Fracking Waste Coming to Bloomsburg (?)

     
If a proposed frackwater treatment plant is built near Wyalusing, PA, the sludge extracted from the drilling wastewater will be trucked to the White Pines Landfill near Bloomsburg, PA. What I did notice about this landfill is that it's a newly-constructed site that appears to target industries that produce some pretty nasty stuff, including the natural gas folks.

BTW...is it me, or does Mascaro's elephant look like it's taking a dump?

How appropriate.

Anyway, you can read more about the proposed frackwater treatment plant in Bradford County here. Imagine that...22 people spoke at the hearing, and all 22 people were opposed to the plant. Go figure.

On a closing and far more positive note, I received an unexpected package in the mail yesterday from one of my paddling friends, Steve Pidcock. I have several of Steve's pics & posters in my home, but the underwater shot of emerging water lillies is one of my favorites...and the laser-etched SRS444 logo on cedar is right behind it. Way too cool.

Check out Steve's website here.

Thanks, Bro.

To all who visit, even the FBI guys...enjoy your weekend.

 

Shale Gas Insight - September 2011

Well folks, you'll have no excuses whatsoever on this one.

None.

Seven months from now, the "Who's Who" of the natural gas industry and their ilk will be descending upon the city of Brotherly Love. If we who oppose the Marcellus Shale Madness gripping this country cannot fill the Streets of Philadelphia outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center with more than 150 people, which from most accounts was the headcount at Team Tom-Tom's inauguration, we might as well just bend over and kiss our commonwealth's natural assets good-bye.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda just doesn't cut it anymore. We must come together - as one - and be heard, seen, and felt on both days. On the streets of the city that held the first Constitutional Convention in 1787, on the streets of the city that ratified our Constitution in September of that same year, perhaps we can send a message in 2011 that We, the People have had enough.

I've already scheduled the dates as vacation time. I will be there.

Where will you be?

     

Chesapeake Energy: Popcorn, anyone?

     
I took a few minutes last week to write to the PA DEP and request a status of their investigation into what caused the bubbling in the Susquehanna River near Sugar Run ( Bradford County, PA ) that began on ~9/2/2010. Here is the sum total of their response:

Here is the Notice of Violation sent to Chesapeake.  No sample results have been released since the case is still under investigation.

Still under investigation...160 days later? Umm, errr...what's taking so long? Seriously, what more do you need to issue your findings?

Let me guess...

Several years ago, in response to some less than favorable publicity about the Susquehanna, a spokesperson for our commonwealth described the Susquehanna as the "crown jewel" of PA's natural wonders and tourism industry. Right now, as this river advocate sees it, our "crown jewel" is being sodomized by the natural gas industry while our elected "leaders" sit idly by, eat popcorn, and try to convince themselves and anyone who will listen that they're doing everything they can to protect our natural resources.

Unfortunately and in reality, they are not.

  

Marcellus Message: From the Flag to the Cross

       

I took a day away from posting, thanks to PA's former Governor and current Marcellus Shale Coalition spokesperson, Tom Ridge. I needed that time to cool down and ensure I didn't post anything I would regret.

On Monday, I was doing my normal online scan of Marcellus-related articles when I found this quote attributed to Mr. Ridge:

"The Lord gave us these resources," he said.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Here's one of the comments left in response:

"The Lord gave us these resources," Are you serious? He actually said this? This guy is worse than I thought. And yet another positive article for the industry. Come on Sun, what about the companies wanting to ship this stuff overseas. How is this going to break our independence?

Amazing. A year ago, it was the patriotism theme. Everywhere you went, in every industry-sponsored video and PowerPoint presentation, flags were flying and Marcellus Shale was being touted as "the answer to America's goal of energy independence" and "If you are against drilling, you are for foreign oil." Now, since that doesn't seem to be working, they're pulling "the Lord" into their strategy. I also heard that "faith" was brought up by one of the MSC's other puppets in a recent presentation, but I haven't had a chance to view the video so I'll refrain from using names and making comments until I do.

