Chesapeake and EID/NMI: ISO the Truth

       

Every time I read posts by the folks at EID/NMI, I am reminded of this slide which was part of a presentation given by a rep from Chesapeake Energy at Temple University a few years back.

  

The arrow is mine, and brings attention to the following quote on slide #16:

Marcellus Shale - 1.3 miles below impermeable rock

  

  

Photo by Don Williams

  

Lest we forget...from the mouth keyboard of one of the world's leading experts on the geology of the Marcellus Shale formation:

"There is NO such thing as 100% unfractured/impermeable rock.."

If you've forgotten the rest, read this post again.

Now...why would Chesapeake include an absolute lie on one of their slides?

Anyway, I'd like to briefly focus on the following quote from the EID/NMI post I linked to earlier:

  

"We have been to several meetings of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission and learned quite a bit about the amount of water being consumed for natural gas development. It is actually far less than many other industries, despite the seemingly high amount of water used per well. In fact, since the Marcellus began the natural gas industry has used a total of 5.6 billion gallons of water which is pretty much statistically insignificant when compared to the 20 billion gallons per day daily average flow of the Susquehanna River."

    

  

Problem is, young lady, the natural gas industry is not withdrawing water from the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace, MD where it flows at ~20 billion GPD. As convenient as it is for you and others to throw out those numbers, as your leader did at the last SRBC public hearing, as you fully know, much of the water is being taken 200+ miles upstream from the Susquehanna's headwaters that are shin deep and, in some cases, can be crossed in one or two strides. Additionally, the water being withdrawn by "other industries" like golf courses, for example, is very quickly returned to the hydrologic cycle. No matter how you attempt to obfuscate the truth, you cannot say the same for the industry that pays your salary, i.e. you should probably learn what "consumptive use" means.

   

Towanda Creek - Photo by Dan Natt

 

Tuscarora Creek - Photo by Don Williams

At your very best, young lady, when you are at the top of your game, the cumulative impact of your  efforts are, ummm...

statistically insignificant.

Next?

           

Chesapeake CEO's Latest Whine

  
Between Chesapeake's newly-discovered web of loans lies, and fracking-related protests on Philadelphia's Main Line, I don't know where to begin.

I think I'll keep it brief. I disagree with POW's decision to protest Aqua America, and the discovery of Aubrey McClendon's creative financial shell game couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Hey Aubrey, hire yourself a good damage-control PR firm and an even better team of white-collar defense lawyers. And regarding those $400 bottles of wine you're known to enjoy...I'd suggest you lower your tastes just a little, as your entire financial life is about to be dissected for all to see.

I think this vintage would be just about right for someone with your obvious standards.

  

 

  

Ho, hum...Chesapeake is Non-Compliant

   

+  +  +

Hey...as an agency of the commonwealth of PA, the DEP works for me. My tax dollars funded, in whole or in part, the creation of the letter above. If any of my daily visitors from H-burg have an issue with this post, drop me a line.

 

On your lunch hour... 

 

Anyway, per this letter, it appears Chesapeake Energy is dragging its heels complying with the DEP's directives to remedy water contamination issues in the Marcellus Shale Zone. I'm sure recent actions by the US EPA regarding water contamination in Dimock has caught the attention of the entire natural gas industry in NEPA, and will no doubt have them doing a rope-a-dope in the days ahead.

As the saying goes; you can run, but you cannot hide.

Thanks to the anonymous person(s) who sent this document to my attention.

Keep them coming.

  

  

Susquehanna Bubbling: 500 days and counting...

     
As I've covered this issue several times in the past, I'll keep my comments brief.

The Susquehanna has been bubbling methane where it has never bubbled before...for 500 days. The DCNR - on the watch of then Secretary John Quigley - approved drilling under the Susquehanna from Towanda to the Wyoming County line for the tidy sum of $16.1 million dollars.

Chesapeake Energy has several wells near the section of the Susquehanna that is bubbling. The DEP's Williamsport office refused to make copies of their findings and send them to me, even though I offered to stroke a check to cover ALL copying and mailing costs.

This must come to an end. My march on Fort Chesapeake beginning on 31 July 2012 will be far more than symbolic.

Warrior Road, indeed.

Stay tuned.

 

Chesapeake Sponsors NEPA Environmental Gala

        

And it appears the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) gladly accepted their tainted money.

How sad. 

Read more about it here.

For those not making all the connections here, the PEC was the initial driving force behind the birth of the annual paddling trip known as RiverFest in the Wyoming Valley. And now, they've hopped in the sack once again with an industry that has and will continue to wreak havoc on Pennsylvania's environment for generations to come.

For fear of bursting my sphygmomanometer, I'll stop here.

