Gas Stock 2010!

http://www.gasstockconcert.com/

This is an environmental concert and rally. Music and like minded folks who are concerned about the gas drilling in PA. Check it out.

Advanced Waterdog Training in August

Here is info about the upcoming Advanced Waterdog training. Remember to let Erica know if you plan to attend.

Hello Everyone,

We have scheduled our next Advanced Waterdog Training on August 24 from 5-9.  We will have a small picnic (please bring a dish to pass) first since the training will be held during dinnertime.  Please let me know if you are coming so that I have an accurate count.

Please pass this on to any other waterdogs that you know!

Thanks

Erica Tomlinson

Is the Gas Industry Spreading Brine on Our Roads?

Hi all. Here are some responses to the question of brine being spread on dirt roads. If you have any further info on this topic from DEP, DCNR or PennDOT please get in touch with the PA forest Coalition. They are the ones providing this info in this form. There is contact info fro Dick Martin of the PA Forest Coalition at the bottom of this post.

July 8, 2010  –  Reference to a  2005 news report:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/5334068/detail.html

Questions:

• Is brine still being spread on dirt roads in Pennsylvania?
• Are there restrictions, now that the brine could be from Marcellus drilling (with the fracking chemicals included in the flowback water).

==============================

2 ] Initial responses

• Brine water is being applied to control dust on dirt road in PA.
• The permit is limited to shallow gas well wastewater
• Wastewater from deep Marcellus wells that are horizontally drilled is NOT permitted to be road –applied.            JimApparently, road application of gas drilling wastewater is:

• Limited to certain waste fluids for rural
  dust control and winter maintenance
• DEP approval required
  Road authorization
  Chemical analysis of brine
  Limited application rates and frequency (monthly)
• Other factors

– weather,

location of water bodies (150’),

road gradient (<10%)

===================================

3 ]   From Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies

From: Tim Ziegler
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 10:44 AM
Subject: RE: Brine on dirt roads

The 2005 article exposes truths.

The ESM training for the Dirt and Gravel Road Program discusses brines in the Stabilization module, and these issues are included in that discussion.  However, the animal is bigger than we have influence over.

The Program will not fund any project that includes the use of
brine water.

Marcellus flow-back, however, has not received DEP approval for road dust control, due in large part to the chemical concoction that goes down-hole, as well as the heavy metals and the NORM.

Overall, not a good situation, but this is PA.

Tim Ziegler
Field Operations Specialist
Larson Transportation Institute
Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies
201 Transportation Research Building
University Park, PA  16802
814-865-5891
www.dirtandgravelroads.org

4 ] From DCNR

Subject:	RE: Brine on BOF Roads
Date:	7/20/2010 9:17:38 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From:	ra-forestrecreation@state.pa.us

Hello Mr. Martin,

The Bureau of Forestry does not permit the use of brine on BOF roads.

5 ]  Questions remain

If you see a truck spreading what appears to be brine on a dirt road,

• how can you tell if it is legal brine or residual waste from the
  Macellus?
• What should a Waterdog do?
• Why shouldn’t trucks hauling Marcellus residual waste be properly
  labeled with the appropriate hazardous materials placard(s)?
• Have the Waterdogs called for such requirements?
• Have the Waterdogs written any officials asking for any changes to gas production regulations?        John Kesich

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

.  .  .  So it appears that there are some regulations in place, via DEP, DCNR, PennDOT or municipalities.

One Biologist is planning a research project in Sproul State Forest, Clinton County.  Soil will be tested where water trucks have been seen spraying fluids on Forestry roads.

It would be good if that research were replicated wherever Marcellus wells are located.    Any takers?

Dick Martin Coordinator     www.PaForestCoalition.org

The Pennsylvania Forest Coalition is a unique alliance of hunters, hikers, anglers, landowners, wildlife-watchers, paddlers, bikers, churches and conservation groups who are united in our concern for the good stewardship of our public lands. Caring for what God has created

Republicans for Environmental Protection
http://www.repamerica.org/

Ignorance isn’t the problem

Here is another wordpress blog that was emailed to me. Add it to your list if you have time or room for one more.

http://boatrocker.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/ignorance-isnt-the-problem/

For Gas-Drilling Data, There’s a New Place to Dig

by Nicholas Kusnetz
ProPublica, July 12, 2:01 p.m.

