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Paul Krugman's NY Times Op-ed today: Natural Born Drillers
by Paul Wilson 16 Mar '12

16 Mar '12

March 15, 2012 March 15, 2012 Natural Born DrillersBy PAUL KRUGMAN<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/pau…> To be a modern Republican in good standing, you have to believe — or pretend to believe — in two miracle cures for whatever ails the economy: more tax cuts for the rich and more drilling for oil<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleu…>. And with prices at the pump on the rise, so is the chant of “Drill, baby, drill.” More and more, Republicans are telling us that gasoline would be cheap and jobs plentiful if only we would stop protecting the environment and let energy companies do whatever they want. Thus Mitt Romney claims that gasoline prices are high not because of saber-rattling over Iran, but because President Obama won’t allow unrestricted drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Meanwhile, Stephen Moore of The Wall Street Journal tells readers that America as a whole could have a jobs boom, just like North Dakota, if only the environmentalists would get out of the way. The irony here is that these claims come just as events are confirming what everyone who did the math already knew, namely, that U.S. energy policy has very little effect either on oil prices or on overall U.S. employment. For the truth is that we’re already having a hydrocarbon boom, with U.S. oil and gas production rising and U.S. fuel imports dropping. If there were any truth to drill-here-drill-now, this boom should have yielded substantially lower gasoline prices and lots of new jobs. Predictably, however, it has done neither. Why the hydrocarbon boom? It’s all about the fracking. The combination of horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing of shale and other low-permeability rocks has opened up large reserves of oil and natural gas<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/natural-gas/…> to production. As a result, U.S. oil production has risen significantly over the past three years, reversing a decline over decades, while natural gas production has exploded. Given this expansion, it’s hard to claim that excessive regulation has crippled energy production. Indeed, reporting in The Times makes it clear that U.S. policy has been seriously negligent — that the environmental costs of fracking have been underplayed and ignored. But, in a way, that’s the point. The reality is that far from being hobbled by eco-freaks, the energy industry has been given a largely free hand to expand domestic oil and gas production, never mind the environment. Strange to say, however, while natural gas prices have dropped, rising oil production and a sharp fall in import dependence haven’t stopped gasoline prices from rising toward $4 a gallon. Nor has the oil and gas boom given a noticeable boost to an economic recovery that, despite better news lately, has been very disappointing on the jobs front. As I said, this was totally predictable. First up, oil prices. Unlike natural gas, which is expensive to ship across oceans, oil is traded on a world market — and the big developments moving prices in that market usually have little to do with events in the United States. Oil prices are up because of rising demand from China and other emerging economies, and more recently because of war scares in the Middle East; these forces easily outweigh any downward pressure on prices from rising U.S. production. And the same thing would happen if Republicans got their way and oil companies were set free to drill freely in the Gulf of Mexico and punch holes in the tundra: the effect on prices at the pump would be negligible. Meanwhile, what about jobs? I have to admit that I started laughing when I saw The Wall Street Journal offering North Dakota as a role model. Yes, the oil boom there has pushed unemployment down to 3.2 percent, but that’s only possible because the whole state has fewer residents than metropolitan Albany — so few residents that adding a few thousand jobs in the state’s extractive sector is a really big deal. The comparable-sized fracking boom in Pennsylvania has had hardly any effect on the state’s overall employment picture, because, in the end, not that many jobs are involved. And this tells us that giving the oil companies carte blanche isn’t a serious jobs program. Put it this way: Employment in oil and gas extraction has risen more than 50 percent since the middle of the last decade, but that amounts to only 70,000 jobs, around one-twentieth of 1 percent of total U.S. employment. So the idea that drill, baby, drill can cure our jobs deficit is basically a joke. Why, then, are Republicans pretending otherwise? Part of the answer is that the party is rewarding its benefactors: the oil and gas industry doesn’t create many jobs, but it does spend a lot of money on lobbying and campaign contributions. The rest of the answer is simply the fact that conservatives have no other job-creation ideas to offer. And intellectual bankruptcy, I’m sorry to say, is a problem that no amount of drilling and fracking can solve. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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No Nukes Summit — May 4-6
by Paul Wilson 15 Mar '12

