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2254 discussions

Re: [EC] Interim Committee meetings
by DSGJr＠aol.com 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

I always attend the Forest Management Review meeting -- it's Monday at 9 AM. The Water Resources Meeting at 11 AM Monday has been canceled and rolled into the Select Committee meetings. don In a message dated 7/9/2011 12:21:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jkotcon(a)wvu.edu writes: The Interim Committee schedule is out. Looks like some meetings start as early as 9 AM Monday. The Select Committee on Marcellus is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6 PM, and again Wednesday at noon. Others of interest include Monday 10 AM. Joint Commission on Economic Development. Update on Marcellus gas "cracker" plants. House Gov Org. Room 215 E 11 AM. Joint Commission on Water Resources. Senate Judiciary Room. 208 W. The agenda posted is from 2010, but I expect it may be worth covering. 2 PM. Finance Sub Committee B. Senate Finance room. Funding Issues Regarding Marcellus Shale. 3 PM. Judiciary Subcommittee C. Senate Judiciary Room Revision of rule-making procedures. Tuesday 6 PM. Select Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary Wednesday 10 AM Legislative Rule-Making Review. Senate Judiciary. No on-line agenda yet, the posted one is from January. 11 AM. Joint Judiciary Committee. House Chamber. Review of Supreme Court election finance decision. 12:00 Noon. elect Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary There may be other interesting things happening, but these ought to be a good start. JBK

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Fwd: The Pulse: Global warming worsens asthma and respiratory illnesses
by James Kotcon 08 Jul '11

