ENCINA: Back Out Now

Many years ago, while wrapping up my campaign against the proposed inflatable dam on the Susquehanna, a leading environmentalist in PA reached out to me and asked if I had heard about the Marcellus Shale play and fracking. 

I had not, so (s)he sent me a few informational links to get me started. Once I read those, I dove in deeper. When I felt I had a pretty good idea of the potential threat fracking posed, but before I took any actions on or offline, I reached out to two individuals that I (and others) considered to be experts on the topic: Dr. Terry Engelder of PSU and one of my former college professors -a geologist - who held a position entitled "Global..." at the time. The former responded fairly quickly and - not to my surprise - answered both of my questions exactly as anticipated. The latter also responded quickly and put me in touch with someone in Washington, DC who was considered to be an expert on the Marcellus Shale formation and the entire hydraulic fracturing process.  

After that and a little more research, I jumped into the fracking fray and never looked back.  

At the moment, I am in the data-gathering mode once again. I've recently met with a PhD who specializes in water chemistry/quality, and I've had multiple conversations with folks who are more familiar with the Point Township area and the local take on issues facing the Susquehanna should the Encina recycling plant become operational. I've also talked to the local Chief of Police about coordinating a "protest" on Earth Day near where the proposed plant would be built.  

Working in positions of responsibility (VP/Director) for some of the largest corporations and law firms in the country over the decades, I have learned the absolute value and importance of getting your facts straight and your ducks in a row. I have also seen the pitfalls and consequences when you didn't. And, through all of my environmental endeavors and escapades spanning several decades, I know - better than most - the difference between telegraphing your punches and floating a trial balloon...or two.    

Next up: A road trip along Rte. 11. 

Back to work...

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Experts "R" Us...Not

   

Although I am always willing to listen and learn, I am at the point in my life that I can usually tell - within a matter of a minute or so - whether someone truly knows the subject on which they speak or if they are either making stuff up on the fly...or lying. 

The obtuseness of some of the responses from Encina regarding their proposed plastics-recycling plant on the Susquehanna makes me believe it's a little bit of both. 

They need to get their house in order and stop using untethered rookies as spokespersons. 

And perhaps modern paraphrasing, but true nonetheless. 

   

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Said The Spider to the Fly...

ABCD...

LJA,

Thank you folks,

You made my day.

I was wondering when either my blog-traffic software or LinkedIn profile would start pinging away. It took less than a week for both to kick in, the latter being visited by an engineering firm in TX a day or so ago. 

An inconsequential midge in the ointment...or the mastoDon in the room? 

I truly enjoy challenges. 

Profile this. 

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FATHER...Father, The sleeper has awakened

     

When I breathe my last, after fondly embracing the memories of my family and friends, my final flashback will be remembering that - for as long as I lived - the Susquehanna River flowed freely through the valley of my birth. After two decades of twisting arms and spewing fabricated facts using any soapbox available, a 13-term U.S. Congressman and his cast of cronies who wanted to dam the river near Wilkes-Barre PA were defeated by, as one of my fellow bloggers put it many years ago... The Power of One.

   

Here we are 15 years later, and the Susquehanna River is facing yet another significant environmental threat further downstream. As I always do, I am spending my time learning as much as possible about the project, the processes involved, and the players behind the facade. Their pockets are deep, but not unlimited. 

   

So far, their playbook and talking points are a carbon copy of just about everything I've seen and heard over the years. More jobs. Higher paying jobs. Tax revenue. Environmentally safe. We care about and want to be part of the community. Blah. blah. blah. 

   

Stale, at best, or to quote Spock from The Wrath of Kahn: 

"Two dimensional thinking..." 

   

I've been here before. I know what it takes. I just have to decide whether it's worth my while to jump in once again.  Looking at a calendar...Earth Day is right around the corner. 

   

April 22nd will be my Rubicon moment. 

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ENCINA: The PHMC says...

I attended an informational update/conference call hosted by Encina on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023. From waiting in the queue to the call's close, it lasted about 1h 47m. I was there for every minute, and on multiple points, I took notes. 

Based upon Encina's "in process" response to a Q? about archaeological studies at the site of the proposed plastics-recycling plant, I contacted the PHMC (Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission) first thing the following morning using their formatted online portal. 

Surprise, surprise: According to two separate e-mail responses, there was nothing "in process" with PHMC under the name of Encina at any location near Northumberland.  

Fast forward to on online article today. In response to questions asked by an advocate for the Susquehanna, Encina provided the following:

Now, at this stage of my advanced youth, I just might be missing something that's been lost in translation. Or perhaps the PHMC overlooked Encina's application? Or perhaps Encina's application has been delayed/lost in the mail? Or perhaps Encina thinks we 'local yokels' are going to believe everything they tell us? 

Or perhaps...someone has stretched the truth just a tad? 

Per their website, Encina's BOD has some pretty impressive folks with degrees from places like Columbia, Harvard and Princeton. Wow. 

I extend sincere greetings...and welcome to my world. 

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ENCINA...I look Forward to the Fray

 

As I do every morning, I spent the first few hours of my day catching up on anything/everything of interest to me. An online letter to the editor regarding a project in the news as of late caught my attention, and specifically this one paragraph:  

   

"We understand that the Susquehanna River is a cherished resource for recreation, tourism, and the health of the regional ecosystem. Encina is contracting with world-class partners for our design and water management plans will include continuous monitoring and testing fall all parameters to stay below permissible levels." - posted in The Williamsport-Sun Gazette on 3/12/23 

   

Read it through again. Evidently, its author did not before sending. As I used to tell my MBA interns from Drexel: 'Measure thrice...cut once'. 

