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Fracking In and Around Ohio State Parks Goes to Court
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 15 Apr '23

15 Apr '23

# [Fracking In and Around Ohio State Parks Goes to Court](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/15/fracking-in-and-around-ohio- state-parks-goes-to-court/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/21FB202E-BF1B-4164-A426-0284FC5D8900.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/04/21FB202E-BF1B-4164-A426-0284FC5D8900.jpeg) Hocking Hills State Park is unusually popular for hiking in Ohio **Environmental groups sue to stop fracking in Ohio State parks** From an [Article by Julie Grant, The Allegheny Front](https://www.alleghenyfront.org/environmental-groups-sue-to-stop- fracking-in-ohio-state-parks/), April 14, 2023 **While Pennsylvania has a moratorium on new drilling leases in state parks and forests, a controversial new law in Ohio requires state agencies to lease land for gas drilling. The law went into effect on April 7 and is designed to accelerate gas drilling under state-owned lands, like state parks. State agencies have had the authority to do this since a 2011 law allowed for it, but the difference with this new law is the language. The previous law stated that agencies “may” lease state lands for gas production; the new law says they “shall” lease it.** Sponsors of the bill say they changed the language in response to requests by the gas industry because energy companies were frustrated by the lack of movement on their drilling requests. **Environmental groups sue to prevent “wild west” drilling permits** ~ Four environmental groups filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, trying to stop the law from going into effect until the state creates rules to regulate drilling on state lands. Those rules were not created after the 2011 law was passed. The Oil and Gas Land Management Commission recently started that process. According to attorney **Megan Hunter of EarthJustice** , the rules could cover how parcels would be put forward for leasing, how the state would decide which leases to grant, and which parcels and bidders to move forward with. Currently, she said, the law is in effect without rules to govern how drilling applications will be decided. “And that… process includes a certain number of protections… the commission would have to consider environmental issues, economic issues, impacts to tourism, the current uses of the public lands before they would make a decision on what lease is going to move forward,” **Megan Hunter** said. “There’s also a requirement that the leases would go to the highest and best bid.” Without rules in place, **Megan Hunter** doesn’t think that will necessarily happen. She described it as a “wild west” moment, meaning a time for the worst and most dangerous bids to come forward. According to the **Cleveland Plain Dealer** , even before the law was signed by Governor DeWine in January, Encino Energy offered the state the potential of nearly $2 billion to be the first to frack Salt Fork, Ohio’s largest state park. That offer was ultimately rejected. **The Environmental Groups’ Legal Argument** ~ While the environmental groups would like to prevent fracking in state parks altogether, concerned about the environmental impacts it could have, their lawsuit only seeks to stop the state from leasing state-owned lands until rules are in place to regulate it. When the Ohio House passed this bill, HB 507, last spring, it looked completely different. It was focused on poultry. The Senate added amendments last December, including the provision about gas drilling on state lands, and another that redefines natural gas as green energy. The lawsuit claims that this violates the Ohio constitution, which only allows one subject per bill. Each bill also is required to have three hearings in both the state Senate and the House. “Both of those rules are there in the Constitution to ensure a fair legislative process that people can understand so that people can really participate in the legislative process and have their voices heard,” **Megan Hunter** said. “And that just didn’t happen here.” She said citizens didn’t get a chance to speak to lawmakers about their concerns before the bill was passed. “The only provisions that the public gave comment on were the agricultural provisions of the bill,” **Megan Hunter** said. “There was never a public hearing once the additional language had been added to include the mandatory leasing provision and the green energy provision.” So far, the environmental groups lost their request for a temporary, immediate halt on the law. A Franklin County judge said there was no evidence to indicate risk of imminent and irreparable harm if the law stands while the court decides on the issues, and noted **Governor DeWine** said that no leases would be signed in the immediate future. The court will next consider the constitutional issues in the lawsuit, and whether to put the brakes on this law until rules are in place. [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/3114D1A9-8898-4F2B-8D87-CA42DA466643.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/04/3114D1A9-8898-4F2B-8D87-CA42DA466643.jpeg) Hocking Hills State Park [LISTEN to Julie Grant discuss her reporting with The Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsopple](https://www.alleghenyfront.org/environmental-groups-sue-to-stop- fracking-in-ohio-state-parks/) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/15/fracking-in-and-around-ohio- state-parks-goes-to-court/>

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Truck Accident Closes Marshall County Roads ~ Slippery Oily Sludge Spilled
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 14 Apr '23