15 Mar '12

If anyone is interested in attending this, you can camp out at my digs in Charles Town, and then we can carpool from Charles Town to the Takoma Park area. Maybe take the train in on Friday May 4th. Let me know..... No Nukes Summit — May 4-6<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=KcJzx8b6R1TAHC0iOkpsCQ>The Club’s No Nukes Team<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=-rPumWRJ1R6nWZ6zYr3Tww> invites Club members who want to help develop a national anti-nuclear campaign to gather at the Western Theological Union<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=P2p_-Ys8AIoCz8emDejHPQ> in Washington, D.C., May 4-6, 2012<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=mUmnsmFE4Ktsa9TmKkaQ2A> . <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=Q57LJc84H4Q18FsW99q9Rw> The Summit will feature presentations from national nuclear experts Kevin Kamps from Beyond Nuclear and Arjun Makhijani, author of *Carbon Free Nuclear Free.*There will also be sessions on the True Cost of Nukes, Nuclear Waste, Replacing Nuclear with Renewables and Efficiency, and How to Harness Online Tools and Social Media to Communicate, Collaborate, and Organize. To register, and find out more about lodging and transportation, go here<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=qgpCKxWZhUeOSsKALf6K8w>. There are a limited number of scholarships available for conference volunteers. Contact Leslie March <lesliemarch(a)hotmail.com> to find out more. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Today's good laugh
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 14 Mar '12

14 Mar '12

http://wvgazette.com/News/201203130215 Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Maloney's remark Tuesday that West Virginia politicians "just pull our pants down to get a cracker" has sparked criticism from state Democrats.

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Fwd: Weekly Swamp Stomp 72 - What is in fracturing fluid
by Paul Wilson 13 Mar '12