    

Chesapeake Energy Sponsors ChalkFest

 

Can RiverFest 2012 be too far behind?

  

  

Susquehanna Flood Mud & Dust Toxic?

         
Folks, here's a post from 2+ weeks ago about my recommended post-flood precautions. Here's a news article from today's headlines.

The respiratory complaints are only the beginning. People should take every precaution not to breathe the dust from the drying flood mud.

Hmmm. Maybe Chesapeake, Williams and others would consider supplying the public in affected areas with high-end masks instead of giving away blankets and beer can holders at Penn State games?

Now that's something I would support. 

Happy Monday.
     
  
 

Gunshots Fired at Well Site!

      
For those that didn't think it would come to this...guess again. I'm not sure if it's the first, but my gut tells me it won't be the last. My gut also tells me to question whether this incident was staged by the NG folks themselves to further their cause against all us nasty, tree-hugging, anti-drilling fracktivists.

There was a very clear message sent by the natural gas industry in their $20 million lawsuit that hit the news a few days ago, and there's a very clear message in this latest incident. If not already there, this is about to move beyond ugly.

Anyway, took a road trip yesterday to see my first Penn State football game in ~10 years. The weather held out, the boys in blue & white prevailed, and we made it home safely after the tailgate party & nap.

For those that haven't been to Happy Valley lately...here are a few pics to give you an idea of how the natural gas industry is spending their advertising $ to target the next generation of PSU decision-makers, as well as their parents, grandparents, siblings, alumni...

Yes, Chesapeake Energy is a major sponsor of PSU football...

  

As is Williams Energy...

  

One of my favorite things to do is walk around PSU's expansive campus at all hours of the day & night and take pics, pics, and more pics. Here are just a few.

You can't get near this iconic site during the day, but no one seems to be around at night and before sunrise in the morning.

 

Below: I think Dr. Terry Engelder has an office in this building.

The coal-buring power plant on campus..site of many protests.

Below: Several of the many pics taken in Beaver Stadium...

Below: Don't know why, but this PSU statue made me think of people who have leased their land for gas drilling...

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, folks.

  

Chesapeake: Where's the Transparency?

  

A Bradford County resident stopped to get a picture of a Chesapeake Energy worksite to enter in EID's "Still Naturally Beautiful" photo contest. This private citizen was stopped on the shoulder of a public road, out of traffic with flashers on.

They were told they could not take any pictures and were "bullrushed", in a manner of speaking. It was described as a less than a cordial exchange.

To all the NG folks who might be stopping by:

Here's what I'll be driving when I visit the Endless Mountains region you are trashing. When you see the rig below pulled over taking pictures, I'm up to no good as far as your employers are concerned.

Please feel free to stop by and tell me what I can and cannot do as a citizen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania standing on public property. I promise: A. I won't use any big bad words, and B. I'll be transparent as hell. 

        

  

"Precautionary Measures" My A**

    
I had three posts awaiting completion as of this morning. As I just finished updating/transcribing Chesapeake's Agreement...I now have two: My final thoughts on RiverFest 2011 and expanding my 6/25 Wambling post. I hope to get to those in the next few days.

To my knowledge, the language in Chesapeake's "Agreement" has not been posted anywhere on the web previously. Of course, it goes without saying that Chesapeake admits to nothing in the "Agreement", which in this particular case, the Owners flat out refused to sign.

Good for them.

I hope the language in Chesapeake's "Agreement" gives everyone who reads it a much clearer understanding of what we're dealing with.

Chesapeake is not to be trusted...period.

"Trust me, I only want what's best for me you."

  

Chesapeake's "Agreement": Deal with the Devil - Complete

  

Folks, I have been provided with a complete copy of the AGREEMENT that Chesapeake Energy has people sign when their water wells have become contaminated from nearby natural gas drilling.

I have transcribed this document to the best of my ability, and I went this route since the original document contained the Owners' names and other identifying information which I promised would not be posted.

For all to see:

*******************

AGREEMENT

This Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into this ____ day of July, 2010, by _______, _____, Pennsylvania _____, ("Owner") and Chesapeake Appalachia, L.L.C., P.O. Box 18496, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73154-0496 ("Chesapeake").

    

WHEREAS, Chesapeake has operations in the general area of the Lands.

WHEREAS, Owner contacted Chesapeake after experiencing problems with a water well on the Lands and requested Chesapeake's assistance in determining the cause and/or extent of any issues.

WHEREAS, certain testing by Chesapeake and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (the "DEP") has indicated that the water from the water well on the Lands is of suitable quality despite the presence of methane.

WHEREAS, the DEP has requested that Chesapeake install, or cause to be installed, a suitable vent stack on the water well on the Lands as a precautionary measure.

