We Are Seneca Lake: Josh Fox Speaks Out About Nat Gas Storage Under Seneca Lake

"[Josh] Fox  put together this short documentary, which premiered exclusively at the Daily Beast on Wednesday—a call to action from him and fracking activist Sandra Steingraber, an ecologist and author who has been at the forefront of the We Are Seneca Lake campaign."

Horizontal slickwater hydrofracking was banned in New York State in 2014.  However, the infrastructure needed to support the natural gas industry, i.e. pipelines, storage facilities, trains, compressor stations, etc., are equally as disturbing and dangerous.  We must not let up on the fight to protect the planet.

Sharon Wilson: How She Became an Activist Against the Gas Industry in Texas

Sharon Wilson - Ft. Worth, Texas from Oceans 8 Films on Vimeo.

Sharon Wilson is a horsewoman and blogger from Texas whose bucolic property suddenly became prime real estate for hydrofracking. In response, she organized other landowners in similar predicaments and made sure their voices could be heard.

Earth Day Message from Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York

Happy Earth Day!

 

 

God bless Mother Earth, our island home.

Stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership!

To get involved in the movement to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership, click here.

#noTPP

 

The good news is that this is a plan we can stop. Today, Congress introduced a bill that would allow the TPP to be signed into law. This legislation, called Fast Track, faces a close vote -- if enough Members of Congress come out against this plan in the next few weeks, TPP stops in its tracks.

 

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is being negotiated in secret because it is such a bad idea, and the corporations behind it are hoping it moves forward without too many people noticing. If our representatives know we're watching, they're much less likely to get behind this thing.

TPP could also be used to attack worker's rights, and so many other things that matter. For instance, if New York finally raises the minimum wage to $15, multinational corporations could sue the state and make taxpayers pay for lost profit. Every major organization fighting for economic justice for workers opposes it.

Fracking Intimidation: Vera Scroggins Edition

on Apr 21, 2015

Cabot Oil and Gas does not tolerate dissent. They've used lies and intimidation to silence Vera Scroggins, who does citizen tours around Dimock Pennsylvania. But the harassment of any and all critics is very common - I found this out personally as I filmed installation across America. I was reported to Homeland Security for filming a gas refinery - Homeland security gave my boss a call after they tracked the license plate on the rented car I was driving to him. "To know who rules over you, find out who you can not criticize" The fossil fuel industry - using the fracking boom - has decided we will remain on fossil fuels no matter what science says. Silencing critics is pone way they get this done - which destroying our democracy, our environment and our communities at the same time.

"Vera Scroggins, a Pennsylvania grandmother who gives tours of her local area to people interested in knowing more about fracking, could be jailed for her work. Cabot Gas and Oil has been trying to stop her citizen tours by using false claims to place a legal injunction against her. Cabot's attack on Vera reached a zenith this Spring when an industry worker falsely testified that Vera Scroggins violated the court's order.

Vera has many witnesses who testified that the worker was wrong and Vera was well within the boundary set for her by the injunction. But the judge, who has financial interests in the gas industry - rejected the testimony of three witnesses and accepted the testimony of the singular gas worker who had no proof of his claims.

Why is Cabot so dead set on punishing Mrs. Scroggins? Cabot takes this approach with anyone who defies them. The corporation uses local media propagandists and local pro-gas groups to harass, intimidate and obstruct all opposition. This time Cabot Gas and Oil hopes to jail a critic based on false testimony.

Vera is encouraging anyone in the area to come to the Montrose Courthouse on Thursday, April 23, at 1:30 to stand in support of democracy, decency and justice."

How Hilary Clinton's State Department Sold Fracking to the World

I want a woman to be president.  Hilary is running for president.  Can I support her?  Here is an article that appeared in Mother Jones last fall. An excerpt:

"One icy morning in February 2012, Hillary Clinton's plane touched down in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, which was just digging out from a fierce blizzard. Wrapped in a thick coat, the secretary of state descended the stairs to the snow-covered tarmac, where she and her aides piled into a motorcade bound for the presidential palace. That afternoon, they huddled with Bulgarian leaders, including Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, discussing everything from Syria's bloody civil war to their joint search for loose nukes. But the focus of the talks was fracking."

