01-5M4N1SAN5PFMM4HTDKM4V5EI2C “Norway’s Statoil to buy Austin exploration company: “…The move marks the latest effort by Statoil, majority owned by Norway’s government, to become a significant player in North America’s thriving business of drilling in complex shale rock, which has rejuvenated domestic oil and gas production in recent years…” ” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)- http://www.chron.com/business/article/Norway-s-Statoil-to-buy-Austin-exploration-company-2223449.php “Statoil enters Bakken Shale with $4.4B purchase of Brigham Exploration: “…The Brigham transaction provides Statoil with around 430 miles (690 kilometers) of oil, natural gas, and water transportation systems in the Williston Basin. Maloney said this will not only secure offtake, but it will also significantly limit the environmental footprint and allow Statoil to continue to implement industry leading HSE standards. Statoil says it plans to expand transportation infrastructure in the area, including pipelines, as it has done in the Marcellus Shale play in eastern North America…” ” (Oil & Gas Financial Journal)- http://www.ogfj.com/index/article-display/5967494859/articles/oil-gas-financial-journal/mergers-acquisitions/statoil-enters_bakken.html “Ex-Goldman partner’s boutique cheers rankings boost with Statoil win: “…Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co, the energy-focused investment bank set up by a former Goldman Sachs partner, has moved back into the top 10 rankings for US oil and gas advisory after winning a role alongside its founder’s former employer on a $4.7bn deal in the sector…The deal is Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co’s third biggest on record, behind the $12bn restructuring of the partnership between natural gas transportation companies Williams and Williams Partners in January last year, and the $6.4bn July spin-off by US company Questar of its natural gas and oil exploration and production business. It also represents the biggest deal on which the independent investment bank has acted for a non-US acquiror, having previously advised India’s Reliance Industries on its $1.4bn acquisition of the Eagle Ford shale gas field in the US…” ” (Financial News)- http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2011-10-18/ex-goldman-sachs-partner-boutique-win-role “Latest Statoil deal sparks protests: “…Environmentalists were quick to criticize Norwegian oil company Statoil’s latest overseas venture. Its bid to take over Brigham Exploration Co, which runs oil exploration and extraction operations on the US prairie, is among the largest acquisitions in Norwegian history…” ” (Norway)- http://www.newsinenglish.no/2011/10/18/latest-statoil-deal-sparks-protests/ “Enterprise Products to sell Mississippi gas storage facilities: “…Enterprise Products Partners L.P. said it will sell its Mississippi natural gas storage facilities to Boardwalk HP Storage Company LLC for $550 million to partly fund the construction of its midstream energy projects…” ” (Reuters)- http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/17/enterpriseproductspartners-idUSL3E7LH2EC20111017 “Anadarko’s $4 Billion BP Settlement Will Let Company Focus on Africa, U.S./Anadarko Ends Standoff, Settles With BP on Gulf Spill Costs: “…Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC), which last year blamed BP Plc (BP/) for a record Gulf of Mexico crude spill, changed course when it reached a $4 billion settlement that will allow the U.S. oil and natural-gas producer to focus on projects in Africa and the U.S…” ” (Bloomberg)- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-17/anadarko-s-bp-settlement-will-let-company-focus-on-africa-u-s-.html “Halliburton’s profit jumps 25 percent: “…Halliburton posted a 25 percent increase in its third-quarter profit, riding the active North American market of drilling in unconventional oil and natural gas fields, the company reported Monday…” ” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)- http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Halliburton-s-profit-jumps-25-percent-2223450.php “Majoring in Shale: Colleges respond to natural gas boom” (Associated Press)- http://itemonline.com/local/x1372399587/Majoring-in-Shale-Colleges-respond-to-natural-gas-boom “European fracking boom ‘doubtful’: “…But, speaking at a press event in Amsterdam, van Beurden said that the chances of Europe embracing shale gas were slim because of a fundamental difference between the US and Europe. ‘It works a whole lot better if the mineral rights to the gas actually belong to the land owners,’ he said. ‘In places like North America, the land owners love to see a drilling rig because it means money in the pocket. But in places like northwestern Europe, mineral rights are being held by the state so the only thing as a land owner you have is inconvenience. And therefore I think it will be more difficult to get these things permitted in places like Holland, Germany, France.’ Van Beurden added: ‘It may happen in places that are more at the economic periphery, like Poland.’…” ” (Royal Society of Chemistry)- http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/October/18101102.asp “Reorganization of Title 30: Bureaus of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Ocean Energy Management: “…This rule contains regulations that will be under the authority of two newly formed Bureaus, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), both within the Department of the Interior. On May 19, 2010, the Secretary of the Interior announced the separation of the responsibilities performed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) (formerly the Minerals Management Service) into three new separate organizations: Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Those regulations that will apply to the authority of BSEE organization will remain in 30 CFR chapter II, but be retitled “Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.” This rule removes from chapter II those regulations that will apply to the authority of BOEM and recodifies them into a new 30 CFR chapter V entitled “Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.”