Starving for data about natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale? A new website hopes to feed your need. A couple of environmental and public health groups have teamed up to create FracTracker, a web tool that brings together different data sets and presents the information on a map. Launched in late June, FracTracker allows users to upload their own data on all-things-gas-drilling, from lists of drilling permits or incident records to maps of air monitoring stations. Others can then go to the site and either look at the data in map form or download it raw. The site is run by the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC), which is funded by the Heinz Endowments. It is hosted by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, an environmental group that funds local projects aimed at protecting the state’s waterways….

To see the entire article about Frack Tracker, click here:

http://www.propublica.org/article/for-gas-drilling-data-theres-a-new-place-to-dig

To go directly to Frack Tracker click here:

http://www.fractracker.org/

Natural Gas Company’s Disclosure Decision Could Change Fracking Debate

By MIKE SORAGHAN of Greenwire

A Texas natural gas producer’s decision to voluntarily disclose the chemicals it injects into the ground could prompt other drillers to do the same, and pave the way for regulators to require such disclosure. But Range Resources Corp.’s move also reflects the desire of industry to get out ahead of the issue to prevent federal regulation of the key drilling practice called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. At least one other major driller, Chesapeake Energy Corp., says it is considering disclosing chemicals used in fracking on a well-by-well basis as Range is planning. And members of the industry’s main trade association, the American Petroleum Institute, are finalizing their own proposal for disclosure, an API spokeswoman said yesterday. But it could provide less information than what environmentalists and lawmakers have sought, and also less than what Range is preparing to disclose.

Read the whole thing here:

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/07/15/15greenwire-natural-gas-companys-disclosure-decision-could-5706.html?pagewanted=all

Drilling for Gas in the Borough of Wellsboro

The date for the Wellsboro Council hearing on the new Ordinance for Gas
Well Drilling is August 9th at 5:30 PM in the Wellsboro Boro office at
68 Crafton Street.
Come out and voice you opinion of gas drilling within the Boro of
Wellsboro.

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing

EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study In
Canonsburg July 22*

(*PHILADELPHIA** *- July 8, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
is hosting an informational public meeting
in Canonsburg, Washington County, Pa. about its proposed study of the
relationship between hydraulic fracturing and potential impacts on drinking
water.

The meeting will be held from 6-10 p.m., July 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn
in Canonsburg to provide information about the scope and design of the
proposed study, and give the public an opportunity provide input and comment
on the draft study plan.

 Hydraulic fracturing is a process used for extracting natural gas or oil
from shale and other geological formations. By pumping fracturing fluids
(water and chemical additives) and sand or other similar materials into rock
formations, fractures are created that allow natural gas or oil to flow from
the rock – through the fractures – to a production well for extraction.

In March 2010, EPA announced that it will study the potential adverse impact
that hydraulic fracturing may have on drinking water.  In developing the
study, EPA is holding a series of meetings to receive public input about
specific drinking water, human health or environmental concerns that need to
be factored into the study.

To support the planning and development of the study, the agency sought
suggestions and comments from the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB), an
independent, external federal advisory committee. The agency will use this
advice, as well as extensive public input in designing the study.

EPA requests that citizens who are interested in attending to *pre-register
by Monday, July 19.* EPA will also hold meetings about the study on, July 8
in Fort Worth, Texas; July 13 in Denver, Colo.; and, August 12
in Binghamton, N.Y.

Call 1-866-477-3635 toll free to register.  Or register on-line at:
http://hfmeeting.cadmusweb.com.

Those wishing to contribute comments to EPA regarding the proposed hydraulic
fracturing research study may also submit electronic comments to EPA at
hydraulic.fractur…@epa.gov ; or send written comments to:

Jill Dean

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Mail code 4606M,

Washington, DC  20460.

