MVCAC

mvcac@lists.osenergy.org

1014 discussions

Fw: disclosure of fracking chemicals chemicals in CO
by Peggy Filios 20 Dec '11

20 Dec '11

There was an newswire AP article in a Denver paper last week stating that Colorado regulators will require energy companies to disclose the concentrations of all chemicals in hydraulic fracturing and also ask drillers to make public some information about ingredients considered trade secrets. The regulation take effect this April. Sorry but I don't know the newspaper. The Byline is by P. Solomon Banda. Peggy

1 0

PROPOSAL: MVCAC still supports Morgantown City ban
by Duane330＠aol.com 15 Dec '11

15 Dec '11

MESSAGE FROM DON SPENCER, FORMER MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL: I just want to mention that the City Council is apparently planning to place on Tuesday's agenda (12/20) the reconsideration/removal the municipal ban on horizontal drilling/fracking. Ron Bane motioned that the item be removed from the table at the last meeting. The motion passed 4-3 (Bane, Manilla, Nugent, Herbst vs. Byrne, Shamberger, Selin). Obviously with so many issues still up in the air with the approved industry-compliant Governor's Bill (and with State Code 8-12-19 still on the books even with Judge Tucker's unfortunate decision), it would be damaging to have Morgantown desert the legal struggle and the representative support for the concerns of its citizens. Several legislators are still planning to work to amend the action during the regular session beginning in January. Morgantown needs to be seen as part of the support for amendments rather than being also willing to cave in to the pressures of the industry at the expense of air quality, well water restrictions, water withdrawals, and provisions to allow the DEP to deny permits near water supplies, municipalities and densely populated areas - all items, plus still others, that were in the Special Committee Bill that were compromised/removed in the Governor's Bill. I do hope that we can mobilize a good attendance and representation of concerned citizens to speak at the public session of the December 20 meeting. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. I plan to speak too. What we do together can also have an impact on our media, our delegation and others who may support us in the regular session. I hope that you can notify people on your mailing lists about this meeting. Hope to see you Tuesday. Don Spencer (_dspencer36(a)comcast.net_ (mailto:dspencer36@comcast.net) ) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To: Participants and Friends of MVCAC..... Given that there is benefit from retaining the Ban in Morgantown, in spite of the Circuit Court ruling against it; And, given that the two Marcellus wells at the Morgantown Industrial Park are scheduled to be flared this coming week, a process that could last from three days to three weeks and produce substantial pollution; It is herewith proposed that MVCAC continue our position of being in favor of the Ban. Please let me know if you object. Duane Nichols, _duane330(a)aol.com_ (mailto:duane330@aol.com)

