Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel

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    PA Gov Wolf Targets O&G Industry (Again), Via Methane Emissions

    So-called climate change, meaning the climate is adversely changing because mankind’s activity, doesn’t exist–except in the minds of people who want to control every aspect of your life. They want to select the source of the energy you use, all in the name of protecting Mother Earth. They think they’re smarter and care more than you do. They want to KILL the use of fossil fuels–all fossil fuels, including clean-burning natural gas. All in the name of mythical “climate change.” The latest person to target the oil and gas industry for extinction is, yes, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. Today he is scheduled to make a “major announcement” in which he is “expected to target methane emissions from the oil and gas industry.” The announcement has anti-fossil fuelers in a state of near-euphoria, as exhibited by the Democrat-controlled PBS StateImpact Pennsylvania…
    Read More “PA Gov Wolf Targets O&G Industry (Again), Via Methane Emissions”

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    Small Progress with Drilling in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest

    There’s been some progress on the now nearly 10-year delay in drilling in the Wayne National Forest (WNF) in Ohio. WNF is the only national forest in Ohio and portions of it are found in Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Lawrence, Perry, Scioto, Vinton, and Washington counties. WNF is a “patchwork” of public land scattered among private land. Some 60% of the mineral rights below WNF are privately owned. Those mineral rights owners have been denied the use of their property rights going on a decade. It’s a travesty. The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) controls drilling on federally-protected lands like WNF. Last November the BLM held a series of hearings about finally beginning to drill in WNF. The hearing held in Marietta (Washington County) was civil and orderly, with landowners respectfully asking questions and getting answers (see Overwhelming Support for Wayne Natl Forest Drilling @ BLM Mtg). The hearing held in Athens, OH, a hotbed of lefty lunatics, got out of control when they didn’t have a microphone to throw up on (see Anti-Frackers Out of Control at Athens Mtg on Wayne Natl Forest). Athens antis can breathe easy. The BLM has decided to wait on pursuing drilling in the “Athens Unit” until 2017. However, the BLM is taking the next step in the “Marietta Unit” now…
    Read More “Small Progress with Drilling in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest”

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    WV County Officially Bans Injection Wells; Children Brainwashed

    brainwashedchildren.jpgAs we reported in December, two left-wing Democrats in Fayette County, WV voted, in a first reading of a new ordinance, to ban all injection wells in the county (see 2 Democrat Commissioners Ban Injection Wells in Fayette County, WV). The full commission (three members instead of two) took a final vote Tuesday night and passed the measure, making it “the law” in Fayette County (until it’s found illegal by a court). The interesting part in reading about this turn of events is how some of the left loony toons parents have brainwashed their own children into becoming socialist/communists. One little girl gave “an impassioned plea” to encourage passing the ordinance, and then ignorantly accused people from the oil and gas industry of causing the death of “our grandparents, family and friends for you to have private jets.” Talk about colossal stupidity on parade. We call it brainwashing…
    Read More “WV County Officially Bans Injection Wells; Children Brainwashed”

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    Williams Plans to Start Clearing Trees for Constitution Next Week

    Since last October MDN has been calling on Williams, the company planning to build the 124-mile Constitution Pipeline from Susquehanna County, PA to Schoharie County, NY, to take the gloves off and go after New York State, aggressively (see Time to Force NY DEC to Issue Permit for Constitution Pipeline). Earlier this month we re-posted an article from MDN friend Tom Shepstone and his Natural Gas Now website (always excellent, must read) that chronicles where we are at and how we got here with ongoing delays of the Constitution from the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation (see Time for Williams/FERC to Sue NY & End Constitution Pipe Delays). In short, the DEC is now arbitrarily (for political reasons) intentionally withholding stream crossing permits that are delaying construction of the Constitution. The state is in danger of being sued by, and their authority to grant those permits taken over by, the federal government if they don’t issue those permits forthwith. Williams is attempting to advance the ball, still playing nicey nice, hoping to coax the DEC into issuing the permits. Williams has asked for and received permission (from the DEC) to begin clearing trees along the pipeline’s path, a process that will begin next week. However, rabid anti-drillers have asked NY’s out-of-control Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, to step in and stop the tree clearing. If Williams doesn’t start the tree clearing now, they risk losing another entire construction season. There is a finite window each year you can clear trees because of nesting Northern long-eared bats, an endangered species…
    Read More “Williams Plans to Start Clearing Trees for Constitution Next Week”

