DEEPDRILLINGDEEPPOCKET-3-CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES.PDF (application/pdf Object)
January 10, 2012
DEEPDRILLINGDEEPPOCKET-3-CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES.PDF (application/pdf Object).
HEALTH EXPERTS URGE HALT TO HYDRO FRACKING EXPANSION UNTIL NEEDED RESEARCH IS DONE INTO HEALTH IMPACTS Industry Called Upon to Set Up Foundation to Conduct Needed, Independent ResearchPhysicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy
January 9, 2012
Physicians Scientists & Engineers for Healthy Energy.
“Epidemiologic and Public Health Considerations of Shale Gas Production: The Missing Link”
HEALTH EXPERTS URGE HALT TO HYDRO FRACKING EXPANSION UNTIL NEEDED RESEARCH IS DONE INTO HEALTH IMPACTS
Industry Called Upon to Set Up Foundation to Conduct Needed, Independent Research
Speakers and Invited Participants — Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University
January 9, 2012
Speakers and Invited Participants — Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.
Environmental and Social Implications of Hydraulic Fracturing and Gas Drilling in the United States: An Integrative Workshop for the Evaluation of the State of Science and Policy
Jan 09, 2012
from 08:00 AM to 03:00 PM Reynolds Theatre, Bryan Center, Duke University
Funded by National Science Foundation
Sponsored by the Nicholas School of the Environment and
the Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum at the Duke Law School
Background
Advances in drilling technologies and production strategies such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have significantly improved the production of natural gas by stimulating the flow of gas and liquids to and from wells. These new developments have accelerated the shale gas exploitation, which are dramatically changing the energy landscape in the United States. Yet new research is highlighting the environmental risks, economic and social consequences, and consequently the policy that need to make shale-gas extraction as sustainable as possible.
Purposes
The focus of this workshop is to bring together representatives of the different sectors (industry, science, federal agencies, regulators, environmentalists) that will address the environmental and social effects of hydraulic fracturing and shale gas drilling in the United States. The workshop will address the different environmental, legal, and socio-economic components related to hydraulic fracturing and shale gas drilling.
The Capitol Pressroom for January 9, 2012 | WCNY Blogs
January 9, 2012
The Capitol Pressroom for January 9, 2012 | WCNY Blogs.
The Capitol Pressroom for January 9, 2012
Carol French is a dairy farmer in Bradford County Pennsylvania. She leased her mineral rights to East Resources in 2006 for a 5 year term. East sold her lease to Chesapeake, which, though the term of the lease has expired, is still on the deed. While neither gas company ever fracked her land, she lives within a couple miles of 9 active wells. She claims her water has been ruined, and her property value has plummeted. But more urgently, she claims her daughter’s endocrine system has been so battered by processing contaminated water that the chemicals caused her spleen to rupture; the daughter ultimately had to move away from the family farm. Today, two days before the end of the DEC’s fracking public comment period, we will hear excerpts from an interview with Carol who spoke with us on her farm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the DOH hasn’t responded to anti-fracking activist Doug Wood’s foil requests for correspondence between that Agency and the DEC regarding the health impacts of hydrofracking. He joins us to tell his story.
Then Seneca National President Robert Odawi Porter has some thoughts on the Governor’s commitment to expand gambling in New York.
And Brian Sampson, of the pro business group, Unshackle Upstate weighs in on hydrofracking and the Governor’s SOS.
Posted in : Capitol Pressroom
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News Narratives for 2012 – NYTimes.com
January 8, 2012
News Narratives for 2012 – NYTimes.com.
Natural gas: I wrote a couple of critical pieces in July about The Times’s “Drilling Down” series, but as 2012 unfolds I see a problem with the newspaper’s broader coverage of shale gas, which is becoming a major energy and environment story line.
The paper writes about shale gas on the business desk, the national desk and the metro desk. In some articles, the emphasis is on the huge economic potential; in others, the focus is on the environmental threat posed by the drilling process known as fracking. The coverage seems fragmented and at times contradictory. What’s the big picture?
