Hydraulic Fracturing

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    Exxon Mobil Shaken Down by NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli

    GoodFellasThe Comptroller of the State of New York, Thomas DiNapoli, is the sole person in charge of The New York State Common Retirement Fund–a fund with $160 billion in it. DiNapoli, or rather the NYS Common Retirement Fund, owns $1.02 billion of Exxon Mobil stock. Unfortunately, DiNapoli is an anti-drilling bully (see our list of MDN articles here). When someone like DiNapoli has you by the short hairs and is pulling, you ask him how high he wants you to jump. That’s what’s happening to Exxon Mobil.

    DiNapoli is forcing Exxon Mobil to write a cockamamie report on the so-called hazards of fracking, to be released this September on the Exxon website. So what if the report shows there are no (or very few) actual hazards in fracking? Yeah, right. They don’t call people like Tommy DiNapoli a goodfella for nuttin’. Exxon is getting shaken down by a bullying investor that holds a lot of stock. And not just any investor–but a government official to boot. It’s sleazy, it’s disgusting, and it’s New York politics. What do you think Exxon’s report on fracking will say?…
    Read More “Exxon Mobil Shaken Down by NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli”

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    Anti-Frackers Win Lawsuit Against Muskingum Watershed District

    Last October MDN told you the anti-drilling group calling themselves the FreshWater Accountability Project (FWAP), a front group for the Washington, D.C.-based (and odious) Food & Water Watch had thrown a snit fit and sued the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District’s (MWCD) to gain access to personal details (names, addresses, phone numbers) of people living in the watershed so FWAP and FWW could launch smear campaigns against the MWCD over their decision to sell a thimble full of water for fracking and lease some of their considerable acreage for shale drilling (see Muskingum Watershed Taken to Court by Anti-Frackers (Yawn)).

    Last week the liberal Fifth District Court of Appeals granted the anti-drillers their wish: access to MWCD records along with a fine for holding back the information. Let the smear campaigns begin!…
    Read More “Anti-Frackers Win Lawsuit Against Muskingum Watershed District”

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    Anti-Drillers Force 3rd Vote on Frack Ban in Youngstown

    Even the Democrat Mayor of Youngstown, OH knows that passing a fracking ban for the city would be a “job killer.” Too bad the nutters on his side of the political isle don’t listen to reason. In January MDN told you that the nutters had gathered enough signatures to force a third time-and-money-wasting vote on whether or not the city should outright ban fracking within its borders (see Third Time the Charm? Youngstown Anti-Drillers Try Again for Ban). Not that passing a ban would make a difference–there’s little chance of any active drilling in and around Youngstown. It would be a poke in the eye–spit in the face–of the drilling industry. The drilling industry notices such things and elects to take their business elsewhere when it happens. Hence Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally’s comments last week encouraging residents to reject the ban when they vote on May 6th.

    Along with Mayor McNally, local union reps from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8 says three votes is enough and it’s time for this crap to stop…
    Read More “Anti-Drillers Force 3rd Vote on Frack Ban in Youngstown”

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    Lawyers Gutting Act 13 Law Claim PA DEP Covers Up Water Problems

    gutted deerThe Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), along with the Act 13 law, has come under heavy fire from anti-drillers and the seven selfish towns who want to overturn Act 13. Even though the DEP is dedicated to the health and safety of the people and environment in PA, they’re regularly (falsely) accused of colluding with “industry” and throwing both people and the environment under the metaphorical bus. The latest accusations against the DEP stem from the Act 13 lawsuit remanded by the PA Supreme Court back to a lower court. Anti-drillers are doing their best to gut the protections afforded in Act 13 because they want the chance to re-do it and “do it right” (meaning onerous new regulations). And so after the seven selfish towns pulled on one Act 13 thread (zoning) and won, their action now threatens to unravel the entire law (see Ongoing Fallout from PA Supreme Court’s Wrong Act 13 Decision).