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    Cali Crisis Being Used to Promote Ban on NatGas Storage

    MDN hasn’t, until now, covered the ongoing disaster near Los Angeles where a well used to store natural gas is leaking and out of control. The well is one of 115 such wells in the Santa Susana Mountains where Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), a division of Sempra Energy, stores natural gas in a vacant oil field about a mile and a half underground. It is the largest such underground gas storage field in the Western U.S. One of the wells began to leak back in October, and SoCalGas says it may take them until March to fix the leak. A University of California at Davis researcher claims his calculations, taken from a specially fitted airplane, show the well is leaking around 1,000 tons of methane per day–or 80,000 tons so far. Some 4,500 residents in the nearby community of Porter Ranch have temporarily moved. Two local schools have moved their combined 1,900 students to different locations. It is a disaster by anyone’s definition. What’s newsworthy and interesting to MDN about this disaster–and how it may affect us in the Marcellus/Utica region–is how the disaster is being used/manipulated/abused in an attempt by anti-drillers to try and ban underground storage of natural gas…everywhere. Let’s keep this in perspective. There are hundreds (thousands?) of such underground storage facilities. A problem at one facility is being used as an argument that every other such facility across the country should be banned. It’s more than silly–it’s insane…
    Read More “Cali Crisis Being Used to Promote Ban on NatGas Storage”

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    Pittsburgh Plans to Divest from Mutual Funds that Own Fossil Fuels

    Can this POSSIBLY be true? The City of Pittsburgh, which has fashioned itself as “the new Houston” and center of the energy universe, is beginning a program to divest from any investments it has in fossil fuel companies?! It appears it is true. Ever hear the phrase, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”? Of course the drive to divest is coming from Democrats–they’re the ones who run city government. If they actually go forward with it, we predict they will rue the day they decided to do it. The plan, as it’s been outlined, would be to divest “gradually,” over a period of years. The real kicker is that Pittsburgh doesn’t invest directly in stocks like CONSOL Energy or EQT or many of the other big independents who call the Pittsburgh region home. But they do invest in mutual funds that own those stocks. It is the mutual funds they plan to shed, over time. Talk about blithering idiots…
    Read More “Pittsburgh Plans to Divest from Mutual Funds that Own Fossil Fuels”

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    EPA Takes First Step to Renounce its Own Fracking/Water Research

    junk-science.jpgAs we pointed out just last month, the so-called “scientists” who belong to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science Advisory Board have begun the long process of getting the EPA to change the outcome of its 4-year study of fracking that concludes fracking doesn’t pollute groundwater (see Will EPA Whore Itself to Antis and Change Fracking Water Study?). The EPA originally launched a 2-year study, that later turned into a 4-year study, in which they analyzed 950 studies related to fracking. The EPA also designed and completed 9 of their own studies. At the end of this arduous and scientifically rigorous process, the EPA concluded, in a published report in June 2015, that fracking does not pollute water (see EPA Draft Report Says Fracking Doesn’t Pollute Groundwater Supplies). Ever since the EPA report was issued anti-drilling radicals have demanded the EPA change the outcome of its science (see Anti Groups Try to Convince EPA They Got it Wrong with Water Study). True science doesn’t change nor cave to political pressure. A few dozen members of what is called the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) released a draft a letter (copy below) yesterday. The letter calls into question the conclusion that fracking doesn’t pollute water. Voila. Another example of “science” being corrupted by political philosophy…
    Read More “EPA Takes First Step to Renounce its Own Fracking/Water Research”

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    Antis Wrong: No Link Between Fracking & Smallmouth Bass Decline

    Back in 2012 Congressman Camille “Bud” George, Democrat from Clearfield County, PA, opened his big mouth and tried to blame fracking for a problem with smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River (see PA Dems Blame Marcellus Drilling for Smallmouth Bass Problem). Last May, the nutters from a group called “Occupy the Constitution Pipeline Route” repeated the same accusation, showing a picture of a diseased smallmouth with a huge tumor (see below). Thing is, none of it is true. Earlier this week the head of PA’s Dept. of Environmental Protection, John Quigley, and the head of PA’s Fish and Boat Commission, John Arway, both said the smallmouth bacterial disease issue is unrelated to fracking…
    Read More “Antis Wrong: No Link Between Fracking & Smallmouth Bass Decline”

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    NY Town Barred from Selling Water to Shell for PA Fracking