1 0

Action on Marcellus Framework in Charleston, WV
by Duane330＠aol.com 11 Dec '11

11 Dec '11

QUICK OVERVIEW: SUNDAY: The House and Senate will convene Sunday at 5pm to begin the special Session on Marcellus shale drilling regulation. Tonight at the opening of the session, in the House the bill was read and single referenced to Judiciary Committee which will meet at 9am Tuesday. In the Senate, the bill was NOT read, but simply announced (puzzling...usually done when they're trying to kill a bill), and double referenced to Judiciary and Finance Committees. Senate Judiciary will meet at 9am tomorrow, Monday. MONDAY: THIS IS WHEN WE NEED THE NUMBERS!!! YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO OR SAY ANYTHING – JUST SHOW UP 12 noon, we will hold a press conference in the Lower Rotunda 4:30pm House of Delegates will hold a public hearing in the House Chamber THE GAS INDUSTRY IS HOLDING A RALLY AND THERE WILL BE PRO- DRILLING “CITIZENS” THERE IN MATCHING T-SHIRTS. TUESDAY: The bill will be taken up by House Judiciary. DETAILS AND DIRECTIONS: A few things about our capitol for newcomers………. Directions: The Capitol is in the East End of Charleston, off of I-64, take the Airport/Capitol/Greenbrier St. exit 99. Parking: Rarely available on capitol grounds, fair luck on side streets, but there is a public parking lot next to nearby Laidley Field with a shuttle bus to the capitol building. Ground level entrances to the capitol will lead you to our meeting area under the dome at the Information Desk. With few exceptions, all areas of the capitol building are freely open to the public. We can guide you to offices of your officials and provide with talking points. Dressing appropriately and being courteous and friendly goes a long way toward overcoming indifference and resistance from the lawmakers Here are contact numbers for you if needed. Chuck Wyrostok – Sierra Club 304 545 6325 Carol Warren – Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition OVEC 304 539 2240 Julie Archer – WV Surface Owners Right Organization SORO 304 610 9094 Denise Poole WV Environmental Council 304 617 7073 BACKGROUND: Following three years of deliberation and after months of labor by the Joint Select Committee, Governor Tomblin took a knife to their “agreed upon” bill, hacking out vital parts like an apprentice butcher. Here’s what we know so far: Some of the things the governor’s bill would do: Allow pits to be buried on site Eliminate the provision that allowed for DEP to call a public hearing on a drilling permit application. It looks like they also eliminated the public (publication) notice and comment. Reduce the distance from a water well for required testing 2,500' to 1,500 feet Make the landowner go to court to get water replacement and there is a now definition of "water purveyor" that may limit who gets notice. Eliminate the legal notice to adjacent landowners Reduce some of the buffer zones for rivers, streams, wetlands, etc. Eliminate the "special conditions" amendment Remove the amendment regulating air quality Remove the traditional power of local government to regulate zoning and land development of gas activities as well as other aspects, such as the time and the place of operations to protect health, safety and welfare of the general public through local ordinances and enactments. SUNDAY: The House and Senate will initially convene a Special Session Sunday at 5:00 PM. The bill will be read a first time and then referred to committees. Environmental lobbyists will be there to monitor this. No voting on this can take place until it’s in the committee rooms and then back out into the Senate and House. MONDAY: 12 noon, we will hold a press conference in the Lower Rotunda (ground floor under the dome). Citizen groups and landowners who know from personal experience about their own small private hell will speak. If you have experienced drilling travesties and can be there, please contact me at _outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com_ (mailto:outreach@marcellus-wv.com) and plan to arrive by 11:30am. Earlier arrivals can meet us there to plan action for the day. Environmental lobbyists from several organizations will be there to meet, greet and guide you. MONDAY 4:30pm House of Delegates will hold a public hearing in the House Chamber. Anyone can sign up to speak. Get there early to sign up. The gas industry will rally their people at a nearby church between 2:30 & 3pm. They will show up at the public hearing all wearing the same color t-shirts. Their message will be to support the industry -- no particular position on the bill. TUESDAY: The bill will be taken up by House Judiciary. It will be crucial to have a large presence there to make our needs known to our Delegates and Senators and press them to pass strong rules in spite of the Governor’s betrayal of the people. If you only do one thing against this blatant industrialization of our hills, please make this the one. This is a pivotal point in this campaign and we need to throw everything we've got at preventing them from passing an empty bill and calling it "fixed". They are all accountable and we will call for a moratorium on further permits unless we get the elements into law that are nothing more than our human rights. If you cannot be there, you can play a powerful role by _calling or emailing your Delegate and Senators._ (http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Districts/district_zip/zipmems.cfm) Tell them you are a constituent in their district. They must thoroughly understand our determination to secure our rights for a safe supply of water and air and for preservation of our rights as landowners. How forcefully citizens make their legislators carry out their sworn constitutional duties will determine what kind of future we will have here in West Virginia. The bill and a bill summary are posted online: 10 page summary of bill at: _http://www.governor.wv.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/Documents/Governor%27s%20 Summary_Horizontal%20Well%20Act.pdf_ (http://www.governor.wv.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/Documents/Governor's%20Summary_Horizontal%20Well%20Act.pdf) Complete 99 page bill at _http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bulletin_Board/Proclamation/2011/Governor%27s_Marcellus_Shale_Bill.pdf_ (http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bulletin_Board/Proclamation/2011/Governor's_Marcellus_Shale_Bill.pdf) It is citizen pressure that caused the calling of this Special Session and it will be citizen pressure that will ensure passage of a strong Marcellus bill. Chuck Wyrostok, Sierra Club Outreach Organizer Toll free 877 252 0257, E: _outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com_ (mailto:outreach@marcellus-wv.com) , _www.marcellus-wv.com_ (http://www.marcellus-wv.com) See also: _www.frackcheckwv.net_ (http://www.frackcheckwv.net)

