Statewide NY

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    NY Marcellus Shale Drilling Regulations Ready by Fall 2010?

    When will the new Marcellus shale drilling regulations be ready in New York State? That’s the multi-million dollar question for both energy companies and landowners. Pro-drilling groups are pushing for the new regs to be released by early summer, but the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the agency tasked with rewriting the regulations, is now making noise about “late summer or early fall.”

    Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander “Pete” Grannis, speaking to the state Business Council on Thursday, said the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) could be finalized by late summer or early fall, according to media reports.

    The reports also indicated drilling permits could be issued by the end of the year.*

    According to Richard Downey, a landowner and member of the Unatego Area Landowners Association:

    “This is the first time he’s [Grannis] said it and I tend to believe him,” Downey said. “My own opinion is the man has always kept his word and his own schedule.”*

    *Oneonta Daily Star (Apr 19) – Drilling regs could be final by fall

    Also see: Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Apr 15) – N.Y. review of Marcellus hits snags

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    Mesa Energy Adds Downstater from NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection to Advisory Board

    Mesa Energy keeps up the pace with the addition of former Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Robert Avaltroni. It certainly can’t hurt to have a downstater in your corner for the nasty fight that’s brewing over Marcellus drilling. New York City wants it banned statewide period, and City politicians regularly make noise about it. With former Gov. George Pataki (rumored to be considering a run for the NY Senate as well as a run for president), and with former New York State Senator Nicholas A. Spano, the addition of Mr. Avaltroni makes a truly formidable and influential group on Mesa’s advisory board.

    From the Mesa Energy press release:

    Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), an exploration stage oil and gas exploration and production company with a focus on the Marcellus Shale in western New York, announced today the appointment of Robert C. Avaltroni to the Company’s Advisory Board. Mr. Avaltroni has over 23 years of experience in addressing political and environmental issues in New York, thirteen of which were spent as Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

    “Robert is a great addition to our Advisory Board and rounds off a seasoned group of advisors,” said CEO of Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc., Randy M. Griffin. “His knowledge and experience regarding environmental issues as well as his longstanding relationships and extensive experience in New York city and state government will provide the Company with valuable insight and guidance as we move forward with the development of our Marcellus Shale projects in New York.”

    “It is an honor to join such an astute group of directors and Advisory Board members,” said Mr. Avaltroni. “Randy has assembled an outstanding team and has my full support as we endeavor to lead the way toward environmentally friendly development of natural gas resources in western New York. New York has a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the economic benefits that the Marcellus Shale brings, and I expect Mesa to be at the forefront of that effort.”

    Robert C. Avaltroni was New York Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) for 13 years. He was responsible for directing all environmental, chemical, biological and radiological initiatives in conjunction with the NYPD Counterterrorism/Intel Division, Dept. of Homeland Security, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Emergency Management, and the Dept. of Energy. He was granted the highest security clearance “Q Clearance” in the United States. Mr. Avaltroni was New York Mayor’s “point person” with the White House and Senator Hillary Clinton, regarding the establishment of a 9/11 EPA led clean-up committee known as the “Blue Ribbon Panel of Experts”.

    Mr. Avaltroni enhanced DEP’s hazardous materials response capabilities as a model for the nation. In this capacity, the Division of Emergency Response and Technical Assessment became the premier response team for chemical, biological and radiological threats. He also addressed prior longstanding environmental issues resulting in a positive dialogue with environmental advocates and community groups in New York.

    In addition to being Deputy Commissioner of the DEP, Mr. Avaltroni was also First Deputy Commissioner for the New York City Sheriff’s Department, Chairman and Managing Director of Empire Commercial Services L.P. and Chief of Staff for the NYC Sheriff’s Department. Today, Mr. Avaltroni represents various entities including the Environmental Contractors Association of New York as Advisor/Consultant.*

    *Business Wire (Apr 6) – Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc. Appoints Robert C. Avaltroni, Former DEP Deputy Commissioner, to the Advisory Board

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    T. Boone Pickens Talks About the Marcellus, Natural Gas, and America’s Energy Future

    The Philadelphia Inquirer recently interviewed T. Boone Pickens, the famous Texas oil billionaire and now “energy evangelist,” out to help chart a new course for energy in America. One of the main points in his Picken’s Plan is to use natural gas as a transition fuel to replace the country’s dependence on foreign oil. Mr. Pickens is less than impressed with President Obama’s recent decision to lift a drilling ban in certain areas of the North Atlantic. The problem, according to Pickens, is there are no appreciable oil reserves in the locations where the ban has been lifted.

