A Dear Sister In the Fight: Reflections on Living In a Gasfield

My friend writes:

I live in Susquehanna County, but I will not shop here or participate in their Stepford wives activities-especially there free hot dog give aways. I drive the extra distance for everything now. Yes, I must pay taxes if I want to keep my home. I am torn between just giving them our home-who else would buy it? Would you move your family to a gasfield? Would you pay a price for a beautiful contemporary timberframe in the middle of all this? We moved here with the intent of participating and living in a lovely quiet part of the world. We saw art and artists. We saw organic farming and a few nice looking farms. The roads were quiet and the nights were heaven under the stars. We made friends, enjoyed neighborhood barbeques, hikes in the woods. I walked fearlessly and happily for miles each day with my big handsome dog. Now I will not walk these roads or woods. I do not know who lives in many of the places and many are empty. My community scorns me for keeping them from their gas wells. Sit down with the folks who maligned me and called us liars? What I know to be true of this place now is that the folks do not care about quality of life or truth or honor. They laugh at folks who care about clean streams and protected wetlands and wildlife. They ignore the science on air pollution. They do not want to know because I believe they have made their deal. They serve a different god and it is the gas lords.

Dr. Janette Barth: To Frack Or Not To Frack

Published on Apr 16, 2013

Recorded Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at Grace Episcopal Church, Elmira, NY

Dr. Jannette Barth is an economist with Pepacton Institute LLC in Croton-on-Hudson, a research and consulting organization. Since 1974, Dr. Barth has been estimating regional and local economic impacts in the United States and the United Kingdom. As an example of her work, Dr. Barth was retained to estimate economic impacts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Former positions include Chief Economist, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Consultant, Chase Econometrics/Interactive Data Corporation. Barth has lectured and written extensively on the economic impacts of shale gas development, including a recent peer-reviewed article in the journal, New Solutions.

Decisions related to fracking should be considered with the safety and well-being of Elmira and surrounding area residents in mind. We encourage you to attend this key presentation to hear leading experts discuss the economic, health, environment, and socio-cultural effects that the gas industry has on communities. Those who attend will have an opportunity to address questions and concerns directly to the presenters. The forum offers a rare opportunity for Elmira and area residents, elected officials, and spiritual leaders to become more informed so that they can better answer the question for themselves: To frack or not to frack.

Flaring in PA

Flaring: wasting natural gas while polluting the atmosphere.  This is part of the dirty natural gas industry.  How much natural gas is wasted this way?

Read more here and here.

And from Earthworks Oil and Gas Accountability Project:  Click here.

The Gasman (16 Tons Parody)

In the New York area? Please go to: http://www.catskillcitizens.org/

Check out Gasland! Nominated "Best Documentary" by the 2011 Academy Awards!!! http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

Lyrics:
Some people say that jobs will come with the drills but they outsource their workers cause they've got the skills they've got the skills and you're unemployed they've got a life that's rich while your's is destroyed

You let the gas man in what did ya get a little bit of money, lifetime of regret you signed on all the leases and gave 'em control you sold your soul for a poisonous hole

The tourists won't come when the drills all arrive it's no fun to see a drill everywhere that you drive they want 80,000 drills in upstate NY alone you can't blame the sighteers for just stayin home

You let the gas man in what did ya get a little bit of money, lifetime of regret you signed on all the leases and gave 'em control you sold your soul for a poisonous hole

When the drills get to going then the fun will begin they fracture through the bedrock and pump the chemicals in chemicals in then the gas rises up then you toast your fortunes with a poisonous cup

You let the gas man in what did ya get a little bit of money, lifetime of regret you signed on all the leases and gave 'em control you sold your soul for a poisonous hole

When the gasman comes you better not let him in You're bettin' on a game that you're not gonna win you're not gonna win when the dealer's corrupt and it's much too late when your water erupts

you let the drills come in and what did ya get a poisoned environment and mountain of debt you signed on all the leases and gave 'em control you sold your soul for a poisonous hole

New York, we're next.  Gov. Cuomo is for it.  He wants gas drilling in New York State.

Natural Gas Industry: Home Invasion

Pennsylvania Dairy Farmers Tell Their Story About the Effects of Gas Drilling in Bradford County, PA

Dairy farmers Carol French and Carolyn Knapp tell their stories about their experiences with gas drilling in Bradford County, PA.  They speak on the theme of economic impacts of gas drilling on their lives.  Listen to them and find out what is really happening in PA. 

Here is the video:  LINK

If you have an hour, watch this video.  It is a MUST SEE!  You will not believe what these Bradford County dairy farmers are going through! You will be amazed!

Bradford County, PA, Commissioner Smith Writes To Governor Re: Gas Drilling Problems



Looking down French Azilum Road in Asylum Township, Bradford County, PA, near our summer home established in 1930.
Photo credit: Carol Manuel

 Bradford County, PA

http://www.bradfordcountypa.org/
Bradford County, PA, 301 Main Street, Towanda, PA 18848

Mark W. Smith, Chairman
Gayle Kershner, Chief Clerk
Jonathan Foster, Solicitor

smithm@bradfordco.org

570-867-1757
Bradford County Commissioners
April 20, 2011

Governor Tom Corbett
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Dear Governor Corbett,

Issue after issue has arisen in Bradford County in relation to the development of natural gas in Bradford County. Most recently there was a major incident involving a well blowout in Leroy Township, Bradford County. This major incident is just one more issue our county is dealing with in regards to the development of the Marcellus Shale.

