EPA to throw cold water on natural-gas industry pollution

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EPA To Throw Cold Water on Natural Gas Industry

by Christopher MimsMarch 23, 2010 07:10 AM (PT)Topics: Climate Change, Oil and Gas, Water

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Ever since a documentary filmmaker's drinking watercaught fire as a result of contamination from a nearby natural gas extraction operation — in which millions of gallons of water, sand and top-secret chemicals are injected deep into deposits of shale to free the natural gas trapped within — the industry behind this innovation has had a PR problem.

And well it should: While the industry loves to cite a 2004 study conducted by the EPA that declared hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" for short, safe for drinking water supplies, the EPA now says that study was wholly inadequate to address the orgy of fracking now occurring in the United States. Fracking involves pumping water and chemicals deep into the earth — and potentially into watersheds — to force natural gas to flow into shafts to be excavated. The EPA has announced that it will conduct a new study to re-evaluate the safety of the practice. But you can imagine how that's going over in an industry that has literally exploded in the past ten years, spewing so much natural gas into U.S. supplies that it has, all by itself, chopped the price of natural gas in half.

But if you thought the debate over the health care bill was dirty, you haven't begun to conceive of the fights between water, energy and the environment that will play out in the 21st century, as supplies of conventional oil dwindle and reserves of conventional natural gas (Canada is currently our largest supplier) continue to shrink. Fracking has the potential to become the U.S.'s tar sands.

Aside from the fact that exploiting remote stores of natural gas means a whole new reserve of carbon for us to send into the atmosphere, there are other parallels with the climate policy debate: Waxman and Markey are involved, and fracking has friends on the Hill, just like countless other carbon-intensive, fossil fuel-centric industries.

The bottom line is that as oil becomes scarce, and funding for our domestic renewable energy industry continues to languish for lack of a strong and consistent signal from Washington, the U.S. is left with a lousy choice: burn more coal or burn more natural gas. Fracking gets us more of the latter, which is easier on the climate, BTU for BTU, but could destroy our dwindling supplies of fresh water in the process. The debate is already getting personal for citizens of America's most populous city: New York's water comes from natural reservoirs within protected watersheds, upstate, which is precisely where oil and gas companies propose to launch yet another bacchanal of fracking.

The gas isn't going away, and neither is our need for cheap energy. Whether that will beat out our desire to have uncontaminated wells is precisely what the upcoming EPA study is designed to address. Yet, if things play out as they have in the climate arena, the science will matter only to the defenders of the environment, while industry and its cronies act to preserve their own short-term interests.

Photo credit: Todbaker

Christopher Mims is a Florida-based journalist whose work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired, Popular Science, Technology Review, Discover magazine and others.

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Ask Congress to restore Clean Water Act now

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March 22, 2010  View as Webpage | Forward | Subscribe   Dear Aubrey, If you think the Clean Water Act protects your drinking water from pollution, think again. Please take action today to ensure fundamental safeguards for clean water in our streams, rivers, and lakes. A confusing 2006 Supreme Court decision on the Clean Water Act has left the fate of 60 percent of the nation’s stream miles -– that provide drinking water for 117 million Americans –- in legal limbo. As a result, as reported in The New York Times, polluters are now claiming complete exemptions from reporting what they dump into local streams. Congress can resolve this problem by passing legislation to restore full federal protection for all our waters. Help us ensure that all of our nation’s waters are protected under the Clean Water Act. Urge your representative to support introducing and passing the Clean Water Restoration Act today. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Katherine Baer Senior Director, Clean Water Program

To contact American Rivers, email us at outreach@AmericanRivers.org. To update your profile or change your preferences click here. To unsubscribe click here.  American Rivers ©2010

I would like to express grave concern over the loss of protection for many of our small streams that provide clean drinking water for 117 million Americans in communities across the country. Supreme Court decisions in the Rapanos and Carabell cases have made it confusing and burdensome for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect small streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

As a result, enforcement actions against polluters have declined sharply the EPA estimates that over 1,000 cases have been shelved or dropped altogether. More recently it has become clear that some polluters are using the decisions as a justification to avoid any permitting and reporting requirements for discharging pollutants into our waters.