    Lawyers for the seven selfish towns who are making an attempt to gut the entire Act 13 law in the lower court are accusing the DEP of intentionally suppressing information about contamination of private water wells due to drilling-related activity. The lawyers, along with a sycophantic media willing to regurgitate their claims, say that DEP regulators don’t keep files or issue violation notices to drillers in cases where the driller reaches a private settlement with a landowner. That is, they say it’s a government cover-up of enormous proportions. Which is, of course, preposterous. But it sure sells a lot of newspapers…
    Read More “Lawyers Gutting Act 13 Law Claim PA DEP Covers Up Water Problems”

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    The Human Cost of Delay in New York — Absentee Husband

    New York’s ongoing delay in allowing shale drilling has very real costs for very real people. Some losers say, “That gas has been in the ground for a million years, it ain’t going anywhere. Let’s take our time and figure this out.” Waiting has a cost too–especially since drilling has proven to be safe in over 60,000 shale wells drilled in other states. The 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York has sued Gov. Cuomo because he has, in essence, stolen the football off the field of play and has run out of the stadium with it. Under the rules (i.e. New York law) you can’t do that. You must make a decision in a timely manner because lack of decision is recognized as causing harm. But the JLCNY is not the only party to the lawsuit that would force Cuomo to complete the review process. There are also several individuals suing Cuomo too.

    An article in today’s New York Post looks at one of those individuals–Jon Kark. Jon is the owner, with his dad, of a 353-acre farm in Broome County, NY–just a few miles from where MDN editor Jim Willis is writing this very article. Jon is the sixth generation of Karks to own that land. In order to keep the land and the farm operating, Jon is never home–literally. In 2009 Jon had to leave town for a job that will pay the bills, including steep NY taxes assessed on his property. He gets home one or two weeks every year, and that’s it. He’d rather be at home working the farm, but he can’t afford it. His family can’t afford it. He could be at home working the farm, if Cuomo would get off his rear-end, suck it up and make a manly decision for a change, instead of dithering around, showing total lack of leadership…
    Read More “The Human Cost of Delay in New York — Absentee Husband”

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    Maryland Anti-Drillers Say Fracking Health Report Will Fall Short

    If you’re an objective scientist, you formulate a hypothesis (a “best guess”) and test it. And test it again. And again. The results of science are testable, repeatable and demonstrable. If the results don’t match your original hypothesis, you throw that hypothesis out and get a new one to see if the data fits. That’s how real science works. If you’re a political huckster, you engage in scientific insanity–testing and re-testing and when the outcome doesn’t match your twisted and preconceived notions of what it should be–you tell those doing the testing they’re doing it wrong and to do it again. In other words, you’ve already determined what you want the outcome to be–and anything short of that is not acceptable. It’s not real science but smearing scientific lipstick on an ideological pig. That’s how anti-drillers in Maryland are treating a so-called health study on potential Marcellus Shale drilling in the state.

    A group of ideological, anti-drilling hucksters, including the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE), Maryland Environment Health Network (MdEHN), Concerned Health Professionals of New York (CHPNY), the odious Food and Water Watch and Ann Bristow (a member of Gov. O’Malley’s fracking commission), have declared a study that’s not yet completed or released will fall short of their desired, predetermined outcome. That is, they’ve already prejudged the not-yet-finished report and found it lacking. Their erudite (and insane) solution? Delay it even more. Extend it. Test again. And again. And again. And keep testing and researching (and lying) until the report says what they want it to say–that which isn’t true: fracking has negative health impacts on “the public”…
    Read More “Maryland Anti-Drillers Say Fracking Health Report Will Fall Short”

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    Litigious OH Sierra Club Sues ODNR (Again) Over Fracking

    Once again, the ever-litigious, fundraising Ohio Sierra Club (an organization no one should ever support with their money) has sued the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources because the ODNR is not jumping to every Sierra Club demand to provide emails in triplicate on the topic of crafting new fracking regulations. The Sierra Club is on a fishing expedition. They think they can use language in ODNR emails in future fundraising appeals (See! See! The ODNR sent an email to Chesapeake Energy!) The ODNR is not playing along with their scam, and so the Sierra Club has launched yet another lawsuit (third time in two years). Hey, the lawyers are on staff so who cares, right?

    Here’s the latest fundraising press release from the OH Sierra Club:
    Read More “Litigious OH Sierra Club Sues ODNR (Again) Over Fracking”

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    JLCNY Legal & Moral Response to NY AG’s Request to Dismiss Lawsuit

    scales of justiceYesterday MDN told you about New York’s shameful Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, had filed to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York that seeks to have the courts force Gov. Cuomo and his lieutenants to do their job and release new drilling regulations (see NY AG Schneiderman Files to Dismiss JLCNY Lawsuit Against Cuomo). Immediately following our publication of that article, the lead attorney for the JLCNY, Scott Kurkoski, emailed MDN two legal documents he had filed in responding to the AG’s request to dismiss.

