ENSAW

Video Resources- Videos Available of Enfield Events

2012-03-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Cris McConkey for setting up a space for video of Enfield Events relating to community concerns for the environment.

These videos may be found at this link:
http://shaleshockmedia.org/author/ensaw/

Do You Know the Status and Terms of Your Gas Lease?

2012-03-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

Protecting Property Rights - Terminating a Lease

A Gas Lease Workshop for Current, Potential, and Expiring Leases

Do you know the status and terms of your gas lease?*

Save the Date!

Sunday, March 18 from 2pm - 4pm

Sidney Fire Department

74 River Street Sidney, NY

*Bring a copy of your lease

Speakers will include:

Joseph Heath-Attorney

Ellen Harrison- Founder of FLEASED!

Ron Guichard-Realtor

View the DRAFT Moratorium to be discussed at the February 29th Information Session

2012-02-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

A DRAFT of the Moratorium to be discussed at the Public Information Session this Wednesday night is available for public viewing. If you'd like to read the document, click on the link below. Don't forget to attend the meeting!

PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES!!

MEETING 1:

PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION

February 29, 6:30 p.m., Enfield School GYM

An Informational meeting featuring Enfield Town Attorney, Guy Krogh, to provide information about the proposed moratorium on unconventional gas drilling in the Town of Enfield.

MEETING 2:

PUBLIC HEARING ON A ONE YEAR MORATORIUM ON UNCONVENTIONAL GAS DRILLING IN THE TOWN OF ENFIELD

The Town Board has just begun planning a public meeting to hear

resident’s comments related to this moratorium.

Look for this to happen in late March

(We'll send a confirmation email with definite date/time)

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! SPREAD THE WORD!

Even if you don’t plan to speak, please plan to be there.

Your presence and continued support are greatly appreciated!

Important Town of Enfield Events- Save the date!

2012-02-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

Good News! We're making progress toward protecting our Town!
At their last meeting on February 9th, the Enfield Town Board passed a motion to consider a one year moratorium on unconventional gas drilling in Enfield.
While we still feel that a ban will ultimately provide the best long term protection for Enfield, we are fully behind this first step in that direction. It will give us a year to put critical local ordinances in place, undertake studies regarding the aquifer, identify Critical Environmental Areas, and learn more about just how Home Rule will play out in New York State.

PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES!!

MEETING 1:

PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION

February 29, 6:30 p.m., Enfield School GYM

An Informational meeting featuring Enfield Town Attorney, Guy Krogh, to provide information about the

proposed moratorium on unconventional gas drilling in the Town of Enfield.

MEETING 2:

PUBLIC HEARING ON A ONE YEAR MORATORIUM ON

UNCONVENTIONAL GAS DRILLING IN THE TOWN OF ENFIELD

The Town Board has just begun planning a public meeting to hear resident’s

comments related to this moratorium.

Look for this to happen in late March

(We'll send a confirmation email with definite date/time)

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! SPREAD THE WORD!

Even if you don’t plan to speak, please plan to be there.

Your presence and continued support are greatly appreciated!

Dr. Anthony Ingraffea Presentation in the Town of Enfield

2012-01-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

THE TOWN OF ENFIELD PRESENTS:

Dr. Anthony Ingraffea

The Science of Fracking in Enfield

Wednesday, February 1, 6:30-8:30

at the Enfield Elementary School

Dr. Anthony Ingraffea will speak about the science of high volume slick water hydraulic fracturing and the associated industrialization of the landscape. He will speak for an hour; the second hour will be devoted to questions.

For several years Dr. Ingraffea has been speaking all over the world about the process and impacts of shale gas extraction. The Dwight C. Baum Professor of Engineering at Cornell, Dr. Ingraffea has taught fracture mechanics, finite element methods, and structural mechanics at Cornell for 33 years. Dr. Ingraffea's research concentrates on computer simulation and physical testing of complex fracturing processes. He and his students have authored more than 250 papers on this research, and he has twice won the National Research Council/U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics Award for Research in Rock Mechanics (1978, 1991).

He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the premier journal in his field, Engineering Fracture Mechanics. Dr. Ingraffea is among 82 prominent scientists being considered for membership on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board panel on hydraulic fracturing.

Please attend, and bring a friend and your questions. Dr. Ingraffea is an engaging speaker who will help us understand the process and risks of this most pressing issue for our community.

Enfield Town Board Meeting- December 14th, 2011

2011-12-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

The Enfield Town Supervisor has said that comments from the Public Comment Meeting will be addressed at this meeting. Everyone who can should come and show the Town Board that we expect a response equal to the concern of the comments made by the community on November 30th and in written comments since.

The meeting starts promptly at 6:45 PM so get there early to get a seat. If you wish to speak, you must sign up for up to 3 minutes of Priveledge of the Floor BEFORE the meeting begins. Comments should also be sent to the Enfield Town Board ASAP. Comments need not be long, but be clear about your position in favor of a ban.

Our goal at this meeting is to stress the urgency of directing the Town attorney, Guy Krogh, to draft a ban for consideration as soon as possible.

More than 70 Enfield residents spoke at the Public Comment meeting and even more have written to the Town Board to express that they wish to have a ban in place in our community- and all have done so eloquently. However, if you wish to speak on Wednesday or would like to email or mail your comments to the Town Board, but you would like information to refer to in doing so, we provide the points below for your convenience.

Points of Emphasis:
- Permitting could begin as soon as April 2012.

- Because of this, a ban needs to be in place no later than the March Board meeting.

- There must be a Public Hearing before that date.

- In order to have a timely Public Hearing, preliminary approval must be no later than the February Board meeting.

- To be prepared for preliminary approval, dicussion of the ban must take place no later than the January Board meeting.

- For these reasons, drafing of the BAN MUST begin before January.

- Stress the preference of a BAN rather than a moratorium.

- The Town of Caroline is moving toward a ban. Enfield shares an attorney with Caroline. We may save money for both towns by drafting simultaneously.

- The Town of Dryden legal case is a test case. Attorneys at the Legal Presentation indicated it is unlikely that gas companies are looking for other towns to sue in this area as they are waiting for a precendent to be set in Dryden. Our liability with regard to legal action may not increase if we enact a ban, but our liabilities if we DON'T have a ban remain.

- The Enfield community has spoken and the choice is clear.

Comments to the Enfield Town Board may be emailed to the Town Supervisor, Roy Barierre, at rlb15@cornell.edu or mailed to 168 Enfield Main Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850.

As always, your participation is necessary and appreciated. We have come so far as a community with regard to this issue. Our continued efforts can see us through to our goal!

Video of Enfield Public Comment Meeting Regarding A Ban on Hydrofracking

2011-12-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Enfield Neighbors,

Thank you so much to all of the Enfield residents (approximately 200!) who came out on Wednesday evening to voice their concerns regarding hydrofracturing in the Town of Enfield. We were overwhelmed and impressed by all of your passionate expressions of concern to the Town Board and your fellow community members. Seventy-four people stepped up to the mic!

We are Enfield!

ENSAW would like to thank the Enfield Town Board for respecting the request of 900 resident petition signers for further inquiry into the possibility of a ban on hydrofracturing. Immediate action by the Board will be critical in protecting our community from the dangers of hydrofracturing and industrialization.

Thanks to the efforts of Enfield resident and ENSAW member, Cris McConkey, video of this terrific event is available online at this link:

Enfield Public Comment Meeting- November 30th, 2011

For inspiration...watch it over and over!