    In the interview, Mr. Pickens had some interesting comments about drilling in the Marcellus Shale, including:

    Pickens told New York listeners he was mystified by the uproar gas drilling had caused in the Marcellus Shale region, where environmentalists oppose hydraulic fracturing (fracking), an extraction technology involving high-pressure injections of sand and drilling fluids into a well. The EPA recently announced it would study fracking.

    “You’ve been fracking wells in Texas and Oklahoma for 50 years,” Pickens said. “I’ve never heard anybody complain about your damaging the water. We’re just amused that people in Pennsylvania and New York are crying about messing up their water.”

    On the topic of electric vehicles:

    Pickens said he had nothing against electric vehicles and hybrids – he just thinks it will take too much time for them to penetrate the market of 220 million vehicles in America to have much effect on petroleum consumption.

    And electric vehicles don’t enter into the equation when it comes to heavy trucks, the biggest consumers of motor fuel; there is currently no commercial battery-driven vehicle capable of powering a tractor-trailer rig.

    “If you replace eight million 18-wheelers with natural gas, you have cut OPEC in half,” Pickens said.

    Don’t you just love a plain talking, truth-telling Texan! Finally, one of his favorite and now oft-repeated phrases:

    “Natural gas. It’s cleaner, cheaper, and it’s ours.”

    *Philadelphia Inquirer (Apr 4) – Pickens: Drilling isn’t the answer

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    Will Gov. Paterson’s Political Troubles Delay Drilling in New York State Until 2011?

    Bloomberg, a left-leaning (anti-drilling) news organization published a story about the seemingly eternal question of “When will drilling begin in New York?” with reasoning that goes like this:

    (A) New York Gov. Paterson is more or less pro-drilling and wants to see it start soon.

    (B) Gov. Paterson has run into political troubles, “probes” of his conduct are ongoing, so he’s decided not to run for re-election. He’s damaged goods.

    (C) The Department of Environmental Conservation, fearing political turmoil and upheaval, and perhaps reprisals, will not go forward with drilling until after the election in November (at the earliest).

    The Bloomberg article gives some background details about drilling in New York State for those who are new to the debate—all of it with an anti-drilling flavor. But some good background details nonetheless. May be worth a read if you’re so inclined:

    Bloomberg (Mar 31) – Gas Drillers’ New York Hopes Fade on Paterson Woes

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    Mesa Energy Adds Another New York Heavyweight Politico to Advisory Board

    Mesa Energy, with drilling operations in Western NY, continues to add major firepower from New York’s political class to their advisory board. Previously it was former New York Gov. George Pataki (see this post). Today, Mesa has added former NY State Senator Nicholas Spano to the board. Mr. Spano knows the people, and the system in Albany, and he will no doubt help Mesa navigate the rough regulatory seas once horizontal drilling is approved in New York.

    From the press release on Mesa’s website:

    Dallas, TX – Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) (OTCBB: MSEH.OB), an exploration stage oil and gas exploration and production company with a focus on the Marcellus Shale in western New York, announced today that Nicholas A. Spano, former New York Senator, has been named to the Company’s Advisory Board. Senator Spano brings to the Company over 27 yeas of experience as a New York political leader and advocate for New York related matters.

    “We welcome Senator Spano to our Advisory Board," said CEO of Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc., Randy M. Griffin. "With his strong background as a former New York State Senator and Assemblyman, he is a recognized authority in political issues. His support and guidance will be invaluable."

    "I look forward to providing Randy with support and strategic guidance as he commences drilling activities in western New York," said Nicholas A. Spano. "With the Marcellus Shale in our backyard, there are great opportunities for the State to benefit from the Company’s activities. The Company intends to develop and produce natural gas in western New York which can potentially provide the local region with new jobs, tax dollars and a supply of natural gas."

    As New York State Assemblyman (between 1979 and 1986), Mr. Spano served as chief executive of the Office of General Services (OGS), a large State agency that provides a broad range of support services that facilitate the operations of State government and that assist local governments, public authorities, public and private agencies. He ensured OGS provided government and nonprofit agencies with innovative solutions, integrated service, and best value, enabling the State of New York to function optimally.