08 Jul '11

Some fascinating tidbits from The Union of Concerned Scientists. I am especially intrigued by their approach to the questions of whether the floods, tornados and other severe storms are caused by Global Warming. While one can never ascribe single weather events, or even a single year of weather, to "climate" change, the models all predict, and the weather trends all show, that increasingly severe storms are coming. The powerful storms of 2011 are "the new normal", and it is going to keep getting worse. JBK >>> Union of Concerned Scientists <action(a)ucsusa.org> 7/7/2011 6:33 PM >>> ***************************** Union of Concerned Scientists The Pulse: Facts You Need from Experts You Trust http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=0GQWYnO4d3TK4Nu6BRZ0_g.. ***************************** Dear James, A new UCS report reveals that global warming threatens public health and increases health care costs by exacerbating ground-level ozone--the primary component of smog. "Climate Change and Your Health: Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution," explains how climate change-induced ozone increases are likely to result in millions of additional respiratory illnesses and thousands of more hospitalizations due to serious breathing problems in 2020. And what will all these health-related impacts cost? Approximately $5.4 billion. The good news is that both ozone pollution and climate change are fundamentally caused by the same activities--human beings burning fossil fuels--and we have ready-to-roll solutions for this problem. To check out our new report online, visit: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=jSKHvaaOe4IV5Z54-Ee3wA.. -Karla SCIENCE IN ACTION Tell Congress: Global warming could take our breath away. Unchecked global warming could lead to more serious respiratory illnesses like asthma and cost us billions in health costs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working right now to draft new regulations that would help protect us from the dangerous effects of global warming. Send a message to your members of Congress today urging them to let the EPA protect our health and save us money by reducing global warming emissions. Click Here to Take Action: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=GWvmnyyVs21uz9lafdi9GQ.. LINKS FOR YOU: :: UCS ticker shows the enormous amount of money the Clean Air Act has saved the country from 1970 through today. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=3ggdhWSDKi8tDUTDqYMz2w.. :: USA today: UCS warns climate change could increase breathing problems and health costs. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=sK-Pk6aQr8oVo3vOyzXWog.. :: New Climate Hot Map shows effects of global warming around the world. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=dNQ9d7U9xDDkCvSsq3lq-A.. :: Don't miss your chance to win a carbon-neutral trip for two to research climate change in Brazil! Embark on our Climate Hot Map Scavenger Hunt today. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=n-f4DpSedy8G8liT_eGo4A.. ASK THE SCIENTIST: How much ozone depletion has occurred over the past two decades, and to what degree are more harmful UV rays now reaching Earth? --K. Roumph, Fremont, NE. Answered by Peter Frumhoff, Ph.D., Director of Science & Policy Earth's ozone layer, high in the atmosphere, which had thinned significantly by the 1980s and early 1990s, has actually stabilized over the past two decades. Its recovery is uneven and complicated by global warming, but overall, a scientific and political success story averted a much more serious threat from ultraviolet radiation, or UV rays. When ozone is created near Earth's surface, however, it's called ground-level ozone and this type of ozone is a human health irritant and component of smog. Unfortunately, warmer temperatures increase ground-level ozone. Therefore, unlike its high-flying counterpart, ground-level ozone is cause for mounting concern. MORE: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=wCmsNt8XyW6Dki7E8ajnOg.. Do you have a question for UCS scientists? Submit your question today: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=-xTWrNlMu6qgDymCIV2qnA.. THIS JUST IN Reality in a warming world: Powerful storms become the new normal. This past spring, the United States experienced some of the worst extreme weather ever-and its effects were devastating for communities across the country: Massive flooding, monster wildfires, severe drought, and historic tornadoes. How much of this can be attributed to global warming? A lot of it, but not all of it, according to UCS climate scientists. MORE: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=WrZBoKj0oL66dMo_5mp2Xg.. GREENTIPS For many, reducing environmental harm is a guiding principle in life. But what about in death? Since green burial practices are not yet widespread, here are factors to consider when looking for a suitable final resting place. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=K4Psf6w9FYP1R1BuFO8XTQ.. FEED: THE FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT ELECTRONIC DIGEST :: UCS joins lawsuit against the FDA on antibiotics. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=BHQ5cyrbpJlHc5MuEysf6w.. :: New report says we waste one third of our food! http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=iCXYAxgIaChBhxNVgLaNWA.. :: Antibiotic-resistant superbug pops up in British milk. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=6R5B_3iVPRnX8HTIjtALaQ.. :: Farmers markets beat grocery stores on organic prices http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=-JtJJn8oFNkiUfK74TpG5Q.. MORE: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=_zUpfyv7fNKHbXy91vx5Ng.. DRIVING CHANGE NETWORK: :: 2011 UCS Hybrid Scorecard just released! http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=rMelBrAutX0o0rN5Bps7Ug.. :: Secretary of Transportation responds to UCS activists. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=kc7hpda9_TfuSmIsr5f_4Q.. :: Google estimates 90 percent of vehicles on the road by 2030 could be hybrids or EVs. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=EU0-M7wvg4cScsozhS5umQ.. MORE: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=KAFOaKWCaA92XNpVVcS4hQ.. THANK YOU Your commitment as a member of UCS ensures that scientific facts inform decisions that affect our environment, our health, and our security. Make a Donation: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=1yno6ScFwow655CLMmOPTw.. STAY CONNECTED TO UCS: You Tube: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=hU1G7UmDO-U1Yc99Frg2Ew.. RSS FEED: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=q7eEjwFG5RP1KuS7cnukNg.. Facebook: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=oJn3dRK5I7lG19JNvq1xTw.. Twitter: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=2YyhAQRZjSOpO64OrYjQLw.. MySpace: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=x5kzKbC8WDTdJlAKgz6eKA.. ****************************** The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS is a 501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible. You can be confident your donations to UCS are spent wisely. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=K4Zj08I9wL9gRy6AJht3kg.. Union of Concerned Scientists 2 Brattle Square Cambridge, MA 02138-3780 Phone: 800-666-8276 Fax: 617-864-9405 Email: ucsaction(a)ucsusa.org www.ucsusa.org Forward this email: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=aZTccRvyTyzYwxhlzYzkdw.. Sign up: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=z77y9Xea2VNEX6JMLvXrxQ.. About UCS: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=hvnBFX7ok3Z6jXAmgneJPA.. Privacy policy http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=2dzam12DKIuwmkt_9ouo0Q.. 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Fwd: Fracking fluids foul national forest
by Paul Wilson 07 Jul '11