1 0

Pennsylvania DEP Doing Study on Air Emissions from Marcellus Operations
by Duane 08 Dec '11

08 Dec '11

DEP seeks companies' emissions data Thursday, December 08, 2011 By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pennsylvania has asked 99 Marcellus Shale gas drilling and development companies to submit air pollution emissions information that will be used in a comprehensive three-year state inventory of air pollutants required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The companies must submit their reports to the state Department of Environmental Protection by March, which in turn will give them to the EPA by the end of the year. The 2012 data to the EPA will be the first to include an inventory of emissions from Marcellus Shale drilling, production and processing activities. The DEP said the operators must submit emissions data for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, airborne particles or soot, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and total hazardous air pollutants. The department notified the companies this week of the pollution inventory requirement, which covers companies involved in all phases of shale gas drilling, production, transmission, processing and related activities, and should include releases from drill rigs, compressor stations and dehydration units, and emissions from connectors; flanges; pump lines; pump seals and valves; heaters; pneumatic controllers and pumps; stationary engines; tanks; pressurized vessels and impoundments; venting and blow down systems; well heads; and well completions. It's unclear if all companies working in the shale gas field have been collecting emissions data for all of those pollutants at all of those locations throughout the year. Katy Gresh, a DEP spokeswoman, said Marcellus Shale companies are "required to meet their permit limits, which requires measuring and tracking emissions." Matt Pitzarella, a Range Resources spokesman, said the drilling company knows the emissions potential of diesel engines it uses in drilling processes and does routine air monitoring. Michael Krancer, DEP secretary, said the emission inventory, which is submitted to the EPA every three years, is an important tool to use to ensure the maintenance of air quality and prevent deterioration. Don Hopey: dhopey(a)post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983. First published on December 8, 2011 at 12:00 am Duane Nichols, Cell- 304-216-5535.

1 0

Fwd: DEP Public Notice - County - Monongalia - Notice of Intent to Approve Pe...
by Duane330＠aol.com 23 Nov '11

23 Nov '11

Air pollution sources continue to accumulate in northern WV and SW PA. Sent: 11/22/2011 3:23:21 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: DEP Public Notice - County - Monongalia - Notice of Intent to Approve Permit R13-2897 for Equitrans Limited Partnership's Blacksville Station =========================================================== Tuesday, November 22, 2011 @ 3:23 PM =========================================================== AIR QUALITY PERMIT NOTICE Notice of Intent to Approve On September 12, 2011, Equitrans Limited Partnership applied to the WV Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality (DAQ) for a permit to Construct a natural gas gas transmission compressor station facility located off of State Route 7, Blacksville, Monongalia County, WV. A preliminary evaluation has determined that all State and Federal air quality requirements will be met by the proposed facility. The DAQ is providing notice to the public of its preliminary determination to issue the permit as R13-2897. The following potential emissions will be authorized by this permit action: Particulate Matter, 7.04 TPY; Sulfur Dioxide, 0.41 TPY; Oxides of Nitrogen, 91.84 TPY; Carbon Monoxide, 37.52 TPY; Volatile Organic Compounds, 69.89 TPY; Formaldehyde 8.08 TPY. Written comments or requests for a public meeting must be received by the DAQ before 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 29, 2011. A public meeting may be held if the Director of the DAQ determines that significant public interest has been expressed, in writing, or when the Director deems it appropriate. The purpose of the DAQ's permitting process is to make a preliminary determination if the proposed Construction will meet all State and Federal air quality requirements. The purpose of the public review process is to accept public comments on air quality issues relevant to this determination. Only written comments received at the address noted below within the specified time frame, or comments presented orally at a scheduled public meeting, will be considered prior to final action on the permit. All such comments will become part of the public record. David Keatley WV Department of Environmental Protection Division of Air Quality 601 57th Street, SE Charleston, WV 25304 Telephone: 304/926-0499, ext. 1224 FAX: 304/926-0478 Additional information, including copies of the draft permit, application and all other supporting materials relevant to the permit decision may be obtained by contacting the engineer listed above. The draft permit and engineering evaluation can be downloaded at: www.dep.wv.gov/daq/Pages/NSR2011PermitsforReview.aspx