For the Clean Water Act to fulfill its goal of restoring the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters, all waters must receive protection corresponding with Congress' original intent when passing this landmark law. Upstream waters must be protected from pollution and destruction if we expect downstream waters to be fit for swimming, drinking, and fish and wildlife, and downstream communities to be safe from flooding.

I urge you to act in the interest of preserving clean water for healthy communities and wildlife. Please support introduction and passage of the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would clarify the definition of waters to eliminate uncertainty and ensure clean water in accordance with the goals of the Clean Water Act.

Thank you for your consideration.

Gas-well waste problem in Texas. See Pandora's Wells in Fort Worth Weekly at link below

Pandora's Wells | Fort Worth Weekly - News, Entertainment, Restaurants, Music

Democracy Now video below shows hidden cost of hydraulic fracturing in search for fossil fuel

The morning of February 23, 2010, on Democracy Now (every weekday morning 7am CAT Ch. 18) Amy interviewed Josh Fox, the director of the new film, "Gasland."
He traveled about 10 states and discovered widespread pollution of groundwater by hydraulic fracturing. The or a connection to CCTF is the harm caused by the reckless search for additional fossil fuels. There are hidden costs in fracturing; the public needs to know the true costs in this and all energy sources. Also the corruption involved (another cost):

The 2005 Energy Bill exempted the natural-gas industry from the Safe Drinking Water Act especially to give free rein to fracking. Imagine the amount of money spent on campaign contributions and lobbying to produce that special corporate-interest legislature.

--
Dick Bennett
jbennet@uark.edu

Arkansas Supreme Court to hear major environmental case the week before Earth Day: Will the court do the right thing?

State Supreme Court Sets Hearing on Swepco Power Plant
By The Associated Press - 2/9/2010 12:03:25 PM

LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Supreme Court is to hear oral arguments on April 15 in a utility's appeal of a ruling that voided its permit to operate a $1.6 billion coal-fired electric generation plant in southwest Arkansas.
(Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast published, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Copyright © 2010, Arkansas Business Limited Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

Photo montage of World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on image to ENLARGE and navigate up and down, right and left, to see whole montage.

Montage by Lauren D. Hawkins with photos by Aubrey James Shepherd

OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology invites all to open house from 3 to 6 p.m. today

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OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology opens new house to all TODAY!
Office Phone: (479)935-4422
omni.center.for.pje@gmail.com
“OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology
educates and empowers people to actively
build a non-violent, sustainable and just world.”
Saturday,
February 2010
3:00—6:00 PM
3274 N. Lee Ave
OMNI CENTER for PEACE, JUSTICE & ECOLOGY
You are invited to celebrate the dedication of
OMNI Center’s new building! Enjoy music, re-
freshments, good fellowship, speakers, and
tours! Learn more than 35 ways to be involved
in OMNI. Help build a culture of peace in an
earth restored, that includes everyone.
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Arkansas Natural Heritage leases mineral rights

NWAOnline.com

Natural areas’ mineral rights leased

By ALISON SIDER

Saturday, January 16, 2010

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission leased its mineral rights in two designated natural areas in the Fayetteville Shale formation to XTO Energy on Friday, for a bonus payment of more than $1.4 million in addition to any royalties from gas produced from the land.

XTO paid more than $3,000 an acre for both areas, with a 25 percent royalty payment, well above the minimum bid of $950 an acre set by the Natural Resources Committee.

The commission was approached in October by gas companies about leasing their mineral rights on 197.5 acres of the Big Creek Natural Area in Cleburne County, and 228 acres of Cove Creek Natural Area in Faulkner County, Deputy Director Chris Colclasure said.

“We’re the lessors of last resort; we’re not in the business to make money from gas leases for the Natural Heritage Commission. But we need to be good neighbors,” said Karen Smith, the commission’s director.