    In 1986, Mr. Spano was elected to New York State Senate as Senior Assistant Majority Leader. He also held various positions including Chairman of the Senate’s powerful Committee on Investigations and Government Operations; and Chairman of the Committees on Labor, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Senator Spano represented District 35 in the New York State Senate until 2006.

    Since retiring from the New York State Senate in 2006, Senator Spano has maintained his vast network of relationships with New York political and business leaders. Today he serves as president of Empire Strategic Planning, an experienced lobbying and government relations firm specializing in state and local advocacy in New York. He is also an Executive Director of Rand Commercial Services, a full service real estate financial institution with expertise in commercial and investment real estate.

    Senator Spano is a member of the Richmond Children’s Center, Westchester Mental Health Association and Enrico Fermi Educational Foundation. He received a B.A. in Political Science at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York.

    Mesa Energy (Mar 26) – Mesa Energy Holdings, Inc. Names Nicholas A. Spano, Former New York Senator, to the Advisory Board

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    Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin Runs Wall-to-Wall Coverage of Marcellus Drilling Debate

    The Sunday, March 28 Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Broome County, NY) devoted a number of pages to the issue of drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The chief writer for the P&SB on these matters, Tom Wilbur, is anti-drilling, and it shows in his articles. As people on the anti-drilling side of the debate often do, they resort to unsubstantiated “facts” and vague nightmare scenarios. Today’s articles were no exception.

    On the front page we have the following articles:

    Marcellus Shale: Is it safe to drill?
    An abridged (and mostly one-sided) history of the shale gas drilling debate in the Southern Tier region of New York and Northeastern PA. Wilbur identifies some of the issues being debated, with the obligatory mention of Dimock, PA and the the isolated (only?) case of a driller who didn’t follow procedure and methane (not chemicals, but natural gas) migrated into drinking water supplies for 12 families. Dimock is the rallying cry for many who oppose drilling. He ends the article with the vague threat that anti-drillers will tie up the right to drill with legal harassment for as long as they possibly can. I believe him on that one.

    Landowners face fight over NYC watershed
    Politicians in New York City are making political hay out of the prospect of drilling with statements that drilling anywhere in the Catskill watershed area must be prevented at all costs because if the water supply for NYC is contaminated, they would have to install filters costing into the billions. The politicians from NYC want horizontal drilling banned in New York State as a preventative measure. And they’re threatening to tie up drilling with lawsuits. No one wants to pollute the City’s water supply! And no one will. What’s conveniently left out of the story by Wilbur is the fact that there is only one company, Chesapeake Energy, with any leases signed in the watershed, and that’s for 5,000 acres. Oh, and Chesapeake voluntarily said they would not drill in the watershed.

    Read More “Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin Runs Wall-to-Wall Coverage of Marcellus Drilling Debate”

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    EPA Director of Drinking Water Protection says States are “Doing a Good Job Already” Regulating Hydraulic Fracturing

    Brad Gill, executive director of the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York, recently responded to an article in The Buffalo News supporting regulation of hydraulic fracturing by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Marcellus Drilling News considers the EPA proposal way out of line and a federal power grab that is unwarranted and illegal. Seems that Mr. Gill thinks so too. From his letter to the editor:

    All processes related to natural gas exploration and extraction are regulated by the states which, because of their vast geological differences, can do a more thorough job. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency would never be able to regulate these processes efficiently or cost-effectively. In fact, Steve Heare, director of EPA’s drinking water protection office, recently said states are “doing a good job already” regulating hydraulic fracturing, adding that there is no evidence that suggests the process contaminates water.*

    Be sure to click through and read the rest of the letter. Great summary of why hydraulic fracturing is safe, and why drilling should move forward now.

    *The Buffalo News (Mar 22) – Brad Gill: Hydraulic fracturing issues are already answered

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    Drilling in the PA Marcellus Shale Sets Blistering Pace in 2010, On Course for $7 Billion Investment

    The Philadelphia Inquirer has an excellent roundup of drilling activity in the Marcellus Shale, with a listing of the top 20 active energy companies in the PA Marcellus Shale. Well worth reading and bookmarking!

    The article starts with this:

    So far in 2010, natural gas exploration companies have broken ground on three Marcellus Shale wells in Pennsylvania every day, triple the pace of a year ago.