2 1

Fw: ATSDR Public Health consultation: natural gas extraction activities - PA
by Peggy Filios 14 Nov '11

14 Nov '11

ATSDR Public Health Consultation Community Concerns Regarding Natural Gas Extraction Activities ATSDR investigated the water quality of seven residential wells surrounding the Chesapeake ATGAS 2H natural gas well site in Leroy Township, Bradford County, PA, at the request of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following a well blowout. ATSDR found that several wells had elevated levels of salts and other chemicals, according to a report. While it is unclear how the wells were contaminated, the available data suggest to ATSDR that one well was impacted by natural gas activities. The data from the other six wells did not suggest impact from natural gas activities. To read the public health consultation, please visit: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/ChesapeakeATGASWellSite/ChesapeakeATGASWel… The full press release may be viewed at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/news/displaynews.asp?PRid=2519

1 0

FW: GASP Has Moved!
by Duane Nichols 07 Nov '11

07 Nov '11

Dear participants and Friends, Duane Nichols has forwarded this email to you with the following message: Subscribe me! http://ui.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=oo&m=1102402694952&ea=mvcac%40cheat.o… ----------------------------------------------------------- Please Note: You have NOT been added to any email lists. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, please contact duane330(a)aol.com. ----------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? www.gasp-pgh.org http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=izlefwcab&v=0016rCg-GFQu… GASPalerts Action and News from Group Against Smog and Pollution IN THIS ISSUE GASP Moves to New Office ALCOSAN Public Hearing Allegheny River Green Boulevard ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Find us on Facebook [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.qhfholeab.izlefwcab.0…] Follow us on Twitter [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.5ug998dab.izlefwcab.0…] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JOIN OUR LIST Join Our Mailing List [http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1102402694952] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ November 7, 2011 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GASP Jumps to Penn Avenue It's official. The phones, internet, and heat work. The paint has dried. The files have been unpacked (or recycled, more likely). GASP's move to our new office is complete! We loved our old location at the Wightman School building in Squirrel Hill, but GASP is growing, and there was simply no more room to be had there. Thanks to everyone there who made our time enjoyable. It was tough to leave the charming, late 1800's schoolhouse that was LEED certified, but we're very excited to have our current space. Our new address is 5135 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15224. Our phone number has changed as well, to (412) 924-0604. Stop by anytime and check out the new place! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALCOASN Needs to Know: Think Green When Thinking Blue Coming soon to a city near you: a massive, multi-billion dollar effort to get our waterways in compliance with federal standards. Hear ALCOSAN's proposals to reduce sewer overflows, and then let them know what you think. Will green infrastructure be a part of the proposals? How big a part? What's the cost of all this? More details on the event can be found here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.c5abaniab.izlefwcab.0…]. The Clean Rivers Campaign [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.d5abaniab.izlefwcab.0…], a project of Pittsburgh United, Clean Water Action, and many others, hopes you'll join them in learning about ALCOSAN's proposals and asking ALCOSAN to consider green options. (Learn more about managing wet weather with green infrastructure here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.e5abaniab.izlefwcab.0…].) ALCOSAN Town Hall Meeting Wednesday, November 9, 5:30-7:30 PM IBEW #5 Circuit Centre & Ballroom 5 Hot Metal Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard Continuing the green and blue theme is the first public meeting on the big changes planned for the Allegheny riverfront running along the edge of Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood. A multi-use rail corridor? Check. Kayak and boat access? Yep. Parks and open space? You bet. All of this and more will be covered at the event. Learn more here [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=izlefwcab&t=xkpd4miab.0.f5abaniab.izlefwcab.0…]. Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard Public Meeting Thursday, November 17, 6-8 PM Society for Contemporary Craft 2100 Smallman Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We appreciate your participation on the GASPalerts email list. Together, we can make a difference in our region's environment. We won't trade or sell your address with other organizations or inundate you with mailings. Thank you! ----------------------------------------------------------- This email was forwarded to mvcac(a)cheat.org, by Duane Nichols. Privacy Policy http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp Email Marketing by Constant Contact(R) www.constantcontact.com

