Joomla! site syndication http://www.greencityjournal.com 2010-03-11T13:11:54+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png text/html 2009-12-31T15:16:41+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/content/view/67006/35/ originally published at ProPublica.com 12-31-09 (http://www.propublica.org/feature/natural-gas-drilling-what-we-dont-know-1231)It takes brute force to wrest natural gas from the earth. Millions of gallons of chemical-laden water mixed with sand -- under enough pressure to peel paint from a car -- are pumped into the ground, pulverizing a layer of rock that holds billions of small bubbles of gas. The chemicals transform the fluid into a frictionless mass that works its way deep into the earth, prying open tiny cracks that can extend thousands of feet. The particles of sand or silicon wedge inside those cracks, holding the earth open just enough to allow the gas to slip by. Gas drilling is often portrayed as the ultimate win-win in an era of hard choices: a new, 100-year supply of cleaner-burning fuel, a risk-free solution to the nation’s dependence on foreign energy. In the next 10 years, the United States will use the fracturing technology to drill hundreds of thousands of new wells astride cities, rivers and watersheds. Cash-strapped state governments are pining for the revenue and the much-needed jobs that drilling is expected to bring to poor, rural areas. Drilling companies assert that the destructive forces unleashed by the fracturing process, including the sometimes toxic chemicals that keep the liquid flowing, remain safely sealed as much as a mile or more beneath the earth, far below drinking water sources and the rest of the natural environment. More than a year of investigation by ProPublica (http://www.propublica.org/series/buried-secrets-gas-drillings-environmental-threat) [1], however, shows that the issues are far less settled than the industry contends, and that hidden environmental costs could cut deeply into the anticipated benefits. text/html 2009-10-14T05:32:27+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/content/view/65868/35/ propublica.org on 10-7-09 (http://www.propublica.org/feature/gas-drilling-vs-drinking-water-new-york-city-fight-with-albany)A preliminary report (http://s3.amazonaws.com/propublica/assets/docs/rapid_impact_assessment_091609.pdf) [2] from a consultant hired by New York City warns that nearly every activity associated with natural gas drilling could potentially harm the city’s drinking water supply and that while the risk can be reduced with strict regulations, the likelihood of water quality impairment … cannot be eliminated (http://s3.amazonaws.com/propublica/assets/docs/rapid_impact_assessment_091609.pdf) [2]. That assessment contrasts sharply with the picture presented by an environmental review released by state officials last week (http://www.propublica.org/feature/new-york-state-paves-way-for-gas-drilling-with-release-of-review-930/) [3]. Aside from clauses that ban some waste pits and promise additional consideration for drilling within 1,000 feet of the city’s reservoirs and water infrastructure in upstate New York, the environmental review does little to respond to New York City’s long-standing concerns (http://s3.amazonaws.com/propublica/assets/docs/dep_natural_gas_commissioner_grannis_letter_092509.pdf) [4] that the watershed deserves special environmental consideration and instead paves the way for drilling to proceed throughout the watershed. The issue appears to be emerging as a point of controversy in New York City’s mayoral election. City comptroller and mayoral candidate William Thompson criticized the state’s environmental review in a news release and said Mayor Michael Bloomberg should be more outspoken. I am also concerned that the City and the Water Board have been extremely lax in responding to this threat, he said. Marc LaVorgna, a spokesman for Bloomberg’s office, said the mayor will withhold judgment until he sees the final version of the report the city commissioned from Hazen and Sawyer, a New York City-based environmental engineering firm. The full report isn’t expected to be delivered until December, after the public comment period for the state environmental review has ended. LaVorgna emphasized that the Bloomberg administration has invested heavily in the city’s water system and would not rule out a protracted fight to protect it. This is not a fringe issue for this administration, LaVorgna said. This is a mayor that adamantly orders tap water every night he dines out. In one of his few statements on the subject, Bloomberg, who has generally supported the idea of energy development, told WNYC radio Thursday (http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/141921) [5] that if this has the danger of polluting, we will fight it. text/html 2009-09-25T12:03:11+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/content/view/65174/35/ DEP Press Release 9-25-09 (http://www.ahs2.