For the record, we put our three children through Catholic grade schools, Catholic high schools, and two of them graduated from The Catholic University of America. For giggles, I once calculated what the non-public education ( tuition only ) of our children cost us through graduation from high school, and it was well north of $125K. Adding CUA's tuition for eight years, and it boggles my mind that the money tree in our back yard has been so darn productive. P.S. - with a few exceptions due to travel and other conflicts...Mass every weekend for Mom & Dad.

So, when Tom Ridge - the highly-compensated advisor to the Marcellus Shale Coalition - seeks to justify what the natural gas industry is doing, and plans to do, to my home state by bringing "the Lord" into the debate, I will simply offer that he and his cohorts have made an egregious and perhaps fatal mistake. I wonder...who, exactly, is the "us" in Mr. Ridge's statement?
  
I already knew these folks were devoid of ethics or morals, but just when you think the natural gas industry couldn't slither any lower - they do. 

I can't wait to see what they dream dredge up next.

Twenty:One Ratio my Keister

   
The comments and e-mails have been coming in fast and furious lately. In response to my Republican Rape post, I received an e-mail from a fellow watershed advocate ( Thanks, Michael! ) with a link to a gas industry newsletter  (Independent Oil & Gas Association of Pennsylvania) from 2005 that contained the following comments:

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt producers a setback in our efforts to overturn EPA’s
interpretation of the Stormwater discharge rules under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

And this:

We have reported repeatedly over the last several years the importance of resolving the NPDES Stormwater issue. The impact on Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry will be devastating if we cannot resolve EPA’s “power grab by interpretation”. Nationally, a DOE study projects the prevention of development of as much as 3.9 billion barrels of oil and 45 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. There is little wonder why IOGA has expended so much time, effort, and money to overturn EPA’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act Oil and Gas Exemption.

IOGA will continue to work with the other state cooperating associations and IPAA to seek resolution to this issue. In addition to the litigation, efforts continue to work with EPA to develop a stormwater management approach that protects the environment while reducing the negative impact on oil and gas development. We will also continue to work towards Congressional clarification of the 1987 provisions of the Clean Water Act.

So if you were wondering why PA Senators Mary Jo White and Lisa M. Baker sponsored SB 305...now you know. Considering the number of visits I've had from Harrisburg lately, I'm sure at some point they might even try to eliminate the requirement to post pending legislation online...

Is it recall time yet?

In other news, check out Another Monkey's post about the elimination of funding for the USGS stream gauges on the Susquehanna. Pure and simple, this is plain old stupid. The Susquehanna is one of the most flood prone watersheds in the country. The USGS gauges provide an excellent early warning system to monitor stream flow and predict river crests.  In reading some of the quotes in DB's post, I will offer that I think the 20:1 benefit/cost ratio is way too light. Seriously - according to the articles I've read, it costs $2.4 million to maintain the gauges in the Susquehanna watershed. At 20:1, that means that we'd only save $48M in potential losses and/or insurance payouts if we had funding to maintain the gauges?  In 1972, Hurricane Agnes cost $1.7 Billion. In 1999, Hurricane Ivan caused $6 Billion in damages on the East Coast. The June 2006 flood was estimated to have caused $100 million in damages to Susquehanna County alone!

In today's $, I think the benefit/cost ratio of the USGS stream gauges is more in the range of 200:1, at minimum. The funding should be approved, post haste. If anyone wants some suggestions on other programs hatched in Washington to cut...send me the proposed legislation and I'll make some recommendations. I'm sure there are quite a few pet projects ( f/k/a earmarks) buried in there.

In closing today's post, I'll share a few pics from a family gathering yesterday in northeastern PA. My father-in-law is turning 83 in a few days, and as 4 out of 5 of his children could get together...the party was on.

Sto lat, Benedict D.!

Above: Glazed Donut on Steroids

Below: Zero Calorie - Zero Carb Sour Cream Apple Pound Cake  

Below: The Birthday Boy

Who needs a flash with those smiles?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.