14 Apr '23

# [Truck Accident Closes Marshall County Roads ~ Slippery Oily Sludge Spilled](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/14/truck-accident-closes- marshall-county-roads-slippery-oily-sludge-spilled/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/04AA91C9-8A69-4E37-9073-302F58545F8E-300x168.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/04AA91C9-8A69-4E37-9073-302F58545F8E.jpeg) Clay-based absorbent material applied to miles of highway **SPILL CLOSES PORTION OF ROBERT 'S RIDGE IN MOUNDSVILLE** From an [Article by Gianna Dapra, WCHS News 8 (WTOV News 9)](https://wchstv.com/news/local/spill-closes-portion-of-roberts-ridge-in- moundsville), March 13, 2023 **MARSHALL COUNTY, W.Va. —Multiple roads in Marshall County were closed throughout the day because of an oil spill. Around 10 o 'clock on Sunday night, a Tug Hill truck was transporting materials that included fracking, or drilling sludge.** Roberts Ridge Road from Lindsay Lane to Snedeker Drive are all closed for cleanup. The West Virginia Department of Highways is urging commuters to use alternate routes. "Nature's broom, or floor dry, is kind of the brand name for what it is material that we put down to provide traction and to absorb the oil," DOH District 6 Engineer Tony Clark said. But that is not all being done, as Tug Hill has committed to an environmental cleanup. Clark says its important a proper cleanup is completed before the roadways can be re-opened, as oil is more dangerous than you might think. ([Video clip is in the Article](https://wchstv.com/news/local/spill-closes- portion-of-roberts-ridge-in-moundsville).) "It’s extremely slick, so it's no different than driving on black ice, for instance, for where you don’t necessarily think it's going to be slick until you're sliding off the road," Clark said. #######+++++++#######+++++++######## **Several roads in Marshall County remain closed following truck oil leak** From the [Article of WV Transportation News](https://transportation.wv.gov/communications/PressRelease/Pages/Sever…, March 13, 2023 The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) is assisting with the cleanup of several roadways in Marshall County following an oil mud leakage from an oil and gas truck on Sunday, March 12, 2023. **The truck traveled more than 14 miles, on WV 2 and county routes, while leaking drilling fluid.** The following roadways are closed on Monday, March 13, 2023, as a result of the spillage: Roberts Ridge Road (CR 21) from Fallen Timber Lane to Lindsay Lane Road (CR 88/5), all of Lindsay Lane Road and Round Bottom Hill Road (WV 2 ALT). WV 2 just south of Moundsville was impacted by the spill but crews have that 2.5-mile portion reopened. A clay and sand-based absorbent material was placed on that roadway to assist in drying it. The oil and gas company responsible for the spill is hiring a professional contractor to clean the closed roadways. The spill along with weather conditions has caused slippery roadways. WVDOH is monitoring the cleanup and advises motorists to avoid the areas. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has staff on site and no environmental impacts have been observed. The roads impacted are expected to be closed for the remainder of Monday, March 13, 2023. #######+++++++++#######+++++++++######### **See Also:** [Truck carrying toxic soil from East Palestine overturns in Ohio](https://www.wtrf.com/ohio/truck-carrying-toxic-soil-from-east-palesti… overturns-in-ohio/), Chelsea Simeon, WTRF News 7, April 11, 2023 URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/14/truck-accident-closes-marshall- county-roads-slippery-oily-sludge-spilled/>

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The Icefin Instrument Goes Under Glaciers for Research on Melting
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 13 Apr '23