…” ” (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and the Interior Department via Federal Register)- http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/10/18/2011-22675/reorganization-of-title-30-bureaus-of-safety-and-environmental-enforcement-and-ocean-energy “Judge Can Sentence But Not Silence Tim DeChristopher: “…Tim DeChristopher is the only person to have been named an Utne Reader visionary while in prison: He’s serving a two-year sentence for disrupting a federal oil and gas lease auction in Utah in an act of environmental protest…” ” (Utne Reader)- http://www.utne.com/Wild-Green/Judge-Can-Sentence-But-Not-Silence-Tim-DeChristopher.aspx “Tell EPA to cover ‘pre-existing’ cases of fracking air pollution that impact our communities every day!: “…EPA recently proposed new rules to reduce air pollution from NEW hydraulically fractured gas wells. And they’re a big step in the right direction. But what about the people that live next to EXISTING wells? THE WELLS THAT ALREADY FOUL OUR AIR AND CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS? Well, the proposed rule doesn’t cover “pre-existing conditions”…” ” (TXSHARON)- http://www.texassharon.com/2011/10/18/tell-epa-to-cover-pre-existing-cases-of-fracking-air-pollution-that-impact-our-communities-every-day/ (Event) “Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Daniel Yergin to Keynote 8th Annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit: “…The Clean-Tech Investor Summit, chaired by Technology Partners’ Ira Ehrenpreis, and co-produced by International Business Forum and Clean Edge, is the premier clean-tech investment and innovation event. Held each winter in Palm Springs, CA, the event brings together leading investors, Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, and others for two days of high-level presentations, conversations, and networking. The 8th Annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit is scheduled for February 1-2, 2012. To learn more go to: http://www.cleantechsummit.com. ..” ” (BusinessWire)- http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111018005520/en/Pulitzer-Prize-Winning-Author-Daniel-Yergin-Keynote “Acclaimed author, energy expert to speak in Midland: “…Acclaimed author and energy expert Dr. Daniel Yergin will speak Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Chaparral Center on the Midland College campus beginning at 7 p.m. His speech is sponsored by Midland College’s Petroleum Professional Development Center and Pioneer Natural Resources…But, he cautioned, that drilling activity has spread into communities unfamiliar with the oil and gas industry and said the industry must work hard to reassure those communities it is developing those much-needed resources in an environmentally sound manner to ease concern about the impact on air and water. Addressing community impact must become, he said, a part of the fabric of public trust toward the industry. While Washington does not truly appreciate the industry’s contributions, he said, he predicted “in coming weeks you’ll see a lot more discussion about the jobs created by the shale development.”…” ” (Texas)- http://www.mywesttexas.com/entertainment/pulse/article_8c151afd-a8d8-5b0e-985e-554eb006f44d.html “Getting the right information on Marcellus Shale: “…West Virginia’s political leadership and much of the media continue their push to show how great Marcellus Shale drilling is going to be for our state, and to dispel any notion that the state’s tax structure and regulatory requirements are not tough enough on the industry…” ” (West Virginia)- http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/10/18/getting-the-right-information-on-marcellus-shale/ “EPA Reaches for the Air Emissions of Hydraulically Fractured Wells and Beyond: “…In particular, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a proposed rule that would subject several parts of the oil and natural gas production, transmission and storage processes to air emission limitations. If you are engaged in any aspect of the oil and gas industry, you should take notice – EPA’s proposal extends to sources of emissions not previously regulated, including fractured and refractured wells…” ” (Dinsmore & Shohl LLP via JDSupra)- http://www.jdsupra.com/post/documentViewer.aspx?fid=3de96746-b347-49c3-936f-9de00695a925 “EPA: Air Quality Fine During Fracturing at Morgantown Gas Well” (West Virginia)- http://www.wboytv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110394 & http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110394 “Group Seeking County Support: “…Most notably, however, they discussed the condition of roads in rural areas of the county, which Toland said has gotten worse. She said despite some work being done by Marcellus Shale drilling companies over the past few weeks, she anticipates their condition will deteriorate over the winter months…” ” (West Virginia)- www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/560795/Group-Seeking-County-Support.html “Report warns of state’s gas fees: “…The report warned that gas producers might pick states with lower fees…” ” (West Virginia)- http://www.dailymail.com/News/statenews/201110170215 “Dominion East Ohio officials respond to Fairport Harbor residents at meeting: “…On Friday, Dominion East Ohio filed a report citing “pipeline fluids and gas temperature drop across the regulators” as the cause of the over-pressurization that resulted in the Jan. 24 fires throughout Fairport Harbor…” ” (Ohio)- http://news-herald.com/articles/2011/10/19/news/nh4642830.txt?viewmode=fullstory “Wise: Ohio natural gas boom sparks cautious OFU policy for now: “…One of the issues sure to be on the radar of the Ohio Farmers Union for some time to come is the Ohio’s natural gas boom…Wise believes that several items in Ohio Senate Bill 212 could go a long way toward Ohio moving into this new gas economy responsibly…” ” (Ohio Farmers Union)- http://ohfarmersunion.org/2011/10/wiseohio-natural-gas-boom-sparks-cautious-ofu-policy-for-now/ “Baard Energy drops coal for natural gas at its proposed Ohio refinery producing jet and diesel fuel: “…Baard Energy, a Vancouver energy development company, is proposing to build a $3.5 billion