Hilary Clinton also urged Romanian officials to give fracking another chance.  She bent over backwards to encourage Bulgarian officials to go forward with fracking, including sending her special envoy for energy in Eurasia to stop fracking bans. With her help, Romania's parliament voted down its proposed fracking ban and Bulgaria's eased its moratorium.

Mrs. Clinton worked very hard to promote and spread fracking around the globe.  She employed the services of David Goldwyn as her special envoy for international energy affairs.  He had a long history of promoting drilling overseas- both as a Department of Energy official under Bill Clinton and as a representative of the oil industry.

I am very, very, very concerned about Hilary Clinton's position on fracking worldwide and, of course, global climate change.  I think it is painfully obvious that she is not going to promote sustainable energy policies.  And that is very unfortunate.

Here is the link to the article:  http://portside.org/2015-04-14/how-hillary-clintons-state-department-sold-fracking-world

We may have to sort out what we can live with when choosing our next president, and having a woman occupy the office may not be the most important consideration.

Anti Pipeline Rally: Josh Fox in Schoharie, NY

Published on Apr 9, 2015

This is at the Press Conference in Days Inn, Schoharie, NY; by a group of organizations concerned about the latest, 30" gas pipeline coming through NY and the group of additional gas compressor stations along the route; Open House followed this by the Kinder Morgan Pipeline Company with their reps...Mohawk Nation Natives of NY attended and in the background. Like Josh says , we don't need this gas and we can be 100% independent using non-fossil fuels alternatives...

Video:  Vera Scroggins

Chip Northrup: Netanyahu Frack Bombs Iran in Congress

I invite you to read this post from Chip Northrup.

http://www.nofrackingway.us/2015/03/03/netanyahu-frack-bombs-iran-in-congress-again/

Is Iran a nuclear threat?  I think Chip Northrup has a well-informed answer.

Richmond, VA, People's Climate March

A impressive and creative People's Climate March took place in Richmond, VA, on February 23, 2015.  Ten protestors were arrested. 

#NOACP

 

Stop selling our future!

Terry Greenwood- Living on the Shale (PA)

Published on Feb 21, 2015

This video was produced at our event Living on the Shale" on May 17th, 2014 by CECA, (Coshocton Environmental and Community Awareness Inc.). It featured citizens from around the nation who are at the forefront in the fight to protect our communities from the extreme environmental impacts of slickwater horizontal hydrofracking . The event was entitled "Living on the Shale" and was held in Coshocton, Ohio. Visit our website at www.Cecaware.org.

Music     "Elegy" by Lisa Gerrard (Google Play • AmazonMP3 • iTunes)

 

RIP Terry Greenwood:  October 26, 1947- June 8, 2014

Say No to the Keystone XL Pipeline

President Obama says he’ll veto the latest attempt by Congress to push through the Keystone XL pipeline, but he hasn’t yet committed to rejecting this dangerous proposal outright.

Stop the pipeline permanently!

Groundhog Day: Is the groundhog our best predictor?

Let's think about this, everyone.....

North Dakota Spill From Leaking Pipeline: The Biggest Spill On Record

3 million gallons of brine from oil drilling spills in N.D.
January 21 at 11:17 PM
3 million gallons of brine spill in N.D.

Nearly 3 million gallons of saltwater generated by oil drilling have leaked from a North Dakota pipeline, an official said Wednesday, the largest such spill since the state’s oil boom began and nearly three times worse than previous record spills. Two creeks have been affected, but the full environmental effect might not be clear for months.

Operator Summit Midstream Partners detected the pipeline spill on Jan. 6, about 15 miles north of Williston, and told health officials then. Officials said they were not given a full account of the size until Tuesday.

Cleanup has begun and inspectors have been monitoring the area, but it will be difficult to measure the effects on the environment and wildlife until ice melts, said Dave Glatt, chief of the North Dakota Department of Health’s environmental health section. Some previous saltwater spills have taken years to clean up.


