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WVDEP "rough and raw" legislative drilling proposal
by Duane330＠aol.com 15 Nov '10

15 Nov '10

WVDEP’s ‘rough and raw’ drilling legislation November 15, 2010 by Ken Ward Jr. [The Charleston Gazette] The Department of Environmental Protection wants natural gas companies to submit comprehensive water management plans, including lists of chemicals to be used, when applying for future permits to drill horizontal wells in the Marcellus shale field. A 100-page draft of proposed legislation provided to The Associated Press late Friday shows the DEP wants companies to identify not only when, where and how much water they withdraw for drilling operations. The department also wants to know what chemicals companies use in hydraulic fracturing, how much wastewater they produce, and when and where they would dispose of the waste. See the following web-site: _http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2010/11/15/wvdeps-rough-and-raw-drillin g-legislation/_ (http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2010/11/15/wvdeps-rough-and-raw-drillin…)

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<Eckerlin brothers> Dunkard roots on the Monongahela
by Duane330＠aol.com 15 Nov '10

15 Nov '10

Subject: <Eckerlin brothers> Dunkard roots on the Monongahela Samuel, Israel, Gabriel and Emmanuel Eckerlin came to America with their Mother from the Alsase region between France and Germany. They settled in Germantown, north of Philadelphia then removed to the Ephrata Cloister in Lancaster County of Pennsylvania. They were far too progressive for the Headmaster Conrad Bissell, who expelled them. Except for Emmanuel, they moved first to the New River valley in Virginia, then to the mouth of what is now Dunkard Creek (named for them) on the Monongahela River, and subsequently (due to threats of Indian attack) to a fertile bottom just above Kingwood (now in Preston County) in the Cheat River valley. Camp Dawson is on this land today. George Washington took Samuel back to Williamsburg in Virginia to negotiate whether the Eckerlins could remain west of the Alleghenies, and in the meantime the Quebec Indians captured Israel and Gabriel, taking them to Quebec in Canada from which location the French took them back to France, where they died in Jail. They were victims of the conflicts known as the French and Indian War. Since they spoke German, they were always under suspicion by the English, by the French, and by the Indians. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >From about 1748 to 1756, the Eckerlins travelled with groups of followers who did farming; and the Eckerlins travelled with pack horses so as to make annual trips back to Philadelphia to deliver animal furs. Samuel Eckerlin was an accomplished medical man whose service were sought by pioneers and friendly Indians. Israel Eckerlin was an accomplished religious philosopher whose writings were burned by Conrad Bissel at the Cloister. Gabriel Eckerlin was an accomplished hunter who frequently sought out bear and buffalo in the Alleghenies. . The Eckerlins acquired extensive land holdings at various locations, at the Ephrata Cloister and in the Allegheny mountains. Subsequently, Samuel Eckerlin settled in the Shenandoah valley, as is described below. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The Shenandoah valley became a crossroads for immigrant trails. Though the settlers were mostly farmers, most were still highly-specialized tradesmen that consisted of millers, carpenters, blacksmiths, coopers, and linen weavers. The most important of these trades was Funk's Mill, already in existence as early as 1743. Two of the earliest settlers, Ezekiel Sangmeister and Anthony Hollenthal, were members of the Sabbatarian Brotherhood called Dunkers. We are very indebted to these two as they kept very descriptive journals which told of their daily life and struggles. Sangmeister's carpentry work was highly respected and his skills were in great demand. With Samuel Eckerlin's arrival, the area became a trading center, and the first apothecary was opened. Using herbs and treatments learned from Indians, he soon built a reputation as a resident doctor and settlers came as far as 20-40 miles for treatment. In 1762, Eckerlin was joined by George Keller, a Dunkard Doctor from Ephrata. Others soon followed with the arrival of Martin Kroll in 1756 and Valentin Bruckmann in 1761. [Exerpted from the Hildebrand family geneology references]. See Also: _http://www.cob-net.org/cloister.htm_ (http://www.cob-net.org/cloister.htm)