    The Marcellus Shale Coalition, the industry trade group, estimates that up to 1,750 wells will be drilled this year, up from 763 last year.

    At $4 million a well, that’s a $7 billion investment – not counting land-acquisition costs or royalties on gas produced.*

    New York needs to wake up NOW. Marcellus Shale drilling is here to stay, especially in Pennsylvania. It’s having a huge impact on jobs, investments and taxes. New York could use an extra $7 billion in investment right about now!

    *Philadelphia Inquirer (Mar 14) – Gas Drilling Going Deep

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    4,300 Sign Petition to Encourage New York Leaders to Drill Here, Drill Now

    The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York today issued a press release encouraging landowners to sign their online petition to New York’s governmental leaders to encourage them to move forward—now—with allowing drilling in the Marcellus Shale in New York. Already, more than 4,300 have signed. Landowners who want to add their signatures to the petition can do so here: www.petitiononline.com/YESngNY/petition.html

    —–

    From the press release*:

    Proponents of natural gas exploration petitioned the governor, lawmakers and regulatory agencies and lawmakers to allow drilling to be expanded in New York’s Southern Tier and Western Catskills.

    More than 4,300 people have so far signed an online petition already, which reminds elected officials and regulators that harvesting clean-burning natural gas in New York will heat our homes, spur our economy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil for decades to come and bring thousands of job and billions of dollars to New York.

    The petition, sponsored by the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York, will remain open to those interested in urging decision-makers to form objective and scientific opinions on whether expanded natural gas exploration is right for New York. It is available at www.marcellusfacts.com.

    “We are very pleased that many so right-minded New Yorkers have spoken up.” said Brad Gill, IOGA of NY executive director. “New York’s leaders have to focus on this tremendous opportunity for our communities and our state, instead being distracted by bad science and misinformation being spread by obstructionists who don’t actually understand our work and history of environmental stewardship.”

    The petition follows a Jan. 25 outdoor rally in Albany, where 700 landowners and supporters raised their voices in support of natural gas extraction through a process known as hydraulic fracturing – or “fracking.” The delegation represented 23 landowner groups and 17,500 families.

    The fracking process will help release natural gas locked in the Marcellus Shale formation by injecting pressurized water, sand chemicals and other ingredients to shatter the rock. It occurs deep underground and far from groundwater and surface water, and it has been performed safely in New York and nationwide for decades.

    IOGA-NY was founded in 1980 to protect, foster and advance the common interests of oil and gas producers, as well as professionals and related industries in the State of New York.

    *readMedia (Mar 3) – More than 4,000 New Yorkers Petition the State to Allow Expanded Natural Gas Exploration

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    Two Bills in NY Legislature Will Kill Drilling in the Marcellus Shale

    New York State Senator Tom Duane (Democrat-Manhattan), and New York Assemblyman James Brennan (Democrat-Brooklyn) have introduced bills in the state legislature that would kill Marcellus Shale drilling in New York State.

    [The] two bills…would prohibit any permits for oil or gas drilling from being issued for two years, prohibit drilling within five miles of the New York City water supply and ban drilling anywhere within the Delaware River watershed.

    The bills introduced by Duane and Brennan have already attracted a number of Democratic co-sponsors in the Assembly from both upstate and downstate.*

    Sen. Duane says there is no such thing as safe hydrofacturing drilling. The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York State opposes the legislation, as does the Business Council of New York and many other organizations and individuals.

    MDN recommends landowners who support drilling should make their voices heard. Call Sen. Duane and Assemblyman Brennan to register your opposition. And check in with your local Senator and Assemblyperson while you’re at it.

    • Sen. Duane’s phone numbers
      District Office – (212) 633-8052; Albany Office – (518) 455-2451
    • Assemblyman Brennan’s phone numbers
      District Office – (718) 788-7221; Albany Office – (518) 455-5377

    *City Hall (Mar 1) – Legislators In Albany And New York Float Hydrofracking Bills

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    NY DEC Extends Comment Period on New Regulations by 30 Days

    Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin (Nov 4):
    Debate on drilling rules extended by DEC

    The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has caved to the anti-drillers who are screaming for more time to read the 800-page draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS)–the proposed new drilling regulations all drillers in New York would have to follow when drilling in the Marcellus Shale. So the DEC has added another 30 days to the “comment period” which is really nothing more than an extra 30 days for the anti-drillers to try and prevent drilling in New York. No worries, drilling is coming and they can’t stop it.