“This is not something we want to happen in North Dakota,” Glatt said.

At the moment, the spill does not threaten public drinking water or human health, Glatt said. He said a handful of farmers have been asked to keep their livestock away from the two creeks, the smaller of which will be drained. 

[So there is nothing to worry about, oh, but don't let your animals drink from the creeks, oh, and one of the creeks will be drained.....]

The saltwater, known as brine, is an unwanted byproduct of oil and natural gas production that is much saltier than sea water and may also contain petroleum and residue from hydraulic fracturing operations.

The new spill is almost three times larger than one that fouled a portion of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in July.

— Associated Press

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Sandra Steingraber Greets Large Crowd In Albany Yesterday

Sandra Steingraber addressed the gathering at the Hilton in Albany yesterday.  The occasion was a rally and celebration of the recent decision by Gov. Cuomo to ban fracking in New York State.  Here is the text of her speech:  click here.

Gas Pipelines Installed Next To Homes in PA

Published on Jan 23, 2015

Pipelines dug near homes in Vera's county, Susquehanna County, Pa. and there are no setbacks that I know of. See what it's like in this video near Montrose, Pa. in my county and we now have a spider web of high-pressure gas pipelines all over our county and more regularly being proposed and installed. We are exposed to this risk and change of our landscape with many trees being cut down and wetlands and waterways crossed and impacted...

Video:  Vera Scroggins

PA Governor's Inaugural Speech: Protestors Chant Throughout!

Published on Jan 22, 2015

Concerned Citizens and Community Members protested and chanted, "Ban Fracking Now" and interrupted Gov. Wolf's Inauguration Speech and some in the bleachers were stopped and removed by the Police, arrested and taken away. Hear Gov. Wolf's total speech and hear the anti-fracking chanting in the background. Large group of protesters were situated about 300' behind the outside setup for the Inauguration....thanks, to the caring Citizens for your protest and letting the new Gov. hear that Fracking needs to be banned and is harmful and dangerous for us....at 9:24 into the video, Gov. Wolf addresses Gas and Pa. Resources and the Protesters....

Unprecedented relentless chanting throughout the entire speech!  Thanks to Vera Scroggins for the video!

Ban Fracking In Pennsylvania Now!

Furor Over Fuel: Finger Lakes Region (NY) Faces a Crisis

 

New York State has banned horizontal slickwater hydrofracking.  However, there is much work to be done to insure the health of the environment, human health, and the economic health of the state. The infrastructure necessary for the gas industry, namely, pipelines, wastewater treatment, liquid natural gas storage, compressor stations, and transportation of oil and gas via rail, is still very much in question.  In the Finger Lakes region, famous for its pristine water, tourism, and wine industry,  there are those who want the money from the gas industry and those who are more concerned about the inevitable and irreversible health and environmental effects.

 

"The furor is over construction plans by Crestwood Midstream Partners to expand natural gas storage and add LPG storage in existing caverns on Seneca Lake's western shore.  Gas would be withdrawn during heating season, with the facility connected to an intricate pipeline and options to ship by truck and rail."

Read the article from The Ithaca Journal here.

Just about every day, groups of protestors block the two entrances to Crestwood.  This is causing a strain on local law enforcement, so they say.  The costs of the protests, including extra staff and court costs, were not budgeted this year.  The many protestors are people from many walks of life, and they are passionate about this crisis.  Well over a hundred people have been arrested so far, with some serving jail sentences.

Let the protests continue until Crestwood leaves!

High Volume Horizontal Hydrofracking: New York State Says No!

For a good read, check out this response from Chip Northrup:

http://www.nofrackingway.us/2014/12/20/what-the-frack-happens-now-in-new-york/

What's going to happen next in New York State?  Chip Northrup says, "Nothing!"  We will not have horizontal gas drilling in New York.  Game over for the frackers.  The sad part is that the drillers will just take their marbles and go somewhere else to destroy the landscape and put human beings and other living things in harm's way.  So we must all get busy and ban fracking wherever we live.  Many communities in NY have done this, and it has made it very difficult for frackers to operate. Click here to see an excellent map showing the actions against drilling in New York communities.