Large portions of the natural areas are in 640-acre sections shared with other landowners, most of whom had already leased their mineral rights to gas companies. Drilling and exploration activity could not begin in these areas unless the commission signed on as well.

“They were basically just waiting on us,” Colclasure said. The commission has not leased the mineral rights on a 640-acre section within Big Creek Natural Area that it does not share with any other landowners, Colclasure said.

The state purchased the natural areas to preserve habitats for plant and animal species and for public enjoyment. To help maintain their integrity, several restrictions were built into the leases. The commission stipulated that no gas wells or other surface disruptions can take place on the public lands, and no gas wells can be drilled within a 200-foot “buffer” zone. Colclasure said the commission also asked the private landowners who own portions of the mineral rights in Big Creek natural area to include similar provisions in their lease contracts.

This is the commission’s third and largest mineral rights lease. It leased 40 acres in the Big Creek natural area in 2007 for a $20,000 bonus and another 40 acres last summer for a $120,000 bonus. The commission also has received royalties from drilling that began in one of these areas over the summer.

The revenue from these transactions goes to the commission as stipulated by a state statute, Smith said. It intends to use the money for special projects such as land acquisitions, Smith said.

Smith said they have seen nothing negative from allowing drilling activity under their lands.

“We have stewardship staff that go to these natural areas and monitor periodically, and we have not witnessed any environmental impact to our land ownings,” she said.

Since drilling began in the Fayetteville Shale five years ago, several state agencies have found themselves with land holdings that sit on top of the valuable resource. The horizontal drilling practices employed in the Fayetteville Shale have allowed gas companies to drill laterals thousands of feet long and deep beneath the earth’s surface, so gas can be extracted with minimal disruption above.

State agencies, excluding universities, recorded $39,256,000 in accounts described as “mineral leases, mineral leases and royalties, and mineral oil and gas leases,” in the 2009 fiscal year, said Paul Lothian, the head of the Department of Finance and Administration’s accounting department. In addition, the state has received about $750,000 from mineral rights on federal land within the state that has been leased.

The Game and Fish Commission is the most active agency in the market for mineral rights. It has leased more than 11,000 acres and received bonus payments in the neighborhood of $34 million since it started leasing its mineral rights in wildlife management areas, said Deputy Director Loren Hitchcock.

Hitchcock said the commission stipulated that drilling activity can only occur during certain parts of the year and not during hunting season, leaving about a four month window. “I think we have enough safeguards in place to deal with their operations,” he said.

The commission is being sued by James Dockery, a Little Rock man who claims that the money from natural gas leases held by the agency should go to the state’s general fund and not to the agency itself.

The Arkansas State Parks Department leased its mineral rights in Woolly Hollow State Park in Greenbrier to Chesapeake Energy in May 2009 but will not allow drilling on the surface. The department received nearly $197,000 for the rights to drill under the 432-acre park.

Other state agencies that have leased mineral rights for gas exploration include the Highway and Transportation Department, the Department of Human Services, the University of Arkansas, University of Southern Arkansas and Arkansas State University at Searcy and Beebe, said Jerry Bradshaw, mineral leasing officer in the Real Estate Division of the state land commissioner’s office.

Most of these have no drilling clauses included in their lease agreements, he said.

“Everybody’s a pretty good steward of the land,” Bradshaw said.

Business, Pages 31 on 01/16/2010

Fasting activists inspiring others in Copenhagen to hang tough and demand Climate Justice NOW!

"I support Climate Justice Fast!" sent you a message on Facebook...‏
From: Facebook (notification+pu1pu1md@facebookmail.com)
Sent: Sun 12/13/09 4:23 PM
To: Aubrey James Shepherd (aubreyshepherd@hotmail.com)
Anna C Keenan sent a message to the members of I support Climate Justice Fast!

--------------------
Subject: Hunger for Survival - Thursday 17 December 2009

Hello, Climate Justice Fast supporters,

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

During the COP15 conference, the Climate Justice Fast here in Copenhagen has inspired people around the world to higher levels of activism, and has generated a huge number of media hits from Turkey to Japan to Greece to Korea and all around the world!

