Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel

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    2 Democrat Commissioners Ban Injection Wells in Fayette County, WV

    In the end it was just two people who decided to outlaw a legally operating wastewater injection well in Fayette County, WV. Two county commissioners, Denise Scalph and Matt Wender (both Democrats), voted to end the right of Danny Webb Construction to operate an injection well in the county, as it has done for over a decade (perhaps longer, we’re not sure). Aided by a rabidly leftist group called the Mountain Party (left of Vlad Putin), the so-called county commission attorney, Larry Harrah, crafted the state’s first “screw ’em royally” ordinance that he believes is lawsuit-proof. We’ll see just how lawsuit-proof it is when it gets tested, as it surely will…
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    The Pretenders: Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative

    Big Green groups like THE Delaware Riverkeeper and the Clean Air Council, just to name a couple, are the fractivist arms of big-money foundations that fund and control them, including the Heinz Endowments and the Park Foundation. It’s an incestuous game with behind the scenes collusion among these groups and the deep-pocket foundations that pay for their attorneys to continue filing frivolous lawsuits. Here’s one Big Green group you don’t hear about often, but also part of the enviro-cabal: the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative, an official-sounding group which attempts to pass itself off as above-the-fray and populated with disinterested researchers focusing on the important issue of shale energy. It’s nothing of the sort. It’s a bunch of partisan hacks who lobby for high taxes on shale energy, and for limiting property rights for those who want to allow shale drilling. How do we know? Look at their so-called research. The Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative says, among many other things, that fracking is responsible an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. Yeah, lefty kooks. Oh, and they’re funded by the Heinz Endowments and the Park Foundation, plus a few other leftist groups. We’ve written about them before (see Marcellus/Utica Anti-Drilling Group Back with Impacts “Research”). Every now and again this group finds a willing accomplice to plant a story about their “research” hoping it gets picked up by mainstream media. The latest shill media accomplice–the Midwest Energy News (anti-drillers who want to end the use of all fossil fuels), is only too willing to accommodate….
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    The One Thing Everyone Agreed on at PA Pipeline Task Force Mtg

    Yesterday saw another in a series of meetings by the Pennsylvania Task Force on Pipeline Infrastructure Development–the penultimate meeting for the group of 48 members appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf and the PennFuture Dept. of Environmental Protection Secretary John Quigley. At the last meeting, in November, the group introduced a list of 184 “recommendations” in a 335-page document that would “guide” future gathering pipeline development in the state (see PA Gathering Pipeline Draft “Recommendations” from Wolf Task Force). At yesterday’s meeting the usual anti-fossil fuelers were present to complain, which is what they always do. Seems they’re only happy when they can make other people’s lives miserable–and they did their best to do just that at yesterday’s meeting. According to one report, there was one thing (amazingly) everyone agreed on yesterday…
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    It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Climate Change World

    mad worldWe think it’s hard to overstate the power play being made by those who assembled in Paris earlier this month for the United Nations COP21 Climate Change Conference. As we previously wrote two days ago, Obama will never get Congress to ratify a treaty based on the agreement he signed in Paris (see Paris Climate Treaty Signed by Obama NOT Binding on U.S.). However, like all good fascists, obeying our nation’s laws and Constitution won’t slow BHO down. He’ll figure out how to wave his magic Executive Orders wand and just “make it so.” That’s his plan. You may think we’ve gone mad, but we must point out, yet again, that IF the plan coming out of the Paris conference is actually implemented, it means the end of the fossil fuel industry. Period. We are NOT exaggerating this. That is their stated purpose–to end the world’s reliance on fossil energy. That’s how this agreement is being reported in mainstream media–have you bothered to read the reports? What’s even more insane is that yesterday we received a press release from the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP)–supposedly “the voice of the global upstream industry”–saying the IOGP “welcomes the historic COP21 agreement in Paris last week.” What? They “welcome” the end of fossil energy? Has everyone gone stark….raving….mad?….
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    Time to Revoke Tax Exempt Status of Anti-Drilling Non-Profits

    MDN friend and ace blogger Tom Shepstone, writing on his always-excellent Natural Gas Now website, makes a strong case for the IRS to investigate and revoke the tax exempt status of the anti-drilling non-profit “charity” Clean Air Council (based in Philadelphia). The Clean Air Council is nothing more than a front group that uses money from the Heinz Endowments and William Penn Foundation in a shell game to keep their anti-drilling activities at arm’s length. Plausible deniability. We would add one more organization to the list for investigation and revocation of tax exempt status: THE Delaware Riverkeeper, which is also funded in part by Heinz and William Penn. Here’s a re-posting of Tom’s excellent article…
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    EPA’s McCarthy Brags Coal “No Longer Marketable” – Gunning for O&G