13 Mar '12

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: David Dow <ddow420(a)comcast.net> Date: Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 12:12 PM Subject: Fwd: Weekly Swamp Stomp 72 - What is in fracturing fluid fyi Begin forwarded message: *From: *Marc Seelinger <info(a)swampschool.org> *Date: *March 13, 2012 10:24:38 AM EDT * * Having trouble viewing this email? Click here<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/hostedEmail/1590580/09a19cfb798d5f…> [image: Swamp Schol Swamp Stomp] What are the fracturing fluids and where do they go? By The Swamp School There has been a controversy about fracking in recent days. Amongst many issues is the question of what exactly is in fracturing fluids and what happens to them. There are a number of answers to this that speak to proprietary recipes of the fracturing fluids. However, the folks at the American Petroleum Institute have identified a number of key ingredients. The largest ingredient is water. Over 90% of the fracturing fluids is made up of plain old water. Each well is estimated to need about 3 million gallons of water. So it is a lot of water. Where this water comes from is also an issue in and of itself. The second major ingredient is sand. The sand is used to provide void spaces in the shale once the the pressure from the fracking has been released. Approximately 9.5% of the fracturing fluids is comprised of sand. This needs to be mined and trucked in. Many fracking sites are miles from reliable sand borrow pits. The third ingredient are chemical additives. This is mainly to help float the sand and aid in the fracking process. This makes up about 0.5% of the fracturing fluids. These are some of the main ingredients. There are others, but it is sort of like the secret recipe for Coca Cola. It is a very closely guarded. Typical Chemical Additives Used in Frac Water Compound Purpose Common Application Acids Helps dissolve minerals and initiate fissure in rock (pre-fracture) Swimming pool cleaner Sodium Chloride Allows a delayed breakdown of the gel polymer chains Table Salt Polyacrylamide Minimizes the friction between fluid and pipe Water treatment, soil conditioner Ethylene Glycol Prevents scale deposits in the pipe Automotive anti-freeze, deicing agent, household cleaners Borate Salts Maintains fluid viscosity as temperature increases Laundry detergent, hand soap, cosmetics Sodium/Potassium Carbonate Maintains effectiveness of other components, such as crosslinkers Washing soda, detergent, soap, water softener, glass, ceramics Glutaraldehyde Eliminates bacteria in the water Disinfectant, sterilization of medical and dental equipment Guar Gum Thickens the water to suspend the sand Thickener in cosmetics, baked goods, ice cream, toothpaste, sauces Citric Acid Prevents precipitation of metal oxides Food additive; food and beverages; lemon juice Isopropanol Used to increase the viscosity of the fracture fluid Glass cleaner, antiperspirant, hair coloring What happens after the fracking is done? How much of the fracturing fluids are recovered? There are several ways oil and natural gas companies manage the use of fracturing fluids, depending on what specifically is in them, the presence of usable groundwater or surface waters, geography, and local, state, and federal regulations. Spent or used fracturing fluids are normally recovered at the initial stage of well production and recycled in a closed system for future use or disposed of under regulation, either by surface discharge where authorized under the Clean Water Act or by injection into Class II wells as authorized under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Regulation may also allow recovered fracturing fluids to be disposed of at appropriate commercial facilities. Not all fracturing fluid returns to the surface. Over the life of the well, some is left behind and confined by thousands of feet of rock layers. It is estimated that about 70% of the fracturing fluids are left in the ground. I hope that this helps. Cheers! - Marc Please note that this information does not constitute legal advice and is meant as informational only. It is strongly recommended that you seek the services of a competent environmental attorney for the interpretation of any legal or regulatory matter presented herein. New York Accreditation NEW for Engineers and Surveyors The Swamp School is now accredited by the New York State Education Department as an Approved Sponsor of Continuing Education for Engineers and Land Surveyors. Share: <https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/socialShare/1590580/09a19cfb798d5f…> <https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/socialShare/1590580/09a19cfb798d5f…> <https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/socialShare/1590580/09a19cfb798d5f…> Follow: <http://www.facebook.com/marc.seelinger> <http://twitter.com/SwampSchool> <http://swampschool.org/> March 13, 2012 V12, Issue 11 Subscribe to the Swamp Stomp Would you like your own copy of the Swamp Stomp delivered to your mail box each week? If so, please click HERE<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6146/db4d52e0e7edece1/15…>to subscribe. Call Us Toll Free 1- 877- 479 - 2673 [image: CCMIT Logo]<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6148/13c7d643947dbf16/15…> New Class - Baltimore, MD March 27, 2012 2012 Wetland Regional Supplements Updates Join us for this one-day seminar and get up to speed on all of the latest changes and updates to the US Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation methods. This class is perfect for wetland professionals who have been struggling with the new Regional Supplements. This is a great opportunity to go beyond the figuring it out on your own. You will be able to ask questions and clarify assumptions. More Information Here<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6150/eb9b31b48e4c4cd3/15…> [image: Wetland Plants] New Class - Wetland Plant Identification The 100 Plants You Need to Know! Northeast Wetland Plant Identification June 13-14, 2012 Northeastern Pennsylvania More ==>HERE<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6152/a3922b6efc3390c1/15…> [image: EMP]<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6154/b41db486eb64b4d7/15…> 2012 Wetland Delineation Regional Supplement Training Class Schedule Check out our winter/spring lineup March - North Carolina<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6160/8458ce365cca2663/15…> April - Pennsylvania<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6162/7a1cf381baa9c4d5/15…> Online ==> HERE<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6156/f4a65fce41e6b2a6/15…> Classroom ==> HERE<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6158/718280619493e20c/15…> [image: Interesting Image] Wetland Webinars Live Online Workshops March 14, 2012 Making Jurisdictional Determinations<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6164/213882a3b0f90815/15…> Re-Broadcast 2012 Wetland Status & Trends<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6166/7d49cba9ed8aebe0/15…> Are you looking for a job? [image: Jobs]<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6168/22e9c32b318165be/15…> Check out our newest online class<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/6170/a4ad51bcd400f203/15…> If you no longer wish to receive our emails, click the link below: Unsubscribe<https://swampschool.infusionsoft.com/app/optOut/0/c262bda13a6563ee/1590580/…> The Swamp School, LLC 702 Oberlin Road Suite 400 Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 United States 1 (877) 479-2673 <https://crm.infusionsoft.com/go/infs/3114367/html> -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Fwd: Re: Water bill
by James Kotcon 12 Mar '12