1 0

Presentation to Morgantown City Council (10/25/11)
by Duane330＠aol.com 25 Oct '11

25 Oct '11

MON VALLEY CLEAN AIR COALITION, October 25, 2011. The US EPA performed limited air monitoring at the Skyview Elementary School on three separate days. Such monitoring is unlikely to identify emissions from "upsets" or fracking events and other activities that occur commonly during Marcellus well operations.The EPA monitoring is a step in the right direction but it is neither sufficient nor conclusive enough to remove community concerns. MVCAC is an advocate for prohibiting drilling and fracking in the Mon Valley. We also advocate continuous air monitoring and testing if drilling and fracking do occur. We now advocate the following conditions: 1. Skyview Elementary and two other schools are within about 6,000 feet of the well pad. Closer still are thirty or so businesses that are within 200 feet to 3,000 feet from the well pad. Continuous monitoring should be in place for all three schools and for these business locations. 2. We recognize that the air pollution from Marcellus drilling and fracking operations occurs in rather rapid releases, and any human exposures at the well site, at the adjacent businesses, at the schools and at the residences in the Monongahela valley will be nearly impossible to measure without continuous monitors that are located near these sites. 3. Continuous methane (or combustible gas) monitoring is recommended near the well pad because methane is easy to detect, because it will be present in higher concentrations than the other pollutants, and because it serves as an indicator that many other hazardous or toxic substances are present. 4. Given that fracking was not completed on one of the wells at the Morgantown Industrial Park and given that much more work will be involved there before these two Marcellus wells are actually connected to gathering and transmission pipelines, it is recommended that continuous methane monitoring be established as soon as possible, with daily (or continuous) reporting of the data to the public, for the protection of all the residents and workers in the vicinity of the wells as well as in the greater Mon valley. 5. We are concerned about the future, not only of these two wells but of the many more wells that will be coming into our County without adequate protection for the public health and welfare. In summary, continuous emission monitoring is needed at the site, and ambient monitors at upwind and downwind locations are needed to verify that off-site concentrations do not cause health or environmental impacts. Appropriate control technology is available to significantly reduce emissions, and regulations in some states already require these. But until the WV Legislature passes a Marcellus bill with stringent air pollution requirements, until WV-DEP adopts rules to implement that legislation, and until the needed inspectors and enforcement programs are in place to assure compliance, the air in Monongalia County remains at risk, and no one is watching. City Council should retain the current ban and contact the Legislature and the Governor to support Marcellus regulations. Contacts: Duane Nichols and Linda Shuster, Board of Directors, Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition. Phone: 304-599-8040. _www.monvalleycleanair.org_ (http://www.monvalleycleanair.org) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<....................................>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1 0

<urgent> Air pollution monitoring at two MIP Marcellus wells
by Duane330＠aol.com 24 Oct '11

24 Oct '11

To: Participants and Friends of Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition. MVCAC is an advocate for prohibiting drilling and fracking in the Mon Valley. We have also advocated testing if drilling and fracking do occur. Now that drilling and fracking have occurred and EPA has done tests at the Skyview Elementary School, let me propose a current position for MVCAC. 1. MVCAC approves of the testing thus far and recognizes that the air was not impacted at the Skyview Elementary School on the three dates tested. 2. We recognize that this school is within about 6,000 feet of the well pad. We wonder why testing and protective measures against air pollution have not been performed at any of the thirty or so businesses that are within 200 feet to 3,000 feet from well pad. Has monitoring been offerred to any of these locations? We think not. 3. We recognize that the air pollution from Marcellus drilling and fracking operations occurs in rather rapid episodes, and any human exposures at the well site, at the adjacent businesses, at the schools and at the residences in the Monongahela valley will be nearly impossible to measure without continuous monitors that are located at these listed sites. 4. Continuous methane monitoring is recommended near the well pad because methane is easy to detect, because it will be present in higher concentrations than the other pollutants, and because it serves as an indicator that many other hazardous or toxic substances are present. 5. Given that fracking was not completed on one of the wells at the Morgantown Industrial Park and given that much more work will be involved there before these two Marcellus wells are actually connected to gathering and transmission pipelines, it is highly recommended that continuous methane monitoring be instituted as soon as possible, with daily (or continuous) reporting of the data to the public, for the protection of all the residents and workers in the vicinity of the wells as well as in the greater Mon valley. YOUR COMMENTS ARE SOLICITED ON THE ABOUT POINTS, TO BE PRESENTED TO THE MORGANTOWN CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2011. WE CAN ALSO SUBMIT OUR STATEMENT, ONCE FINALIZED TO THE WV-DEP AND TO THE U.S. EPA, THE AGENCY THAT DID THE THREE TESTS (AT THE REQUEST OF THE WV-DEP). Duane Nichols, _duane330(a)aol.com_ (mailto:duane330@aol.com) , 304-216-5535

