Hydrofracking

[Brenda]

Thousands share anti-fracking sentiments at Ithaca College
Event features speakers, films, music
11:52 PM, Jun. 26, 2011
Written by
Rachel Stern

Most of the cars that filled the parking lot in front of the Campus Center on Ithaca College's campus had one thing in common: bumper stickers.

Many cars had a small black sticker that said FRACK in white letters with a red slash through it.

Another read, "Hydrofracking is immoral: Thou shalt not poison thy neighbor's water and air." Still another read, "Stop Marcellus Shale. Fracking = poison water."

One blue pick-up truck had two wooden panels attached to each side of the car that read: "Solar and wind power = green jobs now. Say no to gas drilling. Say yes to clean air and water."

The cars were at the campus Saturday for the "EPIC No Frack Event," a day-long educational session to raise awareness of potential environmental hazards related to horizontal, high-volume hydraulic fracturing -- pumping water and chemicals into the ground to release natural gas from the Marcellus Shale.

The extraction method is not currently allowed in New York. The state Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to present proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing by July 1 and set a time period for public comment on the plan.

Jeff and Jodi Andrysick, farmers in Steuben County, planned and funded the "No Frack" event.

Forty-five speakers, several movies and 10 musicians were spread throughout the college's Whalen Center, Ford Hall and Campus Center.

Although there were not as many people in attendance as Jodi had hoped, she said those who were there brought a great level of energy and enthusiasm. Jeff estimated about 2,500 people had come through by 5 p.m.

"There was a lot of great information being shared," Jodi said. "We figured we better start fighting now before it is too late, and to see so many others with that same attitude was inspiring."

In one room in the Campus Center, about 40 people watched the movie, "Frack."

In the film, Tony Ingraffea, a Cornell University professor of civil and environmental engineering, expressed his concern about how cement would hold up under multiple hydro-fracks.

In the next room, Janet Bergan strummed her guitar and sang a song, "No Fracking Way." The crowd of about 20 sang along. Bergan said this song has been used as a rallying cry for groups across the region.

Craig Sautner, wearing a T-shirt and pin with the word FRACK with a slash through it, said he attended to let people know how dangerous hydraulic fracturing is.

Saunter, of Dimock, Pa., said his water well was the first one contaminated in his town in 2008. Three years later, he said, he still cannot use the well.

"A land man said we had to sign a lease, and if we didn't, they would take the gas anyway," he said.

"So me and my wife try to go to as many events as possible so they know what to expect."

Buckets for donations were set up in several locations. A sign on the bucket said that Jodi and Jeff maxed out their credit cards at $15,000 to host the event, so donations would be appreciated.

Jeff said they raised about $2,250 from organizations purchasing tables. But the event really was not about the money, he said.

"I have just been so blown away by the young generation that is here today and how passionate they are," he said. "They just won't accept fracking. Meeting these college-aged people has really psyched me up because they won't sit back and take it."

One of those younger people was Taylor Weyeneth of Skaneateles.

Weyeneth decided to make an eight-minute movie about the dangers of fracking when his town board did not take the issue seriously.

After Weyeneth's film, the crowd gave him a standing ovation.

"The movie just blew everyone away," Jodi Andrysick said. "Seeing the youth doing their thing and fighting for the environment was definitely the highlight of my entire day."

http://www.theithacajournal.com/article ... |FRONTPAGE

[Matt]

money talks. Hopefully those landowners are banking some of that cash to pay for damages and municipal water if they should ever need it.

[Matt]

DEC says fracking can be done safely

Can hydraulic fracturing be used to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale beneath New York without major damage to the environment?

The commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation said Friday that he thinks it can. Industry officials, land owners and many business interests have long maintained it could be a major economic boost.

Yet skeptics abound, including some Finger Lakes wineries owners who are concerned about effects on their vineyards and the tourism industry.

A 900-page revised DEC report detailing New York's plan to deal with hydrofracking, as it is known, was delivered Friday to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The report will become the backbone of any future decision to let the much-debated technique go forward.

more here: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/app ... 1107020335


This preliminary report + misinterpretation (the report supposedly details strict guidelines {sans laws enforcing them} for "safe" extraction and funds put aside for cleanup {that never happens}) + governments hurting for money = this will happen and it will probably cost a fortune to clean up 30 years from now.

[Brenda]

Thanks for posting that, Matt. I thought that I already had! Brain cramp...

[Brenda]

Town of Ithaca bans gas drilling
6:40 PM, Jul. 12, 2011
Written by
Shawnee A. Barnes

ITHACA -- The Ithaca Town Board has amended the town's zoning law to become the first municipality in Tompkins County to ban gas drilling within its borders.

The town had not previously permitted gas or oil drilling, but the amendment clarifies the language in the zoning bylaw to make it clear that it will not be allowed in the future, said Town Supervisor Herb Engman.