refinery in Columbiana County south of Youngstown to manufacture jet and diesel fuel from natural gas…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/10/baard_energy_drops_coal_for_na.html (Event) “Final Schedule Announced for Shale Event: “…The day-long event, Ohio’s first Utica shale play conference, will take place Nov. 30 at the Covelli Centre, and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. During that time, attendees may view all of the exhibits, as well as learn about job opportunities, the science of hydrofracking and essential tips for landowners…” ” (Ohio)- http://business-journal.com/final-schedule-announced-for-shale-event-p20208-1.htm “Area native set to appear on ‘World News’: “…STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — As the city manager of Steubenville, Ohio, Cathy Davison often appears in local news spots. But getting featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer? Well, that’s a first. Tonight’s broadcast at 6:30 p.m. will include a taped interview with the 1988 Durand High School graduate. The topic: Steubenville’s economy, which is on the rise, thanks to its proximity to the natural gas-rich Marcellus Shale…” ” (Ohio)- http://www.argus-press.com/news/news_local/article_19b18c08-f997-11e0-825c-001cc4c002e0.html “Reasonable fees OK to deduct from gas royalty payments: “…JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) – The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled last week that an oil company can deduct reasonable processing and investment costs from payments to royalty owners…” ” (Legal Newsline) (Mississippi)- http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/234153-reasonable-fees-ok-to-deduct-from-gas-royalty-payments “Frack Water Recycling To Begin In Karnes County: “…Roman said it is a two-step process. He said clarification separates any solids using chemicals already in use at municipal water treatment plants. Roman said the clean salt water eventually goes into a distillation unit where it is boiled, the steam condensed, releasing distilled water for re-use…” ” (Texas)- http://www.ksat.com/news/29512531/detail.html “Fort Worth City Council has two big issues on tonight’s agenda: “…Proposed changes to the gas drilling ordinance include a recommendation to require a special permit — and more for waivers from surrounding property owners — for multiwell pad sites. Waivers would also be required from all affected parties — or 75 percent with council approval — for any pad site within designated buffer zones…The city is also considering lifting its moratorium on saltwater injection wells in the city. While some city officials have said it would ease truck traffic on Fort Worth roads since all of that wastewater must now be trucked out of the city, some groups remain firmly against lifting the moratorium…” ” (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/17/3451633/fort-worth-city-council-has-two.html “Fort Worth activists and gas companies oppose new drilling rules: “…Revisions to current rules touch on everything from setbacks -meaning how far the wells will need to be placed from homes and schools – to emissions and waste disposal. It looks like activists and gas companies can agree on one thing, neither likes the new rules…” ” (Video, WFAA) (Texas)- http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Activists-and-Gas-Companies-oppose-new-drilling-rules-132083253.html “Drilling concerns: “…It was only a matter of time until the ugly side of natural gas finally reared its head in my neighborhood. Just when I was getting used to the natural gas wells dotting the landscape, now the lords of natural gas want to put a compressor station several hundred feet from my front door along a bucolic stretch of Randol Mill Road in east Fort Worth. You might not think much about the barnlike structure if you saw it. But the fact that this compressor station requires a zoning exception should tell you a lot. Not only is there the potential for a lot of noise, but these installations also emit benzene and formaldehyde, two compounds sure to dampen interest in buying a house in my neighborhood. It’s my understanding that ZC-11-098 is still under review. But if this is approved, it leads to one conclusion: The powers that be have decided a little collateral damage for the greater good is perfectly acceptable. That’s all fine and good — until you’re the collateral damage…” ” (Letter to editor) (Texas)- http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/18/3454441/texas-rangers-natural-gas-drilling.html “Belfield puts natural gas facility on hold: “…A proposed $10 million natural gas loading facility brought up quite a few questions during a Zoning Board meeting Monday night, so members decided it was a decision best be left to the public…” ” (North Dakota)- http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/52181/group/News/ “BLM finalizes plan for northwest Colorado lands: “…A new plan for 2.3 million acres BLM lands in northwestern Colorado protects some of the region’s natural resources but still leaves 90 percent of the land open to potential oil and gas drilling…” ” (Colorado)- http://summitcountyvoice.com/2011/10/18/blm-finalizes-plan-for-northwest-colorado-lands/ “BLM opens scenic NW Colorado land to drilling” (AP)- http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/10/blm-opens-scenic-nw-colorado-land-drilling& http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20111018/NEWS/111019840/1077 “Vermillion closed to drilling: “…Conservation groups on Monday praised the decision to keep drilling out of the Vermillion Basin, but contended the plan otherwise remains too industry-friendly, with 90 percent of the land and minerals covered by the plan still open to drilling. “The last administration set the bar so low that, although this final plan is a vast improvement, it still does not do enough to protect the amazingly unique natural resources of northwest Colorado,” Soren Jespersen, Northwest Colorado wildlands coordinator with The Wilderness Society in Craig, said in a news release…Gray said local comments were ignored with regard to the Vermillion Basin and the Yampa River. Property owners