12 Mar '12

I am not sure if anyone else saw this, but SB 615, and the comparable SB 562 are on a fast track and are on the calendar for final passage today. These bills could easily reverse our victory before the EQB on the New Hill West permit in Morgantown. Jim Kotcon THE STATE JOURNAL: Bill aims to narrow scope of DEP water pollution permits Posted: Mar 08, 2012 5:57 PM EST Updated: Mar 08, 2012 8:52 PM EST By Pam Kasey The coal industry is backing a bill that would remove a provision in state water pollution discharge permits that requires compliance with all water quality standards. It's a provision the industry says applies, unfairly, only to coal. Although DEP representatives were unavailable to confirm or correct this at the time of this story, a quick review finds it in other water pollution discharge permits as well. Senate Bill 615, amending the state's Water Pollution Control Act, was introduced by Sens. Art Kirkendoll, D-Logan; Mike Hall, R-Putnam; Erik Wells, D-Kanawha; and Ron Stollings, D-Boone. The bill would insert new language into the Water Pollution Control Act stating, essentially, that compliance with effluent limits is compliance with the law. That sounds obvious, but West Virginia Coal Association Vice President Jason Bostic explained the meaning. The way it stands now, a coal mine operator's water pollution permit contains limitations for a number of pollutants. In addition, it includes language stating that, even if the permittee meets the pollution limitations specified in the permit, it also can't violate any other water quality standard. The industry wants that to stop, Bostic said. "That sets us up to get sued for things that aren't a parameter in our permit," he said. "Since they aren't in our permit, we aren't monitoring for them — so how would we know we're violating them?" "We've had notices of intent to sue for high conductivity," Bostic said — a water quality measure for which neither the state nor the federal government has set a water quality standard. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has, however, set a controversial benchmark for conductivity as a proxy for the tricky-to-implement biologic component of West Virginia's narrative water quality standard. "In concert with what EPA alleges, these anti-mining folks allege that high conductivity is violating the narrative water quality standards," he said. So a statement in a coal mine operator's water pollution discharge permit requiring the operator to meet not only its specific effluent limitations but also all of the state's other water quality standards is opening the operator to lawsuits. The requirement to meet all water quality standards does appear in other, non-coal water pollution discharge permits. The general permit for sewage systems treating less than 50,000 gallons per day, for example, reads, "The effluent or effluents covered by this permit are to be of such quality so as not to cause violation of applicable water quality standards adopted by the state Environmental Quality Board" — a function taken over by the DEP. A general stormwater construction permit reads, differently but relevantly, "This permit may be re-opened and modified, suspended, revoked and reissued or revoked at any time if information becomes available and demonstrates that the established controls do not attain and maintain the narrative water quality standards …" Bostic expressed further frustration over the fact that the Clean Water Act allows these suits to bypass state permitting and legal authority and go straight to federal court. "We're taking responsibility for the program away from the people of West Virginia and the Legislature and Department of Environmental Protection and putting it in the federal government's hands where it doesn't belong," he said. "It's certainly not supposed to be in front of a federal judge." The goal of the bill, he said, is to bring the coal program into conformity with the federal program and, in his mind, also with the non-coal industrial sector in West Virginia. "We want to get away from what has become a very hazardous situation where you have different rules that apply only to coal mining," he said. The bill will get its second reading on March 9 and will come to vote after its third reading on March 10.