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Rare mussels in northern WV
by Duane330＠aol.com 07 Nov '10

07 Nov '10

Rare W.Va. mussels may get species protection By _Staff reports_ (mailto:) , The Charleston Gazette, November 2, 2010 CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed Endangered Species Act protection for two rare freshwater mussel species known to exist in streams in West Virginia and several other eastern states. The rayed bean mussel is known to exist in only six states and one Canadian province, while populations of the snuffbox mussel are found in 14 states and one province. Rayed bean mussels were believed to have disappeared from West Virginia during the 1990s, but 600 of the rare shellfish were reintroduced in the Elk River in 2006 and 2007. Populations of the snuffbox mussel have been found in the Elk River, North Fork of Hughes River near North Bend State Park, Middle Island Creek near Wheeling and in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia County prior to last September's massive fish kill in that stream. The snuffbox is a thick-shelled, triangular shaped mussel with a yellowish shell with dark green rays. The snuffbox is about 2 inches long when mature, while the rayed bean is about 1.5 inches long and has a greenish shell with heavy, wavy rays. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly 70 percent of all U.S. freshwater mussel species are already extinct or vulnerable to extinction. Six mussel species known to live in West Virginia have already received Endangered Species Act protection. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the rayed bean mussel have been eliminated from 75 percent of its historical range, while the snuffbox has experienced a 65 percent drop in the number of streams in which it lives. Dam and lock chamber construction, sand and gravel mining and pollution are among causes attributed to the mussels' decline. A public hearing will be held on whether or not to grant Endangered Species Act protection to the two mussel species prior to any final decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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<YES!> freedom from fracking
by Duane330＠aol.com 02 Nov '10