Cuomo Says No To Fracking in NY: Sandra Steingraber Responds

Hallelujah!  The news is astounding, but the report from Acting Health Commissioner Zucker and Commissioner Martens of the DEC have weighed in today on the matter of horizontal slickwater hydrofracking.  Based on the findings of the long-awaited report of health risks and harm caused by this extractive industry, the commissioners recommended that Governor Cuomo ban fracking at least for the foreseeable future. The Governor has agreed with the report and announced this afternoon that horizontal gas drilling will not be permitted in New York State.   This is a huge day for all those who have worked so hard to stop fracking which has destroyed water, air, and soil in areas of the country where this industry has operated.  There is much work to be continued, especially in regard to infrastructure related to the gas industry which will still affect NYS:  pipelines, wastewater treatment, railroad transportation of gas, among other issues. 

Compendium of Health Risks (drilling and fracking): Hot off the press!

A new report is out from Concerned Health Professionals of New York (December 2014)

Compendium of Scientific, Medical, Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking (unconventional gas and oil extraction)

Executive Summary
Evidence of risks, harms, and associated trends demonstrated by this Compendium:
 Air pollution – Studies increasingly show that air pollution associated with drilling and fracking operations is a grave concern with a range of impacts. Researchers have documented dozens of air pollutants from drilling and fracking operations that pose serious health hazards. Areas with substantial drilling and fracking build-out show high levels of ozone, striking declines in air quality, and, in several cases, increased rates of health problems with known links to air pollution. Air sampling surveys find exceedingly high concentrations of volatile organic compounds, especially carcinogenic benzene and formaldehyde, both at the wellhead and at distances that exceed legal setback distances from wellhead to residence. In some cases, concentrations exceeded federal safety standards by several orders of magnitude.

 Water contamination – Emerging science confirms that drilling and fracking inherently threaten groundwater. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 240 private drinking water wells have been contaminated or have dried up as the result of drilling and fracking operations over a seven-year period. A range of studies from across the United States presents strong evidence that groundwater contamination occurs and is more likely to occur close to drilling sites. The nation’s 172,000 injection wells for disposal of fracking waste also pose demonstrable threats to the drinking water aquifers. Disposal of fracking waste in sewage treatment plants can encourage the formation of carcinogenic byproducts during chlorination. Overall, the number of well blowouts, spills and cases of surface water contamination has steadily grown. Meanwhile, the gas industry’s use of "gag orders," non-disclosure agreements and settlements impede scientific study and stifle public awareness of the extent of these problems.

 Inherent engineering problems that worsen with time – Studies and emerging data consistently show that oil and gas wells routinely leak, allowing for the migration of natural gas and potentially other substances into groundwater and the atmosphere. Recent research suggests that the act of fracking itself may induce pathways for leaks. Leakage from faulty wells is an issue that the industry has identified and for which it has no solution. For instance, Schlumberger, one of the world’s largest companies specializing
in fracking, published an article in its magazine in 2003 showing that about five percent of wells leak immediately, 50 percent leak after 15 years and 60 percent leak after 30 years. Data from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for 2000-2012 show over nine percent of shale gas wells drilled in the state’s northeastern counties leaking within the first five years. Leaks pose serious risks including potential loss of life or property from explosions and the migration of gas or other chemicals into drinking water supplies. Leaks also allow methane to escape into the atmosphere, where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas. There is no evidence to suggest that the problem of cement and well casing impairment is abating. Indeed, a 2014 analysis of more than 75,000 compliance reports for more than 41,000 wells in Pennsylvania found that newer wells have higher leakage rates and that unconventional shale gas wells leak more than conventional wells drilled within the same time period. Industry has no solution for rectifying the chronic problem of well casing/cement leakage.