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OOG has been busy today - comments open for pits
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 12 Mar '12

12 Mar '12

As it turns out, today, the OOG did set-up the functionality at http://www.dep.wv.gov/oil-and-gas/Horizontal-Permits/Pages/default.aspx as established in §22-6A-21 of H.B. 401 missing the deadline only short of 1 day. Make sure to explore, and join the OOG mailing list. Today they posted in the Public Notices Archive: The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Oil and Gas is taking comments on its design and construction standards for centralized pits used to store wastewater associated with horizontal drilling. The standards provide guidelines for construction, liner requirements, water quality monitoring and engineer certifications. The document can be found at: http://www.dep.wv.gov/oil-and-gas/Documents/Centralized%20Pits--Design%20an… Comments may be submitted in writing by email to dep.oogcomments(a)wv.gov or through the U.S. Postal Service to John Kearney, Office of Oil and Gas, 601 57th Street SE, Charleston, WV 25304. Comments will be accepted until April 12, 2012 at 5 p.m. -Jonathan

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Fwd: Hold Sen. Manchin accountable for his Keystone XL vote
by Paul Wilson 11 Mar '12

11 Mar '12

fyi, pls fwd to friends or post to other lists. thx, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Elijah Zarlin, CREDO Action <act(a)credoaction.com> Date: Sat, Mar 10, 2012 at 9:07 AM Subject: Hold Sen. Manchin accountable for his Keystone XL vote To: Paul Wilson <pjgrunt(a)gmail.com> ** * "Keystone XL would make billions for Big Oil and endanger the American people and our economy. I will not forget your vote to put Big Oil ahead of the American people by forcing approval of Keystone XL, whatever the cost. I strongly urge you to reconsider your support for this dangerous and misguided project." <http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5540426&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=1> * [image: Take action now!]<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5540426&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=2> [image: CREDO Action | more than a network, a movement.] *Hold Sen. Manchin accountable for voting to force approval of Keystone XL.<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5540426&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=3> * Dear Paul, Big Oil thought they had it in the bag.1 And it sure was close. But on Thursday, after CREDO members made more than 6,000 calls to key senators in just over 24 hours, the Republicans' amendment to force approval of the Keystone XL pipeline failed by a vote of 56 — 42, short of the 60 votes required to pass.2 *No thanks to Sen. Manchin — who chose big oil over the safety of the American people, and voted to strip the State Department and President Obama of their authority to evaluate this project.* * Tell Sen. Manchin: I won't forget your vote to force approval of the dangerous Keystone XL pipeline.<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5540426&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=4> * Eleven Democrats were either too oil-soaked or too seriously misinformed to stand up to Big Oil: Sens. Baucus (MT), Begich (AK), Casey (PA) Conrad (ND), Hagan (NC), Landrieu (LA), Manchin (WV), McCaskill (MO), Pryor (AR), Tester (MT), and Webb (VA) all voted to force approval of Keystone XL. *And indeed, The 56 senators who voted for the Hoeven amendment to force approval of Keystone XL have received 500% more money from oil interests in the current Congress than the senators who voted no.*3 Clearly, some senators are more afraid of being on the other side of that oil money than they are by the prospects of toxic oil spills in the Ogallala aquifer, or "game over" for the climate. Even though they lost the vote, thanks to the support of Sen. Manchin, oil companies and Republicans can now claim a bipartisan majority in favor of building Keystone XL, regardless of the cost. Which means Keystone XL will almost surely be back in Congress, and our activism will continue to be essential to stop it. * Please take this opportunity to let Sen. Manchin know you are disappointed in his vote, and urge him to reconsider his dangerous support for Keystone XL: * *http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5540427&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=5 * As long as oil companies have money and the world wants to burn oil, there will be no end in the fight to stop Keystone XL and keep tar sands bitumen in the ground. * But defeating Keystone XL on Thursday in its first straight vote in the Senate is another strong affirmation of the power of our activism against it * — and the importance of continuing to pressure our leaders. Thanks for all you do. Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets <http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=11&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=6> 1. "Big Oil Messes Up and Announces Keystone XL Victory Before Realizing They Lost<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5539688&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=7>," 350, 3/8/12 2. Senate Roll On the Hoeven Amdt. No. 1537<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5539633&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=8>, 3/8/12 3. "Keystone Stopped (again), but Not For Want of Trying<http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=5539689&id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx&t=9>," Oil Change International, 3/8/12 © 2012 CREDO. All rights reserved. To remove yourself (Paul Wilson) from this list, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/s?i=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx To change your email address or update your contact info, please visit: http://act.credoaction.com/subscrip/coa.html?id=36387-3414728-JZEPAUx -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Public notification of drilling permits not set-up
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 10 Mar '12