Due to the inspiration that the fasters have provided to - in particular - the 1000-strong youth activist contingent at the conference, the youth groups and a number of large environmental organisations have decided that they would like to invite their members to fast for one day - THIS THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER - in support of the CJF, and solidarity with the millions who have and will lose their lives due to the preventable and involuntary hunger, disease and conflict resulting from climate change.

We have created a facebook event here - sign up if you are willing to join the day of fasting and reflection: http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

Many notable climate and sustainability leaders, including Vandana Shiva, will also be joining in this fast and moral call.

“If not us then who, and if not now then when?”

One day before the Heads of State arrive to finalise the deal in Copenhagen, we are calling for all people, everywhere across the world, to join a single global day of fasting – voluntarily going without food – and personal reflection on the climate crisis, and what we as humanity need to do to solve it.

Commit to join the day of fasting by joining this facebook event - and inviting all of your friends!

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf

Now, we must be done with trying to persuade politicians with debates and intellectual argument. They have heard it all already. Now they face a decision about what is simply morally right.

On Thursday 17th December, we will therefore not yell, but instead quiet our voices and raise up our hearts in silence, not telling our leaders what they should do, but instead use the historically symbolic and powerful act of the fast to ask our leaders to reflect on the gravity of the choices they are about to make.

http://www.facebook.com/anna.c.keenan?ref=profile#/event.php?eid=227106867068&ref=mf




*** UPDATE on the fasters ***

Sara Svensson, Anna Keenan and Paul Connor are all now on the 39th day of their fast, having started on the 6th of November. Matthieu Balle, a solar panel installer from Paris who joined us immediately after hearing about us on French radio, is now reaching his 22nd day. Daniel Lau and Michael Morphett have both bravely decided to end their fasts, following medical advice, after both passing 30 days without food - a heroic feat.

The fasters are all in high spirits and good health, and are under appropriate medical supervision.

****

SWEPCO raises rate but gets only half what it requested from the PSC

Swepco Raises Rates for Arkansas Customers
By The Associated Press - 11/25/2009 12:24:00 PM


LITTLE ROCK - Southwestern Electric Power Co. has won regulatory approval for two rate hikes for its Arkansas customers.

Swepco said Wednesday that a base rate increase in December will raise residential bills by 5 percent, or $3.84 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month. A second increase will go into effect upon completion next summer of a 508-megawatt, natural gas-fueled power plant in Shreveport, La. To help pay for the $386 million plant, Arkansas customers will see an increase of 4¼ percent, or $3.17 a month for 1,000 kilowatt users.

Combined, Swepco customers will pay 9.41 percent more for electricity, or $7.01 per month for 1,000 kilowatt users. That comes to $84 per year. The total is less than half that SWEPCO originally sought.

Swepco withdrew an increase it requested to pay for the $1.6 billion coal-fired electric generation plant it is building in southwest Arkansas. The Arkansas Court of Appeals in June rejected the permit the PSC granted for the John W. Turk plant in Fulton County.

"If the certificate for the Turk Plant is confirmed by the Arkansas Supreme Court, Swepco will return to the APSC with a request for recovery of financing costs during construction of the plant," the company said in a news release.

The PSC approved a settlement agreement that provided lower rate hikes than Swepco had sought. Swepco originally wanted $53.9 million, including $25.3 million for cost-of-service and $28.6 million for recovery of financing costs for building the Stall Unit in Shreveport and the 600-megawatt Turk Plant. Customers would have paid 17.7 percent more - $15.43 per month or $185 per year - under the original request.

Swepco has 113,500 Arkansas customers.

The 5 percent increase is for the utility's base rate, which covers costs of building, maintaining and operating the company's electric system. Fuel cost isn't included in that rate, which is the sou rce of most rate hikes.

Swepco says the base rate increase is its first since 1985.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast published, rewritten, or redistributed.)