Public Comment Meeting- Wed., November 30th- 6:30PM

2011-11-30T13:50:00.000-08:00

Please attend the Public Comment Session

Date: November 30, 2011

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Enfield Elementary School GYM

The Enfield Town Board needs to hear Enfield residents speak about their concerns related to hydrofracking in Enfield. This is our opportunity to let the Town Board know that we want a BAN on Hydrofracking in the Town of Enfield and why. If you would like to voice your concerns and want information to help you put your thoughts together, please visit this link on our Resources page:

Learn More About Gas Drilling

It is important that we pack the GYM with Enfield residents during this event, so your participation is necessary and appreciated. However, if you absolutely cannot attend this Public Comment Session, or if you do not get a chance to speak at it, please send your comments to the Town Supervisor at:

168 Enfield Main Rd., Ithaca, NY

or send e-mail

to rlb15@cornell.edu

SEE YOU THERE!

Enfield Legal Presentations

2011-11-25T14:36:00.000-08:00

On November 17th, Town of Enfield residents gathered to learn the risks and opportunities available to us regarding a ban or moratorium on hydrofracking in our community.

Excellent presentations by both Guy Krogh, Enfield's Town attorney, of Thaler and Thaler, and attorney David Slottje of the Community Environmental Defence Council, were viewed by over 150 residents.

If you missed this event, you're in luck! The video is available online at Shaleshock Media thanks to Enfield resident and videographer, Cris McConkey. Click on the link below to view.

Please be sure to attend the Public Comment Meeting on November 30th at 6:30 p.m. in the

Enfield Elementary School GYM.

For more information please see this link:

Town of Enfield Public Comment Meeting

Learn More About Gas Drilling

2011-11-25T13:11:00.000-08:00

To learn more about drilling see the resources below.

General Background Info:

Gas Drilling in the Finger Lakes Region: How Will it Affect Us?
http://www.tcgasmap.org/media/Greenstar%20Article.pdf

How Does High Volume Slickwater Hydraulic Fracturing Differ from Traditional Hydraulic Fracturing?
http://www.tcgasmap.org/media/Hydraulic%20Fracturing%20Differences%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions about Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus Shale
http://www.un-naturalgas.org/hydraulic_fracturing_a-z.htm

NYRAD New York Residents Against Drilling)
http://www.nyrad.org/info.html

Impacts on Local Agriculture:

Why Fracking and Farming Don't Mix:
http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/node/2657

Fracking the Foodshed:
http://www.willowwisporganic.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Foodshed-Brochure.pdf

Health Effects:

Health Risks from the Fracking of Gas Wells
http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/node/1032

Letter to Cuomo from Dr. Sandra Steingraber and NY Cancer Coalitions http://www.psehealthyenergy.org/data/CancerFrackingNov16FINAL16.pdf

Information on Natural Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing for Parents and Community Members http://www.aoec.org/pehsu/documents/hydraulic_fracturing_2011_parents_comm.pdf

TC Medical Society Statement on Gas Drilling and Hydrofracking http://www.medsocieties.org/news/viewarticle.asp?a=4386

Water Contamination:

EPA Finds Compound Used in Fracking in Wyoming Aquifer
http://www.propublica.org/article/epa-finds-fracking-compound-in-wyoming-aquifer

Gas Drilling's Environmental Threat
http://www.propublica.org/series/fracking

Property Value Impacts:

Gas Leases Have Impact on Local real Estate Market
http://thedailystar.com/localnews/x1022083026/Gas-leases-have-impact-on-local-real-estate-market

Lands Grab Sets Up Taxpayers for Fracking Fallout
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial-page/from-our-readers/another-voice/article615629.ece

Current Bans and Moratoria in NY State:

Towns in New York State that have passed or are considering passing bans or moratoria: http://www.preservethefingerlakes.com/id103.html

Local Officials Expose their Towns to Unnecessary Risk http://63.134.196.109/documents/LocalOfficialsExposeTheirTownstoUnnecessaryRisk.pdf

Video of recent presentations around NY State on gas drilling related issues
http://shaleshockmedia.org/

November Public Meetings in Enfield- Please plan to attend!

2011-11-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

PLEASE SAVE THESE DATES
WE NEED A HUGE TURNOUT FOR THESE 2 PUBLIC MEETINGS!!
If you can attend only 1, be sure to come to Meeting 2: The Public Hearing.

MEETING 1:
Legal Issues Related to Banning Hydrofracking in the Town of Enfield:
An Information Session to Understand the Options

November 17, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Enfield School gym
Town of Enfield's lawyer, Guy Krogh, and David Slottje of
Community Environmental Defense Council will speak.

There will be time for questions.

MEETING 2:
Public Hearing on Hydrofracking
The Town Board has just begun planning a public meeting to hear residents
speak about their concerns related to hydrofracking in Enfield.

Tentative at the Enfield School on November 30 from 6:30-9:30.
(Watch for a confirmation email with definite date/time)

WE NEED TO PACK THE ROOM!
TELL YOUR FRIENDS! SPREAD THE WORD!!
Even if you don’t plan to speak, please plan to be there.
The Board needs to see a large number of people from Enfield to be convinced a ban is the right thing to do!

Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air and Water
Contact us: online at ENSAW.ORG or PO Box 144, Ithaca, NY 14851

It's Time To Vote in Enfield!!

2011-11-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

You’ve signed the petition to banhydro-fracturing.

Now it’s time to vote!

Tuesday, November 8 is electionday.

Voting will take place at the Enfield Volunteer Fire Co.

(172 Enfield Main Rd. behind the Grange and Enfield Community Building)

Options for voting include: TownBoard Supervisor,

2 Councilpersons (Town Board members),

Highway Superintendent,Town Justice, and Town Clerk.

We believe the paramountissue that Enfield faces in the near future
is enacting a ban on

horizontal,high-volume, slick-water hydro-fracturing.

This election is extremely important!
We encourage you to vote.

Typicallyit takes nearly 400 votes for a candidate to win.

Almost 900 people have signed the petition so far!

Below are the candidates and any statements we've received. Ahuge voter turnout will send an important message to the Board about the level of concern our community has about hydro-fracturing. Now is your chance to let them know!

Please take the time to cast your vote.

Supervisor (1 position open)

Toni Albano(Republican)
I am not at all in agreement with the Governor, andbelieve that we should continue a pro-active fact finding mission to establishreal cause and effect of Fracking prior to engaging in it, at the peril of ourwater, air and our very way of life!!

Roy Barriere (Democrat)
I will continue tomove forward with a Road Preservation Law or Road Use Regulation, working withother municipalities such as Caroline and the County, so that our law issimilar to other municipalities in the area. I will also support a moratorium if more time is needed to have measuresin place prior to any permitting, such as updating the Town’s ComprehensivePlan, aquifer study or mapping, etc…. Aban is also possible, however I don’t think the Board, including myself, areprepared to support a ban; mainly due to the lack of understanding the entireconcept and overall impact this would have on the Town. This may change, of course, after the legalpresentation is presented.

Councilperson (2 positions open)

Gerhardt "Jerry" Achilles (Republican)

Dawn George(Republican)
In listening to Enfield residents’ concerns, I’ve learnedmany believe the present Board doesn’t effectively manage Town business, fornumerous reasons. From my own experiences, I agree, the Board must demonstrategreater transparency, accountability and communication to their constituents.An equally urgent concern is the issue of hydro-fractured gas wells and thepotential damage to our quality of life, aquifer and Town’s infrastructure thataccompanies these operations. I agreethere is much at risk with little to no protection for the landowner and/or theTown.

Despite havinglimited employment, declining family income and few small businesses, Enfieldexudes opportunity. As they say in real estate …. location, location,location. Enfield lies close to agrowing Ithaca and between the two greatest Finger Lakes. It also has abundant open space and thus, isan area of major interest to land development and gas exploration companies. Ifthe splendor of Enfield and its agricultural heritage are to be preserved wemust insist on appropriate development. Cultivating the Town’s potential, while preserving therural/agricultural nature of Enfield is, in my opinion, the most importantissue facing Enfield.