Here's a link to the entire article:

Bringing environmental solutions to tackle our plastic waste crisis | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette (sungazette.com)

From SRS to SRS: FINALLY...a worthy adversary.  I think...

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

PA's 2023 River of the Year

Congrats to all who helped make this happen. I look forward to getting out and paddling a few miles on the north branch of the Susquehanna more than once or twice this year. 

A Redux: The Power of One

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For those that stop by from time to time, I posted my annual tribute to the Conestoga/Susquehannock tribe elsewhere. 

For a variety of reasons - after an absence (from blogging) of almost a year - I logged on this morning to confirm when I actually started posting on this specific platform. I knew it was sometime in 2010, and after scrolling through almost 1,200 posts, I verified that my first post was in January 2010. I actually started blogging a decade+ earlier, but the ISPs discontinued hosting those platforms and forced me to look elsewhere. Fortunately, I did retain the pic below. 

It was at that time, and probably earlier, that I changed the name to Susquehanna River Sentinel and created the logo at the top of this page. 

Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2022. I am choosing to jump back into the fray, and as with all things, will do so on my terms. 

Peace. 

. 

06JAN2021: Dear Senators Cruz, Hawley...et al

    

To all those elected officials who will be attempting to negate my vote today:

I am a native born son of the Valley of Wyoming, and I've resided in southeastern PA for the past 33+ years. I take my right and responsibility to vote VERY seriously. From my viewpoint, what you have stated you are planning to do today is in direct violation of your oath of office and the Constitution. 

Plain and simple: I view you, along with your next two levels of leadership, as cowards, traitors and domestic enemies of the United Sates of America.  

I will not allow you to dishonor my ancestors who served in WWI, WWII and the Korean War in defense of this country and all it once stood for.   

You want to negate my vote? Come and take it from me. 

I'll be waiting. 

2020 - Conestoga Massacre Redux

This is a repost of my 2010 tribute to the Susquehannock/Conestoga Indians. 

 On this day in 1763...14 men, women & children were massacred by a group of frontier vigilantes in Lancaster PA.  

May they all rest in peace.

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 After reviewing last year's posts beginning in mid/late December, I decided that the post below summed up the Conestoga Massacre on December 27, 1763 the best.  There's also a two page account of the massacre I found recently which is also worth a few minutes of your time, along with a link below to the NA Nations website.  

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On the inside wall of the Green Room in The Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, PA, there is a plaque that was dedicated on June 22, 1997. 

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THE CONESTOGAS

"It was the worst of times, it was a turbulent time."

Paraphrase of Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities"

"Into the Night" by Johnny Tiger Jr.

On Sunday morning, December 27th, 1763, the Paxton Boys, a self

styled vigilantic/militia group came to this location

and murdered the remaining 14 members of the commonly referred

to Conestoga Indians. 13 days prior to this they had murdered 6

other members of this small band.

Today we are honored to pay our last respects to those

unfortunate souls who had become refugees in their own land.

They were not guilty of any crime other than being at this place

during that turbulent time.

THEY TOOK THAT FATEFUL JOURNEY INTO THE NIGHT.

Sheehays (Shehaes)               Chee-Na-Wan (Jacob)

Washen (George)                   Quaa-Chow (Young Shehaes)

Tee-Kau-Ley (Harry)             Shaw-E-Kah (A Boy)

Ess-Canesh (Capt'n John)       Ex-Undas (A Boy Chrisly)

Teawonsha-I-Ong (Betty)        Saq-Uies-Hattah (Capt'n John's Son)

Kannenquas (Bill Sock)            Tong-Quas (Little Peter)

Kyungueagoah (Milly Sock)      Hy-Ye-Neas (A Boy)

Koweenasse (John Smith)         Ko-Qua-E-Un-Quas (Molly)

Tenseedaagua (Peggy Smith)      Karen-Do-Uah (A Little Girl)

Kaniinguas (Little John)              Cannukie Sung (A Little Girl Peggie)

Until we meet again.    From all of us.    June 22, 1997 AD

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Here's a firsthand account from one of the many websites about the massacre:

A part of one from William Henry, of Lancaster, to a friend in Philadelphia, is given in " Rupp's History of Lancaster County." He says, "A regiment of Highlanders were at that time quartered at the barracks in the town, and yet these murderers were permitted to break open the doors of the city jail and commit the horrid deed. The first notice I had of the affair was that, while at my father's store near the court-house, I saw a number of people running down-street toward the jail, which enticed me and other lads to follow them. At about six or eight yards from the jail we met from twenty-five to thirty men, well mounted on horses, and with rifles, tomahawks, and scalping-knives, equipped for murder. I ran into the prison-yard, and there, oh, what a horrid sight presented itself to my view! Near the back door of the prison lay an old Indian and his squaw, particularly well known and esteemed by the people of the town on account of his placid and friendly conduct. His name was Will Soc. Around him and his squaw lay two children, about the age of three years, whose heads were split with the tomahawk and their scalps taken off. Toward the middle of the jail-yard, along the west side of the wall, lay a stout Indian, whom I particularly noticed to have been shot in his breast. His legs were chopped with the tomahawk, his hands cut off, and finally a rifle-ball discharged in his mouth, so that his head was blown to atoms, and the brains were splashed against and yet hanging to the wall for three or four feet around. This man's hands and feet had been chopped off with a tomahawk. In this manner lay the whole of them-men, women, and children-spread about the prison-yard, shot, scalped, hacked, and cut to pieces."