13 Apr '23

# [The Icefin Instrument Goes Under Glaciers for Research on Melting](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/13/the-icefin-instrument-goes- under-glaciers-for-research-on-melting/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/2E51FF92-C9A2-45CE-9A99-A956CCE80CAA-300x168.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/2E51FF92-C9A2-45CE-9A99-A956CCE80CAA.jpeg) Prof. Britney Schmidt studies planets including Earth in detail **Prof. Britney Schmidt named one of Time’s 100 most influential people** From an [Article by Linda B. Glaser, Cornell Chronicle](https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2023/04/britney-schmidt-named-o… times-100-most-influential-people), April 13, 2023 **Time Magazine has named Britney Schmidt, associate professor of astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences and Earth and atmospheric sciences in Cornell Engineering, to the 2023 list of the world’s 100 most influential people.** Each year, the Time100 features people who have changed the world, scientific pioneers along with innovators, artists, leaders, titans and icons. Schmidt was recognized for her contributions to climate science, following the recent publication of surprise results about the melting of the imperiled Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. The lead author of the companion paper from the project, Peter Davis of the British Antarctic Survey, was also named. **The Thwaites Glacier is roughly the size of Great Britain or Florida and is particularly susceptible to climate and ocean changes. The total collapse of the glacier would contribute an additional 65 centimeters to sea-level rise, whilst also destabilizing surrounding snow and ice.** Schmidt and her team develop robotic tools and instruments and use spacecraft to study planets. By exploring Earth’s ice shelves and glaciers and the oceans beneath them, Schmidt’s team helps to capture the impacts of changing climate on the cryosphere, while understanding analogs for Ocean Worlds like Jupiter’s moon Europa. **Icefin, the underwater, under-ice robotic oceanographer she and her team developed, allowed the team from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration to access to environments under ice shelves that had never been directly observed. Shaped like a torpedo, 13 feet long and 10 inches wide, Icefin carries cameras, sonar equipment, speed sensors, water column measuring tools and other devices. The team slips it into open water through a hole.** “Using Icefin, we could see for the first time how and where significant melt under the ice shelf is happening,” Schmidt said. “These new views show us how change is happening under the ice, revealing complex and intricate systems that are responding to climate change and driving sea level rise. Antarctica may feel distant and rugged, but the truth is that it is incredibly vulnerable, and that changes there affect every one of us. Understanding how the planet responds to our actions is critical for stemming the tide of climate change.” “If crisis is going to unite us, we must find within ourselves that same empathy,” TIME editor in chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal wrote in 2022. “The spectrum of leaders on this list, wielding influence in so many ways, is a reminder that we all have the option to use our power for good.” Schmidt received a B.S. in physics from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in geophysics and space physics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s worked on numerous NASA projects, including the Dawn and Europa Clipper missions and the Europa Lander and LUVOIR Space Telescope mission concepts. >>>>>>>>……………………>>>>>>>>……………………………>>>>>>>>> **See also:** ”[The Female Scientist Who Discovered the Basics of Climate Science — and Was Forgotten By History](https://www.audubon.org/news/the- female-scientist-who-discovered-basics-climate-science-and-was-forgotten)” ~ By Tyler Santora, Reporter, Audubon Magazine, July 17, 2019 Celebrate Eunice Foote’s 200th birthday ++++ by learning how she predicted the effect of greenhouse gases before the man who gets the credit. Over two hundred years ago, on July 17, 1819, Eunice Foote was born. Thirty-some years later, the amateur climate scientist made the remarkable discovery that when sunlight shines on carbon dioxide in a closed container — our atmosphere, for example — heat builds up inside. [She was onto the ”greenhouse effect” of the Earth’s atmosphere.](https://www.audubon.org/news/the-female-scientist-who- discovered-basics-climate-science-and-was-forgotten) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/13/the-icefin-instrument-goes- under-glaciers-for-research-on-melting/>

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Chemical Analysis of East Palestine Railroad Derailment Contamination
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 12 Apr '23

12 Apr '23

# [Chemical Analysis of East Palestine Railroad Derailment Contamination](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/12/chemical-analysis-of- east-palestine-railroad-derailment-contamination/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/87DACBF6-45E5-4880-9373-3FAB34A7853C-300x171.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/87DACBF6-45E5-4880-9373-3FAB34A7853C.jpeg) Pollution came mainly from decision to burn off contents of tank cars **East Palestine Derailment Prompts Independent Testing** From the [Staff Report, Chemical Engineering Progress](https://www.aiche- cep.com/cepmagazine/april_2023/MobilePagedArticle.action?articleId=1869680&…), April 10, 2023 **In the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment that released hazardous chemicals into the environment in East Palestine, OH, citizens are seeking out independent testing to determine what kind of contamination the town may be facing.** Both individuals and university teams have been conducting their own sampling of the area near the chemical release. These results are still being analyzed, but initial reports suggest that there are chemicals in streams and wells in East Palestine that state and federal agencies are not looking for. "One of the biggest issues with this response has been transparency," says Andrew Whelton, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Purdue Univ. who is leading some of the independent testing. "As things have become more visible, we’ve found out that officials haven’t been testing for the right chemicals." **For instance, governmental officials had not conducted indoor surface testing of homes near the spill site as of early March.** A contractor for Norfolk Southern did one-time air monitoring in some homes, but residents told reporters that they were not informed that the testers were hired by the rail operator, according to The Guardian. Experts also say that these one-time, short-term air sampling tests are not sufficient to show that indoor air is safe. The tests conducted can detect certain volatile organic compounds, but do not measure other potential pollutants from the spill, such as benzene. **Experts have also raised concerns about dioxins, which are carcinogenic and highly persistent in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requiring Norfolk Southern to test for dioxins within two miles of the spill site, although details of the testing plan are unclear.** **The derailment occurred on Feb. 3, 2023, when dozens of freight train cars carrying hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, isobutylene, and butyl acrylate went off the tracks and caught fire near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Several days later, officials made the decision to flare off the vinyl chloride for fear of an explosion should the flammable chemical ignite. Residents complained of chemical smells, rashes, and headaches in the days following the crash and the controlled release.** A lack of interagency communication and communication with the public created a sense of mistrust among residents from the early days after the accident. The state and county environmental and health agencies did not immediately release their testing data, nor were they forthcoming about what chemicals they were testing for, Whelton says. As a result, residents who could afford it began to seek testing through independent laboratories, and volunteers from around the country have started working to build tools to help coordinate the sharing of the results. **Devon Oship, a neuroscientist in Buffalo, NY who has a platform on TikTok, began creating forms for residents to report health symptoms, an effort that has grown into a database for citizens to report their own independent testing data under a nascent organization called United for East Palestine**. "We have been racing against the clock to make a database that can keep up with all of the new influx of information and has a good data structure to allow for a really robust analysis," Oship says. The goal is to compare the citizen-science results with official testing results from the state and federal EPA, county health department, and other responding agencies. **Independent results are still rolling in, Oship says. Whelton and other researchers at Purdue Univ., Carnegie Mellon, and Texas A &M have also traveled to East Palestine to take air and water samples and screen them broadly. So far, Whelton and his team have found that two creeks near the derailment site, Sulfur Run and Lesley Run, are contaminated with acrolein, butyl acrylate, 1,2-butadiene, ethylene glycol, naphthalene, butyl acrylate, n-butyl ether, 2-butoxy ethanol, and 2-ethyl hexanol.** Upon the team’s first visit in late February, only data about surface water in the creeks had been released, showing low contamination, Whelton says. But locals weren’t warned about possible contamination in the streambeds. "We found that people were walking their dogs near the creek and the kids were playing near the creek because they were not told about the acute, immediate health risks the creeks posed to them," Whelton says. The testing revealed gaps in the official surveillance. For example, the federal EPA had found acrolein in the air after the chemical release but had not tested surface water or drinking water wells for the chemical, Whelton says. He and his team are now doing further analysis to determine whether the levels of these contaminants are dangerous. Whelton has conducted environmental testing in the wake of other disasters, including the 2022 Marshall Fire in Colorado, and says that communities and local agencies differ in their support of bringing in outside experts and providing transparency. The situation in East Palestine has been "markedly different" than the norm, he says, with agencies being slow to publicize what chemicals they were testing for and where. The usefulness of business and property owners testing their own soil, water, and air will likely depend on what testing is available from whichever commercial lab they choose, Whelton says. Comprehensive environmental monitoring is financially out of reach for most, he says. Even Whelton and his team are unsure if they will be able to afford to return to East Palestine for additional sampling, given that they are self-funding the effort. But citizens can continue to pressure politicians and environmental agencies to expand the testing agenda, he says. **" The only way [residents] can really support the response is by requiring and demanding that the officials that are supposed to be acting in their best interest do so," Whelton says.** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/12/chemical-analysis-of-east- palestine-railroad-derailment-contamination/>