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    Millionaire Landowners – In New York State?!

    Crain’s New York Business (Nov 1):
    The new gold rush

    With heavy dollops of anti-drilling sentiment (so the reporter keeps his job), this article is worth a read because of the fountain of good information about economics for landowners in the Marcellus Shale. The theme that runs through it is the story of a truck driver with 120 acres outside of Binghamton, NY who stands to become a millionaire many times over if and when drilling starts to take place in New York. The truck driver, Jeff Decker, is not allowed to divulge the terms of his upcoming lease, but it’s thought to be in the neighborhood of $700,000–and that’s just the signing bonus for his 120 acres. If they drill on his property and he gets, oh say a 20% royalty, he’s easily into millions of dollars.

    This nugget of useful detail from the article:

    An 80-acre swath of the Marcellus can eventually produce $42 million worth of natural gas, says Dean Lowry, president of Fort Worth, Texas-based Llama Horizontal Drilling Technologies. With drilling leases now giving landowners 20% royalties on productive wells, Mr. Decker could become a millionaire several times over.

    Drillers, whose cost to develop an 80-acre parcel is about $4 million, would also prosper. “Fifty percent of the gas could be extracted in the first three or four years,” Mr. Lowry says. “You get your investment back in the first year to 18 months. Then you get seven to nine times your money over the next 20 to 25 years.”

    I would also caution about what’s coming in the way of taxes when drilling finally does start in New York. This rather sobering paragraph from the article:

    In New York the Paterson administration, heeding the cries of landowners and local officials in economically depressed upstate communities, has issued draft regulations to allow it here. Landowners are keen to lease their property. Cash-strapped municipalities are eager to tax the extracted gas. Business groups say drilling would bring jobs and jolt local economies. The state would collect more income tax and, if it imposes one, a tax on gas production.

    You can expect local municipalities to not be able to resist putting their hands into landowners’ pockets to relieve them of some of their new found money. And New York State will undoubtedly not be able to resist either. Politicians are like drug addicts who need an economic “fix”. Just a warning so you’re not surprised when it happens.

    We also have the obligatory couple of paragraphs on “don’t you dare drill in the Catskill watershed” for fears of contaminating New York City’s water supply. The stated reason is this:

    New York is one of five big cities not required by the federal government to filter its water, and revocation of that waiver would necessitate a filtration plant costing $10 billion to $20 billion.

    It seems Crain’s New York Business is a bit behind the eight ball. Chesapeake Energy, the only leaseholder with land in the Catskill watershed, has already said they won’t drill there. Makes no difference, this particular political issue is just too juicy to not use–even if it’s no longer an issue.

    We learn from this article that Hess is New York’s largest energy company, and that Chesapeake Energy and Fortuna Energy are the most active leasing companies (so far) in the Marcellus Shale in New York.

    Overall, some good info in this article, but as always with mainstream media, be sure to read between the lines.

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    First NY DEC Meeting on Proposed Drilling Regulations Held in Sullivan County

    Middletown Times Herald-Record (Oct 29):
    300 folks pack Sullivan fracking forum

    The first scheduled meeting for public comments on the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) held by the New York DEC happened yesterday in Sullivan County, NY. According to the Middletown Times Herald-Record:

    Most of the speakers in the standing-room-only, mostly anti-drilling crowd of more than 300 at Sullivan County Community College said the proposed Department of Environmental Conservation rules for drilling of the Marcellus shale fall short.

    The anti-drilling standard tactic is to delay drilling in hopes of building support to get it banned altogether. This was evidenced at the meeting. With regard to extending the DEC’s public comment period (which would further delay the start of drilling):

    Paul Rush, deputy commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, called for 45 extra days.

    Joe DiPane of Callicoon called for six months, since the shale “has been formed underground for eons,” he said.

    There are two more scheduled meetings, Nov. 10 in New York City and Nov. 12 in the Binghamton area. A third meeting is yet to be arranged in the Elmira area. (See Public Hearings on the New York Draft SGEIS for Marcellus Shale Drilling for details.) Landowners need to attend and make their voices heard!