    The first document (embedded below) is the 43-page “Petitioners-Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Motion to Dismiss”–the official response to Scneiderman’s shameful attempt to deny justice to residents of New York. It contains all of the legal reasons why the Article 78 case should move forward, and why Schneiderman’s request to dismiss should be denied. The second document (also embedded below) is a 113-page “Affirmation of Scott R. Kurkoski in Support of Petitioners-Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Respondents-Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss.” Only a lawyer can come up with a name like that! This second document is Scott essentially saying, “I’m a lawyer in this case with personal knowledge, and I support the JLCNY’s request to deny dismissing the case, and here’s why…” The first document contains the legal reasons why the case should move forward, the second document contains the moral/ethical reasons and pertinent background. Why read through a 113-page legal document?…
    Read More “JLCNY Legal & Moral Response to NY AG’s Request to Dismiss Lawsuit”

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    Controversy Over Belmont County, OH Drill Cutting Processing Ctr

    Anti-drillers flying under the name Freshwater Accountability Project Ohio of Grand Rapids, Ohio (FWAPOH) are spinning wild tales of radioactivity and a rush job by the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) in permitting a new facility that will process drill cuttings in Belmont County, OH. Last month Belmont County Port Authority Director Larry Merry answered questions from local residents about the proposed site for EnerGreen 360’s new facility to be built at the Eastern Ohio Regional Industrial Park on State Route 800 North near Barnesville.

    Even though the only thing to be processed by the company is leftover rock and dirt from drilling holes in the ground, anti-drilling zealots are opposed because they hate fossil fuels. So they spin yarns about radioactivity and mass poisoning. Fortunately it seems that science and cooler heads will prevail and that EnerGreen’s proposed facility will be built…
    Read More “Controversy Over Belmont County, OH Drill Cutting Processing Ctr”

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    NY AG Schneiderman Files to Dismiss JLCNY Lawsuit Against Cuomo

    In early March MDN told you the sad news that New York’s own Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, is actively working against the residents of the state of New York by filing to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Norse Energy that would force Gov. Andrew Cuomo, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens and State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah to do their jobs and release new drilling regulations (see NY Attorney General Files to Dismiss Norse Lawsuit, More Delays). The 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York also filed an “Article 78” lawsuit, similar to the Norse lawsuit.

    NGI’s Shale Daily is reporting that AG Schneiderman’s office has now filed a motion to dismiss this second lawsuit–fantastically claiming the JLCNY, which represents more than 70,000 New York landowners who want to see drilling commence, has “no standing.” Talk about chutzpah. Here’s the latest on the dysfunctional mess that is called New York State:
    Read More “NY AG Schneiderman Files to Dismiss JLCNY Lawsuit Against Cuomo”

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    8 Servile Congressman Obey Anti-Fracking Masters, Sign Ltr to EPA

    Here we go again. Out of ideas and running out of money, a bunch of loony toon organizations like 350.org and the odious Food & Water Watch need a new fundraiser. What to do…what to do? We know! Get a few anti-drilling lackeys Congressman (every one of the a Democrat) on your political contribution payroll to sign a letter to the EPA asking them to re-open three cases both the EPA and state agencies have already investigated to death for years: Dimock (PA), Pavillion (WY) and Parker County (TX). Make some more wild claims that fracking pollutes water supplies–even though it doesn’t. And, voilà! A new fundraising campaign is born.

    And so the brain trust at Americans Against Fracking (AAF) has done just that. So worn out and bankrupt for new ideas, AAF has to pathetically, once again, attempt to make an issue of a dead issue. Here’s the latest fundraiser from enviro-snobs at AAF, along with the political patronage letter to the EPA obediently signed by eight servile Democrat Congressmen:
    Read More “8 Servile Congressman Obey Anti-Fracking Masters, Sign Ltr to EPA”

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    Dangerous Economic Road Ahead for PA if Shale Economy is Topedoed

    In a letter to the editor published (amazingly) in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Consumer Energy Alliance Mid-Atlantic executive director Mike Butler points out, in just a few paragraphs, the grave danger now hovering over Pennsylvania because of the PA Supreme Court’s poor decision to side with seven selfish towns to overturn important and large portions of the Act 13 law, and in danger from PA Democrats who want to stop all future Marcellus drilling in the state with an ongoing moratorium.