and water rights holders raised concerns about possible adverse impacts of a Wild & Scenic suitability finding for the Yampa. “So much for local input,” Gray said. Any Wild & Scenic designation for river stretches found to be suitable is up to Congress…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/vermillion_closed_to_drilling/ “Drilling industry in Colorado hopes voluntary testing will ease groundwater fears: “…“Colorado oil and gas companies are preparing for a Nov. 1 rollout of the nation’s first statewide voluntary groundwater monitoring program for their industry. The Colorado Oil and Gas Association is launching a baseline testing program that it hopes will show the public that oil and gas operations don’t foul groundwater…” ” (Colorado)- http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/drilling_industry_in_colorado & http://www.niobraranews.net/archives/1097 (See also http://www.coga.org/index.php/BaselineWaterSampling ) “Wyoming Regulators, Industry Examine Gas Flaring Rules: “…The owner of the well was asking permission to flare 850,000 cubic feet a day of gas for up to six months. At current prices, that would mean the state, which gets a cut of the value of gas taken from state resources, could stand to lose more than $104,000 in value from the flared gas over the six-month period…” ” (Wyoming)- http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_ddba5d0a-b631-5eb6-ae5a-1209d4fbbaf5.html “Natural gas fueling station draws crowd: “…RIVERTON, Wyo. — About 200 people came out to see the opening of the first natural gas fueling station in Wyoming Monday morning at The Pit Stop in Riverton. The ground-breaking moment was made possible through a partnership with the natural gas giant EnCana and Bailey Enterprises…” ” (Wyoming)- http://rivertonradio.com/index.php/2011/10/18/crowd-gathers-at-new-natural-gas-fueling-station/ “Gaz Metro: LNG Fueling Station Pens in Canada: “…Today, in the presence of Clément Gignac, the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife and Minister responsible for the Northern Plan, Pierre Moreau, the Quebec Minister of Transport and Nicole Ménard, the Quebec Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible of the Montérégie region, Claude Robert, President and CEO of Robert Transport, and Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Gaz Métro, announced the inauguration of the first commercial liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelling station in Canada along the “Blue Road.” This station is an integral part of the LNG pilot project designed to fuel a fleet of heavy-duty trucks…” ” (LNG World News) (Canada)- http://www.lngworldnews.com/gaz-metro-lng-fuelling-station-opens-in-canada/ (See also “Going down the ‘blue road’”- http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/montreal/Going+down+blue+road/5564378/story.html ) “Canada: Kitimat LNG Wins Export License: “…Kitimat LNG partners Apache Canada Ltd., EOG Resources Canada Inc. and Encana Corporation has announced that the National Energy Board (NEB) has granted Kitimat LNG a 20-year export licence to ship liquefied natural gas from Canada to international markets…” ” (LNG World News) (Canada)- http://www.lngworldnews.com/canada-kitimat-lng-wins-export-licence/ “Natural gas processing plant expansion in west central Alberta: “…“Over the next number of years, we expect our NGLs (natural gas liquids) extraction to triple from about 10,000 barrels per day to about 30,000 barrels per day following investment by industry-leading third-party midstream companies at three Alberta Deep Basin plants.” The latest step in Encana’s plan to increase natural gas production in Alberta’s Deep Basin is a project with Pembina to modify and expand the Resthaven gas plant. The Resthaven area, located in west central Alberta, is known for supplying natural gas that is rich in other liquids…” ” (Canada)- http://www.joconl.com/article/id47159 “Oilsite protestor appears in Alberta court, says Constitution is her defence: “…The Blood Tribe’s resources company granted Murphy Oil permission to drill wells and at sites on their reserve south of Calgary. But Frank and the other two women say the band council did not consult with band members before granting that permission. Frank has said she is concerned about the effects of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, which involves a injecting a mixture of chemicals, water and sand into the ground to help release gas and oil…” ” (Canada)- http://www.oilweek.com/news.asp?ID=35598 & http://www.globallethbridge.com/oilsite+protestor+appears+in+alberta+court+says+constitution+is+her+defence/6442503112/story.html “Appeal heard against pipeline: “…Legal counsels have stated their cases in the court of appeal, and now the stakeholders in the Sullivan Field pipeline are waiting for an outcome. It has been a case of the ranchers and first nations against the oil and gas industry…” ” (Canada)- http://www.nantonnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3336410 “Eni CEO: Europe Must Do More To Develop Shale Gas: “…”Gas consumption will be in excess of oil consumption in Europe simply because the best way to meet CO2 targets is to replace coal with gas,” he said. “If some countries really want to get out of nuclear, I don’t see any other way to provide electricity,” than natural gas. Greater reliance on gas means Europe needs to improve cross-border pipeline connections, he said. “Creating a network of pipes which connect the different countries of Europe is essential to give security of supply,” he said, adding that this could require the creation of a single European pipeline authority…” ” (Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal)- http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20111018-705588.html & http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/dow-jones/news-detail.html?newsId=20111018DN005918 “Earthquakes along Lancashire coast WERE caused by drilling for gas, experts warn as energy operation is threatened with closure” (United Kingdom)- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050025/Earthquakes-Lancashire-coast-WERE-caused-drilling-gas-experts-warn-energy-operation-threatened-closure.html “Drilling did cause ‘earthquake’” (United Kingdom)- http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/drilling_did_cause_earthquake_1_3876146 “US company to recycle CSG water: “…The 15 million dollar project, operated by Fountain Quail management and NAC trucking services, will transport the chemical-laden water to the recycling sites and implement a purifying process.Coal Seam Gas production has been criticised for pollution of the water table. Jaime Roman from Fountain Quail water management told CNN, “It’s distilled water, it is super clean, it meets and exceeds drinking water standards.”…” ” (Australia)- http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1597733/US-company-to-recycle-CSG-water

