EC July 2011

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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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EC July 2011