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COMMENTS DUE ~ Should the PLEASANT$ POWER $TATION be Bailed Out at This Time, in This Way?
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 11 Apr '23

11 Apr '23

# [COMMENTS DUE ~ Should the PLEASANT$ POWER $TATION be Bailed Out at This Time, in This Way?](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/11/comments-due- should-the-pleasant-power-tation-be-bailed-out-at-this-time-in-this-way/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/60445583-0800-4D10-B23E-0D5402EDB465-300x172.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/60445583-0800-4D10-B23E-0D5402EDB465.jpeg) The cooling tower accident happened here in April 1978, 51 worker killed. It’s on the Ohio River near St. Mary’s in Pleasants County. **DON 'T LET FIRST ENERGY SELL US OUT! ~~~ TAKE ACTION BY APRIL 14TH ** From the [West Virginians for Energy Freedom](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/) & Others, April 7, 2023 **If you are a Mon Power or Potomac Edison customer, we need your voice now!** [Submit your comments to the West Virginia Public Service Commission opposing the Pleasants Power Station bailout before April 14th.](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/pleasants-power-station-bailout-acti… First Energy is scheming to keep Pleasants Power Station open by forcing it on ratepayers like you. Not only is it an out-of-date, coal-fired power station that was actually scheduled to close in 2019, but even First Energy acknowledges that the plant is expensive to operate. The worst part is that we don’t even need the plant – we have enough power being generated in-state already to meet our needs! First Energy has proposed that Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers pay more to keep the plant open another year while government officials decide whether the plant is to be permanently subsidized by ratepayers. If the plant doesn't operate during that year, most families' bills will go up by about $36 a year – but if the plant operates, bills will go up even more. The Pleasants plant can already sell power into a regional power market, where it has to compete with other power plants. But the plant is no longer competitive, and the plant is facing serious environmental liabilities. First Energy wants ratepayers to subsidize the plant even though customers don't need the plant, and even though First Energy’s own analysis acknowledges the plant's many problems. Worse, First Energy’s proposal would protect its own shareholders, while forcing West Virginia customers to bear all of the costs and risks. If First Energy’s scheme is successful, customers would be saddled with potentially massive costs and liabilities. We've been here before. In 2017, Mon Power requested to buy the plant from another First Energy subsidiary. The PSC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission both recognized the proposal as a risky deal for West Virginians. And as before, this current Pleasants bailout proposal would raise customer bills. [TAKE ACTION](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/pleasants-power-station-bailout- action) ~ _**Please sign the petition below and add some personal information* about how increased electric bills would affect your family or business.**_ [Personalize your letter: tell the Commissioners how increased rates will harm you and the people and businesses you love.](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/pleasants-power-station-bailout-acti… Tell them why this is important to you. *Data collected will be shared with the [West Virginians for Energy Freedom](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/) coalition. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/11/comments-due-should-the- pleasant-power-tation-be-bailed-out-at-this-time-in-this-way/>