WHEREAS, Chesapeake has found no relationship, or connection, between the water well on the Lands and Chesapeake's operations, but has agreed to install, or cause to be installed, a suitable vent stack on the water well on the Lands as a precautionary measure, at the request of the DEP and in an effort to accommodate the Owner.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, mutual covenants, and agreements contained herein, Owner and Chesapeake hereby agree as follows:

1. Chesapeake agrees to install, or cause to be installed, a suitable vent stack on the water well on the Lands.

 

2. Owner does hereby grant to Chesapeake, and its affiliates, employees, contractors, and agents, all rights necessary and convenient to enter the Lands to install a suitable vent stack on the water well on the Lands.

 

3. Owner does hereby release and discharge Chesapeake, and its affiliates, employees, contractors, and agents, from any and all claims, damages, and/or liabilities arising from, or related to, the installation of a suitable vent stack on the water well on the Lands or the continued use and operation of the vent stack or the water well on the Lands. Further, Owner agrees to release Chesapeake from

 

page 2.

any and all claims, damages, and/or liabilities related to the water or water well on the Lands arising on or before the date this Agreement is executed.

4. Owner acknowledges and agrees that once the vent stack on the water well on the Lands is installed, neither Chesapeake nor its affiliates, employees, contractors, or agents have any obligation to inspect, maintain, or repair the vent stack or the water well on the Lands, and any such obligations will be solely the responsibility of the Owner.

5. Owner agrees to maintain this Agreement, and its terms, as strictly confidential and shall not disclose same to any other party, except as may be required by law.

6. It is understood and agreed that this Agreement is entered into as a precautionary measure and in an effort to accommodate Owner and that neither this Agreement nor the performance of any activities described herein shall be construed as an admission of liability or responsibility in any manner.

7. This Agreement shall not be binding upon the parties hereto until fully executed by both Owner and Chesapeake.

8. Owner does hereby acknowledge that (s)he has read and fully understands the terms of this Agreement.

The parties have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth above.

AGREED:

___________________________                                                 

___________________________

AGREED:
CHESAPEAKE APPALACHIA, L.L.C.

_____________________________
By:__________________________
Its:__________________________

***************************

    

Bubbling Waters: Nine Months and Counting

  
    
The Susquehanna River has been bubbling methane for nine months in Bradford County. The DEP has accused Chesapeake Energy of causing the methane migration. Chesapeake claims it's not their fault. The Marcellus Shale Coalition is avoiding the issue altogether. And the organizers of the 2011 Wyoming Valley RiverFest have accepted Chesapeake Energy as a sponsor.

This circle jerk is about to be interrupted.

Stay tuned.
  
      

DEP Refuses to Release Chesapeake Blowout Response

  

"Both DEP and Chesapeake declined to release the response."

Read the rest here.

Folks, Chesapeake Energy is going to do what they want and say what they want. The DEP, however, is an agency of the commonwealth of PA and as such, is supposed to answer to its citizens. Unfortunately, as part of Team Tom-Tom, they are failing on that front as well. Even though it's coming from someone up for reelection, check out this article about what a commissioner from Bradford County thinks about the job the DEP is doing.

From my perspective as a native born son of Pennsylvania, as the descendant of people who were walking the trails of the Iroquois and Susquehannocks in the 1700's and perhaps earlier, as the grandson of a coal miner who died of "Black Lung", and as someone who's forgotten more about the complex interrelated environmental issues surrounding the Marcellus Shale Madness than most of the self-proclaimed experts out there, we are allowing our own government to dictate the terms of our existence and trash our commonwealth's future. Has the power of "We, the People" lost its significance?

From Michael Milken ( remember him? ) to Bernie Madoff, and from Wall Street to Main Street, we have seen time and time again that people will do anything and say anything to make more money, regardless of who or what gets destroyed along the way. That will never change, so it just blows my grey matter asunder when I actually read blogs that lend any credibility to anything coming from the mouths or newsrooms of the natural gas industry and their various coalitions. It actually makes me wonder if some of the relative newcomers to blogging out there are, in reality, fronts for the NG industry, because no one can be that clueless.  Then again...

Pure and simple, it's all about greed. And if you believe otherwise, you are an absolute fool.

Folks, the DEP is unwilling and/or incapable of protecting our Susquehanna River watershed, and our current Governor is a pawn of the NG industry, so it's truly up to us. I believe it's time to take my little role in this nascent and disorganized anti-drilling movement in a completely different direction. To that end, as I have law firms and consulting agencies with direct ties to the industry visiting this site almost daily, along with some regular visitors from the Harrisburg and Washington suburbs ( Hi guys & gals! ), I will be converting this to a private blog within the next few weeks. If you want news, there are plenty of other blogs out there ( check my blogroll ) that will keep you up to date on the latest.