Scott & Iwitnessed the destruction of the Pocono Plateau, largely due to the localmunicipalities’ inability to recognize and manage boom-town development.Rampant over-expansion destroyed communities by failing to provide necessaryinfrastructure and by subsequently driving taxes up. We left our home there because we longed fora way of life that we have found in Enfield. As Councilperson, I will endeavorto preserve Enfield’s majestic beauty and agricultural lifestyle by ardentlydefending it in the face of development pressure, no matter what person orindustry is behind it.

Vera Howe-Strait (Democrat)
I would look intoputting a ban in place and start the process of a moratorium before the permittingprocess begins.

Ann Rider(Democrat)
The main reason I am running for public office is tocontinue to ensure that our Town is a quality place to live. I am concernedabout our natural surroundings especially our water supply and natural beauty.I have been very interested to hear and take part in discussions with ENSAW members and groups. I am very impressed by theamount of information you have gathered and your compelling methods ofpresentation. As an elected official I will continue to listen to the concernsof the residents of Enfield, enter into dialogues and represent and protect thethings that the residents findimportant. I feel that my abilities to listen, ask questions and synthesizecomplex information are an important qualification for the office of CouncilPerson during the upcoming years. I will research and push for all the safeguards necessary for the Town to consider in the area of gas drilling, hydro-fracking,road usage and land use and Town facilities. I will also be very careful in moving forward in a way so allresolutions and Local Laws passed by the Board will be timely and legallybinding.

I want to thankthe members of ENSAW for organizing time to talk and am so pleased to know thatthere are many, many other people in the Town of Enfield that share my concernabout the quality of life issues in our Town. I look forward to working withyou on issues of mutual concern. It’s going to be a process and all of usconcerned citizens are going to need to continue our dialog and workingtogether for our common goals. I can definitely do that for the next 4 yearsand ask for your vote next Tuesday at the Fire Station.

HighwaySuperintendent

David Owens(Democrat)
Barry “Buddy”Rollins (Republican)

Town Justice

Ron Clark(Republican)
James Varricchio (Democrat)

Town Clerk

Alice Linton(Running unopposed)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! GET OUT AND VOTE!!!

ENSAW is committed to working with all Enfield Town representatives and employees to keep our community a beautiful and safe place to live.

Your involvement is important and appreciated.

Sign the Petition to Ban Gas Extraction Using High-Volume Slick-Water Hydraulic Fracturing in the Town of Enfield

2011-07-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

ENSAW is currently going door-to-door in the Town of Enfield to gather signatures of residents to present to the Enfield Town Board in an effort to ban gas extraction using high-volume slick-water hydraulic fracturing in the Town of Enfield. If you would like to make your voice heard by signing this petition, you may also do so online. Each household member who is at least 18 and a resident of the Town of Enfield may sign. We appreciate your participation.

Click Here to Sign

ENFIELD NEIGHBORS PLAN PETITION

2011-07-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

ENSAW's petition to ban high-volume, slick-water, hydraulic fracturing as a method of gas extraction in the Town of Enfield is now underway! We are actively seeking volunteers to help with this project. Training and canvassing begin this week. If you would like to be a part of this local action, or know someone who would, please contact us using the "contact us" link at the top of the sidebar on this page or share this post with your friends. We welcome your involvement!

Please watch for and welcome your community members as they canvass the neighborhood seeking your opinions on this issue. Let your voice be heard and help shape your town's policies regarding this industrial process. Shaping the future of our town is our right and responsibility as residents here. ENSAW is happy to provide this opportunity for residents and we welcome your participation.

The NY DEC has just begun to release its revised regulations of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale. This means the clock is now ticking for when permitting and drilling using the new technique of high- volume, slickwater hydraulic fracturing (not used in NY state before) will actually begin. The nature of this process is that it requires heavy industrial development, and drilling multiple wells and well pads in the same area, and is least expensive for the gas company- but not for our communities.

We have a brief window to enact protective ordinances for our town, to prevent or minimize the damage of this new gas extraction process to our public health, air, water, roads, local economy, and peaceful, rural environment. We have seen how this has played out in nearby PA and other areas, and if we make good decisions as a town now, we can protect our community's future.

Dryden and Ulysses are in the process of enacting legislation to ban hydrofracking in their towns after successful petition drives with strong participation by residents. Petition drives are also underway in Caroline and Danby. The Cities of Buffalo and Pittsburgh will not permit the extraction of natural gas using this method. Numerous other towns have enacted moratoriums until the safety of this process can be assured.

THERE IS NO RUSH! The gas has been here for millions of years and can stay here until we find SAFE ways to remove it.

If you would like to help ENSAW help Enfield by participating in the petition drive, please click on the contact link in the sidebar and we'll get back to you ASAP. We welcome your input!

Legal Issues for Land Owners

2011-06-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Land owners have a particular interest in the development of gas drilling in our area whether they have a gas lease or not. The Cornell Cooperative Extension held a forum addressing this topic and has provided video of the event.

Topics in part 1 include Gas Leases and Real Property Law by Randy Marcus, Esq.; Regulatory Issues and Pipelines by Helen Slottje, Esq.; Compulsory Integration, Landman Tactics & Tips by Jane Welsh, Esq. and Landowner Issues & Coalitions by Guy Krogh, Esq. Part 2 is the question and answer session that followed the presentations. Originally held October 29, 2009 at the Cornell Vet School Auditorium. For more information from Cornell Cooperative Extension on gas leasing, please visit their website's Gas Drilling Library.

Part 1- Panel Presentations

Part 2- Q and A Session

Long Term Economics With Fracking

2011-05-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

The League of Women Voters of Tompkins County held a forum on the long term economic impact of fracking on May 2nd. Video of the event may be viewed at this link:

Long Term Economics with Fracking

The program includes the following:

-Introduction by Kay Wagner, moderator and chair of the Natural Resource Committee of the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County;

-"Marcellus Hydrofracking: What Does it Mean for Economic Development?" Prof. Susan Christopherson, Department of City and Regionall Planning at Cornell;

-"Drilling for Natural Gas: Assigning Values, Measuring Costs". Prof. John Schwartz, Department of Physics at Ithaca College (retired);

-"Shale Gas Economics from Three Authors: Jannette Barth, Jeffrey Jacquette, and Chip Northrupt". Don Barber, supervisor for the Town of Caroline and co-chair of the Tompkins County Council of Government;

-Q & A

Voices from Bradford County, PA

2011-05-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Below is a document compiled by Bob Applegate and submitted to the Cortland County Taskforce in early May, 2011 to illustrate the problems being experienced in a heavily drilled PA county. Like the information emailed to you recently by Buzz Lavine, this speaks to the multiple costs that our residents and taxpayers will have to pay for should fracking come our way. The sources are documented and are those of people now experiencing high intensity, heavily industrialized fracking and support the idea that such industrialization has no place in the Town of Dryden. Said another way, these costs greatly outweigh the speculative costs of potential litigation if our Town adopts zoning prohibiting high intensity, heavy industrial uses.