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=5678) WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation to cease all natural gas well hydro fracking operations in Susquehanna County until the company completes a number of important engineering and safety tasks. “The department took this action because of our concern about Cabot’s current fracking process and to ensure that the environment in Susquehanna County is properly protected,” DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell said. Cabot voluntarily shut down fracking operations at the Heitsman well in Dimock Township on Tuesday afternoon following three separate spills there in less than one week. The company is currently drilling seven new wells in the county that will require fracking. The order requires Cabot to develop within 14 days an updated and accurate Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan and Control and Disposal Plan for all permitted well pad sites in Susquehanna County. The company must conduct an engineering study of all equipment and work practices associated with hydraulic fracturing at all well sites in the county within 21 days. The engineering study must include a detailed evaluation and explanation of the causes of the three spills that occurred in the past week and establish corrective measures Cabot will use to prevent similar releases. Within 21 days of DEP’s approval of the Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan, the Control and Disposal Plan, and the engineering study, Cabot must fully implement all of the recommendations and requirements in those documents. The company also must place the approved Pollution Prevention and Contingency Plan and Control and Disposal Plan in a conspicuous location at each permitted well site and provide a copy to each contractor and subcontractor working at any well site. Contractors and subcontractors cannot begin work at any well site until they receive the two plans. In a separate enforcement action, DEP issued a notice of violation to Cabot for the third spill at the Heitsman well that occurred Tuesday morning. The violations noted are nearly the same as in DEP’s Sept. 22 notice of violation issued to Cabot for the two spills last week. text/html 2009-09-22T11:16:39+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/content/view/64644/35/ Broadband Policy Panel September 22ndJoin a discussion about local and national Internet policy on OneWebDay. Philadelphia residents will have an opportunity to participate in a discussion about the future of local broadband access during a September 22nd policy panel. The event is being held at the University of the Arts as part of Philadelphia's inaugural OneWebDay celebration. The panel is the latest in a series of public events meant to encourage dialogue about the Nutter administration's promise to expand affordable and reliable Internet access to all Philadelphians. The event will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 320 South Broad Street in the Connelly Auditorium at 7PM.Confirmed panelists include:Allen Frank, chief information officer for the city of PhiladelphiaCity Councilmember Bill Green, vice chair of the Technology CommitteeTodd Wolfson, co-founder of the Media Mobilizing ProjectDerek Pew, chair of Boathouse Communication Partnersa representative from Clearwire has also been invitedPanelists will explore the question: Philadelphia's broadband stimulus grant application is in to the Feds, so what now? A citywide fiber infrastructure and expanded internet adoption programs could become reality. Conversely, if the Obama administration rejects Philadelphia's request for money, how can the Digital Philadelphia vision still be realized?Founded in 2006 by Susan Crawford- who now advises President Obama on science, technology, and innovation policy- OneWebDay is an annual, global event celebrated every September 22. Much like Earth Day, which inspired it, OneWebDay provides an opportunity for communities to celebrate the power of Web for positive change, and to educate the public and policy-makers on key social, economic, and political issues related to broadband access. This year's them- One Web For All - is all about digital inclusion and digital literacy. OneWebDay is meant to draw attention to efforts that work to ensure anyone who wants access to the Internet has it, as well as the skills to take advantage of information technology. The fight for digital inclusion is now on the cutting edge in the long struggle for social and economic justice. In addition to the broadband policy panel, local OneWebDay activities will include a week of volunteer technology service in Philadelphia Housing Authority developments. The initiative is intended to encourage long-term volunteerism by technologists. Check out the OWD Philadelphia website for more info: http://onewebdayphilly.wordpress.com/ (http://onewebdayphilly.wordpress.com/) text/html 2009-09-22T05:11:28+01:00 http://www.greencityjournal.com http://www.greencityjournal.com/content/view/63915/35/ originally published at ProPublica on 9/21/09 (http://www.propublica.org/feature/frack-fluid-spill-in-dimock-contaminates-stream-killing-fish-921)Pennsylvania environment officials are racing to clean up as much as 8,000 gallons of dangerous drilling fluids after a series of spills at a natural gas production site near the town of Dimock late last week. The spills, which occurred at a well site run by Cabot Oil and Gas, involve a compound manufactured by Halliburton that is described as a potential carcinogen and is used in the drilling process of hydraulic fracturing, according to state officials. The contaminants have seeped into a nearby creek, where a fish kill was reported by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP also reported fish swimming erratically . The incident is the latest in a series of environmental problems (http://www.propublica.org/feature/water-problems-from-drilling-are-more-frequent-than-officials-said-731) [1] connected to Cabot’s drilling in the Dimock area. Last winter drinking water in several area homes (http://www.propublica.org/feature/officials-in-three-states-pin-water-woes-on-gas-drilling-426) [2] was found to contain metals and methane gas that state officials determined leaked underground from Cabot wells. And in the spring the company was fined for several other spills, including an 800 gallon diesel spill from a truck that overturned. Neither Cabot Oil and Gas nor Halliburton immediately returned calls for comment on Monday. A Halliburton spokesperson sent an email referring any questions to information on the company’s website.