DEC to update Southern Tier flood maps | Star-Gazette | stargazette.com
October 11, 2011
DEC to update Southern Tier flood maps | Star-Gazette | stargazette.com.
Hydraulic Fracturing Position Statement
October 10, 2011
Hydraulic Fracturing Position Statement.
Statement: New York Interfaith Power and Light (NYIPL) urges the EPA to use the Precautionary
Principle in a scientifically sound comprehensive study of the process and impacts
of hydrofracking.
NYIPL has serious concerns about the safety of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”). Each drill
injects 50,000 to eight million gallons of water mixed with sand and chemical additives into a
geologic formation below the surface of the earth. The drilling industry has resisted revealing
exactly what chemicals are used in the fluid. The high pressure creates fracturing in the rock
which then releases the natural gas into the well. According to Environmental Advocates of New
York (eany.org), more than 1,400 cases of water contamination related to drilling have occurred
across the country. Recently the University of Buffalo has discovered that the process may cause
uranium that is naturally trapped within Marcellus shale to be released.
NYIPL questions the use of precious resources to mine yet another fossil fuel, especially one
with such potential dangers, and urges that no expansion of this practice should occur until such
concerns are resolved.
NYIPL: New York Interfaith Power & Light is a faith-based non-profit organization that serves
the state of New York. Our mission is to support congregations of all faiths in their actions to
curb global warming and protect the sacredness of the earth. We currently have 79 member
congregations, and regularly communicate with 900 people via our email list.
We are part of a national network of congregations of all faiths concerned about the effects of
global warming and power plant pollution.
Summary: The precautionary principle states that if a practice, such as hydraulic fracturing, has
a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, that the burden of proof that
it is not harmful falls on those promoting the practice. In this case that would be those entities
promoting hydraulic fracturing.
There are substantial potential risks to hydraulic fracturing. The concerns about possible water
and air pollution caused by hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale layer are well-documented.
Because the process was given an exemption from U.S. federal air and clean water regulations in
2005, we as a country have not done enough to formally assess the potential risks of
hydrofracking.
We should not go forward with this process operating out of ignorance. There are so many
people who would be affected if drinking water were contaminated that it would be negligent to
fail to study potential risks thoroughly. Furthermore, little is known about the effects of this
process on health of people near drilling sites, or on the local biota–including the eventual
disposal of the waste water that returns to the surface.
Our earth is sacred, and all that live in it. NYIPL calls on the EPA, along with our whole
community, to care for God’s creation by exercising the precautionary principle in relation to
hydraulic fracturing.
Contact: Janna Stieg Watkins, NYIPL Executive Director (315) 256-0078
Environmental Accounting for Pollution in the United States Economy Nicholas Z. Muller, Robert Mendelsohn and William Nordhaus
October 10, 2011
AEAweb Journal Articles Display.
Environmental Accounting for Pollution in the United States Economy
Nicholas Z. Muller, Robert Mendelsohn and William Nordhaus
| American Economic Review, 101(5): 1649–75. |
|
| DOI:10.1257/aer.101.5.1649 | |
| Abstract | |
| This study presents a framework to include environmental externalities into a system of national accounts. The paper estimates the air pollution damages for each industry in the United States. An integrated-assessment model quantifies the marginal damages of air pollution emissions for the US which are multiplied times the quantity of emissions by industry to compute gross damages. Solid waste combustion, sewage treatment, stone quarrying, marinas, and oil and coal-fired power plants have air pollution damages larger than their value added. The largest industrial contributor to external costs is coal-fired electric generation, whose damages range from 0.8 to 5.6 times value added. (JEL E01, L94, Q53, Q56) | |
Important first steps protect Cayuga Lake from fracking
October 8, 2011
Important first steps protect Cayuga Lake from fracking
Key waterways remain undefended as drilling draws closer
5:51 PM, Oct. 7, 2011 Ithaca Journal – Guest Viewpoints
Written by Hilary Lambert
Map by Karen Edelstein
Over a span of one month, four Tompkins County towns at the south end of Cayuga Lake passed amendments to their zoning ordinances affirming the inappropriateness of natural-gas drilling and support activities as land uses within their borders. The significance of these actions for protection of Cayuga Lake’s waters and creeks deserves comment, with a look at the map for better understanding.
» On July 11, the Ithaca Town Board unanimously passed TB Resolution No. 2011, which may be viewed in full at www.town.ithaca.ny.us/ minutes.
