Natural Gas/Marcellus Shale

[ags]

Has the Fracturing/Fracking issue been addressed/discussed in any of our threads?

It is a hot issue in Pa. where the newly elected Governor has chosen to suspend review or public hearings on permit applications. And, because of this action, an environmental group is suing the Governor.

There are many small trout streams in Pa. After they get through extracting the natural gas from the Marcellus shale, how many streams will still be trout streams?

Also a hot issue in other NE states.

[adam]

Care to share a few links from your perspective?

I would like to know more.

[rossa]

There was talk of this happening in the Catskills also, I can;t remember the status.
HBO made a movie about the fracking process.
http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/gasland/synopsis.html
An article on the topic.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/us/27gas.html?_r=2&hp

[adam]

But the E.P.A. has not intervened. In fact, federal and state regulators are allowing most sewage treatment plants that accept drilling waste not to test for radioactivity. And most drinking-water intake plants downstream from those sewage treatment plants in Pennsylvania, with the blessing of regulators, have not tested for radioactivity since before 2006, even though the drilling boom began in 2008.

In other words, there is no way of guaranteeing that the drinking water taken in by all these plants is safe.

That has experts worried.

Gus, are you reading this?

Can you guys help me figure out how to raise awareness?

Can you wright a succinct article with references so we can place this on the front page?

Do you have addresses where we can generate a letter to sign and let them know what we think?

Can we do something more than to read and weap?

[Doctor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12190810
Looks like we have the same greed merchants over here as well >

[adam]

We should work together to raise awareness.

Ideas?

[ags]

Many articles and comments out there - just type this or something similar into your search engine: natural gas fracturing and fracking in Pennsylvania or in any other state where this activity is active.

Trout Unlimited had this to say about the issue - http://www.tu.org/press_releases/2010/s ... cturing-on

[troutrageous1]

This is far from a new story, but one that is only getting the attention it needs since it is threatening the huge population base of the Mid-Atlantic US. I don't like to get into politics, but the fact that the energy lobbyists have seemingly all but bought the Pennsylvania government does not bode well for the future of the beautiful rivers, streams, & parks I love so much.

Read these two articles...one pretty much explains the other.
http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/cor...#axzz1HI0PWwji
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...lgasmoney.html

The worst part? No severance taxes are being levied on this natural gas extraction...so all the profits go right back out of state. Repeat - No money going back to the state to fortify proactive environmental programs...or any programs - education, urban renewal, etc. It's really a shame.

[ags]

FYI. Current issue of TROUT magazine has some info. on what TU's doing about Marcelus Shale - and the related issues - in some areas of Pa. Have not read it but plan to do so in the next few days.