Dean Baquet, the managing editor, told me The Times “could probably better coordinate on the issue” in 2012 and should have an editor to “make sure everybody knows what everybody else is doing.”
The Marcellus Papers–Museum of the Earth
January 5, 2012
The Marcellus Papers
series of papers dedicated to exploring Earth System Science issues related to Marcellus Shale drilling.
[ * = PDF format ]
Introduction to the Marcellus Shale *
An introduction to the geological characteristics and considerations of the Marcellus Shale, as well as its cultural history and major topics of interest. (issued May 2011)
Why the Geology Matters *
A discussion of the geological characteristics associated with the Marcellus Shale. (issued May 2011)
Making the Earth Shake: Understanding Induced Seismicity *
A discussion of the possibility of induced seismicity resulting from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. (issued May 2011)
Understanding Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material in the Marcellus Shale *
A discussion of the naturally occurring radioactive material resulting from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. (issued Aug 2011)
Jointing and Fracturing in the Marcellus Shale *
A discussion of natural fractures, or joints, present in the Marcellus Shale and the hydraulic fractures that are induced during unconventional gas drilling to extract natural gas. (issued Aug 2011)
Water: Into the Wells *
A discussion of the water input required to hydraulically fracture a Marcellus Shale well- the quantity, additives, and risks. (issued Nov 2011)
Water: Out of the Wells *
A discussion of the waste fluids from Marcellus drilling: what they are and where they will go. (issued Nov 2011)
Sources and Uses of Energy: A brief overview *
A discussion of the sources and uses of energy, how they have changed over time and how Marcellus Shale is contextualized within the larger energy system. (issued Nov 2011)
Jointing and Fracturing in the Marcellus Shale
January 4, 2012
Marcellus_issue5.pdf (application/pdf Object).
Jointing and Fracturing in the
Marcellus Shale
A discussion of natural fractures, or joints, present in the Marcellus Shale
and the hydraulic fractures that are induced during unconventional gas
drilling to extract natural gas.
P A L E O N T O L O G I C A L R E S E A R C H I N S T I T U T I O N
T H E S C I E N C E B E N E A T H T H E S U R F A C E
M A R C E L L U S S H A L E • I S S U E N U M B E R 5 • A U G U S T 2 0 1 1
1259
Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), the Brussels-based not-for-profit advocacy group.
January 2, 2012 1 Comment
PRESS STATEMENT
Extracting shale gas, which can pollute groundwater and be environmentally damaging, represents a major new threat for public health in Europe, according to the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), the Brussels-based not-for-profit advocacy group.
A seminar organised by HEAL on Friday 7 October 2011 brought attention to the need for urgent EU action on this new extraction process, known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking. The lack of an assessment of the impact of fracking on environmental health is a particular concern. The meeting will help define the health and environmental implications of this new extraction process and identify the EU policy areas that are likely to be affected. (1)
“We firmly believe that fracking is the next big environmental health challenge,” says Genon Jensen, Executive Director of HEAL. “A top concern is the contamination of groundwater as a result of the hazardous chemicals used (2). Others are the air pollution generated by drilling compressors and trucks hauling huge amounts of water needed for hydrofracking, and the toxic wastewater the fracking leaves behind. With shale gas extraction well underway in Poland (3), prospecting taking place in the UK and several other European countries and fracking the subject of legislation in France (4), it is little wonder that this new process is galloping to the top of the EU agenda (5).”
Speakers at the meeting include Mihai Tomescu, Socio-Economic Analyst at DG Environment. The European Commission announced in early September that it intends to draft EU rules on the fracturing of shale gas. (6) Since then, the Commission has announced that no company has registered any of the 10 chemicals typically used to hydraulically fracture rocks for shale gas extraction for that use under REACH. (7)
Francois Veillerette, President of Generations Futures, a HEAL member, will tell the meeting about the findings of his new book, “Le vrai scandale des Gaz de Schiste” (The Real Scandal of Shale Gas in Europe). (4) He says that following ten years of widespread fracking in the USA, concerns can be summed up as “the use of dangerous chemical substances, contamination of groundwater, consumption of a large amount of water, and destruction of the landscape.” A study cited in the book shows that this mining process produces the same level of emissions of greenhouse gases as the use of coal.