NYTimes: Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages

From The New York Times:

Rush to Drill for Natural Gas Creates Conflicts With Mortgages
By IAN URBINA

Worried about property values, and landowners signing drilling leases without clearance, lenders are trying to reinforce restrictions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/us/rush-to-drill-for-gas-creates-mortgage-conflicts.html

MarcellusGasInfo How to outrage the electorate and pass a pipeline in 3 minutes…..

Maybe it is the phase of the moon – or the proximity to Halloween – but the Town of Sidney board held a meeting in defiance of open meeting laws, passed a controversial project, and managed to piss off the people they are sworn to serve all within the span of 3 minutes. Well, maybe 15.
posted at http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/10/defying-open-meeting-law-town-of-sidney.html with lotsa links (including one of the meeting which is – unbelievable!)
This supervisor doesn’t know how to stay out of trouble. He was involved in a brou-ha-ha 2 or 3 years ago regarding the local Muslim community’s desire to bury their own in a private cemetery …. One colleague called him "tone deaf", but I wonder if he just ain’t "deaf"?

MarcellusGasInfo Fw: Otsego 2000 to Co-Sponsor Public Hearing on DEC’s Gas Drilling Guidelines

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: October 18, 2011 Otsego 2000, OCCA, and City of Oneonta Co-Sponsor Public Hearing on Proposed Gas Drilling Rules Thursday, November 10, 2011 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. Hunt Union Ballroom, SUNY Oneonta 108 Ravine Parkway Oneonta, NY 13820 ONEONTA – The City of Oneonta, Otsego County Conservation Association, and Otsego 2000 will co-sponsor a public hearing on Thursday, November 10 for citizens to voice concerns regarding the proposed New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permit conditions which will be required for gas drilling in the Marcellus shale and other areas of New York State. According to the DEC, the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program has been developed to satisfy the requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act by studying the controversial technique of high-volume hydraulic fracturing – used to extract natural gas from tight shale formations – and identifying potential significant adverse impacts for these anticipated operations. The public has until December 12 to review the proposed environmental mitigation measures in the draft SGEIS addressing environmental, socioeconomic, community character, visual, noise, and transportation, and other impacts. At that time, DEC will review the comments on the draft SGEIS and proposed regulations, and prepare responses to be released with the final SGEIS. No permits for high-volume hydraulic fracturing will be issued until the SGEIS is finalized and DEC issues the required Findings Statement. The hearing, to be held from 7-10 p.m. in SUNY-Oneonta’s Hunt Union ballroom, will be transcribed by a professional stenographer, and all comments will be sent to the DEC for submission into the official record. Comments should focus on changes in the 2011 revised draft SGEIS. The final SGEIS will apply statewide, except in areas that the DEC proposes should be off-limits to surface drilling for natural gas using high-volume hydraulic fracturing technology. Although the DEC has scheduled public hearings in other parts of the state, Otsego County was not among the selected sites. As a result, city officials, OCCA and Otsego 2000 have teamed up to host this event. The City of Oneonta and Otsego County officials held a similar public hearing in 2009, in response to the original draft SGEIS. “The gas drilling issue is huge, and we want folks, both pro and con, to have a chance to express themselves in a controlled public hearing,” said David Hutchison, chair of the City of Oneonta Environmental Board. The revised dSGEIS, both lengthy and highly technical in nature, will impact nearly 85 percent of the areas overlying the Marcellus shale. “Public outreach and participation is a necessity in this process, considering the magnitude of the dSGEIS and the potential environmental impacts. Otsego County residents whose lives may be affected by increased industrial activity, truck traffic, and/or the potential for spills or accidents should have an opportunity to comment, and their comments should become part of the official record,” said Darla M. Youngs, acting executive director for the Otsego County Conservation Association. Ellen Pope, Otsego 2000 executive director, added “Otsego County overlies both the Marcellus and the Utica shale formations – citizens who are concerned about the impact that natural gas extraction could have on their livelihoods and lives need to voice those concerns to the DEC. We hope this public hearing will allow many in our area who cannot drive to Binghamton the chance to be heard.” Otsego County Planning Director Terry Bliss will moderate the hearing. Doors will open at 6 p.m. so anyone wishing to make comments can be listed on a sign-in sheet. This hearing will follow the same format as those held by the DEC, with oral presentations limited to five minutes and speakers presenting in the order registered, as time permits. Those wishing to make comments will be asked to focus their comments specifically on the contents of the draft SGEIS, rather than general statements for or against gas drilling. The dSGEIS can viewed at http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/75370.html. Paper copies are available at the Huntington Memorial Library in Oneonta, the Cooperstown Village Library, and the offices of Otsego 2000 in Cooperstown during regular hours. PO Box 1130, Cooperstown, NY 13326 www.otsego2000.org Otsego 2000 is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1981 to protect the environmental, scenic, cultural and historic resources of the Otsego Lake region and northern Otsego County Otsego 2000 | P.O. Box 1130 | 101 Main Street, Pioneer Alley | Cooperstown | NY | 13326