About two dozen residents attended the public hearing on Monday, many of them thanking the board for their efforts.

Residents voiced their concerns over the potential impacts of gas drilling though hydraulic fracturing on the community's water supplies, tourism, traffic and health. Residents also spoke about the need to unify with neighboring towns on the issue.

"Unless all the towns have something similar, we out on the edges are not protected," said Gretchen Herman, a Town of Ithaca resident who lives near the Enfield town line

So far, Dryden, Ulysses, Danby and Caroline have also discussed restricting future gas drilling in their borders.

Claire Forest of Buttermilk Farm on West King Road said she supports the ban and implored the board to do everything they can to keep gas drilling out. She said she's been contacted by gas companies to lease her land but has refused to sign.

"I'm one of the only farmers in Ithaca who has not leased their land," she said. "The reason I haven't is that I've looked into the science of this, read reports and learned from the farmers in Pennsylvania who thought it would be a good deal for them and now their farms are unfarmable, their wells undrinkable and their communities have all these people in them who have no stake in the community," she said.

After the hearing, Engman said his town's future doesn't include gas exploration.

"I think the future of the town of Ithaca relies on our educational institutions like Cornell and Ithaca College, on tourism and agriculture. Gas drilling would harm it greatly, and it would take us decades and decades to recover from it," he said.

Engman added that he believed the town has a solid case if gas companies challenge the ban in court.

"We think our ban will hold up in court because we are not attempting to regulate the industry. We are saying it doesn't mesh with the future well-being of the town," he said.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/article ... cal%20News

[Matt]

It's very easy to ban Fracking... and getting around natural resource rights laws... ban the use of certain methods, chemicals, or.... force a cleanup deposit. They are doing it the hard way.

I have always talked about Fracking as an economy people do not realize. When folks look at it as billions of dollars that can be pumped out of the ground and into the economy, what do don't realize is that a HUGE percentage of that is theft from taxpayers.
Typically with this type of effort, a company, let's say EXXON MOBILE, comes in as a subsidiary and pays leases to landowners drains the oil hires out of state workers and makes a lot of money from the resources. They will then close or bankrupt their subsidiary 5-10 years later. This leaves the taxpayers to suffer cleanup costs which in most cases far outweighs the revenue the few landowners gained (not to mention paid back in taxes). 9 times out of 10, mining operations do not close their mines or storage facilities and clean them up, creating Super-funded environmental disasters.
At this point in time, clearing up hydrofracking-caused disasters properly is beyond our capabilities, and extremely expensive.

This American Life most recent episode explores Fracking and touches upon this issue of economy.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-a ... me-changer
listen to it for free.

The argument that fracking can bring money to the local economy is silly. It perhaps is more of subsidizing of a few landowners by the surrounding taxpayers who will end up paying billions for cleanup, while the gas companies take the money back to their home state.

[Matt]

Fracking is pretty much on... and the DEC has announced they will be hiring quite a bit to fill the need for regulators and such.
I wonder if I should look for a job in this field.

[George]

the DEC has announced they will be hiring quite a bit to fill the need for regulators and such

Well, not quite. Here's the story that appeared in the Albany paper:

DEC: 226 new workers needed for fracking enforcementJon Campbell
ALBANY -- The state Department of Environmental Conservation expects it will need an additional 226 staffers within five years if high-volume hydrofracking moves forward in New York, according to a document provided to an agency task force.

The internal estimate was given by the agency to members of its hydrofracking advisory panel Tuesday and viewed by Gannett's Albany Bureau.

The document laid out a five-year plan to bring the department up to the necessary workforce level to deal with an expected spike in activity by the natural-gas industry. The state has been reviewing the much-debated hydrofracking technique for the past three years, and is expected to begin issuing permits at some point next year.

In the fifth year, the DEC expects it will have to spend $25.3 million on additional salaries, non-personnel costs and equipment purchases, according to the document.

The DEC would not confirm the figures and an agency spokeswoman stressed that nothing is final.

The document was provided to the advisory panel, which comprises representatives from outside groups and local governments, when it met for the second time at DEC headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting was not open to the public.

The 18-member panel is charged with making recommendations on just how many additional staffers the DEC will need, and how it can generate revenue to pay for them given the state's difficult financial situation. The agency then plans to take those recommendations into consideration as it crafts its budget proposal in December.

The DEC has been hit particularly hard by staff cuts in recent years, losing 806 full-time employees since April 2008. The department currently has 2,969 full-time staffers.

Rob Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York, questioned whether the additional staffing level sought by the DEC would be enough to regulate the industry, given that the agency has lost about 20 percent of its full-time workforce over three years.

DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens defended the agency's decision to hold simultaneous comment periods on an environmental review of hydrofracking and an upcoming set of proposed regulations for the technique, saying it will lead to a more efficient use of state resources and that the documents go hand in hand.

Martens also said the department is not considering an extension of the comment period, scheduled to end Dec. 12.