    In March 2012, the village board in Painted Post (Steuben County), NY voted to sell water to Shell for use in fracking operations across the border in Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) gave its blessing to Painted Post to sell up to 1 million gallons of water day. But the decision didn’t sit well with power-hungry anti-drillers. The nutters from the radical Sierra Club sued to stop the deal in June 2012 (see Sierra Club Sues to Stop Water Sales in Steuben County, NY). A lower court ruled in favor of the radicals and struck down the deal. On appeal, a corrupt state appellate court has upheld the lower court’s ruling. Shell will have to find water from another source–not that they’re drilling any wells right now anyway…
    Read More “NY Town Barred from Selling Water to Shell for PA Fracking”

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    NH New State Motto: “Live as Slaves then Die” – Plans to Nix Pipe

    The official motto for the State of New Hampshire used to be “Live Free or Die.” Sometime over the past 200+ years it changed. These days the new motto in New Hampshire is, “Live as Slaves then Die.” How else do you explain why NH leaders (Republicans!) have introduced a blizzard of bills that would essentially outlaw a simple natural gas pipeline from being added to the ground–in a state where thousands of miles of pipelines are already buried in the ground? Why are they all of a sudden allergic to the safest form of transportation in existence? The only explanation we can find is, they want to be slaves to Big Green and forsake modern conveniences like electricity and automobiles…
    Read More “NH New State Motto: “Live as Slaves then Die” – Plans to Nix Pipe”

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    Antis Celebrate OH Appeals Court Hearing with Street Dramatization

    Note: Somewhere along the way MDN received incorrect information and previously said the case was being heard by the Ohio Supreme Court. It is not. It is being heard by the 8th District Court of Appeals. Our error!

    It may be impolite to say so, but those who oppose fossil fuels, and therefore oppose drilling, and pipelines, and anything/everything to do with fossil fuels, are just plain nuts. They prove it, repeatedly, with their words and their actions. Take the group which purportedly represents a coalition of groups and individuals in Ohio called the Ohio Community Rights Network (OHCRN). Today the 8th District Court of Appeals will hear arguments in a case where one Ohio community, Broadview Heights, illegally tried to pass a so-called Community Bill of Rights that bans fracking. That measure got tossed by lower courts (see OH Antis Handed Crushing Defeat in Broadview Hghts Home Rule Case). But that hasn’t stopped the green faithful from appealing and appealing and appealing. They finally got their day before the high court–so what do they do? They issue a press release calling oil and gas drillers, and the State of Ohio, Goliath, and of course they cast themselves and the wacko citizens of Broadview Heights who passed the frack ban as David. Further, to commemorate this “historic event,” the crazies from OHCRN will present a “street dramatization” at 11:30 am today to illustrate the David vs. Goliath nature of the case…
    Read More “Antis Celebrate OH Appeals Court Hearing with Street Dramatization”

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    Intervenor Contagion Catching on with Radical Green Groups in NE

    Like a contagion moving through the small-but-dedicated anti-fossil fuel movement in the northeast, the strategy of filing as an “intervenor” in pipeline permitting is catching on. MDN first alerted you to this sleazy tactic being used by THE Delaware Riverkeeper back in October 2015 (see Delaware Riverkeeper Scams FERC in Review of PennEast Pipeline). In short, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a process known as a motion to intervene. Individuals, towns and organizations with a vested, *legitimate* interest can file to “intervene” in a pipeline project application, which gives them special standing to receive updates from FERC and to ensure their views are fully considered by FERC. THE Delaware Riverkeeper and others began registering everyone–including their own children–as “intervenors” which essentially overloads FERC’s system and greatly slows down the permitting process (ses FERC Confirms “Intervenors” Slowing Down Pipeline Approvals). It is an abuse of the system–but then anti groups are no strangers to violating the rules, or laws. They revel in “catch me if you can” behavior. Intervenor abuse is catching in Massachusetts where radical greens are trying the same tactic to slow down approvals for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s Northeast Energy Direct (NED) project. Radical greens in Ohio are also using the tactic to try and slow down approvals for the NEXUS pipeline there. The intervenor contagion has now spread from PA to MA to OH, with no end in sight…
    Read More “Intervenor Contagion Catching on with Radical Green Groups in NE”

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    Mass. Green Radicals Plan 3-Day, 34-Mile Pipeline Walk-a-Thon