MarcellusGasInfo Columbia Law Review: “Trade Secrets, Disclosure, and Dissent in a Fracturing Energy Revolution”

http://www.columbialawreview.org/articles/trade-secrets-disclosure-and-dissent-in-a-fracturing-energy-revolution Trade Secrets, Disclosure, and Dissent in a Fracturing Energy Revolution 27th January 2011 By: Hannah Wiseman In the United States, Congress has traditionally relied, in part, upon citizen participation to control industrial activity and its effects on public welfare. It has also required industry to disclose certain information to the public in order to enable this participation. Early on in the movement toward expanded federal regulation of industry, Congress granted broad standing to individuals in generous “private attorney general” provisions in environmental and business-related statutes.1 It also required agencies to follow strict notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures, which directed agencies to publicize proposed rules and receive citizen comments.2 Through statutes such as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Congress further mandated that industry publish information about releases of toxic materials3 and that public water providers disclose violations of water quality standards.4 These statutes all envisioned that informed citizens would influence industrial activity through open public venues. But a recent revolution in energy development—inspired by a new technique to extract natural gas from shale—called slickwater hydraulic fracturing (fracing)5—does not fall squarely within traditional venues for public disclosure and participation.6 In September 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took one step toward the “publicization” of fracing when it sent a letter to nine natural gas companies, requiring that they disclose to the agency the chemicals used in fracing in order to support a comprehensive EPA study of the potential drinking water quality and public health impacts of fracing.7 Although this administrative action appears to open a door to public access to information veiled by trade secrets, it is not currently clear that natural gas companies will promptly disclose the requested information—as shown by Halliburton’s refusal to disclose information in response to the letter and a subsequent subpoena issued by EPA8—or that the information will be publicly available. Unless Congress or state legislatures partially remove trade secret protections from fracing fluids, communities experiencing the brunt of the energy boom may have inadequate tools to evaluate and address the potential impacts of this development. I. The Regulatory Environment and Arguments for Secrecy Fracing to extract natural gas from shales has rapidly expanded in recent years, raising questions of appropriate regulatory response and the extent to which the public should have a say in such a response. This Part explores this expansion and one of the central issues to emerge—some fracing companies’ resistance to disclosing the chemicals used in fracing. A. An Energy “Revolution” Through Natural Gas Production Many policymakers and energy experts have assumed, since the 1970s, that America is rapidly running out of natural gas9—a crucial energy source that supplies nearly a quarter of this country’s energy.10 But in the 1990s in Texas, oil and gas companies perfected a method to extract gas trapped within shale formations.11 Through fracing, gas operators drill wells thousands of feet into shale, punch holes in the sides of the wells, and inject millions of gallons of water12 and potentially several thousand gallons of chemicals down the wells.13 This fractures the shale around the wells, exposing more surface area and releasing trillions of cubic feet of natural gas. Companies’ success with fracing in Texas was astounding. By the beginning of this decade, the Barnett Shale of north central Texas was a confirmed font of natural gas.14 Fracing has since expanded to other shale formations in the United States, such as the Fayetteville in Arkansas15 and the Marcellus in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.16 Although domestic gas supplies remain limited and will only last for an estimated one hundred years,17 this extraction technique will bolster America’s energy independence for this period. B. Venues for Public Participation in Natural Gas Policymaking Energy booms are only beneficial to communities when all residents—not just those who wish to reap profits—can participate in decisions about energy development. But just as there is little available public information about the chemicals used in fracing, there are few venues for public participation in fracing decisions. Individuals can participate in state regulatory and legislative processes, encourage modified federal regulation, or bring tort actionsin the courts. Indeed, citizens have already shown a strong commitment to participation: The EPA had to reschedule an August 2010 hearing in New York about an environmental study of fracing in order to accommodate the crowd.18 But local communities in some of the states with the most abundant shale gas cannot enact their own laws to address energy development. In New York and Pennsylvania, for example, local regulation of oil and gas development is strictly preempted,19 although towns may limit the location of fracing operations through zoning.20 Because most specific controls of fracing occur only at the state regulatory and legislative levels (particularly in several of the states experiencing much of