 Radioactive releases – High levels of radiation documented in fracking wastewater from shale raise special concerns in terms of impacts to groundwater and surface water. Studies have indicated that the Marcellus Shale is more radioactive than other shale formations. Measurements of radium in fracking wastewater in New York and Pennsylvania have been as high as 3,600 times the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) limit for drinking water. One recent study found toxic levels of radiation in a Pennsylvania waterway even after fracking wastewater was disposed of through an industrial wastewater treatment plant. In addition, the disposal of radioactive drill cuttings is a concern. Unsafe levels of radon and its decay products in natural gas produced from the Marcellus Shale, known to have particularly high radon content, may also contaminate pipelines and compressor stations, as well as pose risks to end-users when allowed to travel into homes.

 Occupational health and safety hazards – Fracking jobs are dangerous jobs. Occupational hazards include head injuries, traffic accidents, blunt trauma, burns, toxic chemical exposures, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and sleep deprivation. As a group, oil and gas industry workers have an on-the-job fatality rate that is 2.5 times higher than the construction industry and seven times that of general industry. A new investigation of occupational exposures found high levels of benzene in the urine of workers on the wellpad, especially those in close proximity to flowback fluid. Exposure to silica dust, which is definitively linked to silicosis and lung cancer, was singled out by National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health as a particular threat to workers in fracking operations where silica sand is used. At the same time, research shows that many gas field workers, despite these serious occupational hazards, are uninsured or underinsured and lack access to basic medical care.

 Public health effects, measured directly – In Pennsylvania, as the number of gas wells increases in a community so to do rates of hospitalization. Drilling and fracking operations are correlated with elevated motor vehicle fatalities (Texas), self-reported skin and respiratory problems (southwestern Pennsylvania), ambulance runs and emergency room visits (North Dakota), infant deaths (Utah), birth defects (Colorado), and low birthweight (multiple states). Benzene levels in ambient air surrounding drilling and  fracking operations are sufficient to elevate risks for future cancers in both workers and nearby residents, according to new studies.

Noise pollution, light pollution and stress – Drilling and fracking operations and ancillary infrastructure expose workers and nearby residents to continuous noise and light pollution that is sustained for periods lasting many months. Chronic exposure to light at night is linked to adverse health effects, including breast cancer. Sources of fracking-related noise pollution include blasting, drilling, flaring, generators, compressor stations and truck traffic. Exposure to environmental noise pollution is linked to cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and sleep disturbance. Workers and residents whose homes, schools and workplaces are in close proximity to well sites are at risk from these exposures as well as from related stressors. A UK Health Impact Assessment identified stress and anxiety resulting from drilling-related noise—as well as from a sense of uncertainty about the future and eroded public trust—as key public health risks related to fracking operations.

 Earthquake and seismic activity – A growing body of evidence, from Ohio, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado, links fracking wastewater injection (disposal) wells to earthquakes of magnitudes as high as 5.7, in addition to "swarms" of minor earthquakes and fault slipping. Many recent studies focus on the mechanical ability of pressurized fluids to trigger seismic activity. In some cases, the fracking process itself has been linked to earthquakes and seismic activity, including instances in which gas corporations have acknowledged the connection. In New York, this issue is of particular concern to New York City’s aqueduct-dependent drinking water supply and watershed infrastructure, as the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) has warned repeatedly, but similar concerns apply to all drinking water resources. The question of what to do with wastewater remains a problem with no viable, safe solution.

 Abandoned and active oil and natural gas wells (as pathways for gas and fluid migration) – Millions of abandoned and undocumented oil and gas wells exist across the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. All serve as potential pathways for pollution, heightening the risks of groundwater contamination and other problems when horizontal drilling and fracking operations intersect with pre-existing vertical channels leading through drinking water aquifers and to the atmosphere. New research from Pennsylvania shows that, cumulatively, abandoned wells are a significant source of methane into the atmosphere and may exceed cumulative total leakage from oil and gas wells currently in production. No state or federal agency routinely monitors methane leakage from orphaned and abandoned wells. Industry experts, consultants and government agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. General Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office), Texas Department of Agriculture, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission have all warned about problems with abandoned wells due to the potential for pressurized fluids and gases to
migrate through inactive and in some cases, active wells.