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East Texas Getting New $8.5 Billion Ethane Cracker Plastics Facility
by Frack Check WV: S. Tom Bond 10 Apr '23

10 Apr '23

# [East Texas Getting New $8.5 Billion Ethane Cracker Plastics Facility](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/10/east-texas-getting- new-8-5-billion-ethane-cracker-plastics-facility/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/03/3636BAD3-0CFA-4F0D-90AE-A341380013CA.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/03/3636BAD3-0CFA-4F0D-90AE-A341380013CA.jpeg) These ethylene production operations consume fracked ethane and also generate huge tonnages of carbon dioxide (GHG) **Chevron Phillips Chemical & QatarEnergy begin construction of $8.5 billion East Texas integrated cracker complex** From an [Article by Pearl Bantillo, ICIS News](https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2023/03/10/10863117/qatar… cp-chem-begin-construction-of-8-5bn-us-integrated-cracker-complex/), March 10, 2023 **SINGAPORE (ICIS)– Chevron Phillips Chemical Co (CP Chem) and QatarEnergy have started building their joint $8.5bn integrated cracker complex called Golden Triangle Polymers Plant in the US.** A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the project located in Orange County, Texas, QatarEnergy said in a statement on 8 March. “We are investing $8.5 billion to build this world-scale facility, which is QatarEnergy’s second largest investment in the US after the more than $11 billion investment in the Golden Pass LNG [liquefied natural gas] production and export facility, which is currently under construction about 35 miles from here in Sabine Pass, Texas,” said Ahmad Saeed Al-Amoodi, executive vice president for surface development & sustainability at QatarEnergy. The project includes an ethane cracker with a 2.08m tonne/year ethylene capacity, with two downstream high density polyethylene (HDPE) units with a combined capacity of 2m tonnes/year, it said. Scheduled for start-up in 2026, the project will be owned by Golden Triangle Polymers Company LLC, a 51:49 joint venture between CP Chem and QatarEnergy. The project and the joint venture firm were named after Texas’s Golden Triangle region that encompasses the community of Orange. “This plant will also be, by far, the most significant economic investment in the Orange community in decades, creating jobs and supporting economic growth,” Al-Amoodi added. Based on information available on CP Chem’s website, the Golden Triangle Polymer Plant is expected to create more than 500 full-time jobs and about 4,500 construction jobs and generate an estimated $50bn for the community in residual economic impacts over 20 years. QatarEnergy and CP Chem made a final investment decision on the project on 16 November 2022, with plans to export the majority of its HDPE output to key markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America. **ALSO: RAS LAFFAN PROJECT IN QATAR** **The two companies have a similar project worth $6bn in the works in Ras Laffan, Qatar, which is also expected to begin production in 2026.** The Ras Laffan petrochemicals complex, Qatar’s biggest investment in the sector to date, will consist of an ethane cracker with a capacity of 2.1m tonnes/year of ethylene, and two HDPE trains with a combined 1.7m tonnes/year of capacity. Most HDPE output is targeted for exports. QatarEnergy will own 70% of the joint venture firm Ras Laffan Petrochemicals, which will implement the project, with CP Chem holding the remaining 30%. The project will double QatarEnergy’s ethylene production capacity, and increase its local polymer production to more than 4m tonnes/year from the current 2.6m tonnes/year. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/10/east-texas-getting- new-8-5-billion-ethane-cracker-plastics-facility/>

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Wind Turbines in the Mountains Provide Sustainable Electricity
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 09 Apr '23

09 Apr '23

# [Wind Turbines in the Mountains Provide Sustainable Electricity](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/09/wind-turbines-in-the- mountains-provide-sustainable-electricity/) **WINDExchange: West Virginia Land-Based Wind Speed at 100 Meters** From the U. S. [Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy](https://windexchange.energy.gov/maps-data/344) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/3A2142F0-3BC1-4DAE-97A5-46DC3A5FA2141-300x274.jpg)]… content/uploads/2023/04/3A2142F0-3BC1-4DAE-97A5-46DC3A5FA2141.jpeg) Numerous Wind Turbines are Already Installed on the Allegheny Front Range ~ (Click on the map to expand it.) **WIND TURBINES ARE ALREADY BEING DEPLOYED IN THE PLAINS, MOUNTAINS AND COASTAL WATERS ~** This map was produced by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) using modeled wind resource estimates developed by NREL via the Wind Integration National Dataset (WIND) Toolkit and is intended for general educational purposes only. While these 100-meter wind speed maps can provide a general indication of good or poor wind resources, they do not provide a resolution high enough to identify local site features such as complex terrain, ground cover, and data needed prior to siting a wind project. [Watch a video tutorial for understanding land-based and offshore wind resource maps. See more wind resource maps, download wind datasets from NREL, and learn more about wind resource assessment and characterization on DOE’s website.](https://windexchange.energy.gov/maps-data/344) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/09/wind-turbines-in-the-mountains- provide-sustainable-electricity/>