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    Chesapeake Energy Decides to Not Drill in Catskill Region of New York

    Albany Times Union (Oct 29):
    Gas company backs off drilling

    There is an important lesson to be learned today: Anti-drilling groups will not be satisfied until there is zero drilling anywhere. This truth is now on full display for all to see. An article in today’s Albany Times Union trumpets the announcement that Chesapeake Energy, sole leaseholder of rights to drill in the Catskill Mountain region of upstate New York (with 5,000 acres), has decided not to drill in that area.

    The Catskill region feeds and contains water resevoirs for New York City. The City is dependent on the water from that region of upstate. This fact is being used as a weapon by anti-drillers to stoke fears that the water supply for nine million people would be poluted if there’s any drilling in or near that area. So Chesapeake decided to remove that objection from the table by announcing they would voluntarily commit to not drilling in the watershed area.

    So what do the anti-drillers do? Rejoice…dancing in the streets…express gratitude to Chesapeake? Not on your life. Here’s their response:

    “One company’s voluntary moratorium on drilling at this point is no substitute for a thorough analysis by the Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health to determine the catastrophic potential of drilling into the watershed and in adjacent communities,” said Michael Saucier, a spokesman for the city Department of Environmental Protection.

    And this:

    “We’re calling on Chesapeake Energy to back up this promise by transferring its leases to the city of New York for the price of $1. After the transfer, the state should ban drilling in the New York City watershed,” said Deborah Goldberg, a managing attorney with EarthJustice, an environmental lobbying group.

    And finally, this precious piece of logic:

    “When the gas drilling industry says it won’t drill within the source of drinking water for nine million people, it sends a strong message to state regulators that this activity is inappropriate,” said James L. Simpson, Staff Attorney with Riverkeeper.

    So, don’t do what the anti-drillers want and your Satan himself. Do what they want, and you’re still Satan himself. Let this be a lesson to all drilling companies and landowners: No compromise with the anti-drillers. Their objective is to shut you down permanently. Stick up for your rights. We still (for now) live in a free country with private property rights. Thank God for the Constitution! Exercise your rights before they’re gone.

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    Make Your Voice Heard on the Proposed NY Drilling Regulations

    In addition to attending the hearings previously mentioned (see Public Hearings on the New York Draft SGEIS for Marcellus Shale Drilling), if you’re a landowner in New York, you can also make your voice heard about the new regulations in the following ways:

    (1) Leave a comment on the specially created form on the DEC website: www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/SGEISComments/

    (2) Send an e-mail to: dmnsgeis@gw.dec.state.ny.us

    (3) Write a letter to:
    Attn: dSGEIS Comments
    Bureau of Oil & Gas Regulation
    NYSDEC Division of Mineral Resources
    625 Broadway, Third Floor
    Albany, NY 12233-6500

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    Public Hearings on the New York Draft SGEIS for Marcellus Shale Drilling

    New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (Oct 13):
    Press Release: DEC Schedules Public Hearings on Marcellus Shale Drilling Draft SGEIS

    Landowners will want to attend the public hearings being held by the New York DEC on the draft regulations for drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The regulations are called the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS). Why attend? To educate yourself on the regulations, and (if you’re so inclined), to offer your comments of support. You can be sure the anti-drillers will be out and vocal–so you need to be out and vocal too if you’re interested in ever seeing drilling commence in New York State. Here are the dates for hearings so far:

    • Wednesday, Oct. 28, Sullivan County Community College, E Building, Seelig Theater, 112 College Rd., Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759.
    • Tuesday, Nov. 10, Stuyvesant High School, High School Auditorium, 345 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10282.
    • Thursday, Nov. 12, Chenango Valley High School, High School Auditorium, 221 Chenango Bridge Rd., Chenango Bridge, NY 13901.
    • Elmira – Corning, TBD.

    The doors will open at 6 p.m. for individual questions and speaker sign up (first come, first called for commenting on the record). The public comment session will start at 7 p.m. Check the DEC web site for possible changes in time or location.

    From the press release:

    DEC staff will be available prior to the start of each session to answer individual questions about the format and contents of the draft SGEIS. The following procedures will guide the public hearings:

    • To accommodate as many people as possible, there will be a five-minute limit on oral presentations.
    • Speakers may supplement their oral presentations with written comments. Written and oral comments receive equal consideration.
    • Formal presentations (PowerPoint, etc.) cannot be accommodated.
    • Individuals intending to speak will be required to sign-in upon arrival and will be called in the order registered.

    To view (or download) the 809-page draft SGEIS, go to this page: www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58440.html