Hydraulic Fracturing

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MDN Map of NY Counties Likely to See Initial Fracking [Free]
August 29, 2012September 11, 2012

MDN is excited to release an important new resource—a free map—to help you understand the situation in New York State with fracking. A copy of the map is embedded below.

In a nutshell, everyone is waiting (holding our collective breath) for the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue a final final final final version of new drilling rules (called the SGEIS) they’ve been working on for more than four years. Previous versions of the SGEIS were introduced but didn’t make the grade. This time, it’s really the final word.

Where will the first permits be issued? That’s what our map will help you figure out. And we tell you why.

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Broome County | Chemung County | Chenango County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY | Steuben County | Tioga County (NY)

NY Fracking Fight Heads to Townships – Rest of the Story
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

An article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal focuses on an issue MDN has covered for some time: how the fight over hydraulic fracturing in New York State has “gone local,” meaning it’s largely going to be decided town by town throughout the state.

The article notes a few statistics—about 100 or so towns have voted for either a short-term moratorium on fracking, or an outright ban. And about 60 or so towns have voted to “support” drilling. (Shameless self-promotion: MDN’s Marcellus and Utica Shale Databook Vol. 2 has the complete list of which towns have voted which way on the issue.)

But the pure numbers of “100 against, 60 for” does not come anywhere close to telling the whole story…

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Why Mayor Mike Bloomberg Suddenly Loves Fracking
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

Last week, New York City Michael Bloomberg “came out” as a supporter of natural gas and hydraulic fracturing (see this MDN story). He’s even committed $6 million of his own money to ensure it happens and is done right in New York and other geographies. Now we know why he’s become an overnight fan of fracking.

On Monday, Mayor Mike released the results of a study commissioned by NYC that looks at the role natural gas already plays for New York (very important), and the critical role it will play in a “sustainable energy” future for NYC once a new law goes into effect banning the use of No. 6 and No. 4 heating oil (eliminated in 2015 and 2030 respectively). A full copy of the study authored by ICF International, titled “Assessment of New York City Natural Gas Market Fundamentals and Life Cycle Fuel Emissions,” is embedded below.

Among the eye-popping conclusions in the study: Shale gas produced in the Marcellus and Utica Shale region right now makes up 30% of the gas flowing to NYC. By 2025, that number will be 80%.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

And Again! When Will NY Release New Fracking Regs?
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

On the ever-present topic of “when will new drilling rules be released in New York,” here’s the latest insight from Tom Wilbur, former reporter for the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin and author of “Under the Surface,” a book on shale gas drilling. He writes on his blog:

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Delaware County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Sean Lennon Pens Grimm’s Fracking Fairy Tale
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

Sean Lennon, son of the late John Lennon (and unfortunately someone who inherited his mother’s singing talent) is against fracking. So’s his mom, Yoko Ono. In fact, we highlighted a video of Sean and mom Yoko singing (if that’s what you call it) on the Jimmy Falon show (see this MDN story). Simply hilarious. Did they not know people were laughing at them and not with them?

Anywho, Sean—the great intellect and artiste—published an anti-fracking editorial in Monday’s New York Times (the newspaper with sinking standards). Here’s a small sample of his article, talking about where he was raised in Delaware County in rural Upstate New York:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Statewide PA

MSC Releases Guidelines for Pre-Drill Water Sampling
August 29, 2012August 29, 2012

The Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), the powerhouse industry group headquartered in Pittsburgh that provides information to companies part of the drilling industry as well as info for the media, government and other “stakeholders,” yesterday released guidelines for drillers to use in sampling and testing water supplies before drilling commences.

The “Recommended Practices: Pre-Drill Water Supply Surveys” document (embedded below) helps drillers comply with the newly enacted Pennsylvania Act 13 law which requires drillers to sample and test water supplies within 2,500 feet of a proposed Marcellus Shale natural gas well. A certified laboratory must conduct the testing which provides baseline numbers that can be used for comparison during and after drilling to ensure water quality has not been adversely affected.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

Albany Protesters Try to Convince Cuomo to Ban Fracking
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

$anti-fracker$ Depending on which news source you read, yesterday’s anti-fracking protest rally and march in Albany, NY drew “hundreds” of protesters, “more than 1,000” or “about 1,200.” Any way you slice it, there were a lot of loud-mouthed people in Albany yesterday, trying to catch the attention of one person: Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A few “famous people” were there as well, which is what caught the attention of the media. People like actress Debra Winger (who lives in Sullivan County, NY) and author Bill McKibben (writes about climate change).