the fracing activity or proposed activity), high quality citizen participation within these forums is essential, and quality participation by individuals requires public access to information. C. Trade Secrets and Limited Public Information According to the vague information that is already publicly available, fracing companies, combined, use small quantities of more than 250 unique types of chemicals.21 These chemicals range from benign household substances to chemicals that, in large doses at high concentrations, can cause serious health effects.22 One fracing company typically uses just a handful of substances at one site,23 but the public currently lacks the information necessary to determine which chemicals are present. Gas companies with 10,000 or more pounds of hazardous chemicals at a site must post material safety data sheets on their fracture sites and provide the sheets, which indicate the identity and characteristics of chemicals used, to local authorities.24 But even a motivated citizen who requests a material safety data sheet from local authorities25 and hypothetically manages to obtain the sheet without trade secret chemicals having been redacted26 will not know—prior to a frac job—what chemicals will be present. And although several states require disclosure of chemicals to a state environmental agency or to health officials,27 these laws do not typically grant public access to the chemical information.28 Finally, beyond material safety data sheets, federal law provides no specific disclosure requirements29 for the chemicals used in fracing and does not require oil and gas producers to report annual releases of toxic substances under the EPCRA, although it does require emergency reporting if sufficient quantities of a hazardous substance are released.30 Natural gas companies have typically resisted disclosure of the chemicals used in fracing by arguing that the information is a trade secret.31 Although no legal decisions have yet established whether the composition of a company’s fracing fluid is a trade secret,32 it likely is. In most states,33 a trade secret consists of information, “including a formula,” which has “independent economic value”34 due to the private nature of the information and “is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.”35 Fracing fluids appear to meet each of these criteria. First, fracing fluids are mixed according to unique formulas, which dictate the chemicals to be used in the fluid and their proportions.36 It appears that fracing companies cannot easily divine—without some research and investment—a “magic combination” that will work perfectly in every shale formation; the exact contents of these mixtures, therefore, are not likely common knowledge within the industry.37 The formulas also provide unique economic advantages to a fracing company. Some help to reduce the friction of water as it flows through the wellbore and fractures,38 while others control clay that forms in the shale and prevent it from plugging the fractures,39 among other functions. A company that uses a superior proportion of chemicals within its fracing fluid to control clay formation in the shale, for example, will likely have lower costs and higher rates of gas production than a company with a less effective fluid. And even if fracing companies unknowingly use nearly identical formulas in their fracing fluids, trade secrets—unlike patents—need not be novel and thus may be maintained by multiple entities.40 Although courts have not yet addressed whether fracing fluid formulas are trade secrets, at least one court has treated other formulas used to improve processes in the petroleum industry as unique products with potential trade secret qualities or even patentable status.41 Finally, it also appears that fracing companies have made reasonable efforts to maintain the secrecy of their formulas; many of them have avoided disclosure, as shown by the EPA’s letter to fracing companies.42 This is all that is likely required, as companies need not take extraordinary measures against spying competitors’ or the public’s attempts to obtain information.43 II. Arguments for Public Disclosure Although fracing formulas likely are trade secrets under most state laws, this Part argues that public policy concerns outweigh the benefits of maintaining the formulas’ full trade secret status. A. Public Demands for Information As fracing in shale formations has expanded, public attention to fracing and requests for information—and particularly information about the chemicals in fracing fluids—have grown. Communities have often welcomed the fracing development as mineral leases, employee housing demand, and taxes have bolstered local economies.44 But at the same time, growing concerns have led citizens to demand more information and expanded means to influence energy development. First and foremost, they are concerned about the quality of their water.45 At the EPA’s public hearings this past summer, citizens arrived with containers of dirtied well water and argued that fracing had contaminated the water.46 New York City has also vehemently opposed fracing in the watershed of its unfiltered drinking water supply for fear of contamination.47 Natural gas companies argue that there has never been a proven incident of contamination of underground water supplies from fracing and that it is not a concern.48 In Pennsylvania, however, families have sued fracing companies, alleging that the companies contaminated their water supplies with methane following drilling and fracing.49 The contamination issue remains murky and hotly disputed. Citizens are also worried about potential exposure to chemicals at the surface, where fracturing chemicals are transferred and wastewater from fracing is temporarily stored.50 In Pennsylvania, for example, natural gas companies have mistakenly spilled fracing chemicals at well sites, sometimes forcing removal of the soil.51 And in the wake of a fracing fluid spill in Colorado, an emergency room nurse alleged that she experienced serious problems with her stomach, liver, and lungs after treating a worker who had been involved in the spill.52 Due to most fracing companies’ consistent