» On Aug. 2, the Dryden Town Board unanimously passed Resolution No. 126 (2011), which may be viewed at dryden.ny.us/information/ town-of-dryden-minutes.
» On Aug. 10, the Ulysses Town Board unanimously passed a resolution adopting Local Law No. 2 of 2011, which may be viewed at www.ulysses.ny.us.
|
» On Sept. 12, the Danby Town Board passed a resolution adopting Local Law No. 3; more information may be found at town.danby.ny.us.
Newly protected waterways
A look at the accompanying map helps us to better understand what these actions signify for protection of our water resources. Thanks to these actions, the following waterways are now protected from gas drilling, within each town’s borders:
» The Town of Ulysses contains part or all of numerous creeks that drain to Cayuga Lake, including Bolter, Trumansburg, Taughannock, Willow, Glenwood and numerous other creeks.
» The Town of Ithaca’s creeks draining to Cayuga Lake, in whole or in part, include Indian, Enfield, Cayuga Inlet, Williams, Coy Glen, Buttermilk, Lick, Six Mile, Cascadilla and Fall creeks; Renwick and Pleasant Grove brooks.
» The Town of Dryden’s creeks draining to Cayuga Lake include, in whole or in part, Six Mile, Cascadilla, and Fall Creek with its numerous upstream tributaries including Mill, Mud, Beaver, Virgil and Willow Glen creeks.
» The Town of Danby contains headwaters streams for Six Mile Creek, Lick Brook, Buttermilk Creek and Cayuga Inlet. Additionally, headwaters streams flowing south to the Susquehanna River include Danby, Miller and Michigan creeks.
Overall, these zoning ordinance amendments help protect about 65 percent of the water flowing into Cayuga Lake. This is a stunning achievement! Of course, these ordinances are only a first step on a long and difficult road to protect our lake, the Finger Lakes region, the state of New York and beyond from the under- researched effects of high- impact industrialized gas-drilling activities on water, air, lands, communities and ecosystems. To complicate matters, in mid-September a lawsuit was filed to try to overturn Dryden’s ordinance amendment.
Not yet complete
Also to be kept in mind, with another glance at the map, is that protection of even these Tompkins County waters is not complete. For example, the City of Ithaca gets its water supply from Six Mile Creek. While the towns of Dryden, Ithaca and Danby have passed ordinances protective of this water supply, Caroline has not yet done so — and the central portion of Six Mile Creek passes through Caroline. It takes the conscious actions of numerous local governments to protect an entire watershed.
Further, the map shows us that the Tompkins County towns of Enfield, Newfield and Groton hold the keys to protection of the upland headwaters of many of the creeks that drain to Cayuga Lake. Several of these headwaters streams are outside of Tompkins County, in adjoining counties. Along the northeastern edge of Tompkins County, the Town of Lansing — which has yet to take action regarding potential gas drilling activities there — is home to the heart of the majestic Salmon Creek drainage and many other creeks, large and small, that drain to Cayuga Lake. For more information about strengthening local laws, go online to www.cedclaw.org.
Gas lease maps available
Geologists say that Lansing and other towns northward on both sides of the lake are unlikely to yield productive gas wells in the Marcellus Shale formation because the shale’s decreasing depth in this area prevents effective fracking. This statement of geologic fact is contradicted by the proliferation of gas leases purchased by energy companies on properties in Lansing and in Cayuga County to the north. A map of leased properties in Tompkins County can be viewed at tcgasmap.org; a map of the gas leases in eight Finger Lakes counties can be viewed at www.citizenscampaign.org. A newly-issued map of Cayuga County’s leased properties is available from Terry Cuddy of the Cayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance, terrycuddy@me.com (this map updates Cayuga County lease information on the Citizens Campaign map). Concerned about leasing issues? Check out fleased.org.
Congratulations and thanks are due to the town boards of Ulysses, Ithaca, Dryden and Danby for these pioneering protective actions. While members and supporters of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network may think we can now rest easier, you are urged to consider what actions you can take to strengthen these water quality and watershed protections countywide and beyond.
Hilary Lambert is the steward of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network – steward@cayugalake.org
Karen Edelstein is a cartographer, GIS expert and works for FrackTracker – karen.edelstein@gmail.com
Teach-In on Hydrofracking, SUNY Cortland
October 7, 2011
November 16th, 4-9pm,Sperry 105, the Environmental Justice Committee of the Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies at SUNY Cortland will be hosting a Teach-In on Hydrofracking. More information on speakers and tabling opportunities will be forthcoming.