07 Jul '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bruce Hamilton <Bruce.Hamilton(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 12:14 PM Subject: Fracking fluids foul national forest To: CONS-AWL-RESILIENT-HABITATS(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility News Release (** www.peer.org* <http://www.peer.org/>*)* For Immediate Release: July 6, 2011 Contact: Kirsten Stade (202) 265-7337 *FRACKING FLUIDS POISON A NATIONAL FOREST *— New Study Details Changes in Soil Chemistry and Devastation of Trees and Plants Washington, DC — A new study has found that wastewater from natural gas hydrofracturing in a West Virginia national forest quickly wiped out all ground plants, killed more than half of the trees and caused radical changes in soil chemistry. These results argue for much tighter control over disposal of these “fracking fluids,” contends Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The new study by Mary Beth Adams, a U.S. Forest Service researcher, appears in the July-August issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Quality. She looked at the effects of land application of fracking fluids on a quarter-acre section of the Fernow Experimental Forest within the Monongahela National Forest. More than 75,000 gallons of fracking fluids, which are injected deep underground to free shale gas and then return to the surface, were applied to the assigned plot over a two day period during June 2008. The following effects were reported in the study: - Within two days all ground plants were dead; - Within 10 days, leaves of trees began to turn brown. Within two years more than half of the approximately 150 trees were dead; and - “Surface soil concentrations of sodium and chloride increased 50-fold as a result of the land application of hydrofracturing fluids…” These elevated levels eventually declined as chemical leached off-site. The exact chemical composition of these fluids is not known because the chemical formula is classified as confidential proprietary information. “The explosion of shale gas drilling in the East has the potential to turn large stretches of public lands into lifeless moonscapes,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting that land disposal of fracking fluids is common and in the case of the Fernow was done pursuant to a state permit. “This study suggests that these fluids should be treated as toxic waste.” For the past twenty-five years, the Forest Service has not applied any environmental restrictions on private extraction efforts, even in wilderness areas. As a result, forests, like the Monongahela, which sits astride the huge Marcellus Shale gas formation, have struggled with many adverse impacts of widespread drilling. By contrast, the nearby George Washington National Forest (NF) has recently proposed to ban horizontal drilling, a practice associated with hydrofracking, due to concern about both the ecosystem damage and also the huge amount of water required for the fracking process. Two subcommittees of the House of Representatives will hold a joint hearing this Friday to examine the George Washington NF’s singular pro-conservation stance. “Unfortunately, the Forest Service has drilled its head deeply into the sand on oil and gas operations harming forest assets,” Ruch added, noting the National Wildlife Refuges also lack regulations to minimize drilling impacts. “The Forest Service needs to develop a broader approach than asking each forest supervisor to cast a lone profile in courage or cowardice.” -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Oil and Hydraulic Fracking
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 05 Jul '11