10 Mar '12

The DEP hasn't set-up electronic notification for new drilling permits, yet. Isn't it now nearly 90 days? (bill passed December 14, 2011). In the Regulations: §22-6A-21. Establishment of public website information and electronic notification registry regarding horizontal well permit applications. (a) No later than ninety days after the effective date of this article, the secretary shall establish resources on the department's public website which will list searchable information related to all horizontal well applications filed in this state, including information sufficient to identify the county and approximate location of each horizontal well for which a permit application is filed, the referenced well application number, date of application, name of the applicant, and any written comments submitted by the public. (b) The secretary shall also establish a registration and e-notification process by which individuals, corporations and agencies may register to receive electronic notice of horizontal well applications filings and notices, by county of interest. Once established, individuals, agencies and corporations interested who are properly registered to receive e-notices of filings and actions on horizontal well permits shall receive electronic notifications of applications and notices of permits issued for horizontal drilling in their designated county or counties of interest. -Jonathan

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Chesapeake faces criminal Clean Water Act probe
by Frank Young 02 Mar '12

02 Mar '12

BlankWest Virginia media outlets are focusing in this morning on a report out of Oklahoma about Chesapeake Energy facing a criminal investigation of Clean Water Act violations at some of its operations here in West Virginia. http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2012/03/02/chesapeake-faces-criminal-cl… Also: "Much of what (Aubrey) McClendon says is misleading – wind power is as cheap as gas in some places and falling fast, and cutting back on gas doesn’t have to mean burning more coal.", says Jeff Goodell, writing in rolling Stone. This is the same Aubrey McClendon who threw a hissy fit and cancelled plans for a regional Chesapeake Energy headquarters near Charleston because a Roane County jury returned a multi-million dollar verdict against Chesapeake after it swindled West Virginia mineral owners out of tens of million$ in royalty payments. Frank Young

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Complete Streets Webinar Today!
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 01 Mar '12

01 Mar '12

I have been looking for some people to attend this webinar, http://action.sierraclub.org/CompleteStreets , because alas, I have a Bicycle Board meeting at the exact same time, 7:00 p.m. Some of you probably know that there is (was) a really great Complete Streets bill in the Legislature. It was introduced by Delegate Nancy Guthrie, http://youtu.be/rp01FZdANPM. Later a Senate bill was introduced which was essentially a red herring. I have been told by someone who is in contact with AARP that both bills will not be up for vote because they are stuck in committee. The DOH is not happy with the bills, and has worked hard to weaken them. Another expert told me that, "The DOH has ultimate leverage on every public official in the state. The only way to pass something like this is through a statewide citizens' coalition. It will probably take some horrible accident to get it passed -- which is what happened in Illinois. We have to keep working to support the concept nevertheless." It sounds like we are going to need a focused campaign. In the seminar there will be people from Minnesota and Rhode Island Chapters speaking. In Minnesota, legislation has been successfully passed, and I hope you are as intrigued as me in finding out how that was accomplished. I know transportation issues do not always show up on everybody's radar screens, but as I am learning, more and more, with Complete Streets, besides the obvious gains, there will be a gain in Social Capital which will in turn improve WV's environment. Please attend if you can, and send back feedback. Thanks. -Jonathan

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