Voices from Bradford County, PA

The Roads, Traffic, and First Responders

Doug McLinko, Bradford County Commissioner: The "traffic is incredible" in Bradford County, and is much heavier than it was anticipated to be. The drilling "is moving too fast and furiously," McLinko said. "We need to slow it down." (The DailyReview.Com, January 27, 2011)

"I support the development of the Marcellus Shale," he said. "I do not support the industry and the operators that do it. A lot of them need to be held responsible for what they do."
(The Morning Times, April 8, 2011)

Warren Knapp, Assistant Maintenance Manager for PennDOT in Bradford County: During last year's freeze-thaw cycle, there was "some very, very severe road breakup" in areas of Bradford County, with other areas receiving lesser damage, Knapp said. More damage is expected this year. (The DailyReview.Com, January 27, 2011)

Gary Wilcox, Bradford County Public Safety Director: There are hazardous berms on county roads that have been reconstructed by gas companies. "There are some spots in the county where there is a four-to-five foot drop off" at the outside edge of the berm. (The DailyReview.Com, January 27, 2011)

Rick Mason, PennDOT spokesman: "Permits have been suspended due to Chesapeake's failure to deal in a timely manner with severe roadway damage caused by its heavy hauling operations." If the repairs are not made, the state will begin the revocation process," Mason said. (The StarGazette.Com, April 12, 2011)

Bob Thorne, PennDOT's manager for Bradford County: Gas drilling companies should drive on the roads they have upgraded over the last year, so that they don't damage other roads during the freeze-thaw cycle. Still another issue with the newly reconstructed roads is that the guard rails along the roadway may be too low, due to the increased height of the roadway, Thorne said. (The DailyReview.Com, January 27, 2011)

Terry Sheets , North Towanda Fire Chief : The traffic congestion . . . is preventing firefighters from getting to the scene of emergencies in a timely manner, because they can't get to their fire stations quickly enough. (The DailyReview.Com, January 27, 2011)

Editorial from Towanda's Daily Review: "Emergency responders in the Towanda area and elsewhere in Bradford County are being run ragged with extra duty caused by problems of one sort of another in the natural gas industry. It is nearing crisis proportions here and elsewhere." (Dailyreview.com April 25, 2011)

Sandra Tosca, PennDOT Executive: The agency recognizes the changes in traffic in Bradford County brought by the natural gas industry and is committed to finding a solution, but has to prioritize among many needs. . . The time frame for a permanent solution could be a year and a half after PennDOT completes the required studies. (Dailyreview.com April 29, 2011)

Mark W. Smith, Bradford County Commissioner: "The majority of roads in our townships were never built to withstand the heavy and constant truck traffic that horizontal well drilling and injection requires. One well drilling operation may involve over 1,000 truck loads."

-"As the industry increases their operations we can only expect a negative impact on our bridges."

-"Regulations and regulatory agencies are in transition. It is unclear if the challenges of balancing industry and public safety are being met. There is great local concern that D.E.P., even with their proposed increased staffing has no chance of keeping up with the pace of the drilling activity, let alone the increased responsibilities D.E.P. is taking away from conservation districts."

( From Smith's testimony to the Pennsylvania State Senate, April 9, 2009)

Thad Warnick, Pennsylvania State Trooper: "The accident occurred at 8:38 a.m. when the Athens Area School District bus was struck by a vacuum truck that slid while coming down an icy driveway. . .The road was shut down as emergency personnel and police responded to the accident.

The controls on the front of the vacuum truck hit the side of the bus, and the bus went off the road, rolled over and came to rest back on its wheels. There were no injuries in the accident, other than the bus driver having a scratch on her hand. What if that thing had been loaded with kids? We'd still be down there.

They hit a school bus, that's a little different than hitting a car. I'm just really concerned with the bus incident." (January 28, 2011, thedailyreview.com)

Doug Ulkins, Athens Area School District Superintendent: The crash "makes me wonder what our area is turning into with all the big traffic. We have to be careful." (January 28, 2011, thedailyreview.com)

(note: in some school districts in Pennsylvania and West Virginia school buses are now accompanied by "pilot trucks" to protect them from accidents like these. Pilot trucks are also used to lead traffic through especially damaged sections of highway.)

Other Public Safety Concerns

John Sullivan, Bradford County Commissioner and Conservation District Board Member:

"It's kind of made the county recession-proof, but it's created some problems. We've had an increase of visitors to our jail. You bring all these men in, you couldn't expect not to have some crime. Our 911 center said, from a year ago, they've had almost 4,000 more calls in a three-month period. We don't know that it's all gas-related, but I'm sure it's had some impact." Sullivan was startled one day when picking corn on his farm to find a gas employee standing nearby. "I never used to lock my doors," he said. "Now I do." Sullivan counted 26 (heavy trucks) passing his house at night during an hour, and his five-mile commute through town now takes 25 minutes.

(The RiverReporter, Narrowsburg, NY May 6, 2010)

Water Contamination and the Difficulties Documenting It

Laura Legere, Times-Shamrock writer: How many water supplies have been impacted by drilling activities?
Right now, no one is keeping a complete count.

The Oil and Gas Act does not require drillers to notify state regulators when landowners alert them that drinking water has been harmed by the companies' operations.

Under current law, the Department of Environmental Protection must look into cases of potential drinking water pollution only when it is asked to investigate a problem by a landowner.

The department also does not track how often gas drillers voluntarily replace drinking water supplies, either temporarily or permanently.

Often, homeowners and drillers work out agreements without needing the department's assistance," DEP spokesman Tom Rathbun said. "We get involved when we are notified of a problem, but we are not made aware of every case."

Without the mandatory disclosure, critics say, voluntary arrangements can take advantage of the fact that there are disincentives for landowners to ask DEP to intervene: People may feel intimidated about pushing their complaints or fear causing any disruption to the gas companies that pay them royalties.

On some occasions, gas companies, even when working side-by-side with regulators to address water complaints, have made clear efforts to keep voluntary water replacement arrangements out of the public eye. (November 14, 2010 the times tribune.com)

(In neighboring Susquehanna County,) Cabot remedied or replaced a water supply, on average, for more than one in every three gas wells it drilled." (November 18, 2010 thedailyreview.com)

Todd O'Malley, a Towanda lawyer: says he personally has seen more than 30 polluted water cases in Bradford County alone.

"I'm not against gas exploration. I'm against sloppy unsafe speedy exploration which leaves people's wells contaminated, which leaves streams contaminated, which causes the problems we've seen in Pennsylvania so far." (WETM 18, April 22, 2011)

Daniel Farnham, environmental engineer who has tested more than 2,000 water wells in Northeastern and Northcentral Pennsylvania: As many as 50 homes in Bradford County alone are currently getting replacement water supplies provided by gas companies. (Citizensvoice.com November 15, 2010)

Diane Siegmund, a Towanda resident: "There are a frighteningly large number of contaminated water wells in this county, yet there seems to be no local recognition, accountability or solution coming from our leaders," said Siegmund. There are between 70 and 100 water wells contaminated in Bradford County.

There's a lack of information for the public about the problem. There needs to be a "reporting place" for people to "safely" call in about their water contamination to be logged and accounted."There's no reason our people should be scared to speak up, and be drinking gosh-darn dirty water," said Siegmund.

(http://www.morningtimes.com April 8, 2011)

Roslyn Bohlander, sister of Bradford County farmer Jacqueline Place: Nearly two weeks after the water to (Jacqueline's) home turned cloudy then dark brown and (my) sister's cows refused to drink it, a DEP inspector and Chesapeake contractors came to test the water. Chesapeake disconnected the well, filled the water buffaloes and plumbed them into the home - a project that took hours.

At around 10 p.m., the last Chesapeake contractor handed Jacqueline a document and told her he would not flip the switch on the system he had just installed unless she signed it. The contractor told Place the document was "nothing" important and, when pressed, told her it was a non-disclosure agreement.

It was such a crisis point, In the previous days, (Jacqueline) and her son had not used the water to shower, cook or clean dishes or clothes. They took sponge baths, and the cows, they were just drinking enough to live.

(Place herself would not acknowledge the document or release it to Times-Shamrock.)