    About 20 radical green protesters in Massachusetts who oppose a pipeline in the ground because it will flow a fossil fuel–natural gas–are planning a 3-day, 34-mile walk-a-thon along a small portion of the pipeline’s pathway. And it’s big news for newspapers in that part of the country. Go figure. We suppose when you get a bunch of kooks and crackpots together it may sell a few more newspapers than reporting on the happenings at the local town board meeting (snore). So why not? The Greenfield, MA Recorder is reporting that monks from the Leverett Peace Pagoda (local Buddhist shrine) will lead a 3-day walk to oppose the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Northeast Energy Direct (NED) project that would deliver abundant, cheap, clean-burning Marcellus Shale gas to New England, ultimately leading to not only lower natgas prices but lower electricity prices. New England pays four times the rate for their electric that other parts of the country pay. Apparently the protesters want to keep it that way permanently. The monks and other green radicals planning the walk will do so in the name of the great Martin Luther King, because (they claim) King was a green radical like they are…
    Read More “Mass. Green Radicals Plan 3-Day, 34-Mile Pipeline Walk-a-Thon”

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    Duke U Study: Property Values Drop When Marcellus Drilling Begins

    Once or twice a year anti-fossil fuel “researchers” at Duke University issue another “publish or perish” term paper that takes aim at the Marcellus/Utica and call it a study. A few weeks ago the latest in a string of such biased reports was issued by Duke–this one claiming that property values go down when Marcellus Shale drilling comes to a community. Three researchers wrote the report. One of the researchers is from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The EDF is as anti-drilling as any of the far-left enviro-Nazi groups like the Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, various Riverkeepers, et al. But the EDF usually tries to work with the industry, which often ostracizes them from the kooks on their left. It’s disappointing to see the EDF piling on in this latest sham study. The study is titled, “The Housing Market Impacts of Shale Gas Development” (full copy below). The problem for this study is that there are numerous other studies that look at property values and conclude the opposite–that property values go UP when drilling comes to an area. When you dig in to the the Duke study you’ll find that in some cases they did find property values increased, and other cases values decreased. We bring you this study to prepare you for the onslaught of sycophantic mainstream media stories that will mention it a time or two and then move on–typical “drive by” misinformation from the media where truth is the casualty…
    Read More “Duke U Study: Property Values Drop When Marcellus Drilling Begins”

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    NY Fractivists Block Seneca Lake Facility, Santa & Grinch Dance

    We’ve written many stories over the past few years about anti-drilling zealots who oppose the plan to convert a depleted salt cavern owned by Crestwood Equity Partners (nee Crestwood Midstream) along the shore of Seneca Lake, in Schuyler County, NY, to store liquefied petroleum gas (i.e. propane). The protests are typically a dozen people or less and often organized by Sandra Steingraber, a minor celebrity in fractivist circles. Steingraber is a so-called “scholar in residence” at Ithaca College. They pay her to do nothing but trot around making anti-fracking speeches, no doubt funded with money from the Park Foundation. A group of antis once again assembled in front of the Crestwood facility a few days before Christmas in an illegal blockade of the facility. What’s interesting about this latest infraction is that they no longer even pretend the facility would somehow be unsafe for Seneca Lake or nearby residents–a common lie they use in an attempt to scare the general public. No, this time the mask came off and their message was loud and clear: they oppose the facility because it would store a fossil fuel and in their irrational minds, all fossil fuels are evil. Or as their Christmas-themed sign said, fossil fues are “dirty energy” and that equals “naughty.” So-called renewable energy sources, like solar, are “clean” and “nice.” These nutters believe their “superior” intellect should dictate which energy sources *you* use, and they won’t stop insisting on your energy source until they’re either in jail, or in a retirement home (many of these old hippies are nearing that age)…
    Read More “NY Fractivists Block Seneca Lake Facility, Santa & Grinch Dance”

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    Scare Tactics re Ohio Injection Wells Continue, Aided by Newspaper

    The Columbus Dispatch is doing its best to paint safe frack wastewater injection wells as dangerous underground dumps ready to spring a leak at any moment and contaminate life as we know it. They’ve brought out their biggest anti arguments in a recent “article” (i.e. propaganda) that focuses on Athens County, OH–hotbed of far-left liberalism and anti-drilling sentiment. The article, boiled down, goes like this: Athens is a dumping ground for frack wastewater via injection wells. It saw the highest volume of wastewater disposed of by injection wells in the state, and most of the wastewater came from operations outside of Ohio. Implied (but not stated) in the article: It’s time to shut down injection wells in Athens County…
    Read More “Scare Tactics re Ohio Injection Wells Continue, Aided by Newspaper”