05 Jul '11

Argentina Hopes for a Big Payoff in Its Shale Oil Field Discovery By CLIFFORD KRAUSS<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/clifford_kraus…> Published: July 4, 2011 Just east of Argentina’s Andean foothills, an oil<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleu…>field called the Vaca Muerta — “dead cow” in English — has finally come to life. Michael Stravato for The New York Times Extracting oil from shale formations in South Texas. Enlarge This Image An oil field called Vaca Muerta came to life. In May, the Argentine oil company YPF announced that it had found 150 million barrels of oil in the Patagonian field, and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner rushed onto national television to praise the discovery as something that could give new impetus to the country’s long-stagnant economy. “The importance of this discovery goes well beyond the volume,” said Sebastián Eskenazi, YPF’s chief executive, as he announced the find. “The important thing is it is something new: new energy, a new future, new expectations.” Although there are significant hurdles, geologists say that the Vaca Muerta is a harbinger of a possible major expansion of global petroleum supplies over the next two decades as the industry uses advanced techniques to extract oil from shale and other tightly packed rocks. Exploration of similar shale fields has already begun in Australia, Canada, Poland and France. Indian and Chinese oil companies are investing in pilot projects that, if successful, could make their countries significant oil producers, possibly reshaping energy geopolitics and stemming future price rises. Ukraine and Russia are also thought to have sizable shale fields of oil and gas, as do many North African and Middle Eastern countries. “The potential is huge, on the order of hundreds of billions of barrels of recoverable reserves,” said Michael C. Lynch, president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research, a consulting firm, who is preparing a report on global shale oil. Similar fields in North Dakota and Texas are already beginning to gush oil. The techniques used to extract it include hydraulic fracturing, in which high-pressure fluids are used to break up shale rock to release the oil, and horizontal drilling, which allows drillers to tap thin layers of oil-filled shale that are sandwiched between layers of other rock. Oil experts caution that geologists have only just begun to study shale fields in much of the world, and thus can only guess at their potential. Little seismic work has been completed, and core samples need to be retrieved from thousands of feet below the surface to judge how much oil or gas can be retrieved. Skeptics also say that even if oil is found in many of these fields, some may not be recoverable using current technology. Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, has drawn significant opposition in the United States and France because of concerns that the fluids used can pollute groundwater. Also, the process requires vast amounts of water, a problem since many of the fields are in dry regions. Another barrier to widespread exploitation of oil shale is that few companies have the expertise and experience to do the work. Chinese and Indian oil companies are investing in joint shale ventures in the United States and other countries in part so they can learn the new exploration and drilling techniques. The search for oil in tight rocks began in the United States about three years ago, and the potential for oil has been found from Texas to Michigan, California to Ohio. Domestic oil production from shale has grown to more than half a million barrels a day since 2009 and could reach three million barrels a day by 2020. Oil companies are speculating that the early successes in the United States can be duplicated around the world. Exploration for gas from shale began a couple of years ago in China and around Europe, particularly Poland, and experts say some of those fields have oil potential as well. “It could potentially be a game changer,” said Fadel Gheit, a managing director and senior oil analyst at Oppenheimer & Company. “We are going to see much wider distribution of oil reserves, to the benefit of the whole world. It could rerank countries, in which the very needy might become self-sufficient. Countries like Canada and Australia could potentially become the new Saudi Arabia for energy.” Argentina certainly has high hopes for shale oil from the southern Patagonian province of Neuquén. The 150 million barrels of recoverable shale oil found in the Vaca Muerta represents an increase of 8 percent in Argentina’s reserves, and the find was the biggest discovery of oil in the country since the late 1980s. Oil experts say the Vaca Muerta is probably just a start for Argentina, long a middle-ranked oil producer. Mr. Lynch noted that YPF had explored only 100 square miles out of 5,000 square miles in the whole shale deposit, and other oil companies working in the area had not announced any discoveries yet. Argentina has long struggled to meet its own oil and gas needs, and energy price controls and other economic policies have dissuaded oil companies from making major investments there. That is now changing, with the French oil company Total and the American companies Apache, Exxon Mobil and EOG Resources making major investments in Argentine shale fields. “Argentina certainly has the chance of becoming a significant oil exporter,” said Mark G. Papa, chief executive of EOG, which pioneered oil shale drilling in the United States and recently acquired access to 100,000 acres of Argentine shale. So far, nearly all of the oil exploration in the shale fields in Argentina and elsewhere has been pursued with traditional vertical wells. Plans are just beginning for horizontal drilling. Some experts caution that the fast advance of oil production from shale in the United States is no guarantee of similar successes abroad, at least not in the near future. Aubrey K. McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, a major domestic shale oil and gas producer, said that production would be constrained by the small number of companies with shale expertise and limits on access imposed by some countries. “I am pretty confident that during the next 10 years the best oil volume growth story in the world will be the U.S.,” he said in an e-mail message. But he added, “I believe there’s shale oil and tight sand oil to be found all over the world.” One of the big potential winners is China, which has at least two shale pilot projects exploring for oil and gas. BP and Royal Dutch Shell are already working with the Chinese, and several other international companies are seeking shale opportunities in the country. The Chinese are working alone on some projects. “China will probably be able to grow fast because of the single ownership of the resources,” said Bob Fryklund, vice president for global exploration and production analysis at IHS Cera, an energy consultant firm. Mr. Fryklund said it was still early to know how big global oil production from shale would become. But he noted that oil companies had already taken the potential seriously enough to invest billions of dollars in initial exploration projects. “Tight oil is the new revolution in oil production, and it’s not just the U.S.,” Mr. Fryklund said. “It’s worldwide.” -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Is gas the new "Nuclear"?
by James Kotcon 05 Jul '11

