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Pro-drilling Editorial from Corning Leader

Corning Leader (Oct 7):
Gas drilling an important opportunity

Well, what do you know? A positive editorial from a news outlet (for a change). This one from the Corning Leader says in part:

[S]ometime next spring or summer we’ll see the beginning of what could be a drilling bonanza in the Southern Tier. Hundreds of wells have already been tapped in Pennsylvania and the same level of activity could happen here.

Potentially, that could generate billions in new revenue for a sustained period of time. Gas companies, support companies, engineering firms and so on are expected to follow others that have already located in the Southern Tier to tap into the northern tip of the Marcellus Shale. Those companies will create jobs, pay taxes and have a beneficial ripple effect through other sectors that could revive one of the poorest areas of the country.

Thank you for talking about the positive side of drilling!

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More Work Ahead in New York Before Drilling Begins

Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Oct 7):
Much more work ahead

An editorial in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, no doubt written in part by Tom Wilbur, anti-drilling shill for the eco-nut groups. It acknowledges what MDN has already noted: The New York DEC is interested in pushing forward with responsible drilling in New York, eco-nut groups are not. The battle is only beginning. Landowners need to write and call and make their voices heard on the proposed drilling regulations.

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Natural gas quest: Technical report carving deep divisions between gas companies and industry critics

Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Oct 4):
Natural gas quest: Technical report carving deep divisions between gas companies and industry critics

The eco-nuts are in a snit over the Department of Enviromental Conservation’s proposed new Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for drilling in the Marcellus Shale in New York State. As previously posted on Marcellus Drilling News, in a cursory glance at the proposed new rules for New York, I believe the rules are somewhat over-restrictive, but not as bad as they could be. It appears the eco-nuts read it the same way and this article, authored by eco-nut stenographer Tom Wilbur (who dutifully “reports” the anti-drilling side in every article he writes), chronicles the apoplexy going on inside the eco-nut movement. I am encouraged. Let’s hope the New York DEC quickly adopts the SGEIC so drilling can finally begin.

Likewise, let’s hope Maurice Hinchey (Democrat Congressman from Upstate New York) is unsuccessful in passing a bill in Congress that would effectively bring control of all gas drilling under the jurisdiction of the rogue Environmental Protection Agency under the guise that the EPA is the only agency who can properly protect drinking water supplies. It is an attempt by the federal government to grab power away from the states. New York (and all states) must resist this legislation. Beat back the eco-nuts! Let the drilling begin.

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New York State Releases Draft Rules for Drilling in the Marcellus Shale

Originally run on RSSBinghamton.com on October 1st:

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has finally released its Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Instead of making drilling companies do an environmental impact statement for each well they drill, the DEC decided to do one “generic” environmental impact statement that will apply to all drilling sites throughout the state. You can read the document for yourself here: //www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58440.html.

I have not yet had a chance to fully digest the 500+ page document. I have reviewed some of it (a lot of it is technical). An article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin purports to cover some of the highlights. Read the P&SB article here: NY regulators propose pre-emptive checks of gas wells in Marcellus Shale. But let me warn you that Tom Wilber, the P&SB writer, shades all of his Marcellus drilling articles with anti-drilling sentiment. For example, he says:

The DEC’s regulatory overhaul began after Southern Tier residents crowded into school auditoriums and town halls to attend public information sessions hosted by the agency in the summer of 2008. Those sessions often became heated, as regulators were unable to satisfactorily answer questions about water consumption, waste disposal, chemical handling and other aspects of large scale Marcellus drilling.

Perhaps so Mr. Wilber. Maybe that’s why New York decided to do a complete review in the first place. But in the interests of being fair and balanced, why didn’t you also mention the rally held just recently (this past summer) in Afton, where thousands of landowners showed up to support drilling? There were more people in one location at one time to support drilling than there ever have been in any location who oppose it.

He also asserts in the article:

DEC officials have watched and learned from developments in Dimock Township, Pa., where Cabot Oil & Gas recently had to shut down some operations after repeated spills and environmental problems. Explosive levels of methane contaminated some drinking water supplies earlier this year. More recently, an 8,000 gallon spill of chemicals used to stimulate well production polluted a creek and wetland.

