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NY Pro-Drillers File Final Briefs in Dryden/Middlefield Cases

court gavelAccording to Tom West, lead attorney in the New York “Dryden” court case that seeks to overturn bad lower court decisions that allow towns to completely ban fracking, the “last word” has been now been filed by landowners and (in the case of West’s client), drillers like Norse Energy. West, via his blog site, announced two days ago that the final briefs with counter-arguments have been filed for both the Dryden and Middlefield cases (copies of both final briefs are embedded below). According to West, additional friend-of-the-court briefs (called amicus briefs) will still be filed, but until oral arguments are heard in a few months, this is the final word from our side of the isle. Interestingly, when you read through the two briefs, they each make slightly different arguments–perhaps increasing the odds that something will resonate with the justices.

Here’s what West says via his blog site about the filings:
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OH Gov. Kasich Goes After Out-of-State Engineers/Surveyors

Ohio Gov. John “Foreigner Hunter” Kasich is on the prowl again–seeking to block “foreigners” (from exotic places like Texas and Oklahoma and Louisiana) from working in Ohio. It’s been more than a year since Kasich made it one of his missions as governor to block “foreigners” from working in Ohio’s flourishing Utica Shale industry (see OH Gov. Kasich Continues Trash Talk Out-of-State Workers).

The latest action taken by the Kasich administration, via the Ohio State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors, is to let professional engineers and surveyors know that if they come to Ohio to work for the Utica Shale industry, they will need to be registered, forms filled out in triplicate, and (steep) dues paid–or they’ll be bounced out of the state on their collective ear…
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Life is Good in Parkersburg, WV Thx to Cracker Plant Talk

Even though it’s not yet a done deal, just the fact that Brazilian-based Odebrecht announced they might build a several-billion dollar ethane cracker plant in Parkersburg, WV is enough to cause a rush on real estate in the area. Empty office buildings are getting snapped up, hotels are calling the country economic development agency about possible new construction, and in one case a physician has contacted Parkersburg about setting up a practice specifically targeted at oil and gas workers. Life is suddenly very good around Parkersburg…
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Duke Study: Acid Mine Water in Fracking Reduces Radioactivity

MDN has for years covered the story that some drillers would be happy to use acid mine drainage water for fracking–except enviro-nazis will sue them into the next lifetime for environmental contamination when they eventually dispose of what’s leftover after fracking (see PA Enviro Groups Oppose Using Acid Mine Water for Fracking as just one example). We now have an intriguing study from the mostly-anti-drilling Duke University that says if you use acid mine drainage water for fracking, it will reduce the amount of radioactivity in frack wastewater. Hmmm.

There’s enough acid mine drainage water in this country to just about meet all fracking needs–if all of it were used (not practical of course). But using acid mine water could greatly reduce the amount of fresh water needed–especially in places where fresh water is in short supply. Under such a scenario, everybody wins–except enviro-nazis who demand nothing less than the obliteration of all fossil fuels as a source of energy. Here’s more details about this interesting Duke study that says using acid mine drainage for fracking can cut down on radioactivity in wastewater…
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Deal Done to Lease Washington County, PA Airport for Drilling

MDN told you yesterday about an impending vote by Washington County, PA commissioners to lease portions of the county airport for drilling under (but not on) airport property (see Washington County, PA Airport Considers Offer to Lease). The vote was taken, and the deal was approved. In the end, it looks as though the county, which does not own the mineral rights for all 400 acres of airport property, does own the rights to at least 135 acres, which they leased for a signing bonus of $6,400 per acre and 18.25% royalties on any gas produced.

The taxpayers of Washington County should be happy that a check for $864,000 of “newfound money” is heading their way…
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Athens County, OH Anti-Drillers Sue to Stop New Injection Well

Anti-drillers with the Athens County Fracking Action Network (ACFAN) have filed a legal challenge to the permit issued last month by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) approving a new injection well to be drilled in the county. The injection well would be the second well at a site owned by K&H Partners and would dispose up to 168,000 gallons of frack wastewater per day. According to ACFAN, this is the first challenge to a permitted injection well in 20 years, something they’re quite proud of.

Here’s the ACFAN announcement:
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Friday Foibles: The Scientific Link Between Fracking and Zombies

zombie killersWe thought we had really heard, and seen, it all when it comes to stupidity and lies about fracking–but this takes the cake. A new big-budget Hollywood movie about zombies is coming out later this year and the zombies, the “walking dead” are created by, wait for it… fracking! Yes folks, sink a hole, frack that sucker and if it’s too close to a cemetery…ya get zombies.

The saddest part of this inanity is that some of our “brighter” fellow citizens will believe it…
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