(http://m.thedailyreview.com/news/pennsylvania-doesn-t-count-how-many-water-supplies-are-impacted-by-gas-drilling-1.1064040)

David P. Poole, senior vice president and general counsel for Range Resources Corp.: "It is physically impossible for you to frack a Marcellus well ... and have any impact on groundwater." Asked what the cause of groundwater contamination is if it is not fracking, he acknowledged that's something the industry has to address. ( Thedailyreview.com, April 9, 2011)

Rick Hall, Chesapeake Energy in Bradford County: "It's a common misconception that fracking is what contaminates well water. It's the actual drilling process that causes the first phase of water contamination." (as quoted by Crystal Stroud in her testimony to the Bradford County Commissioners -see below)

(Question: how many phases of water contamination are there? How often and how severely is water contaminated at each phase? What's the science on these phases of contamination? )

John Hanger, (former) secretary of the Pennsylvania DEP: "This industry's got to be better. There's too many leaks, there's too many spills, there's too many incidents of gas migrating." (Citizen's Voice .Com, June 20, 2010)

"Spills and surface leaks have, in fact, contaminated people's drinking water," (CBS Evening News September 4 2010)

Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy:

February 2, 2010 categorical denial : The issue of "health concerns over hydraulic fracturing" is a primary case of fiction vs. fact. There is not a single documented case in the U.S. where this technology has led to groundwater contamination, placing public health in jeopardy. (from a letter to US Representative Eric Massa)

April 9, 2011 qualified admission: Issues of water contamination in Northeast Pennsylvania (Bradford County area) are due to the region's geology, and they have not -- and likely will not -- be seen elsewhere, the chief executive of Chesapeake Energy Corp. told reporters and editors at a business journalism conference Friday.

The drilling issue with Northeast Pennsylvania's "very unusual surface geology" has been solved and should hopefully mean there are no future incidents of water contamination, but did not elaborate on what contamination incidents he was referring to.

There has been no "lasting environmental damage" from hydraulic fracturing drilling, he added.

In his keynote address, the CEO told business media that while there are stories worth writing on truck traffic, noise and even drilling company transparency, "fracking is not the story." (Apr 09, 2011 (The Times-Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services)

Contradiction from Citizensvoice.com : A natural gas well in Bradford County has spilled thousands of gallons of chemical-laced water and forced the evacuation of seven families who live nearby as crews struggled to stop the gusher.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. lost control of the Marcellus Shale well site near Canton at about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. Tainted water continued to flow from the site Wednesday afternoon, contaminating a nearby stream.

Chesapeake said a piece of equipment failed late Tuesday while the well was being hydraulically fractured, or fracked. ( April 20, 2011: citizensvoice.com)

Randy Morse, Leroy, PA landowner where the blow-out took place: "It's just one of those things," said farm owner Randy Morse. He leased his property to Chesapeake. His beef cattle will no longer be able to drink from the brook that has been contaminated. Morse is broken up over the whole thing, hoping others don't blame him. "As it looks right now, all the water that ran into that tributary did run into the creek , without adverse affects right now," Morse said. (wnep.com April 20, 2011)

Similar Chesapeake Fluid Spill in Rural Louisiana, 2009

From The Shreveport Times: Citizens noticed the dying cows April 28 (2009) in a pasture owned by Cecil and Tyler Williams in south Caddo Parish. Witnesses reported hearing them bellowing and seeing them bleeding before they fell over dead.

At the time, Schlumberger, as a contractor of Chesapeake, was performing routine fracturing of the natural gas well. LDEQ determined during its investigation that fluid leaked from the well pad then ran into an adjacent pasture after a rain.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. and its contractor Schlumberger Technology Corp. each must pay $22,000 for violating state law in connection with the deaths almost a year ago of 17 cows at a natural gas well site. (Shreveporttimes.com March 25, 2010)

Implications Down Stream of the Leroy Blow-out

Douglas F. Gansler, Attorney General of the State of Maryland announced that he has sent a letter to Chesapeake Energy Corporation and its affiliates, notifying the companies of the State of Maryland's intent to sue for violating the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA). On April 19, thousands of gallons of fracking fluids were released from a well owned and operated by Chesapeake Energy into Towanda Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River, which supplies 45% of the fresh water in the Chesapeake Bay. In his letter, Attorney General Gansler notified the company that at the close of the required 90-day notice period, the State intends to file a citizen suit and seek injunctive relief and civil penalties under RCRA for solid or hazardous waste contamination of soils and ground waters, and the surface waters and sediments of Towanda Creek and the Susquehanna River. The State also intends to seek injunctive relief and civil penalties under the CWA for violation of the CWA's prohibition on unpermitted pollution to waters of the United States. (BALTIMORE, MD May 2, 2011 -rguillory@oag.state.md.us)

(Question: will Randy Morse, the Leroy, PA farmer who leased the property to Chesapeake be liable to similar lawsuits?)

Home Values

Truman Burnett, Bradford County Resident: We bought the property approximately 12 years ago. We wanted to retire here, but now the pond isn't usable. And I have problems with the water in my well also. In March of '09 they had a water leak. Chesapeake had frack tanks that leaked and dumped a couple hundred thousand gallons of water down the hill behind me there and overflowed my pond. They had a considerable amount of chemicals in it and it started to kill my pond. About a week and a half to two weeks later they dumped fifty gallons of hydrochloric acid that leaked up above and leaked down here also. It killed all the fish, all the aquatic life. We're just getting some grass back now.

After they fracked, the gas that's coming out of the ground, they tell me, isn't of enough pressure to feed into the pipeline so they installed a compressor that runs 24 hours a day like that. . . It sounds like a truck is idling underneath your windows 24 hours a day.

I don't think many people would want to buy a piece of property where you can't drink the water or bathe in it. It really took part of my life and my wife's life away. (http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/10/22/n_pa_gas_fracking_truman.cnnmoney/ March 6, 2011)

Jared and Heather McMicken, Bradford County Residents, a young couple who had recently built a brick home on Paradise Road valued at $250,000:

Jared: "We noticed our water started to turn brown. They (Chesapeake) started monitoring for methane. They started finding methane in the well. Real high levels. Explosive levels. The first night they put it in, it (the monitor) went off."

Heather: "They kind of told us it was just a precautionary thing. It would never go off. Well here we are, day one, you know, going off."

( on 10/1 2010 the McMickens received a letter from the DEP that said, "Investigation indicates that gas well drilling has impacted your home water supply.")

Heather: Chesapeake would still come in here, in the home or in the garage, and just flat out say, "We are not responsible."

Jared: "It was our nest egg and now there's not much left there. You know if your house doesn't have water, it's pretty much worthless."

(Reportedly, the McMicken's home is now appraised at $30,000)

(http://honesdalecc.blogspot.com/p/bradford-county.html)

Carol French, resident of Sheshequin Township: Have the Bradford County Assessment Board reassess the homes that have been devalued due to the water contamination and . . . help with the burden of financial expenses. "This is the perfect opportunity (for the county) to help the community as they become impacted by the gas industry," said French. (The Morning Times, Sayre, PA April 8, 2011)

French also urged the county to begin reducing the assessments on people's homes who have been affected by gas well contamination, as she said they are financially strapped.

She said there are residents along Paradise Road in Terry Township, where there have been contamination problems, who have seen value of their homes drop dramatically, as reflected by recent appraisals.

"Their properties are worth one-tenth of what it was before gas drilling started," French said.

She also said residents along Paradise Road have had to face skyrocketing electricity bills from having to heat the water in their water buffaloes to keep them from freezing and from running water filtration systems at their homes.

She said that one household saw its monthly electric bill increase from $130 to $450, while another household's bill increased from below $150 to $520.

"This (increase in electric bills is occurring) through Bradford County," French said. (April 8, 2011http://thedailyreview.com/news/residents-dozens-of-wells-in-bradford-county-have-been-contaminated)

Unexpected Impacts on Rental Housing

Douglass Johnston, chief executive officer of Futures Community Support Services: "The influx of gas workers who are willing to pay rents far exceeding the fair market rent for this area (of Pennsylvania) has caused rents for decent housing to more than triple. Rents have increased to the point where even moderate income families cannot afford housing."

Because local motels are booked to capacity for months in advance by gas companies, the local state-funded Homeless Assistance Program can't find rooms to place people in motels who need emergency housing.