02 Nov '10

Penna. Township Declares Freedom from Fracking Photo by Helen Slottje. RE: Licking Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania—a central target for natural gas drilling and the controversial drilling practice known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or “ fracking”—local communities don’t have the legal authority to keep unwanted drilling from happening. As fracking’s impacts on water safety make headlines and public resistance to drilling grows, some towns have tried to use land use zoning to keep drilling companies out—but they can’t use zoning laws to stop an activity the state has declared legal. (At best, they can zone where the corporations site their drill pads. But since drilling is not vertical but horizontal, there’s no way to contain its impact on a community’s water and environment.) Taking local control One small community in western Pennsylvania wanted more say over what happens within its borders. Licking Township, population 500, chose to defy state law with its own local ordinance, banning corporations from dumping fracking wastewater within its borders. Licking sits atop the Marcellus Shale, a geological formation that contains large and mostly untapped natural gas reserves. On Oct. 12, 2010, the Licking Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ban corporations from dumping fracking wastewater within the township. “When it comes to land use issues and the preservation of important resources, the local community is best suited to set priorities as they feel impacts most acutely,” said Mik Robertson, chairman of the Licking Township Supervisors. Pennsylvania’s preferential laws for drilling companies are not unique. For years, the drilling industry has worked closely with government to pave the way for widespread drilling, eliminating regulatory barriers that may stand in its way. The so-called “Halliburton Loophole” was inserted into the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to exempt companies drilling for natural gas, including those drilling in the Marcellus Shale (which extends from New York to West Virginia) from having to comply. Corporations have also been exempted from a host of other laws and regulations, and states have enacted laws pre-empting municipalities from taking steps to reign in the industry. The residents of Licking felt that they should be the ones to decide what happens in their township. “People have the right to determine what is suitable for their community, as they are most directly affected by intended or unintended consequences of resource extraction,” said Robertson. The dangers of fracking The residents of Licking aren’t alone in their concerns about fracking. Across the Appalachian highlands, residents worried about the health effects of fracking have been calling on their elected officials to protect them. _In New York, a citizen movement convinced the state Senate to place a 9-month moratorium on the practice_ (http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/the-fight-against-fracking) while its safety is evaluated. However, the moratorium is only temporary and has not been voted into state law. Fracking involves pumping water laced with sand and a cocktail of chemicals underground to fracture the shale rock and release the natural gas. In the process, thousands of gallons of toxic wastewater are produced and can contaminate waterways and drinking water. Natural gas wells are often driven through aquifers. The impacts from drilling can include exploding wells, groundwater contamination, and fish kills. Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture quarantined cattle believed to have drunk from a frack wastewater spill. Their milk was no longer considered safe to drink. A new study by researchers at the University of Buffalo found that fracking also releases uranium trapped in the rock, raising additional health concerns. Collateral damage includes lost property value, drying up of mortgage loans for prospective home buyers, and the threatened loss of organic certification for farmers. And it’s not only rural communities feeling the pressure. In Pittsburgh and Buffalo (both of which straddle the Marcellus), gas extraction corporations have quietly signed leases with landowners to drill under the surface. A new direction Drafted with the help of Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), the “Licking Township Community Water Rights and Self-Government Ordinance ” is the first of its kind in the nation. The City of Pittsburgh is also considering a CELDF-drafted ordinance, which is scheduled for a vote on November 16. With an expected veto-proof majority of City Council members in favor, that ordinance would impose an outright ban on gas drilling by corporations within city limits. Communities across the Marcellus Shale region, including Lehman Township in eastern Pennsylvania, are also considering CELDF ordinances that would ban corporations from drilling or from extracting water to use in drilling. In addition to banning corporate disposal of frack wastewater, Licking Township’s ordinance asserts the right to local self-government and the community’s right to a healthy environment and to clean water. In adopting the ordinance, Licking joins more than a dozen other communities in _legally recognizing the rights of nature _ (http://www.yesmagazine.org/peo ple-power/drafting-natures-constitution) and subordinating corporate constitutional rights to the rights of human and natural communities. By recognizing the rights of nature, Licking is effectively protecting ecosystems and natural communities within the township from efforts by corporations to drill there—or by higher levels of governments to authorize that drilling. Residents of the community are empowered by the ordinance to enforce those rights on behalf of threatened ecosystems. By prohibiting the introduction of frack wastewater into the Township’s environment, Licking’s new law effectively blocks hydro-fracturing. Critics of the ordinance claim that, by denying corporations that violate its prohibitions the civil rights protections _conferred on them by the courts_ (http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/citizens-united-v.-federal-election… sion) , the ordinance goes too far. Robertson responds to these charges, saying, “People have rights, like the gifts of nature. People have rights to property. Property does not have rights. Corporations are property.” Corporations may sue to overturn the ordinance, with the argument that it violates their corporate constitutional rights. Such a lawsuit would finally raise_ imperative questions about whose rights trump whose_ (http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/whose-rights) : Do the court-endowed privileges of corporations override the inalienable rights of the people and ecosystems of Licking Township, nullifying their claim to have a legal right to their health, safety, and welfare? Or does the community have the right to make critical decisions to protect its well-being—and that of the ecosystems upon which it depends? ____________________________________ Mari Margil and Ben Price wrote this article for _YES! Magazine_ (http://www.yesmagazine.org/) , a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. Mari is the associate director and Ben is projects director of the _Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund_ (http://www.celdf.org/) , a nonprofit, public interest law firm providing legal services to communities facing threats to their local environment, agriculture, economy, and quality of life.

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Friends of the Cheat "Adopt-a-Highway" trash pickup
by duane330＠aol.com 20 Oct '10

20 Oct '10

Hello all, We've set the date for the Adopt-a-Highway trash pickup along Route 26 for Thursday, October 28th. We will be meeting at the Albright Quick Stop at 4:30pm. If you are planning on coming, please reply and let me know so I know how many volunteers we'll have. Hope to see you there, Andrew Miller SM/VISTA - Friends of the Cheat ww.cheat.org | 304.329.3621

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Fwd: FracTracker Training Invitation for Oct 25th Meeting in Morgantown, WV
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 18 Oct '10