05 Jul '11

>>> Betty Wiley <betty.w304(a)gmail.com> 6/25/2011 9:47 PM >>> Web pressure on gas By Mike Benard (guest columnist) Published: June 24, 2011 Mike Benard, founder of Spectra Energy Watch, is a former gas leaseholder in Bedford County. Technology and the Internet are doing to the energy industry what they did to the music and photo industries. They are collapsing the status quo and the industry is rattled by what it understands is a shift in power. At a natural gas industry symposium, GasMart 2011, worried voices were reported by an industry publication, NGI's Shale Daily. David Ciarlone of Alcoa said: "I clearly remember how a promising energy technology, the nuclear industry, lost the confidence of the public and billions of dollars that had been invested were abandoned. Without significant changes, shale gas, like nuclear power, could be more remembered for promises made than hopes realized." Three indicators characterize this shift: n Rise of public opinion via a global "neighborhood watch" - It isn't just the energy industry that is global. Property owners and citizens worldwide know about "gaz de schiste" in France and the National Assembly vote there to prohibit hydraulic fracturing. Australia's Frackman has his own Facebook page. n Rise of the transparent culture - It is increasingly damaging to corporate brands for gas/oil companies to pretend the industry's drilling, storage and pipeline practices have no adverse affects on health, environment and the communities in which they operate. n It's personal - Every student of social media knows that "authenticity" is the watchword. Today's global, wired challenge to the energy industry is motivated by personal testimony. The Times-Tribune account of Bradford County resident Crystal Stroud's compelling testimony about the adverse health effects of drilling is but the latest example. And such personal testimony is much more credible than slick TV ads sponsored by the industry. While the energy industry ramps up spending for more lobbying and legal firewalls, it struggles to understand why the status quo is collapsing. There are three reasons: n The energy industry speaks in absolutes that were not seriously challenged until recently. n The industry characterizes citizen opposition as left-wing environmental wackos and even extremists. It ignores its trampling on property rights, which offends conservatives. n The industry demonstrates it is not capable of living up to its own published principles such as environmental protection, accountability and transparency. (After seven months, the Marcellus Shale Coalition cannot explain what its second guiding principle means it will do at the well site.) Even Texas is no longer a sanctuary for the energy industry. The Dallas Morning News recently editorialized: "Local governments across North Texas are sounding alarms about the possibility of increased air pollution, groundwater contamination, noise and declining property values coinciding with drilling companies' push into urban areas. "These concerns are not overblown. ... But the industry's tendency has too often been to deny, deflect and use judicial bullying to get its way." To return to the comparison with the nuclear industry, the shale gas fracking industry is radioactive in terms of public trust. And it achieved this distinction the old fashioned way - it "earned" it. Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/editorials-columns/guest-columnists/web…

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Fwd: Republican Bill Maloney urges Marcellus shale regulations - Charleston Daily Mail
by James Kotcon 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

>>> Mark Blumenstein <markb(a)mountain.net> 7/4/2011 8:26 AM >>> July 4, 2011 8:23:53 AM EDT - Republican Bill Maloney urges Marcellus shale regulations by Ry Rivard Daily Mail Capitol Reporter CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Maloney said West Virginia's leaders need to pass new Marcellus shale regulations to protect communities, state roads and the environment and to give legal certainty to the industry. "We need to come up with the exact rules and do it because there's a lot of investment being held back right now," Maloney said in a Friday telephone interview. He provided his first extensive comments on one of the state's most pressing issues. Maloney said he supports raising permit fees for Marcellus well sites so the Department of Environmental Protection has enough money to hire the oil and gas inspectors it needs. He also said the state can do more to make sure communities near gas wells benefit from severance taxes, something he feels has not happened enough in the coalfields. State lawmakers have tried and failed to come up with regulations for what many expect will be a natural gas boom in West Virginia. Maloney wasn't too critical of the Legislature, although he said it might have lost an opportunity to pass regulations sooner because of "the inactivity of all parties involved." He said there was a lack of leadership by acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, the Democrat Maloney faces in the Oct. 4 general election. "I got to give Joe Manchin credit, at least he would lead on something like this," Maloney said. Tomblin began acting as governor by virtue of being president of the state Senate in mid-November, following former Gov. Manchin's departure for the U.S. Senate. Maloney said there's already a "great blueprint" for a new law in a recent deal that gas company Northeast Energy struck with the Morgantown Utility Board. City officials were concerned because Northeast's well is near a public water supply. To get gas from the Marcellus, companies use a water-intensive technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," to free gas from shale rocks. In a three-page memo to assuage the city's worries, Northeast promised to pressure-test wells to prevent blowouts and to take extra steps to prevent spills of frack water, which is laced with chemicals. The company also promised to detail how it disposed of the frack fluid that returns to the surface after it has been shot deep into the earth. But the City Council remained concerned and - mostly because officials in Charleston had repeatedly failed to act - voted last month to ban fracking in and around Morgantown. Maloney said the city's total ban was "driving him crazy." "People are afraid to work with anybody from Morgantown because of that deal," he said. Maloney earned his fortune in the coal mineshaft drilling business. He also has drilled water wells and invests in oil and gas interests. He said he is not invested in Marcellus shale wells. "We need to protect property owners, we need to protect residents, we need to protect health and safety, we need to protect communities - but you need to do it in a logical manner," Maloney said. He said there are valid concerns about dangers to the environment, but "if the well is constructed properly, there's never been a case of contamination." "The real environmental concern is when you pump in all this frack fluid and they then flow back like two-thirds of that, and when they're flowing back, you've just got to avoid spills and make sure it's contained," Maloney said. "You've got to have controls in place to make sure that water wasn't dumped in a creek or isn't being taken somewhere it's not supposed to be taken." He also said any rules should make sure gas rigs or trucks hauling water aren't allowed to tear up state roads without the state being reimbursed. He said there could be some limits on how loud operations can be within earshot of communities. "You don't want to see roads ruined by all the truck traffic, the dust, the noise," Maloney said. He said it's probably not wise to burden Marcellus shale regulations with anything about the controversial practice known as "forced pooling," which lets companies extract gas from beneath a large tract of land even if they can't agree to a lease with all of the mineral rights owners. Wrangling over a forced pooling provision stalled gas regulations earlier this year in the state House of Delegates. More Articles in State News 1 | 2 | Next Page »