"For the first time, we (the Homeless Assistance Program) have sent people away with no roof over their heads"

Bill Blevins, Bradford County Human Services Director: "We've had to take six children and place them in foster care" because their families were evicted during the past year and "they were not able to afford any other place" to move into. During the current housing shortage, it seems that landlords evict tenants who are behind on their rent "a little more quickly" than they did in the past, Blevins said.

There has been a "perfect storm" of events which has resulted in housing evictions and an increased risk of evictions, including layoffs that have occurred locally since 2008 due to the weak national economy, a housing shortage created when workers moved to the area to work in the gas industry, and the fact that the size of federal HUD Section 8 rent subsidies for low-income people do not take into account the high rents that now exist in Bradford County, Blevins said. (July 29, 2010, the Dailyreview.com)

Foreign Energy

Walt Wannemacher, local citizen speaking at Bradford County Commissioners' Meeting: "I don't want them (Chesapeake) destroying our backyard for gas that's going overseas (to China)" (The Daily Review.Com April 15, 2011)

(note: Wannemacher has reason to be concerned. Chesapeake alone has sold billions of dollars worth of US mineral rights leases to CNOOC of China, CIC of China, StatOilHydro of Norway, TotalSA of France, British Petroleum, KIC of Korea, Temasek of Singapore, and BHP Billiton of Australia. Plans to export both the profits and the gas itself are underway.

Here's Aubrey McClendon's puzzling and contradictory comment on the subject: "We have invested billions of dollars in the Marcellus Shale to drill for natural gas to help our nation reduce its dependency on foreign energy sources and stop the irresponsible and unsustainable transfer of wealth out of the country." (February 2, 2010 letter to NY Representative Eric Massa)

Adverse Health Effects

Crystal Stroud, Bradford County resident (as reported in the Moringtimes.com):

Benchmark Analytics, an independent water testing company, found barium, chloride, strontium, manganese, lead, methane, radiological materials, and radon in Stroud's well water.

Medical tests showed unusually high levels of barium in her blood -at 110 micrograms per liter. She attributes the sudden onset of hair loss, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and stomach cramps to the high levels of barium.

"I was under the impression that the fracking was what ruined your water," she said. "But I later found out that the drilling process can ruin it too."

"Prior to that day, I too believed in the `goose' that was going to `lay the golden egg' in Bradford County," she said, noting that her family had leased two acres to Chesapeake Energy for $5,000. "Little did I know we were signing life as we knew it away."

(April 29, 2011 http://www.morningtimes.com/articles/2011/04/29/local_news/doc4dbaba6ccfd58324066494.)

Looking Beyond the Initial Economic Boom

Tim Kelsey, economics professor at Penn State, speaking at Bradford County's Progress Authority's annual dinner: Many communities emerge from an energy-extraction boom in worse shape than when they entered it, with lower employment and higher poverty levels than other communities.

Kelsey said the vast majority of jobs in the gas industry in Bradford County will occur during the drilling phase, when wells are being drilled and pipeline is being laid. After the drilling ends, a small workforce will need to remain in the area over the long term to monitor the wells, truck water from the well sites, and perform other duties at the well sites.

And he said that the total amount of gas royalties coming into in the county will drop off fairly quickly after drilling is completed, since highest amount of the gas production occurs during the first few years that a gas well is on-line.

In an interview after the meeting, he said that local leaders need to take steps during the drilling phase that will harness some of the economic benefits of the gas boom for projects that will have long term benefits, such as building roads and other infrastructure and parks, and improving the appearance of downtowns, as well as working to attract industries to the area that use natural gas as a fuel that will remain in the county over the long term. (TheDailyReview.com April 16, 2011)

Regards,

Joe Wilson
75 Hunt Hill Road
Ithaca, NY 14850-9674

Force Majeure & Lease Termination Issues for Gas Lease Holders

2011-04-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

Force Majeure & Lease Termination Issues for Gas Lease Holders
Thursday May 12, 7:00-9:00pm
Dryden Fire Hall, 26 North Street, Dryden, New York 13053

In this FREE presentation, two attorneys will cover issues of force majeure and lease termination, for people who have signed natural gas drilling leases. Presenters will be Chris Denton, an Elmira attorney with extensive experience in gas leasing issues, who works with clients who have received Force Majeure letters from gas companies. Denton will talk about Force Majeure and what to do if you get such a letter from the gas company claiming that lease is extended.

The second presenter is attorney Joe Heath who will talk about lease termination, and what to do to clear your title if your lease has terminated but the gas company has not filed papers with the county clerk clearing your title.

For more information, contact Sharon Anderson at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, (607) 272-2292 or ska2@cornell.edu. Co-sponsored by Fleased and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. Note: some information on Force Majeure and Lease Termination can be found online at: http://fleased.org/

Click here for Calendar Description & Map

LOCAL EVENT- Landowner's Gas Lease Workshop- May 17th, 7-9 pm

2011-04-30T05:49:00.000-07:00

LANDOWNER’S GAS LEASE WORKSHOP

Tuesday May 17, 2011 7 – 9 pm

EXPERT ADVICE on TERMINATING A GAS LEASE
Most gas leases will not terminate automatically at expiration date
unless the landowner takes action.

RESPONDING TO FORCE MAJEURE
Landowners need to respond to Force Majeure letters
being received from gas companies.

JOE HEATH, ESQ. ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY
MIKE BOSETTI , LANDOWNER (TERMINATED LEASE SUCCESSFULLY)
BETSEY LARKIN, Cortland County Clerk

Tuesday May 17, 2011 7 – 9 pm

Cortland County Office Building Auditorium

60 Central Ave., Cortland, NY

Organized by GDACC

(GAS DRILLING AWARENESS FOR CORTLAND COUNTY)

P.O. BOX 5151, CORTLAND, NY 13045

SEE GDACC'S WEBSITE FOR LEASE TERMINATION AND FORCE MAJEURE PACKETS:

http://www.gdacc.wordpress.com/

Co-sponsored by:

Office of the Cortland County Clerk

Cortland County Legislature’s Ag Planning & Environment Committee

Cortland County Farm Bureau

ENSAW EVENT- April 9, 2011

2011-03-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

Gas Drilling in Enfield’s Marcellus

Come learn more about this important issue!

Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.

Enfield Grange Enfield Main Road

Free and open to the public

At 2:00

Rural Impact! What to Expect from the Gas Industry and How to Address It

This half hour documentary film explores the impacts of natural gas development in Colorado on communities, the environment and public health. It includes in-depth interviews with county officials, scientists and residents and strives to find a balance between the needs of the environment and the demands of a society reliant on non-renewable energy resources.

At 2:30

Guests from rural northern Pennsylvania Three rural residents from Dimock and Bradford County, PA (Victoria Switzer, Carolyn Knapp, and Carol French) will talk about their personal experiences with gas drilling. Please welcome them and bring questions.

There will be plenty of time for questions and conversation.

*** Refreshments will be served ***

Sponsored by Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air and Water (ENSAW)

For more information: Judy Hyman 277-7025 or Nancy Spero 273-6603

Click on the link below to print and share a poster for this event!

Thanks for helping to spread the news.

See the Award-Winning Film Gasland at Cinemapolis on June 12th

2010-06-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Gasland, the winner of this year's Sundance Special Jury Prize, will premiere on HBO on June 21st, but Ithacans can enjoy a sneak preview on Saturday, June 12th at Cinemapolis. Tickets go on sale May 21st at Cinemapolis for only two showings--1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Gasland is the personal account of Pennsylvanian film producer Josh Fox who was asked to lease his land for gas drilling. He started to ask questions and soon realized the enormity of the hydraulic fracturing issue. He then embarks on a cross-country odyssey, camera in hand, uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and resultant environmental devastation. The film contains grim footage of hydrofracking in action plus some humorous moments, that is if you think it's funny to see someone light the water coming out of the tap in his kitchen. In short, Gasland provides a glimpse of the future of our region...if we don't stop this imminent invasion of unsafe drilling practices in its track.