 Flood risks – Massive land clearing and forest fragmentation that necessarily accompany well site preparation increase erosion and risks for catastrophic flooding, as do access roads, pipeline easements and other related infrastructure. In addition, in some cases, operators choose to site well pads on flood-prone areas in order to have easy access to water for fracking, to abide by setback requirements intended to keep well pads away from inhabited buildings, or to avoid productive agricultural areas. In turn, flooding increases the dangers of unconventional gas extraction, resulting in the contamination of soils and water supplies, the overflow or breaching of containment ponds, and the escape of chemicals and hazardous materials. In at least six of the past ten years, New York State has experienced serious flooding in parts of the state targeted for drilling and fracking. Some of these areas have been hit with "100-year floods" in five or more of the past ten years. Gas companies acknowledge threats posed by flooding, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has recommended drilling be prohibited from 100-year flood areas; however, accelerating rates of extreme weather events make existing flood maps obsolete, making this approach insufficiently protective.

 Threats to agriculture and soil quality – Drilling and fracking pose risks to the agricultural industry. In California, fracking wastewater illegally dumped into aquifers has threatened crucial irrigation supplies to farmers in a time of severe drought. Studies and case reports from across the country have highlighted instances of deaths, neurological disorders, aborted pregnancies, and stillbirths in cattle and goats associated with livestock coming into contact with wastewater. Potential water and air contamination puts soil quality as well as livestock health at risk. Additionally, farmers have expressed concern that nearby fracking operations can hurt the perception of agricultural quality and nullify value-added organic certification.

 Threats to the climate system – A range of studies has shown high levels of methane leaks from gas drilling and fracking operations, undermining the notion that natural gas is a climate solution or a transition fuel. Major studies have concluded that early work by the EPA greatly underestimated the impacts of methane and natural gas drilling on the climate. Drilling, fracking and expanded use of natural gas threaten not only to exacerbate climate change but also to stifle investments in, and expansion of, renewable energy.

 Inaccurate jobs claims, increased crime rates, threats to property value and mortgages and local government burden – Experiences in various states and accompanying studies have shown that the oil and gas industry’s promises for job creation from drilling for natural gas have been greatly exaggerated and that many of the jobs are short-lived and/or have gone to out-of-area workers. With the arrival of drilling and fracking operations, communities have experienced steep increases in rates of crime – including sex trafficking, sexual assault, drunk driving, drug abuse, and violent victimization, all of which carry public health consequences, especially for women. Social costs include strain on law enforcement, municipal services and road damage. Economic analyses have found that drilling and fracking operations threaten property values and can diminish tax revenues for local governments. Additionally, gas drilling and fracking pose an inherent conflict with mortgages and property insurance due to the hazardous materials used and the associated risks.

Inflated estimates of oil and gas reserves and profitability – Industry estimates of oil and gas reserves and profitability of drilling have proven unreliable, casting serious doubts on the bright economic prospects the industry has painted for the public, media and investors. Increasingly, well production has been short-lived, which has led companies drilling shale to reduce the value of their assets by billions of dollars, creating shortfalls that are largely filled through asset sales and increasing debt load, according to a recent analysis by the US Energy Information Administration.

 Disclosure of serious risks to investors – Oil and gas companies are required to disclose risks to their investors in an annual Form 10-K. Those disclosures acknowledge the inherent dangers posed by gas drilling and fracking operations, including leaks, spills, explosions, blowouts, environmental damage, property damage, injury and death. Adequate protections have not kept pace with these documented dangers and inherent risks.

 Medical and scientific calls for more study and more transparency – With increasing urgency, groups of medical professionals and scientists are issuing calls for comprehensive, long-term study of the full range of the potential health and ecosystem effects of drilling and fracking. These appeals underscore the accumulating evidence of harm, point to the major knowledge gaps that remain, and denounce the atmosphere of secrecy and intimidation that continues to impede the progress of scientific inquiry. Health professionals and scientists in the United States and around the world have urged tighter regulation of and in some cases, suspension of unconventional gas and oil extraction activities in order to limit, mitigate or eliminate its serious, adverse public health hazards.


Go to this website to read the entire document.