claims that fracing fluid formulas are trade secrets, however, these public concerns cannot be adequately addressed with the information currently available. To predict the potential effects of fracing—particularly on the surface, where there is a limited record of incidents such as spills—the chemicals within the fluids must be known. B. Improving Public Disclosure Despite fracing companies’ legitimate arguments for keeping fracing fluid formulas confidential, the strong benefits of public disclosure of fracing chemicals suggest that Congress or state legislatures53 should partially remove trade secret protections for fracing fluids. In addition to improving the quality of citizen participation in fracing policy, better information about fracing chemicals could allow the public to monitor agencies, ensuring that they are adequately regulating the practice. Better information could help to verify or negate claims of contamination and could assist medical professionals—who might not have access to the fracing site—to locate the causes of symptoms if a worker or other individual were mistakenly exposed to chemicals at the surface. Further, better information could support cleanup efforts where fracing fluid spills occur. Although spill response teams test materials at the site to identify the chemicals spilled,54 ex ante information about the chemicals likely present could allow for a more rapid and effective response. Public knowledge of information also could, in general, “promot[e] individual autonomy by facilitating the ability of individuals to make choices about the risks to which they are exposed.”55 And finally, the publicization of information could spur fracturing companies to seek out safer chemicals if any raised red flags.56 The challenge of removing trade secret protection for fracing fluids, however, is to identify the ideal level of disclosure, as there are several types of chemical information associated with fracing fluids. At the most general level, there are “classes” of fracing fluid additives, such as “acid[s],” “clay stabilizer[s],” or “friction reducer[s].”57 Knowledge of the class of a fluid will have limited use, as one type of friction reducer could have very different properties from the next. Within these classes of fluids are the “products,” which are mixtures of chemicals that achieve the function of each class—a cocktail of chemical constituents that reduces friction, for example.58 Finally, there are the chemical constituents of products—the specific chemicals that are mixed together to create a fracing product.59 New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation has already published a report with general information about the chemical constituents potentially found in fracing solutions,60 and Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has released similar information.61 The public needs more detailed information, however, in order to have an accurate understanding of each chemical’s use; different shale formations, and even different well sites within one formation, may require different chemicals.62 After a fracing fluid spill at a farm in Pennsylvania, for example, the chemicals identified by the state’s environmental agency at the site did not, according to a local newspaper, match the chemicals on the agency’s public list of potential fracing chemicals used.63 The public needs to know the chemical constituents of each fracing company’s fracing fluids used in each shale formation and the identification numbers associated with each constituent.64 Full loss of trade secret protection for fracing fluids is not necessary. Some protection of product identity—including the exact proportions of various chemical constituents within a product—could remain to ensure that companies continue to gain independent economic benefits from their formulas and have incentives to innovate. Information about concentrations and proportions might be better sought through discovery in tort suits (under protective orders65) and analyzed by experts where damages from chemicals are alleged. Alternatively, policymakers could remove trade secret protections altogether and require companies to patent their formulas if they wished to protect their commercial value. This would be costly and time consuming, but it would allow for public disclosure while preserving the economic benefits of unique formulas. Unfortunately, the EPA’s letter to fracing companies comes nowhere close to requiring the sort of disclosure that will inform public discourse. First, the letter anticipates that the companies might not disclose at all, requiring the companies to inform the EPA within seven days of receiving the letter “as to whether or not you will submit all of the information requested.”66 Further, the letter allows all information disclosed to the EPA to remain a trade secret; it reassures companies that “[d]ata provided in response” to the EPA’s request “may be claimed as Confidential Business Information . . . and will be handled” confidentially.67 The EPA will eventually compile this information, along with other data, in its own report that assesses the potential environmental and health effects of the process,68 but citizens need the information as well. Conclusion The EPA’s disclosure requirement and its planned report, in addition to state regulations mandating disclosure, are important first steps toward informing the public about an element of the twenty-first century’s energy boom. But they should not be viewed as full solutions. As more than 2,060 Marcellus drilling permits were issued in Pennsylvania from January through August 2010,69 as New York’s Senate voted for a moratorium on fracing,70 and as the Mayor of Fort Worth, Texas commissioned a study of the air quality effects from drilling rigs,71 it has become clear that the public demands information. The EPA’s request for chemical information is a good start, but it is insufficient. As thousands of new gas wells are drilled and fractured each year, citizens need effective means of participating in the policy dialogue and contributing to new regulations of fracing, where needed. Without better information, this effort will be futile.