Mr. Fox will be on hand to lead a Q&A after each showing. In addition, Shaleshock Action Alliance is organizing a "What are we, Chopped Liver?" rally on the Commons between shows from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The title of the rally refers to the recent decision by the DEC to subject any wells drilled in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds to site specific environmental reviews in effect greatly impeding drilling in these areas. Hence Shaleshock is asking, "What are we, chopped liver?" Our water supplies, not to mention the air we breathe, are at risk too! The rally, in conjunction with the showings of Gasland, is being staged to send a strong message to Albany that we will not accept secondary status when it comes to hydraulic fracturing hydrofracking and that whatever data caused the DEC to exempt New York and Syracuse should be considered in our region too.

Mr. Fox will speak at the rally and be joined by local activists and politicians including County Legislator Martha Robertson, State Assemblyperson Barbara Lifton, renowned biologist and activist Sandra Steingraber, Gay Nicholson of Sustainable Tompkins and others. The rally will also include musical interludes featuring a host of banjo players since Mr. Fox is himself a practitioner of that art. The tour which brings Mr. Fox and Gasland to Ithaca has been organized by Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Catskill Mountainkeeper and Earthjustice.

Please visit http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/ for more details.

Contact Ken Zeserson at kenz@zeserson.com for more info about the June 12th showings and the "Chopped Liver" rally.

Disposal Wells: A Solution for Marcellus Waste?

2010-06-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

A public presentation May 3, 2010 at the Women’s Community building in Ithaca featuring:
* Dr. Tony Ingraffea, Cornell University , Engineering Department
* Mr. William Kappel, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
* Rachel Treichler, Esq., Attorney from Hammondsport

Of all the issues with horizontal hydraulic fracking of Marcellus shale, the question of how to dispose of flowback waste created by gas extraction presents the most problems for the industry and for those concerned about environmental protections.

Disposal wells are used in many other places, such as Texas and Ohio , but only one well in New York is currently approved for disposing of gas flowback waste. Two recent well candidates (in Pulteney and in Van Etten) led to public opposition and, at least for now, withdrawal of consideration. In the meantime, it is reported that flowback fluids from Pennsylvania ’s wells are already or will be trucked to Ohio and West Virginia , where they have 150 and 70 disposal wells respectively. Disposal wells in southern New York would be a much more convenient option for the gas industry. The public has many questions about the geology, the regulations, the risks, and the likelihood of disposal wells in our region.

Sponsored by Shaleshock Action Alliance , Community Environmental Defense Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County , Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County , Pulteney Pure Water Citizens Committee, Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air and Water, Social Action Committee of Temple Beth-El, NYSESS, and Concerned Citizens of Ulysses.

Delta Engineering

2010-05-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

A number of local towns are looking into services provided by Delta Engineering of Endwell, NY, that offer assistance for negotiating Road Use Agreements for businesses that use our roads for heavier traffic and equipment than normal community use. The Enfield Town Board will be exploring this service at upcoming Town Board meetings. If you would like to know more about the services offered by Delta, please attend the May 12th Town Board meeting and express your interest in the town persuing more information about their services. For a description of the services offered by Delta for this purpose, please take a look at the information provided below. Multi-Municipal Task Force Road Use Agreement Services
Many Towns in New York may be experiencing increased traffic due to the activity of new energy technologies, such as the Marcellus shale gas drilling and wind farms. Such traffic may exceed the capacity of local roads. This may result in serious problems for various Municipalities, including public safety concerns, unexpected road damages, and impacts on local highway budgets which are already stretched too thin. Addressing these issues can be overwhelming for any Municipality since it involves complex engineering, legal, and political components.
In an effort to meet the needs of Towns facing these issues, Delta is pleased to announce its partnership with the Multi-Municipal Task Force (MMTF) to provide engineering services for the development of Road Use Agreements. The MMTF has been working to create a uniform method of coping with the traffic that accompanies these new energy technologies. The heart of this approach centers on the implementation of Road Use Agreements (RUA).
What is a Road Use Agreement (RUA) and why have one?
A RUA is simply a contract between a Municipality and a Developer, establishing a legally binding permit process for road useand the compensation for road damages which occur as a result of increased traffic exceeding normal use on local roads.
The following real life examples illustrate the necessity of an RUA:

EXAMPLE 1: An upstate Municipality faced a wind farm project with heavy traffic exceeding the capacity of local roads. The Municipality contacted the Developer to negotiate an RUA, but the Developer did not respond and started construction. The Municipality was left with no choice but to post the road, involving local law enforcement. The result was that the overweight traffic was restricted. Soon the Developer decided to negotiate an RUA with the Municipality. Under the RUA, project activity resumed, the project was successfully completed, and a settlementwas paid by the Developer for full repair of the local road damages.
EXAMPLE 2: A southern tier Municipality experienced additional traffic from gas drilling in a neighboring Pennsylvania Borough. One day a school bus using one of the heavily traveled roads found itself trying to negotiate a severely degraded road. The bus was full of students at the time and ended up stranded until a passing motorist could go for help. There was no RUA in place and no responsibility was taken by the Developer for public safety or repair of ongoing damages.

EXAMPLE 3: A gas pipeline was installed through a southern tier Municipality. During installation, the Highway Supervisor observed significant damage to the local roads. Attempts were made to reach an agreement for damages. Negotiations failed due to significant variance in the amount of damage claimed by the Developer and Municipality. In the absence of an RUA, there was no verifiable record of actual road conditions before and after the Developer’s use and there was no technical basis to resolve the disagreement. Costly legal proceedings resulted which could have been prevented with an RUA.

The Multi-Municipal Task Force (MMTF) has been a leader within the State in its efforts to prepare a model RUA process for adoption by member Towns. The process has included the creation of a template RUA and now Delta will be working with the MMTF and its legal counsel to develop local law that can be adopted by member Towns to provide the authority forestablishing an RUA permit requirement. In addition Delta is working with the MMTF to establish an automated web based RUA processing center that will incorporate technical services required for implementation of an RUA from “start to finish” of Developer activities including technical documentation for the reimbursement of road damages.

It is anticipated that in the coming months New York will face a dramatic increase in heavy traffic associated with continuing gas exploration, drilling, and wind farms. The MMTF understands that its municipal officials have a responsibility to professionally manage gas drilling impacts to public infrastructure in a manner which supersedes the diverse political sentiments surrounding gas drilling. The MMTF seeks to facilitate the safety of local roads with the conviction that the greatest chance of success will be attained by unified efforts of Towns across New York State. By working together, it will be possible to greatly reduce thecosts of implementing an RUA on a per Town basis, and the ability of such efforts to be upheld within the judicial system will be greatly enhanced by a sound technical basis and a show of unity and consistency across the State.
Road Use Agreement (RUA) Services

Phase I – Road Network Data Baseline

RUA Road Condition Survey: Survey of 20 mile sample of typical Town roads, assess geometric characteristics of roads, rate condition of roads (asphalt, aggregate, earthen).

Optional Survey of all Roads: Survey all remaining roads for implementation of pavement management system for entireTown Highway Network. Provide comprehensive maintenance and repair plan for all roads.

Highway Supervisor Interview:

Mail questionnaire to Highway Supervisor for completion prior to interview
Conduct interview with Highway Supervisor

Establish Highway Network Database: Use survey and interview data to determine typical maintenance, repair, constructionpractices, and unit costs, for use in implementation of RUA and cost estimates for road damages.