    Gina McCarthyEPA Administrator Gina McCarthy appears to be drunk on her own power. When quizzed about fossil fuel energy at the Paris Climate Conference, McCarthy, in answering questions about coal and its use in China and elsewhere, quipped, “Coal is no longer marketable.” She should know. She’s made it that way on purpose. You may think, “So what! It’s coal. It’s dirty. Natural gas is a better alternative.” Don’t think natural gas and oil aren’t next up on the hit list for McCarthy and the Obama gang: “McCarthy made it clear she is also working to limit methane emissions, particularly from oil and natural gas. Methane, the primary component in the product commonly known as natural gas, is 25 times more potent in trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2.” These idiots will not stop until they have eliminated, BY FORCE, the use of fossil fuels for energy. That is the plan. They must be opposed, vigorously…
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    PA Big Green Groups Fully Unmasked – Want to Ban All Fossil Fuels

    Just when you thought the nutty anti-drillers couldn’t get any nuttier–they have. An op-ed running in a major Pennsylvania newspaper, the York Dispatch, penned by the heads of two radical green organizations (PennFuture and Conservation Voters of PA) calls for Pennsylvania “to move with deliberate speed to a zero-carbon economy that relies on clean energy and energy efficiency to power our future.” This is certifiable insanity–like bring out the straitjackets time. The letter writers believe that it’s time to dump the use of all fossil fuels as energy sources. The problem is, there are a whole lotta stupid people who will read it and agree–people who are totally ignorant of how the world works–in particular how energy works and how fossil fuels have led to the best conditions mankind has ever experienced on Planet Earth. By the way, three top lieutenants in the PA Gov. Tom Wolf administration are from PennFuture–so that gives you an idea of why his administration is crashing and burning…
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    Paris Climate Treaty Signed by Obama NOT Binding on U.S.

    On Saturday, our illustrious president, Barack Hussein Obama, claims to have committed the United States into giving up its national sovereignty in the name of so-called man-made global warming. Obama and nearly every country of the world signed a climate agreement/treaty that commits the nations of the world to lower carbon dioxide emissions. You know, CO2–the stuff you exhale with every breath you take. Yeah, that stuff is supposedly warming up ole Mom Earth–catastrophically. Except it’s not. There is no empirical data that shows the earth is heating up–only doctored computer models. Satellite data shows the opposite–the average temp of Mom Earth is not heating up and hasn’t been for 18 years–how many times do we have to HOLLER this for it to get through? But facts aren’t what the Paris agreement is about. We can tell you what the agreement is about in two simple points: (1) transferring massive amounts of hard-earned wealth away from America to other countries, via a carbon tax; (2) banning the use of all fossil energy–asap. No, this is not hyperbole. It’s not overstating the case. This is EXACTLY what the Paris Climate Conference was all about…
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    Anti-Pipeline Loons March on Concord Today – Play the Bagpipes!

    Break out the bagpipes! It’s time to get blasted and stumble down the streets of Concord, New Hampshire to show your love of Mother Earth and that you object to that evil, vile Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline that will bring carbon-reducing, clean-burning, fracked natural gas to the Granite State. Protesters will assemble at the corner of Storrs and Theatre Street in Concord at 10:00 am this morning, and then stumble along for a half-mile while (no lie) bagpipers and drummers play. The goal–if they make it that far–is the State House where a bunch of “dignitaries” will deliver hate speeches against natural gas and pipelines and Big Oil and Gas and Satan and Donald Trump and whatever else they feel like railing against. Should be a real fun time…
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    FERC Confirms “Intervenors” Slowing Down Pipeline Approvals

    As we’ve previously warned, anti-fossil fuel kooks are being effective in slowing down new pipeline projects by using a sleazy strategy of individually filing as “intervenors” in pipeline applications. An intervenor is supposed to be someone with a legitimate interest in a project who wants to provide data, information, opinion–and also someone (typically a group) that should be kept informed each step of the way what is happening with a pipeline application. Intervenors are usually towns, utility companies, large businesses, etc. In a scam and abuse of the system, antis are attempting to get all of their crazy followers–including children–to register as intervenors (see Delaware Riverkeeper Scams FERC in Review of PennEast Pipeline and Coordinated Attack? MassPLAN Uses Riverkeeper Pipeline Delay Tactic). It overloads the FERC system and slows down the approval process. Want proof? It comes directly from the mouth of a sitting FERC commissioner, Tony Clark…
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    Phys.org, Others Run 3 Yr-Old New York Frack Study as New News

    We found this one kind of amusing, and instructive, illustrating how anti-drillers unthinkingly get their “news.” On September 26, 2012 (yes, over three years ago) Syracuse University issued a press release about a program begun earlier in 2012 called Project SWIFT (Shale-Water Interaction Forensic Tools). The aim of the research project was to baseline test water wells for homeowners in New York State so when/if fracking arrives, there is solid scientific evidence for the condition of water before and then after fracking. The study also, as it turns out, innovated a few new techniques, including a method to measure salinity in water, the use of iodine as a tracer when testing, etc. Here’s the thing–the study was concluded in 2014 and of course in 2014 Gov. Cuomo banned fracking for the foreseeable future in the Empire State. So it’s all over and done with. No need for more testing. The project ran its course. But what’s this? Several authoritative “science” sites all of a sudden re-ran the original Syracuse University press release about Project SWFIT–with this week’s date on it! Word for word, same press release as 3+ years ago–slapping a new date from this week on it. One of the sites was EurekAlert!. Another was Phys.org. Their postings created a cascading or domino effect with a number of enviro sites picking it up and running it as new news. Egg on face anyone?…
    Read More “Phys.org, Others Run 3 Yr-Old New York Frack Study as New News”