Calvin Tillman’s Letter to the Editor

Here is a lettor to the Editor written by Calvin Tillman, the Mayor of Dish, Texas

What happened to conservative values?   It has been very disappointing to see our conservative values continue to dwindle under the pressure from large corporations.  In Texas our politicians talk conservative values right up to the point where they fail to follow them.  Two foundation pieces of conservatism, are property rights and the free market system.  In Texas, our “conservative” politicians have taken away both from the average Texan.  You are allowed to enjoy your property, as long a corporation or someone with more money doesn’t want it.  This used to be a state where you could move out in the rural areas, buy a piece of land, and live in peace.  Now if you move to the country to have some property, you are an immediate target for a corporation to take your land, or make it unlivable.    The prime example of this is the oil and gas industry.  The State of Texas has taken away most of the rights that pertain to land ownership from the citizens and given it to these large corporations.  One glaring example is the natural gas pipeline midstream companies, which have been given the tremendous power of eminent domain.  These are private, for profit companies that have been awarded all the power of government to condemn property.  This not only takes away property rights, but it destroys the free market system that allows for a property owner to negotiate in good faith for the use of their property.  Instead the private property owners are immediately subjected to threats and intimidations.  Due to these companies being for profit, it is in their best interest to obtain the easement and install the pipeline as cheap as possible, and they use whatever tactic necessary to achieve this.  Therefore, private property owners are paid a fraction of the value of the land and not compensated for associated property damage.  This is not limited to the active drilling areas, due to pipelines being installed all over the state.      Another example is what is known as forced pooling.  It has many names and variations, but again it is another method to transfer private property rights to large corporations.  This again takes away the requirement to negotiate in good faith from the private property owner for their mineral properties.  In Texas the minerals are the dominant property right, so the surface owners have little input on what happens to their property.  However, under forced pooling, the energy companies can even take your minerals without your consent.  This again takes away private property rights and undermines the free market system.  The private property owner also has no protection if something goes wrong in the process.  Therefore, these corporations can take your property without your consent, destroy it, and the only recourse is a lawsuit that may cost the private property owner tens of thousands of dollars.      I have seen other “conservative” states like Pennsylvania following the Texas policy of destroying private property rights, and not allowing private citizens to enjoy their property investments.  I would urge the other states to not do it the “Texas Way”.  In Texas it is only worth owning property, if you are willing to concede that you have no right to enjoy that property.  So you must ask yourself if that is what you want for the citizens of your state?  Private property rights and free market system are the values that are important to the “Average Joe” trying to live the American Dream, let’s not continue to destroy this.
Calvin Tillman
Mayor, DISH, TX
(940) 453-3640

“Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it”

Gas Activist Picnic

There will be a Gas Activist Picnic on Saturday August 28, 9 AM-9 PM. All gas drilling activists in NY & PA are invited. It will be at Chenango Valley State Park, Chenango Forks, NY in the Pine Grove Picnic Area. There is a beach a short walk from the picnic area, walking trails and kayaking in the Chenango River. There are camp sites and cabins for rent. 16 cabins and 120 camp sites are available on Saturday. Reserve early if you want one.There are also 27 first come first serve camp sites available( if you want one call Kevin at 607-341-7842 for more info). There are charcoal grills and they will be stocked and hot by 11 AM. Please bring food and for your party, and feel free to bring extra to share if you like. Non-disposable plates utensils & drink ware are encouraged. I’d discourage glass beverage containers ( aka beer bottles) to minimize breakage. There are 6 electric outlets in the pavilion. Cost per car  is $7. The park is in a rural area and is mostly wooded
   We have all been hard at work on this for many months or years. It is time for some play, to meet each other and and see who we all are in person, not just on line.
There is no agenda, nor is one planned. There will probably be much informal talk about gas drilling, groups we are working with and in general, how’s it going.
   I doubt that there will be any official sponsoring group list, but if there is and you would like your group listed as a sponsor please email me.
  We will try to have name tags with your name & county on them so it is easier to meet.

Chenango Valley State Park is is 3.45 hours from NYC, 1.75 hrs. from Bath, 1.15 hrs. from Syracuse, and 2.15 hrs.from Albany.

Please contact Kevin using the information below if you have any questions.
Kevin Millar
kjmilow@yahoo.com
Home: 607-341-7842
Cell: 607-687-3263