Yes, Cabot has had problems and they are being appropriately spanked for it by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA’s version of our DEC). The situation is being carefully monitored and handled. But again, the lingering sentiment from the paragraph seems to be that all drilling is unsafe and all drilling companies are out to screw the populace. What about the hundreds (thousands?) of other natural gas wells in PA that are doing just fine with their operations? No spills or contamination of anything. No mention of that.

My very preliminary take on the new DEC proposed regulations: Likely overbearing and restrictive, but at least we’re moving again. After a public comment period until Nov. 30, the DEC will hopefully sew this thing up and drilling can finally begin in New York.

Stay tuned as more will surely come out about the proposed new regulations as people have time to review them in detail.

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Downstate New Yorkers Demand Total Ban on Drilling in Upstate’s Marcellus Shale

Marcellus Drilling News sees a growing chorus of voices from New York City who believe the city’s water supply, 90% of which comes from the Catskill/Delaware watershed area in Upstate, is directly threatened by drilling activity in the Marcellus. And they are becoming vocal in their demands to stop the drilling before it even starts.

Some demand no drilling only in the watershed region itself (take note landowners in those counties). Others want a blanket ban throughout the state. From a recent article in The Villager covering a forum held in New York City:

Worried about an imminent threat to the Catskill/Delaware watershed, which supplies New York City with 90 percent of its water, Community Board 2 [C.B. 2] last week voted unanimously to demand a ban on drilling for natural gas in New York State.

And this:

“We can’t let the bad economy and people wanting to cash in on natural gas provoke wholesale drilling,” said Queens Councilmember James Gennaro at a March 18 forum held by the C.B. 2 Environmental Committee at Judson Church. “We can’t be the generation that loses New York City’s water supply to the lure of natural gas,” said Gennaro, who is a trained geologist.

Gennaro is the sponsor of City Council legislation calling on the state Legislature, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Governor Paterson to prohibit drilling for natural gas within the watershed’s boundaries in Delaware, Greene, Ulster and Sullivan Counties.

The article quotes a parade of officials and heads of environmental groups in NYC that are opposed to any and all drilling in New York. Will the growing chorus of protests make a difference? Perhaps. Landowners need to make their voices heard just as loudly to counter the din that will come from Downstate. Contact Governor Paterson and your state representatives in the Assembly and Senate.

An aside: No one is in favor of contaminating the water supply, least of all our own! The issue of what chemicals are used and in what concentrations is an important one and must be dealt with fairly. Energy companies would do well to diffuse the issue by revealing at least general information about the chemicals they use. However, a blanket ban on all drilling is nonsensical. The problem is, there’s a lot of nonsensical things that happen in our great state. So we must be vigilant to protect our rights as landowners. Let’s not let “the mob” (little “m”) dictate what we can and cannot do with our land. We still have a (precious) few rights left, among them the right to own property. We can protect the water supply and still drill safely in the Marcellus. Let’s figure it out.

Read the full article: No fracking way! C.B. 2 forum warns about water

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Is New York State Understaffed to Handle Marcellus Drilling Activity?

The Ithaca Journal and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (Democrat, Endwell, NY), say that while Pennsylvania has staffed up to handle permits and oversight of drilling activities, New York remains woefully understaffed:

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection is creating 37 new positions – despite a statewide hiring freeze – to oversee Marcellus production. The positions will be added to Pennsylvania’s Office of Mineral Resources Management, which oversees nearly 600 employees who handle many issues in addition to natural gas production.

Officials in New York, however, have few answers as to how 19 employees in the Bureau of Oil & Gas Regulation – part of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation – will be able to handle a rush of permits and intensive drilling activity on this side of the border.

“Clearly, we are not staffed to do the job,” said Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo, D-Endwell.

Of course the obvious truth is this: New York is not granting any permits to drill right now. So there’s no reason to staff up to high levels just yet. Marcellus Drilling News thinks when New York finally stops dithering over what regulations they’ll impose and get around to granting permits, the state DEC will add more positions. Why pay people to sit on their rear-ends? Oh that’s right, it IS the NY government!

Read the full article: New York understaffed to handle gas rush