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William & Mary College TO CLOSE Virginia Coastal Policy Center
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 08 Apr '23

08 Apr '23

# [William & Mary College TO CLOSE Virginia Coastal Policy Center](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/08/william-mary-college-to-clo… virginia-coastal-policy-center/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/B980CF87-F82B-4C2F-8640-0C217823ABC6-300x150.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/B980CF87-F82B-4C2F-8640-0C217823ABC6.jpeg) Water rising in neighborhoods of coastal Virginia **William & Mary unveils details of plan to replace Virginia Coastal Policy Center** From an [Article by Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury](https://www.virginiamercury.com/2023/04/07/william-mary-unveils- details-of-plan-to-replace-virginia-coastal-policy-center/), March 7, 2023 Following William & Mary’s announcement it plans to close its widely respected Virginia Coastal Policy Center this summer, the university has unveiled a new initiative to address sea level rise and stormwater flooding. The school has touted the new Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative as being part of a university-wide approach that is in line with its Vision 2026 plan to establish a greater presence in Virginia’s efforts to deal with water issues. “We’re excited about the potential of this new university-wide collaborative to expand, evolve and streamline the scholarship, educational, and advisory work that W&M and [the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences] have been engaged in across campus,” said Brian Whitson, the university’s chief communications officer. “This will be a multi-disciplinary approach, bringing together expertise across campus to produce a broader range of research, education and advisory work for policy makers and stakeholders.” The new collaborative will be organized under an assistant provost, who will coordinate work across William and Mary’s five schools of marine science, law, business, education and arts and sciences, as well as with other universities and state agencies. That coordination will allow the school and VIMS the ability to “develop and implement timely, real-world solutions — and legal scholarship and policy advice,” a description on William & Mary’s website reads. “With a broader, multidisciplinary university-wide approach, the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative will also have the ability to address economic, social, business and/or private sector issues, whereas VCPC was focused more directly on legal and policy questions,” Whitson said. “The Provost, in coordination with the steering committee, will develop an implementation plan including recruiting personnel for the new collaborative.” Other staff at the collaborative will include a policy analyst and clerical support roles. The former VCPC had a director and three staff members, whose positions will be terminated June 30 when the center is dissolved. The steering committee, chaired by the dean of the School of Marine Science and director of VIMS, will first meet April 15 to develop the plan for the new collaborative, with help from Virginia Sea Grant, other school leaders, legislators, municipalities, policymakers and industry representatives. The current timeline calls for the plan to be submitted to the school’s president and provost in June. Recruitment of personnel will begin in July, and the collaborative will formally launch in September. The former VCPC had become a go-to resource in the state and Mid-Atlantic region for science-backed policy recommendations on evolving issues linked to climate change. Environmental nonprofits, local governments and regional commissions lauded the center for its contributions, with many members saying they are keeping an eye on the new collaborative to see if it lives up to its predecessor. “VCPC evolved into an institute of excellence, providing three critical functions for Virginia,” including the convening of resilience professionals, workforce training and policy guidance, said Mary-Carson Stiff, deputy director of environmental nonprofit Wetlands Watch. “We will see if this new entity will serve these three important functions for the betterment of Virginia.” Anna Killius, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, said she hopes the new collaborative continues VCPC’s track record of science-based policy recommendations. “I hope the conversation about the Virginia Coastal Policy Center has made clear the many important relationships that have been built by the center and its directors over the years with administration leaders, state lawmakers and many other public and private organizations,” Killius said. “To make sure that the collaborative is primed to deliver value for both the university and the community, it will be very important to see these stakeholders at the table as the collaborative takes shape. **Immediate impacts ~ The loss of the center has had ramifications in the legislative world**. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has already recommended an amendment to House Bill 2393 from Del. Keith Hodges, R-Middlesex, to strike a reference to the Virginia Coastal Policy Center that would otherwise have appeared in state code. Hodges’ bill, which passed both chambers unanimously, expands the range of universities the state can confer with when crafting resilience policy from solely VIMS to include VCPC, Virginia Sea Grant, the Virginia Cooperative Extension and the recently unveiled Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience at Old Dominion University. The Virginia Cooperative Extension offers agricultural research services through a partnership between Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and local governments. Virginia Sea Grant is the state’s program within a federal network established by Congress in 1966 to facilitate research opportunities across the state’s university network. Another amendment to Hodges’ bill from Youngkin could be more significant. The governor is suggesting a change that would add the word “led by” in front of Virginia Sea Grant. Some environmental nonprofits and universities have privately voiced worries the change will allow Virginia Sea Grant to determine which entities could provide input and which couldn’t. Virginia Sea Grant Executive Director Troy Hartley said his agency did not ask for the amendment. However, he said the amendment wouldn’t preclude state agencies from seeking advice from other universities if they so desired. “Prior to [VCPC’s] existence, we were leveraging interns and the National Sea Grant Law Center. No question that’s at a lower capacity than [what] existed with VCPC,” Hartley said. “We tap on the expertise of our member institutions and throughout the commonwealth, so we don’t make contact decisions. We’re helping collaborate and communicate across the institutions.” Hodges said he worked on the amendments with the Youngkin administration. Macaulay Porter, a spokesperson for Youngkin, said the amendments were requested by the Hodges and eliminated redundancies by also removing reference to the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience, which falls under the purview of Virginia Sea Grant already. “The issues that we have are very, very complex, so you need to bring in all of the universities to solve the problem,” Hodges said. “[Virginia] Sea Grant makes perfect sense to be the one to lead that effort.” The inclusion of other collaborators doesn’t diminish the role of VIMS, Whitson said, pointing to state code specifically outlining its role. Lewie Lawrence, executive director of the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, highlighted the collection of scientists, engineers, public outreach experts, educators and students brought together by Virginia Sea Grant to tackle coastal issues. “I don’t know of a more established public entity with a national statutory responsibility administered at the state level better equipped with a solid foundation to help lead and coordinate,” Lawrence said. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/08/william-mary-college-to-close- virginia-coastal-policy-center/>