Generations Futures and HEAL want to see urgent action taken. “”We now need a clear European ban on the exploitation of shale gas, oil and other source rock hydrocarbons,” Mr. Veillerette says.
In the US, 60 scientists with expertise in water treatment systems have signed a letter expressing concern should chemicals and other contaminants used in hydraulic fracturing end up in the water supply. They fear that municipal drinking water filtration systems are not designed to adequately remove such toxins. (8) The US-based TEDX Endocrine Disruptor Exchange report says that fracking fluid may contain include 300 chemicals out of which 40% are endocrine disruptors and a third are suspected carcinogens. Over 60% can harm the brain and nervous system. (9)
Since hearing about this problem last year, HEAL has worked to increase collaboration by bringing together activists, scientists and interested policy makers. In late 2010, American colleague, Dr Sandra Steingraber, an international environmental health scientist, whom HEAL brought attention to the problem during her address at a meeting in the European Parliament. She will now dedicate her recent Heinz Foundation prize to fighting fracking.(10)
Ms Jensen says. “Right now, the impacts of shale gas are only partially dealt with in over 35 pieces of legislation. So a top priority is to get shale gas systematically addressed under EU law so that it protects people’s health and our ecosystems.”
Notes for journalists
1. Shale Gas in the EU: “Health & Environment implications of Shale Fracturing for Natural Gas” on 7th October 2011 (Continuation of HEAL Annual General Meeting)
NGO Meeting on Shale Gas in the EU: Environment & Health implications of Shale Fracturing for Natural Gas (09:00 – 12:45)
09:00 – Welcome Genon Jenson, HEAL Executive Director
09:15 – Overview of issues and EU policy context
09.15 – Fracking from an NGO perspective: what’s at stake for health and environment? Lisette van Vliet, Toxics Policy Advisor, HEAL
09.25 – EU policies context for shale gas & issues considered Mihai Tomescu, Socio-Economic Analyst, DG Environment, European Commission
09:50 – Questions & Answers
10:00 – The Real Scandal of Shale Gas in Europe – French case study
10:05 – “Le Vrai Scandale des Gaz de Schiste” Francois Veillerette, Generations Futures (HEAL member organisation, France)
10:25 Questions and Discussion
10:40 Coffee break
For any questions concerning the event, please contact Lisette@env-health.org
Registration for the event is now closed.
2. A report by the Tyndall Centre in Manchester University found that “There is a clear risk of contamination of groundwater from shale gas extraction,” it concluded. “It is important to recognise that most problems arise due to errors in construction or operation and these cannot be eliminated.”
3. Fracking in Poland Youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7-NAGNDsvE&feature=player_profilepage
4. Marine Jobert and Francois Veillerette, “Le vrai scandale des gaz de schiste”, full details on website at http://www.gaz-de-schiste.fr
5. Two hearings in the European Parliament are planned during week beginning Monday 3 October 2011. ENVI hearing on the Parliamentary study on the impacts of shale gas on the environment and human health (Tuesday, 4 October, Item 16, ENVI/7/06759 (PE464.425)) and ITRE hearing on the prospects for shale gas in the EU (afternoon, Wednesday 5 October).
6. Agence France Presse, France 24, 9 September 2011, Brussels seeks EU shale gas rules: Oettinger
7. ENDS Europe, 23 September 2011, EC: fracking chemicals not REACH registered, http://www.endseurope.com
8. Letter from US scientists to New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo available at http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/data/Sign_on_letter_Final.pdf
9. TEDX website, http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/home.php
10. Sandra Steingraber, The Heinz Award and What I plan to do with it, http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/newsfrom187/entry/6467. Her new book, Raising Elijah includes a whole chapter on fracking, http://steingraber.com.
Presentations
Health and Environmental Implications of Shale Fracturing for Natural Gas – by Lisette van Vliet, HEAL (PDF – 1.6 Mb)
Unconventional/Shale Gas & the environment – by Mihai Tomescu, DG ENVIRONMENT (PDF – 1.4 Mb)
YouTube – Videos from this email
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