I just have one or two more tasks on my to-do list to complete.

Enjoy your weekend.

   

Suggested Reads: The Rocket and the Renegade

  
Possibly my shortest post:  Check out the Rocket-Courier's latest...as well as the comments of the day from our fellow blogging brother at Fracking Underground.


PLR, brother, PLR.

 

Bradford County Home Loses 85% of Value

  

Folks, as you know from this post a few days ago, I was on Paradise Road in Bradford County this past weekend. Chesapeake's closest natural gas well is just a few hundred yards away from the home in the video below.   

This home has lost 85% of its value.

Caution: This video may cause fits of blind rage. 

If it doesn't, check to see if you have a pulse.  

Of course, Chesapeake contends: "We are not responsible."

What do you think? What are you going to do?

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
- Thomas Jefferson
         

Paradise Lost

 

I spent Sunday in the eye of the Marcellus Maelstrom in northeastern PA. For all you media-types, I'd highly recommend you do the same. I put over 330 miles on my car, and have over 200 new pics and quite a bit of video footage. For now, I'll post just the pictures taken on Paradise Road, Terry Township, Bradford County, PA and a few other locations. More in the days and weeks ahead.

All below are on Paradise Road unless otherwise noted.

The road is unpaved.

The house next door. Both wells have been rendered useless, thanks to the Welles family, the SRBC, and Chesapeake Appalachia.

The closest drilling site ~1/4 mile down the road.

That's it for Paradise (Lost) Road. Here are a few more:

Truck traffic was noticably heavier than my last visit on a Sunday. I stopped counting at 100 water tankers.

New drillpads are visible from Rte. 6. There were two homes within a few hundred yards of this one.

A closer look.

Wonder what all this truck traffic is doing to the roads?

Even the train traffic has increased significantly since my last visit.

The mighty, ancient Susquehanna River @ Wysox, PA

My friends, we are teetering on the brink of an environmental tragedy and travesty that will haunt us for far more than seven generations. IMHO, far too many people are sitting this one out.

My expedited saw-sharpening hiatus is almost over. Thanks to everyone who took the time to meet with me yesterday.

Stay tuned.

     

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.

  

Chesapeake Energy Vows to Drill Responsibly

       
In West Virginia, that is. Catch the details here.

In Pennsylvania, the water supply in home after home in Bradford County has been contaminated not too far from where Chesapeake is drilling. The Susquehanna River is bubbling methane...not too far from where Chesapeake is drilling. And we have only seen the beginning of the nightmare that folks who signed leases have welcomed into our watersheds.

Once the weather warms up a bit, I will be on the river again. I've recently purchased some high tech underwater video paraphernalia, and I plan to shoot some footage - not only of the bubbling waters in Sugar Run - but at another location downstream a bit that has been brought to my attention in the past few days.

2011 is shaping up to be one helluva year. Tom Corbett is our new bought-and-paid-for governor. GASLAND has been nominated for an Oscar. And Chesapeake is making more promises they cannot keep.

Spring is less than two months away. Stay tuned.
  
  

Earth to Chesapeake: Mineral Oil my *ss

    
Do a Google search for: Chesapeake spill Laceyville and you'll get all the reading material you'll need.

An "estimated" 10 barrels, or 440 gallons, of "mineral-oil based" fluid leaked onto asphalt and turned it into, according to a news video, a "spongy" mess. I wonder what the full list of chemicals in this substance might contain? I wonder how they arrived at their estimate so quickly?

Of course, per one article, "Chesapeake said the incident does not present a threat to public safety or the environment." So the road is unusable, but poses no threat to public safety? Hmmmm.

Chesapeake is rapidly becoming public enemy #1 in the God, Guts & Guns capitol of northeastern Pennsylvania. They just don't appear to be bright enough to see what lies ahead.

P.S. According to the USGS website, Bowmans Creek is off limits again for withdrawals at one of the SRBC's approved sites. I hope they're monitoring Mr. Randy W. closely.

    
 

Bradford County Well (Allegedly) Contaminated

You want ME to drink THAT?!?

One by one, the number of previously pristine wells that become contaminated will grow as our clueless leaders in Pennsylvania allow the Marcellus Shale Shakedown to continue unabated.

The Rocket Courier and Daily Review have articles you should check out now.

So even the cows know something's wrong with the water...but Chesapeake - true to form - issued the following statement:

"While Chesapeake doesn't believe gas-drilling activity has had any effect on her water quality, we have been working proactively with DEP to bring resolution to this matter," Grove said.

I sat inches from Mr. Grove as we prepared to speak at a DEC hearing in Corning, NY. I held my tongue.

Never again.