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NEW GREEN PROJECTS at Coal Mine Sites Under Development in USA
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 07 Apr '23

07 Apr '23

# [NEW GREEN PROJECTS at Coal Mine Sites Under Development in USA](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/07/new-green-projects-at-coal-min… sites-under-development-in-usa/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/32CA6090-CD86-44A9-99D7-D2AEEBAC6D90.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/04/32CA6090-CD86-44A9-99D7-D2AEEBAC6D90.jpeg) Roth Rock wind farm and Mettiki Coal processing plant near Oakland, Maryland **U.S. DOE Offers $450 Million for Green Energy Projects at Coal Mining Sites** From an [Article by Cristen Jaynes, EcoWatch News](https://www.ecowatch.com/green-energy-project-grants-mining-sites.htm…, April 5, 2023 The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the availability of $450 million through the **2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for clean energy projects — like solar farms — on current and former mining sites** , a White House press release said. There are about 17,750 mine land sites in the U.S. covering 1.5 million acres. These sites contaminate land, water and air quality, as well as expose local communities to toxic pollutants. The repurposing of the sites for renewable energy projects would generate up to an estimated 90 gigawatts of green energy — enough power for almost 30 million homes. These projects will “provid[e] new economic opportunities for historic coal and mining communities,” the press release said. **President Joe Biden has set a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050.** **Up to five of the projects will be funded through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including at least two solar farms.** “[T]hese projects could spur new economic development in these communities,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said, as The Hill reported. “As with all BIL- funded projects, we’ll be prioritizing those that partner directly with communities.” **According to the White House, renewable energy project developers will also be able to access billions of dollars in bonus credits on top of Inflation Reduction Act investment and production tax credits. “These bonuses will incentivize more clean energy investment in energy communities, particularly coal communities,” the press release said.** A former coal power plant site in Massachusetts in the process of transitioning to offshore wind that Biden visited last summer was the model for the new projects, reported The Associated Press. “It’s very clear that… the workers who powered the last century of industry and innovation can power the next one,” Granholm said, as The Associated Press reported. **According to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, in order to reap all the advantages of the bonus, developers are required to pay workers current wages and hire an adequate number of apprentices. “These provisions will ensure that workers in energy communities reap the benefits of the clean energy economy they are helping to build,” Yellen said, as reported by The Associated Press.** A searchable mapping tool to help locate areas potentially eligible for the energy community bonus has been provided by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service and the Interagency Working Group on Energy Communities, the press release said. A Coal Power Plant Redevelopment Visualization Tool is also available for stakeholders to be able to find opportunities for the redevelopment of closed coal power plants, as well as community reinvestment. Grant applications are due by the end of August of this year, with decisions expected in early 2024. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/07/new-green-projects-at-coal-mine- sites-under-development-in-usa/>

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Permafrost Releases Methane Gas Directly to the Atmosphere
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 06 Apr '23