18 Oct '10

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: FracTracker Training Invitation for Oct 25th Meeting in Morgantown, WV Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:24:01 -0400 From: Malone, Samantha Lynn <slm75(a)pitt.edu> To: Malone, Samantha Lynn <slm75(a)pitt.edu> Dear Colleagues, On behalf of Dr. Conrad Dan Volz at the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC <http://www.chec.pitt.edu/>) of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, I would like to invite you or another representative within your group to attend a training on Monday, October 25, 2010 of key personnel who are working to address Marcellus Shale gas extraction's (MSGE) impact on the environment and public health in West Virginia. During this training, CHEC will introduce participants to FracTracker, a combination of an interactive blog (http://fractracker.org) and data tool (http://data.fractracker.org), that is serving as a vital data-sharing tool in the Marcellus Shale play and beyond. The training is also an open forum for participants to discuss current and anticipated environmental and public health concerns such as emergency preparedness and response to blow outs or spills, degrading road infrastructure, and surface and drinking water contamination. Because the issues we are facing span across many fields, meeting invitees include representatives from diverse groups. This is one of many trainings we are hosting throughout PA, WV, and NY, OH, and MD. Click here to learn more about CHEC and this project: http://www.fractracker.org/p/about-us.html. *Meeting Details:* October 25, 2010 -- 1pm -- 4pm 317 Percival Hall, West Virginia Evansdale Campus, Morgantown, WV 26506 Contact phone # on day of event: 724-554-0989. Free to attend. Parking is free. Permits will be provided upon arrival. An agenda and additional meeting specifics will be sent to registered attendees prior to the training. Important -- In order to work with FracTracker's data tool (http://data.fractracker.org) during the training, you must be registered with the data tool. It is free to register, but please do this online as soon as possible. If you run into problems registering for the tool please contact: support(a)rhizalabs.com <mailto:support@rhizalabs.com>. In addition to registering for the data tool online, please also accept or decline this invitation in a return email to me at slm75(a)pitt.edu <mailto:slm75@pitt.edu> as soon as possible. In that email, please let me know whether CHEC can distribute your contact information to all attendees of the training for networking purposes. Once we receive your RSVP we will send you a confirmation email with more details about the training. Best, Samantha -Samantha Malone, MPH, CPH- Communications Specialist & Doctoral Student Center for Healthy Environments & Communities University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health Office: 412-624-9379 100 Technology Dr. Suite 553 BRIDG Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3130 slm75(a)pitt.edu <mailto:slm75@pitt.edu> | samanthamalone119(a)gmail.com <mailto:samanthamalone119@gmail.com> | www.chec.pitt.edu

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Fwd: Workshop on Citizen Advocacy
by dfvet＠aol.com 18 Oct '10

18 Oct '10

Learn how to advance progressive issues in the WV Legislature! Join WV FREE and a number of co-sponsoring organizations as we kick-off our “Citizen Advocacy Trainings” around the state. Monday, Oct. 18th 6-8pm at the Courthouse 243 High St, Morgantown Monday, Oct. 25th 6-8pm at Java Joint Corner of 3rd Ave & Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington Wednesday, Nov. 17th 6-8pm at Unitarian Universalist 520 Kanawha Blvd, Charleston Lewisburg & Wheeling Trainings TBA! Email Us rachel(a)wvfree.org or join our facebook event page to reserve your spot. www.wvfree.org Deborah Fulton -----Original Message----- From: dfvet(a)aol.com To: jjack1024(a)gmail.com; yun.terry(a)gmail.com; jselin(a)hotmail.com; donnaweems(a)rocketmail.com Cc: jankiger(a)adventuresedge.org Sent: Mon, Oct 18, 2010 12:55 am Subject: Workshop on Citizen Advocacy Hi. The Sierra Club and other orgs NEED HELP trying to get the attention of our legislators re:need for Marcellus shale regulation. For any regulation to come about, we need citizen involvement. "The most important political office is that of the private citizen." Justice Louis Brandeis Please consider taking a role in the future of the health and well-being of the environment and all who depend upon it. This meeting is a good place to take that first step. Thank you, Deb Learn how to advance progressive issues in the WV Legislature! Join WV FREE and a number of co-sponsoring organizations as we kick-off our “Citizen Advocacy Trainings” around the state. Monday, Oct. 18th 6-8pm at the Courthouse 243 High St, Morgantown Monday, Oct. 25th 6-8pm at Java Joint Corner of 3rd Ave & Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington Wednesday, Nov. 17th 6-8pm at Unitarian Universalist 520 Kanawha Blvd, Charleston Lewisburg & Wheeling Trainings TBA! Email Us rachel(a)wvfree.org or join our facebook event page to reserve your spot. www.wvfree.org Deborah Fulton