Phase II –Adopt Local Law and RUA Permit Process, Establish Town Link into Web Based Automated RUA Processing Center

Adopt RUA Permitting Process and Local Law

Determine Traffic Conditions Triggering RUA Permit
Review Existing Town Laws and Adapt Template RUA law to Fit
Provide Draft Resolution for New RUA Permit Law for Passage by Town Board

Implement RUA Permit Process

General Review of Town Administration Procedures
Determine if any modifications of Template Permit Forms are needed
Publish Permit Forms with required modifications
Train Town Personnel to Implement Permit Application Process
Establish Town Link to Web Based Portal for Automated RUA Permit Processing
Train Town Personnel to implement RUA Permits Using Web Based System

Optional Implementation of SEQRA for Individual Town or Group of Towns

Phase III – RUA Processing

When the gas drilling begins, Towns will enter RUA Permit information into a Web based RUA Management Center. The permits will be automatically processed, including:

Passwork Protected access to Web based RUA Management System
Notifications to Town Supervisor, Board, Attorney, and Highway Superintendant and other concerned agencies of Action Items, Deadlines, and Pending Actions
Initiation of Legal Services to Establish Bonds, Escrows for Gas Companies
Inititiation of Legal Action Against Non-compliant Agencies
Engineering Haul Route Inspections and Approvals
Engineering Determination of Haul Route Improvements and Costs
Pre/Post Engineering Evaluation of Haul Route Condition and Capacity
Engineering Estimates of Road Damages Caused by Permitted Users
Billing Permittees for Road Damage Recovery
Collection Actions Against Delinquent Payment

Drinking Water and Gas Drilling: Dusty Horwitt, JD to Speak in Ithaca

2010-04-10T17:43:00.000-07:00

Public Forum: Drinking Water and Gas Drilling: What are the Risks?
Speaker: Dusty Horwitt, JD, of the Environmental Working Group
Introduction by Dr. Steve Penningroth of the Community Science Institute
When: April 18th, 7PM
Where: Unitarian Universalist Church, 306 North Aurora Street, Ithaca, NY 14850-4202
Contact: Lisa Wright thewriterwrites@yahoo.com
Phone: 607.280.6695

In the interest of sharing important information and elevating the conversations about gas drilling in our region, several New York State groups are sponsoring programs featuring Dusty Horwitt, who is Senior Counsel for the Environmental Working Group in Washington, DC. Horwitt is the author of Environmental Working Group's recently published "Drilling Around the Law," a report on drinking water supplies from Pensylvania to Wyoming and how gas drilling has affected them. http://www.ewg.org/drillingaroundthelaw

Horwitt gave powerful testimony to the NYC Council last fall about the effects of gas drilling on drinking water. NYC legislators have taken this message to heart and have taken a strong stance against gas drilling in the NYC watershed. We wish to share his concerns with the public and our upstate legislators. Here is some of what Mr. Horwitt told the NYC Council:

We have reviewed much of [the DEC's DSGEIS] and believe that the state is still not taking seriously the threat that hydraulic fracturing and natural gas drilling poses to New York City’s drinking water. Nor is the state taking seriously the risk of water contamination in other parts of New York. Our analysis confirms our belief that New York State should not allow drilling in the watershed for New York City’s drinking water supply nor should it allow drilling in other areas where drinking water supplies might be compromised.
For Mr. Horwitt's full testimony, see http://www.ewg.org/node/27134

Dr. Steve Penningroth will introduce Mr. Horwitt and address local concerns in regards to water quality and gas drilling. Dr. Penningroth is the Executive Director of the Community Science Institute, a nonprofit organization that includes a certified water quality testing laboratory in Ithaca, New York. Previously Dr. Penningroth was an Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and a Senior Lecturer in Toxicology at Cornell University in Ithaca. He recently authored a textbook entitled "Essentials of Toxic Chemical Risk: Science and Society," which is being published by Taylor & Francis this month.

Please join us. All are welcome.

Sponsors: : Social Justice Council of the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, Sustainable Tompkins, Community Environmental Defense Council; Citizens for Healthy Communities; Shaleshock Action Alliance; GDACC (Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County); People for a Healthy Environment, Inc.; Schuyler County Environmental Management Council; NYSESS (New Yorkers for Sustainable Energy Systems Statewide), Marcellus Accountability Project

"The mission of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment."

Gas Drilling in Enfield's Marcellus: The Process and the Law

2010-04-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air & Water welcomed two speakers on Monday, March 22nd to the Enfield Grange on Enfield Main Road. The public was invited to a presentation to help Enfield residents and community members better understand the process of natural gas drilling and the legal issues involved. We heard more about how drilling is done, the potential impact on our air and water, lease basics and landowner liability. Speakers were Helen Slottje, Attorney at Law,working for Community Environmental Defense Council, Inc., a nonprofit environmental law firm based in Ithaca, and Bill Podulka, Ph.D, Co-Director of The Marcellus Accountability Project.
Video of this event is below.

Gas Drilling In Enfield's Marcellus: The Process and The Law

2010-03-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air & Water welcomes two speakers on Monday, March 22^nd at 7:00 p.m. to the Enfield Grange on Enfield Main Road. The public is invited to a presentation to help Enfield residents and community members better understand the process of natural gas drilling and the legal issues involved. Please join us as we hear more about how drilling is done, the potential impact on our air and water, lease basics and landowner liability. There will be plenty of time for questions and conversation. Refreshments will be served.

For more information: Beth McGee, 387-9899 or Nancy Spero, 273-6603

Helen Slottje, Attorney at Law

Helen is an attorney for Community Environmental Defense Council, Inc., a nonprofit environmental law firm based in Ithaca. She is lead attorney on the lawsuit challenging the Village of Horseheads’ finding that there would be no significant environmental impact from a new 88 acre drilling services facility operating right in the town. Helen also works with landowners who are trying to understand their leases, students at Cornell’s Water and Land Clinic, and other community groups trying to protect themselves from the negative impacts of the new drilling practices and volume of wells slated for towns like ours that lie above the Marcellus shale.

Bill Podulka, Ph.D

Co-Director of The Marcellus Accountability Project

Bill is a physicist with a lifelong interest in energy and environmental issues. In 2009, after learning about the impending gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, he and his wife created

TCgasmap.org, a website with an on-line map of Tompkins County gas leases and well-researched information on many different aspects of the gas drilling issue. Dr. Podulka also holds a Masters degree in Secondary Education from Cornell University.

Did you miss this ENSAW event? You can view video here:

Gas Drilling in Enfield's Marcellus: The Process and The Law

FAQ

2010-03-08T13:28:00.001-08:00

Below is a list of frequently asked questions. if you don't see your question here, please contact us at ensaw.info@gmail.com and we'll try our best to get an answer for you and may even include it on this list.

Gas Drilling in Enfield's Marcellus Shale: Impact on Towns and The Environment

2010-03-05T18:27:00.000-08:00

Gas Drilling in Enfield's Marcellus Shale: Impact on Towns and The Environment
Held at the Enfield Grange, January 27, 2010

About ENSAW

2010-03-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air and Water (ENSAW) strives to connect and inform the Enfield community about issues affecting the safety and preservation of our local natural resources and environment.

ENSAW members meet frequently to plan events and develop tools and resources to be used by our town officials as well as residents and community members.

If you're interested in becoming a member of ENSAW or participating in event planning or other activities, please visit our Contact page.

Thank you for your interest in ENSAW

Gas Drilling In The Marcellus Shale: Impact On Towns and The Environment

2010-03-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

On January 27th, ENSAW sponsored a presentation at the Enfield Grange with speakers Prof. Charles Geisler of Cornell and Caroline Town Supervisor, Don Barber, who also chairs the Tompkins County Council of Governments. 50 Enfield residents (plus members of ENSAW) attended. Several attendees are members of the Enfield Town Board and Enfield Planning Board. Click below to view video of the event.

Gas Drilling In The Marcellus Shale