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    Virginia Anti Groups Pressure Gov McAuliffe to Shut Down Fracking

    A group of virulent anti-drilling groups, including Clean Water Action, the Virginia Sierra Club and Shenandoah Riverkeeper, are pushing Virginia’s Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe to halt any new fracking permits in the state until they can muster enough public support (through their lying public relations campaigns) to permanently shut down fracking in the Old Dominion, like has been done in the Empire State (i.e. New York). Said groups, which always position their “requests” as even-handed and really the only wise thing to do–have pulled this stunt in state after state after state. Fracking is a miracle. Fracking is safe. Fracking produces jobs. Fracking does not pollute water, air, land, etc. But you wouldn’t know that by the propaganda issued by these disgusting groups. We hope McAuliffe doesn’t cave to their pressure the way man-child Andy Cuomo did…
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    Paris Climate Change Hoaxers Stick Fingers in Ears, Holler La La La

    More news from Paris and the COP21 Climate Conference going on there. You might think scientists would want to know if other scientists have evidence that your hypotheses and theories need to be modified a bit–challenging your theories based on real, actual science. Any good scientist welcomes such a challenge because in the end, either your theory was off-base and you can make it better/more accurate, or your theory was correct all along and you can show the world such is the case. However, the so-called scientists at the Paris Climate Conference want to revoke the credentials/pass to attend for anyone who does not “believe” as they do in the theory that mankind is catastrophically causing Mother Earth to warm up. Can you believe that?! This has gone so far beyond science it’s no longer funny. This is the equivalent of the Catholic Church persecuting Galileo for abandoning the geocentric (earth-at-the-center) view of the solar system for the heliocentric (sun-at-the-center) view. The warmers are the Catholic Church of the Fifteenth Century. If you cross us, if you disagree with us (and use science to do so), you are dirt. You are nothing. You will be expelled. In fact, some of these zealots want to put those of us who don’t believe in man-made global warming in jail (see RIT Professor Says Jail Those Who Don’t Believe in Global Warming). It’s like these climate change hoaxers stick their fingers in their ears and holler, “La la la la la, I can’t HEAR you!” Here’s the latest from Paris, where everything BUT science is being discussed…
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    Spoiled Rotten Kids Disrupt Paris Climate Conf over Fracked Gas

    Captain PlanetThe United Nations COP21 Climate Conference in Paris is attracting some of the craziest of the climate crazies. And they’re from the northeast, no less! A group of college kids–know-nothings–interrupted a panel discussion that included Vermont’s Democrat Governor Peter Shumlin because, they say, the guv is supporting a pipeline that will bring “fracked gas” to the state. We call them clinically insane. If they knew how many pipelines already exist beneath Vermont soil that flow natural gas, we expect they would have an aneurysm. During the panel two of the know-nothings stood up and unfurled a big banner that said Fracked Gas = Climate Change, complete with a kindergartenish drawing that depicts fractures reaching up into the water table (which doesn’t happen–ever). In our day and age of blaming your asinine actions on your parents, or your teachers, or even on cartoons–we’ll blame it on the cartoons. We expect these kids grew up watching Captain Planet on Saturday mornings and believed it hook, line and sinker. Here’s the story of spoiled rotten kids behaving like…spoiled rotten kids….
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    Bernie Sanders Energy Plan: Ban Fossil Fuels, Turn Thermostat Down

    We always smile when we hear the name “Bernie Sanders.” He’s a hapless old idiot. A commie. Someone totally out of his league in running for president. But you know, he has a certain appeal–interestingly enough, with young people. The young people who like Sanders were no doubt mis-educated–not taught of the wonders and superiority of capitalism and freedom over communism/socialism/tyranny. But whatever. Bernie has a large following, which makes it somewhat scary when he announces an energy plan that includes banning all fossil fuels. Ole Bernie thinks we can stick up a windmill about every 150 feet, and solar panels on every home’s roof, and that’ll do it. We’ll be able to “save Mom Earth” by ending our “dependency” on evil, nasty fossil fuels. What dopes–Bernie AND his supporters…
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    Letter Writing War Erupts Over Jessup, PA Gas-Fired Power Plant

    An interesting back and forth in letters to the editor of the Democrat-run Scranton Times-Tribune over the proposed electric generating plant in Jessup, PA. As MDN has previously chronicled, Chicago-based Invenergy hopes to build what will be the largest (to date) electric generating plant in the state of Pennsylvania powered by natural gas (see Public Hearing on NEPA Proposed Marcellus-Powered Electric Plant). Invenergy hopes to build the 1300-megawatt plant in the borough of Jessup (Lackawanna County), near Scranton. In very basic and simple terms, local Democrat anti-drillers (who hate fossil fuels of any kind) are against the plant, and local clear-thinking Republicans are in favor of this clean-burning, jobs-producing, economy-stimulating project. Recently a ginned-up “controversy” over the plant took to the editorial pages of the Times-Tribune. Here’s the (so far) back and forth between two antis and one pro…
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