    Pennsylvania is at a crossroads and if her citizens choose poorly in the next election, they risk plunging the state into an economic disaster, as eloquently pointed out by Mr. Butler:
    Read More “Dangerous Economic Road Ahead for PA if Shale Economy is Topedoed”

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    Obama Floats Plan to Save the Planet from Methane (Yawn)

    The U.S. is on a mission to control methane because it’s a contributor to the mythical problem that the earth is warming too much–from man. Methane contributes to the so-called global warming problem, so the theory goes. And if we could just control it (i.e. use the heavy hand of government with it’s gun to your head), why, we’d stave off ecological Armageddon! At least until the next generation of deadbeats comes along. One problem–most methane released into the atmosphere comes from termites and cows–but The Great and Powerful Obama(oz) has a solution even for persnickety pests and bovines. We’ll just tax ’em.

    Last week the “brain trust” at The White House released it’s government-has-all-the-answers-and-kiss-more-of-your-freedoms-goodbye solution for tackling methane emanations (see a copy of the new White House report on methane emissions embedded below). As you might guess, part of the “solution” is to have the EPA continue its rogue, out-of-control attempts at more regulation of the oil and gas industry–the very industry that is set up to capture as much methane as it can!…
    Read More “Obama Floats Plan to Save the Planet from Methane (Yawn)”

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    NY Update: Norse/JLCNY Lawsuit Hearing Date Set for April 25

    Sadly, politics in New York State have become so corrupt that even the State Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, actively works against the interests of the people he’s sworn to protect–the citizens of New York State. Late last year Norse Energy sued Gov. Andrew Cuomo, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens and State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah over their collusion to stop shale drilling in the state (see Norse Energy Sues Gov. Cuomo to Force Release of Fracking Regs). Later, the 70,000-member Joint Landowners Coalition of New York joined that lawsuit (see D-Day: JLCNY Files Lawsuit Today Against Cuomo, Martens, Shah).

    How has AG Schneiderman reacted? By filing to dismiss the lawsuits and delay (see NY Attorney General Files to Dismiss Norse Lawsuit, More Delays). It’s utterly shameful. The lawsuit was scheduled for a hearing first in January, then moved to February, then March, and now April. It appears Norse and the JLCNY, whose cases are now tied together, will finally get a hearing at the end of April–on the 25th…
    Read More “NY Update: Norse/JLCNY Lawsuit Hearing Date Set for April 25”

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    Birthplace of Fracking (NE USA) Once Again Leads O&G Innovation

    Fracking as a concept has been around for a long time. Would you believe us if we said the first rudimentary forms of fracking date back to the 1860s–around the time of the American Civil War? That’s when liquids were first used to fracture “shallow, hard rock wells” in places like PA, NY and WV. Somewhere along the way oil and gas drilling drifted to places like Texas and Louisiana and Oklahoma. In the modern era, fracking started to be widely used commercially in 1947. Oil and gas drilling “grew up” in, and innovations came from, drilling in the southwestern part of the U.S.

    Shale drilling is a more recent development–the combination of fracking and horizontal drilling. Shale drilling has been around commercially for 15-20 years, and yes, it was first pioneered and developed by George Mitchell in the Barnett Shale of Texas. However, drillers in Texas and other locations are now learning from innovations coming from the Marcellus and Utica Shale. The country and indeed the world now looks to how companies like Cabot Oil & Gas are able to economically drill for gas in a low-price environment. The innovation that started in the northeast “once upon a time” some 150 years ago has finally returned to its birthplace in the northeast, and the northeast is showing the world how to do it better, faster, and safer than ever before…
    Read More “Birthplace of Fracking (NE USA) Once Again Leads O&G Innovation”

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    Fracking has (so far) Triggered Earthquakes 3x – Out of 60K Wells

    MDN has been following the story of 11 small earthquakes in the Youngstown, Ohio area early last week (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?). We pointed out in that story that we are aware of exactly one proven instance where fracking a well has caused an earthquake–in England. Yesterday we ran a story about the PA DEP granting permits to Hilcorp to drill 7 new wells just 6 miles away from where Hilcorp voluntarily stopped drilling in Ohio while Ohio officials check out a possible connection between their drilling and the earthquakes (see Hilcorp Awarded Permits to Drill 7 New Wells Near Earthquake Zone).

    In yesterday’s story we made the statement that “fracking simply does not cause earthquakes.” That statement was our short-hand way of saying “almost never, statistically never” but as one MDN reader pointed out, “not” means “100% not” and so our statement was factually incorrect. For that we apologize and want to correct the record and tell you about the three known times fracking has caused earthquakes…
    Read More “Fracking has (so far) Triggered Earthquakes 3x – Out of 60K Wells”