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Water Issues in West Virginia
by Duane330＠aol.com 10 Oct '10

10 Oct '10

EPA SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD RELEASES FIRST REVIEW OF EPA SCIENCE ON MOUNTAINTOP MINING IMPACTS ON WATER QUALITY On Sept. 28, EPA's independent Science Advisory Board released its first draft review of EPA's research which concludes that valley fills are associated with increased levels of conductivity into downstream waters threatening stream life and causing significant damage to local streams polluted with mining runoff from mountaintop removal. The benchmark of EPA's research is intended to protect 95 percent of aquatic species in streams in the Appalachian region influenced by mountaintop mining and valley fills. Following the completion of the external peer review and review of public comments, the report will be revised and published as a final report. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Marcellus Shale And Related Issues To Be Discussed At October Monthly Meeting of MUB Two “special presentations” will be made to the Morgantown Utility Board at their regular Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, October 12th in the Morgantown City Council chambers starting at 6:30 pm. Duane Nichols, Co-Chair of the WV/PA Monongahela Area Watersheds Compact, will summarize the nature and extent of the issues being faced by water supplies and effluents in our area. And, Scott Rotruck of Chesapeake Energy will describe the activities of his company, that is doing Marcellus Shale development in our region. This meeting is to be broadcast on COMCAST Channel 15 as is typically done for these meetings.

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Movie: Gasland at WVU College of Law
by Duane330＠aol.com 05 Oct '10

05 Oct '10

Morgantown WV, 10/04/10 — The award-winning documentary "Gasland" will be shown free to the public on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 6:30pm in the WVU College of Law Marlyn E. Lugar Courtroom, followed by a live Skype Q&A session with filmmaker Josh Fox. Beginning at 5pm there will be a public reception and information tables to browse before the film begins. The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudi Arabia of natural gas" beneath most of West Virginia. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets and surprises, including contamination and unanticipated health risks. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown. Fracking has come to West Virginia, and if you own land, drink water, or breathe air, it's time to learn about what fracking can mean for your future. Come see the film, so you can take informed action before it is too late. Student and citizen groups who want to reserve an information table in the lobby, please contact Kurt Doiron at _kurtdoiron(a)gmail.com_ (mailto:kurtdoiron@gmail.com) Contact Deb Fulton at _dfvet(a)aol.com_ (mailto:dfvet@aol.com) for other questions or phone 304 864-0044. For more info about the film and fracking, see _http://gaslandthemovie.com/_ (http://gaslandthemovie.com/) and FrackCheckWV.net DIRECTIONS: Directions to the College of Law are available at http://law.wvu.edu/about_us/deans_message/traveling_to_the_law_center This showing is sponsored in part by the West Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club and the WVU College of Law Environmental Law Society.

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Information Links on Marcellus Shale gas developments
by Duane330＠aol.com 02 Oct '10

02 Oct '10

Please read the following web-sites and spread these links to others. Duane Nichols, Co-Chair, WV/PA Monongahela Area Watersheds Compact >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1. _www.uppermon.org_ (http://www.uppermon.org) 2. _www.wcag-wv.org_ (http://www.wcag-wv.org) 3. _www.marcellus-shale.us_ (http://www.marcellus-shale.us) 4. _www.monwq.net_ (http://www.monwq.net) 5. _www.frackcheckwv.net_ (http://www.frackcheckwv.net) 6. _www.wvsoro.org_ (http://www.wvsoro.org) Let me know what you think about this information. Best Wishes, Duane Nichols

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