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Fwd: NEWS ADVISORY: Milestone Passed - Renewable Energy Overtakes Nuclear Power
by James Kotcon 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

This is great news! JBK >>> Kenneth Bossong <sustainableenergy_news(a)yahoo.com> 7/3/2011 10:38 AM >>> SUN DAY CAMPAIGN 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite #340; Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-6477 x.11 sun-day-campaign(a)hotmail.com News Advisory RENEWABLE ENERGY REACHES MILESTONE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION SURPASSES NUCLEAR AND CLOSES IN ON OIL RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY EXPANDS BY 26% REACHES 13% OF NET U.S. ELECTRICAL GENERATION For Immediate Release: Tuesday - July 5, 2011 Contact: Ken Bossong, 301-270-6477 x.11 Washington DC – According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy has passed a milestone as domestic production is now greater than that of nuclear power and is closing in on oil. During the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy sources (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, water, wind) provided 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy or 11.73% of U.S. energy production. More significantly, energy production from renewable energy sources in 2011 was 5.65% more than that from nuclear power, which provided 2.125 quadrillion Btus and has remained largely unchanged in recent years. Energy from renewable sources is now 77.15% of that from domestic crude oil production, with the gap closing rapidly. Looking at all energy sectors (e.g., electricity, transportation, thermal), production of renewable energy, including hydropower, has increased by 15.07% compared to the first quarter of 2010, and by 25.07% when compared to the first quarter of 2009. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass/biofuels accounted for 48.06%, hydropower for 35.41%, wind for 12.87%, geothermal for 2.45%, and solar for 1.16%. Looking at just the electricity sector, according to the latest issue of EIA’s "Electric Power Monthly," for the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy sources (biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 12.94% of net U.S. electrical generation - up from 10.31% during the same period in 2010. Non-hydro renewables accounted for 4.74% of net U.S. electrical generation. In terms of actual production, renewable electrical output increased by 25.82% in the first three months of 2011 compared to the first quarter of 2010. Solar-generated electricity increased by 104.8%, wind-generated electricity rose by 40.3%, hydropower output expanded by 28.7%, and geothermal electrical generation rose by 5.8%. Only electricity from biomass sources dropped - by 4.8%. By comparison, natural gas electrical output rose by 1.8% and nuclear-generated electricity increased by only 0.4% while coal-generated electricity dropped by 5.7%. “Notwithstanding the recent nuclear accident in Japan, among many others, and the rapid growth in energy and electricity from renewable sources, congressional Republicans continue to press for more nuclear energy funding while seeking deep cuts in renewable energy investments,” said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “One has to wonder ‘what are these people thinking?’” # # # # # # # # The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its most recent "Monthly Energy Review" on June 28, 2011. It can be found at: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly. The relevant charts from which the data above are extrapolated are Tables 1.2 and 10.1. EIA released its most recent "Electric Power Monthly" on June 9, 2011; see: http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html. The relevant charts are Tables ES1.B, and 1.1.A. ======================= The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels.