I have a number of concerns I would like to address in relation to these important issues that are unfolding in the county I was elected to represent. DEP officials are quoted in the media as saying they spend as little as 35 minutes to approve each gas well permit. This is an appalling statistic considering the significant operations and impact of a natural gas drilling site and even more appalling considering that there have been nearly 2,000 gas wells permitted in Bradford County.

In recent weeks it has been reported that DEP is now requiring Marcellus Shale violations to be approved by top DEP officials before being levied on gas companies. This practice strikes at the heart of the integrity of that organization. It does irreparable damage to the local areas in the Marcellus Shale with the environmental damage that has become an everyday reality in Bradford County.

Well water contamination in Bradford County is a real and serious issue that is affecting residents’ quality of life, livelihoods, families, and property values. Water buffalos, temporary water storage tanks, now lay claim to peoples’ front yards as a stark reminder of the extreme negative impact that natural gas development is having on our local communities.

Last year I put much effort working for a severance tax that would include an equitable share for local communities. It was a failed attempt but a sincere effort to ensure our county is taken care of through this development. I continue to see our county, townships, and boroughs struggle with complex issues of development with no financial or logistical support from the Commonwealth. Emergency responders, volunteers, state and local police and dispatchers are working at a break neck pace to respond to immense traffic accident increases, well site accidents, and other related issues.

I have heard politicians in complete favor of the gas industry use the phrase, “We don’twant to kill the golden goose”. I would like to state, for the record, that the “Golden Goose” does not exist. It is no more part of reality than the Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, or the Easter Bunny.

Lastly, I would like to address the outstanding issue regarding Bradford County’s lack of representation on your appointed Marcellus Shale Commission. Bradford County has had the unique experience of being the most drilled in county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Yet, despite that fact, no one from our county was appointed to your commission. The fact our county was not taken into consideration is a direct insult to our county.

I have been working to, at least, find a way for some of our agencies to be heard by the commission or one of its work groups. To date I have not been successful. I have called and e-mailed the Lt. Governor’s Office and tried working through one of our state representatives to no avail. What a shame that a county with the most experience dealing with the impact of natural gas development seems to have been blackballed from comment to what will be your basis for setting Marcellus Shale policy.

I ask you to take our county and others like it seriously as you move forward setting policy in regards to Marcellus Shale development. The economic benefit of this development is unquestionable. However, it is also unquestionable that when left unattended, the negatives outweigh the positives quickly and heavily.

Best Regards,

Mark W. Smith
Chairman, Bradford County Commissioners

Cc: Secretary Michael Krancer
Representative Tina Pickett
Representative Matt Baker
Senator Gene Yaw

The Tale of the Golden Goose

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH, FOR WRITING THIS LETTER

Marcellus Shale: Professor Dan Volz Challenges Boom Town Sales Pitch

University of Pittsburgh Professor Dan Volz challenges the "boom town" sales pitch for natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale- a model that claims the benefits far outweigh the risks.

"Much is said about the benefits of drilling in the Marcellus Shale," Volz said. "But none of the cost-benefit analyses touted by the gas industry and government take into account what is known as 'public goods'- like impacts on air and water."

Dr. Volz is Assistant Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also Director for the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities there.

Volz's point was illustrated in a recent "Energy Report" published by The Wall Street Journal (May 10, 2010). The cover essay is titled, "How Shale Gas Is Going to Rock the World," by Amy Myers Jaffe. Her analysis of shale gas runs more than 2,000 words, yet "environmental risk" is dismissed in 129 words, as observed by Spectra Energy Watch.

Visit Spectra Energy Watch  which inspired this blog post.

Marcellus Shale: Chesapeake Energy Marketing Ploy

Chesapeake Energy Photo-Op

Chesapeake Energy Corp. has donated a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer to the Bradford County Sheriff's Office.  Even if this vehicle is needed, which it probably is,  this is really nothing more than a ploy by Chesapeake Energy to appear to care about the citizens of Bradford County.  They have done several other "nice" things, like donating to "Newspaper In Education" program.  There is always a picture in the newspaper and an article, submitted by Chesapeake, attempting to show how much it cares.  In reality, inspite of the money that a few landowners are receiving, and a few jobs,  Bradford County is, in my opinion, headed for trouble.  It is being transformed before our very eyes into an industrial wasteland which will ultimately destroy our soil, our air, and our water.  People will become sick with cancers and other illnesses, as will our animals.  Deaths will occur.  Chesapeake doesn't want us to think about that, so they give us an SUV.  Isn't that wonderful?

Read the article in the Daily Review here.

Natural Gas Drilling: A Homeowner From Dimock, PA, Speaks From the Heart

Property value....what is a home worth? Is there a price for the memories and dreams? Each window in a home frames a moment in time-a masterpiece. How much?... What is the price of clean water splashing from your faucet?.. How do you put a dollar amount on the sound of spring peepers from the back yard?.. What value is given to a view?...Wooded slopes cleared for pennies...How much does a spring bubbling crisp and clear from the Earth cost? Night sounds from the deep woods are priceless. What I would pay to hear the pair of Great Horned Owls echoing down through our valley....Springs first full moon splendid in its rightful place as the brightest object in the sky.....until the huge drilling rig on the ridge arrogantly claimed the throne...What DOES the night sky cost?

-written today by a resident of Dimock, PA, who moved there several years ago to build her dream home.