06 Apr '23

# [Permafrost Releases Methane Gas Directly to the Atmosphere](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/06/permafrost-releases- methane-gas-directly-to-the-atmosphere/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/1C6BA459-46A1-402D-9FA0-7B4BBAA7F784-300x198.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/04/1C6BA459-46A1-402D-9FA0-7B4BBAA7F784.jpeg) Permafrost quite extensive in Arctic Polar Regions **Climate change: Thawing permafrost is a triple-threat** From an [Article by Marlowe Hood, Science X News](https://phys.org/news/2022-01-climate-permafrost-triple-threat.html), 01/12/22 Wellhead equipment is located at the Utrenneye field, the resource base for Novatek's Arctic LNG 2 project, located in the Gydan Peninsula. Thawing Arctic permafrost laden with billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases not only threatens the region's critical infrastructure but life across the planet, according a comprehensive scientific review. Nearly 70 percent of the roads, pipelines, cities and industry — mostly in Russia — built on the region's softening ground are highly vulnerable to acute damage by mid-century, according to one of half-a-dozen studies on permafrost published this week by Nature. Another study warns that methane and CO2 escaping from long-frozen soil could accelerate warming and overwhelm global efforts to cap the rise in Earth's temperature at livable levels. Exposure of highly combustible organic matter no longer locked away by ice is also fuelling unprecedented wildfires, making permafrost a triple threat, the studies report. Blanketing a quarter of the northern hemisphere's land mass, permafrost contains twice the carbon currently in the atmosphere, and triple the amount emitted by human activity since 1850. By definition, it is ground that has been at temperatures colder than zero degrees Celsius (32F) for more than two years, though much permafrost is thousands of years old. Temperatures in the Arctic region have risen two to three times more quickly over the last half-century than for the world as a whole—two to three degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The region has also seen a series of freakish weather anomalies, with temperatures in winter flaring up to 40C above previous averages. Permafrost itself has, on average, warmed nearly 0.4C from 2007 to 2016, "raising concerns about the rapid rate of thaw and potential old carbon release," note researchers led by Kimberley Miner, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. **Zombie fires do occur ~** Their study projects a loss of some four million square kilometres of permafrost by 2100 even under a scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced in the coming decades. Rising temperatures are not the only driver of accelerated melting. Arctic wildfires rapidly expand the layer of permafrost subject to thawing, the researchers point out. As the climate warms, these remote, uncontrolled blazes are projected to increase 130% to 350% by mid-century, releasing more and more permafrost carbon. Indeed, thawing renders buried organic carbon more flammable, giving rise to "zombie fires" that smoulder throughout frigid winters before igniting again in Spring and Summer. "These below-ground fires could release legacy carbon from environments previously thought to be fire-resistant," Miner and colleagues warn. **The most immediate threat is to the region 's infrastructure.** Northern hemisphere permafrost supports some 120,000 buildings, 40,000 kilometres (25,000 miles) of roads and 9,500 kilometres of pipelines, according to another study led by Jan Hjort, a scientist at Finland's University of Oulu. "The strength of soil drops substantially as temperatures rise above the melting point and ground ice melts," the study noted. No country is more vulnerable than Russia, where several large cities and substantial industrial plant sit atop frozen soil. Some 80 percent of buildings in the city of Vorkuta are already showing deformations caused by shifting permafrost. Nearly half of oil and gas extraction fields in the Russian Arctic are in areas with permafrost hazards threatening current infrastructure and future developments. Clean-up operation followed a massive fuel spill in the Ambarnaya River outside Norilsk on June 10, 2020. A fuel tank ruptured after its supports suddenly sank into the ground near the Siberian city of Norilsk, spilling 21,000 tonnes of diesel into nearby rivers. Thawing permafrost was blamed for weakening the plant's foundation. North America does not have large industrial centres built on permafrost, but tens of thousands of kilometres of roads and pipelines are increasingly vulnerable too. While scientists know far more than a decade ago, basic questions remain unanswered as to how much carbon may be released as Arctic soil warms. As a result, "permafrost dynamics are often not included in Earth system models," which means their potential impact of Earth's rising temperature are not adequately taken into account, Miner and colleagues note. This is especially true, they warn, for the sudden structural collapse of permafrost, a process known as thermokarst. It is also still an open question as to whether climate shifts will cause the Arctic region to become drier or wetter. The answer has huge implications. "In a greener, wetter Arctic, plants will offset some or all permafrost carbon emissions," the authors not. In a browner, drier Arctic, however, CO2 emissions from decomposing soils and the amount of ever-more flammable fuels for wildfires will increase. Permafrost covers 30 million square kilometres, roughly half of it in the Arctic, and a million km2 across the Tibetan Plateau. Most of the rest was covered when seas rose at the end of the last ice age. More information: Miner, K.R., Turetsky, M.R., Malina, E. et al. Permafrost carbon emissions in a changing Arctic. Nat Rev Earth Environ 3, 55–67 (2022). doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00230-3, www.nature.com/articles/s43017-021-00230-3 URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/04/06/permafrost-releases-methane-gas- directly-to-the-atmosphere/>

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