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Natural gas prices set to jump with exports
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

Interesting article. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_741745.html

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Fwd: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 02 Jul '11

02 Jul '11

Everyone from around the state is invited to attend this event. Goal is 1000 people strong. Mt Party candidate Bob Baber will be attending. FB event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=250055288343466 -Jonathan -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 22:53:42 -0400 From: Nancy Ganz <suncrestna(a)gmail.com> To: nbandana(a)aol.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: *South Park Association of Neighbors MorgantownWV* <spanwv(a)yahoo.com <mailto:spanwv@yahoo.com>> Date: Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 4:29 PM Subject: Fw: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston To: spanwv(a)yahoo.com <mailto:spanwv@yahoo.com> FYI --- On *Wed, 6/29/11, Candace Jordan /<44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>>/* wrote: From: Candace Jordan <44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>> Subject: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston To: "Candace" <44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>> Cc: cashkathy(a)gmail.com <mailto:cashkathy@gmail.com> Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 7:46 PM Hello. I am writing on behalf of WV4MoM (West Virginia for a Moratorium on Marcellus). We are having a statewide rally in Charleston on July 11 around the topic of Marcellus Shale drilling and fracking in West Virginia. We hope that in addition to sending representatives to this very important demonstration, your organization will spread the word to your community members and encourage them to attend. We are at a crucial turning point in the battle against Marcellus, and your presence on July 11 is critical, as the interim legislature will meet that day. We need to send them a strong message that this a statewide concern. Please share the information below with all of your contacts and your social media pages. I have attached a Word document that can be printed and used as a flyer. We will be sending further information regarding speakers, agenda, and transportation over the next few days. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at frackinquestions(a)gmail.com <mailto:frackinquestions@gmail.com> We also have a Facebook group called Stop the Fracking in Morgantown Industrial Park. Please address questions about carpooling to wv4momcarpool(a)gmail.com <mailto:wv4momcarpool@gmail.com> Thank you in advance for your support, and we hope to see you at the Capitol! Best, Candace Jordan WV4MoM Morgantown IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER AND LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD! COME TO A STATEWIDE RALLY TO SUPPORT *MORATORIUM ON MARCELLUS (MOM)* Date: Monday, July 11, 2011 Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Where: Charleston, West Virginia, State Capitol Building Why: We are at a crucial turning point in the battle against Marcellus. Our presence on July 11 is critical, as the interim legislature will meet that day. If you can do only one thing to stop the Marcellus madness, show up at this rally. Contact your representatives and make appointments to see them that day, and make July 11 a day to lobby againstMarcellus. *EVERYONE IS WELCOME! HELP MOM!* We’ll have speakers, music, and a chance to meet others throughout West Virginia who want to stop Marcellus drilling and fracking. *SPEAK UP FOR MOM!* *This event is sponsored by WV4MOM (West Virginia for a Moratorium on Marcellus). *More messages about an agenda, speakers, transportation, and parking will follow this one. For more information contact frackinquestions(a)gmail.com <http://us.mc1616.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=frackinquestions@gmail.com>

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FW: [MarcellusGasInfo] NJ Assembly and Senate ban fracking
by Beth Little 30 Jun '11

30 Jun '11

Easy for them to do - they don't have any Marcellus shale. From: marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com [mailto:marcellusgasinfo@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kim Knight Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 10:45 PM To: ShaleShock; shaleshockcny CNY; marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com Subject: [MarcellusGasInfo] NJ Assembly and Senate ban fracking The NJ Senate banned fracking with a vote of 33-1 and the NJ Assembly banned it with a vote of 58-11. It is now down to whether the governor, Chris Christie, will sign it. Article: http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/nj-lawmakers-pass-ban-on-gas-drilli ng-technique-1.2994891 Kim -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MarcellusGasInfo" group. To post to this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo?hl=en This listserv is managed and owned by the Binghamton Regional Sustainabiliy Coalition (BRSC) For our email list policy, visit For BRSC email list policy, visit http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo/files _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3735 - Release Date: 06/30/11

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