3 3

Navajo power plant at Four Corners... $3 billion.
by Duane 22 Oct '11

22 Oct '11

Feds extend comment period on Navajo coal-fired power plant By Susan Montoya Bryan Albuquerque, New Mexico (AP) - The federal government has decided to give people another 30 days to review a massive document on the potential impacts of a proposed coal-fired power plant that the nation’s largest Indian reservation is looking to as its economic salvation. The $3 billion Desert Rock Energy Project would be capable of producing enough electricity for up to 1.5 million homes in cities across the Southwest while bringing in tens of millions of dollars each year in tax revenues, lease payments and royalties for the Navajo Nation. The Department of Interior made the decision to extend the comment period Friday, a day after criticism erupted when the agency’s Bureau of Indian Affairs issued a last call for comments on the plant’s draft environmental impact statement. Among the environmentalists and tribal members who had objected to the comment period ending Monday were Rep. John Salazar and his brother Sen. Ken Salazar, both Democrats from Colorado. While the plant would be located on tribal land in northwestern New Mexico, the lawmakers say it’s controversial among residents throughout the Four Corners region – where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet. The Salazars said many residents did not receive a copy of the 1,600-page environmental impact statement until the comment period was half over. “The proposed Desert Rock plant is one that concerns many of my constituents,” John Salazar said in a statement Friday. “The possible impacts of the proposed plant to our air, water and health need to be fully understood. This extension will allow more time for the public to read and comment on this proposal.” Desert Rock, a joint venture between Houston-based Sithe Global Power and the Navajo Nation’s Dine Power Authority, would be the third coal-fired plant in the Four Corners. Opponents are concerned that it would only add to the pollution in the region, impacting both residents’ health and the environment. But Navajo leaders and Sithe have said Desert Rock would be one of the cleanest coal-burning plants in the country and a much-needed source of jobs and revenue for the tribe. George Hardeen, a spokesman for Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr., said the extension of the comment period was a compromise since many people had requested 60 more days during a series of public hearing held by the BIA last month. Hardeen said Desert Rock is important to the Navajo Nation, where unemployment is high and many people live without running water or electricity. “President Shirley still sees this as the keystone to reviving the Navajo economy,” Hardeen said Friday. One of the reasons Navajo leaders support the project is because of its stringent pollution controls, he said. “Many people say we need to keep our CO2 levels as low as possible. Clearly, we hear this message but we continue to need the plant,” he said, referring to the revenues it would bring the tribe over the next 40 to 50 years. “Opponents want no plant. Not lets make the cleanest plant possible, but no plant at all,” he said. “Nothing else would replace that as an economic generator.” Mike Eisenfeld of the San Juan Citizens Alliance, one of the groups that has been fighting Desert Rock, said the Navajos needs to look beyond their coal resources to renewable energy production. He said a study has been commissioned by the plant’s opponents to consider alternatives, and the longer comment period will allow for those findings to be submitted to the BIA. “We’re not only saying no to Desert Rock. But look, there are some alternatives for the Navajo Nation – things that would perhaps allow the Navajo Nation to be a model for what can be done on tribal land and secure themselves a solid economic future,” he said. Hardeen acknowledged the push for wind and solar generated power, but he said the amount of electricity those systems would be able to generate would be far less than Desert Rock, meaning less revenue for the tribe. “The wind doesn’t blow all the time and the sun shines only half of a 24-hour day,” he said. “The power plant will be producing energy and money every day." http://www.bendib.com/

1 0

Jump to page:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

MVCAC