Josh Fox of Gasland fame was there too, although he doesn’t even rate a mention in the Albany Times Union story, and just a brief mention in the Gannett story. Guess Josh’s 15 minutes of fame is now about over.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Regulation | Statewide PA

Rewrite of 1984 PA Oil and Gas Act Underway
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

Pennsylvania’s newly passed Act 13 was an important update to the state’s oil and natural gas drilling laws, but it didn’t do the whole job. Written into the Act 13 law itself is a requirement for the regulatory rewrite of the state’s 1984 Oil and Gas Act. That process has now begun.

Two weeks ago, the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a 23-page “concept paper” of proposed changes to the agency’s Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board (a copy is embedded below). It’s essentially a list identifying sections of the law with brief comments on changes (not intended to be the final language of a new law). The changes cover important issues like well location restrictions, water supply protection, predrilling surveys, application requirements, erosion and sedimentation controls, wastewater controls, standards for pit and tank containment and more.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH | Utica Shale

Fracking Coming to Wayne National Forest in SE OH
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

The path is now cleared for hydraulic fracturing and Utica shale gas drilling to begin in Wayne National Forest in southeast Ohio. The U.S. Forest Service, after holding off on a decision about fracking in the forest until a study was completed, has concluded that fracking is safe to do and has approved a plan to move forward with it.

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Broome County | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York

The Line that Divides NY’s Southern Tier: Both Land & People
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

An article in the Philadelphia Inquirer written by a staff writer who also maintains their “green blog” (i.e., someone who is opposed to shale gas drilling) has penned a fair representation of how the drilling and fracking issue has divided communities, and even families, in New York’s Southern Tier.

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Education | Erie County (NY) | Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Research

83 University at Buffalo Profs Target Shale Institute
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

The witch hunt at the University at Buffalo (UB) continues. This time 83 UB faculty members have taken up their pitchforks and torches to aid in the hunt against the university’s new Shale Resources and Society Institute.

Anti-drilling Bloomberg news is only too happy to lend a megaphone to the effort:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues

Energy in Depth Gives Josh Fox Advice for Gasland 2
August 28, 2012August 28, 2012

Lee Fuller, executive director of Energy in Depth (EID), an industry-backed public relations firm, recently sent along some free advice to Josh Fox about his forthcoming ficpic Gasland 2. In the form of an open letter, Fuller provides a devastating rebuttal of the lies Fox aired in the original Gasland.

What lies? The lie about the water supply in Dimock, PA being contaminated by chemicals from fracking (it wasn’t, as proven by the EPA). The lie that areas where fracking exists have higher rates of breast cancer (they don’t, as proven by breast cancer organizations). The lie that fracking caused methane in a water well in Colorado, the famous flaming faucet (the methane in that well was not caused by fracking, admitted to by Fox himself). The list goes on.

We embed the full letter below for your edification and education. Well done Lee!

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

One More Time: When Will NY Release New Fracking Regs?
August 27, 2012August 27, 2012

The one question MDN editor Jim Willis gets asked most often is, “When will New York release rules to allow fracking?” We’ve addressed this question before and no doubt will again. But this time, we thought we would let someone else address it for a change. Here’s a roundup of who’s said what on the topic of “when NY” as offered by Steve Israel in the Middletown Times Herald-Record:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Statewide OH

OH Muskingum Watershed Votes to Lease Land, Allow Pipeline
August 27, 2012August 27, 2012

MDN reported in early June that the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) board had caved to pressure from enviro-bullies and pulled back from selling water from its vast supply to Utica Shale drillers (see this MDN story).

The MWCD said at the time they would wait for the results of a study they commissioned with the U.S. Geological Survey to look at water sales from three of their reservoirs: Clendening, Atwood and Leesville (see this MDN story). The MWCD has not decided to sell more water (yet), but they did decide on Friday to lease some of their land for drilling. They also approved a right-of-way to extend a drilling pipeline. Both decisions have anti-drillers ticked off.

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Supports Fracking
August 24, 2012August 24, 2012

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with the “father” of hydraulic fracturing, George Mitchell, jointly published an opinion piece in yesterday’s Washington Post that supports fracking. Or rather offers qualified support, provided fracking is done they way they want it done.

Bloomberg and Mitchell offer four reasons why fracking is good, and then say their individual foundations will work together to “encourage better state regulation of fracking around five key principles.” Here are those five principles:

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Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County (NY) | New York | Regulation

Town of Perinton, NY to Vote on Fracking Ban in September
August 24, 2012August 24, 2012

Looks like the Town of Perinton in Monroe County, NY (near Rochester) is lined up to ban fracking. The town board passed a draft ordinance in July (three ordinances in fact). The proposed ordinances are currently under review and a final vote will be taken in late September.

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