Gas patch scientists explain how hydraulic fracturing can permanently contaminate public water supplies

As recently as a week ago one contamination expert went on the record explaining exactly how the hydraulic fracturing process could contaminate water supplies.  The expert is Dr. Conrad ‘Dan’ Volz, former director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities, who has testified on hydraulic fracturing before Congress and appeared as an expert as part of water contamination investigations on ABC news.

Volz spoke with Checks and Balances Project director Andrew Schenkel last week at a public hearing on fracking in Pennsylvania.

“[Wells] are going to leak and they are going to leak when the cement shrinks and when the cement shrinks it pulls away from the geological layer that it is sealed from and then it serves as a conduit as straight into ground water aquifers,” Volz said. When asked if the chemicals could travel miles upward towards aquifers that lie well above the bottom of hydraulically fracked wells, Volz replied, “of course”

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Josh Fox Director Of The Oscar-Nominated Documentary Gasland Lends His Voice To The Ohio Anti-Fracking Movement

Gasland was intended to be both a chronicle of the way in which oil and gas companies have used vast sums of money to shield fracking from virtually all federal, state, and local regulations and a cautionary tale about the toll the process takes on people and the environment. 

Fortunately, the message of the film is getting through. Recent surveys show that 4 out of 5 Americans are concerned about fracking's effect on our drinking water and seven out of ten Ohioans believe the process should be stopped until we know more about its effect on the environment and its relation to a series of earthquakes that have rocked the Northeastern part of the state.


The bottom line: fracking is not safe. It has never been proven safe and it will never be made safe.  The industry admits that well casing problems occur in 50 percent of wells over the life of the well. That means that 50 percent of gas wells can be expected to leak chemicals, hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, carcinogens and neurotoxins directly into groundwater. The industry has never been able to solve this problem although they have been trying for decades and they have admitted that there is no solution to the problem.  Safe fracking is simply an impossibility. If the state allows further drilling, it is trading water for gas. It is trading the short-term windfall profits of huge gas companies for our public health and the permanent poisoning of our ground water.

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Air sampling reveals high emissions from gas field

When US government scientists began sampling the air from a tower north of Denver, Colorado, they expected urban smog — but not strong whiffs of what looked like natural gas. They eventually linked the mysterious pollution to a nearby natural-gas field, and their investigation has now produced the first hard evidence that the cleanest-burning fossil fuel might not be much better than coal when it comes to climate change.

Led by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the University of Colorado, Boulder, the study estimates that natural-gas producers in an area known as the Denver-Julesburg Basin are losing about 4% of their gas to the atmosphere — not including additional losses in the pipeline and distribution system. This is more than double the official inventory, but roughly in line with estimates made in 2011 that have been challenged by industry. And because methane is some 25 times more efficient than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, releases of that magnitude could effectively offset the environmental edge that natural gas is said to enjoy over other fossil fuels.

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APNewsBreak: Ohio AG seeks tougher drilling laws

By JULIE CARR SMYTH 
Associated Press

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's top law enforcer is seeking tougher environmental sanctions on polluters in the oil and gas industry and full disclosure of the chemicals used in the drilling technique called fracking.

In an Associated Press interview Wednesday, Attorney General Mike DeWine further called for his office or another state agency to be empowered to help landowners with complaints about lease agreements for drilling.

He said a recent legal review by his staff revealed "Ohio's laws simply are not adequate" in the three areas.

DeWine said civil penalties in the state should be raised from a maximum of $20,000 for the duration of a violation to $10,000 a day. That would bring fines in line with states such as Pennsylvania, Colorado and Texas.

He says other states also require chemicals be disclosed.

FRACKING, FAIRNESS AND THE FUTURE

Excerpts:

"In New York, a memo from the New York Department of Transportation revealed that “Pavement structural damage done by the passage of a single large truck is equivalent to that done by about 9,000 automobiles.”xi Areas with heavy drilling are expecting 1.5 million heavy truck trips annually and could see an increase in peak hour trips by 36,000 trips per hour. A similar impact can be expected in Ohio. This type of traffic—on rural roads that aren’t designed for such loads— will quickly result in expensive maintenance costs In New York, a memo from the New York Department of Transportation revealed that “Pavement structural damage done by the passage of a single large truck is equivalent to that done by about 9,000 automobiles.”xi Areas with heavy drilling are expecting 1.5 million heavy truck trips annually and could see an increase in peak hour trips by 36,000 trips per hour. A similar impact can be expected in Ohio. This type of traffic—on rural roads that aren’tdesigned for such loads— will quickly result in expensive maintenance costs."

"The increased demand for housing has driven up rent in rural areas, which, in turn, has displaced many long-time residents. Areas that saw few homeless people have experienced a sudden increase in family homelessness and in families doubling or tripling up in their living quartersThe increased demand for housing has driven up rent in rural areas, which, in turn, has displaced many long-time residents. Areas that saw few homeless people have experienced a sudden increase in family homelessness and in families doubling or tripling up in their living quarters."

"In addition to being associated with possible health consequences, hydraulic fracturing is connected to multiple environmental concerns, such as increased air pollution and a probable contamination of local water supplies."

Read more at: http://innovationohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Fracking-Fairness-and-the-Future-Full-Report.pdf

National groups getting involved in Le Roy cluster case

National environmental and health groups are beating a path to LeRoy, poking into the Genesee County community's startling cluster of teenage students with troubling neurological symptoms.

Groups led by environmental-activist icons Erin Brockovich and Lois Gibbs have been talking with parents and gathering background. A chapter of the Sierra Club has been digging into the LeRoy school's unusual connection with natural gas drilling. The Healthy Schools Network, Empire State Consumer Project and others are involved.

Leaders of these groups say authorities in New York may have acted too hastily in ruling out environmental contaminants, infectious illnesses or vaccinations as possible causes of the cluster, which now includes as many as 15 LeRoy Junior-Senior High School students who exhibit varying degrees of involuntary twitches and verbal outbursts not unlike those associated with Tourette's syndrome. Some report fainting spells and seizures, too.

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Fracking debate parallels 99 percent’s campaign against the 1 percent

Many 99 percenters (and I imagine many of the wealthy, too) have begun to make their voices heard. Witness the bans and moratoriums on fracking implemented by different states and communities across the country. Witness the recent shutdown by the state of Ohio of five "fracking" wells around Youngstown after a series of earthquakes. Witness the recent polling data indicating that 72 percent of Ohioans think that fracking should be halted (Reuters, Jan 19, 2012). Witness the grassroots opposition by Athens' residents and organizations who want a moratorium on fracking because evidence of its ill effects cannot be ignored.

Some supporters of fracking demonize fracking opponents as "environmental extremists," "anti-Ohio" and "anti-jobs." Many of our critics belong to the 1 percenters; others are certain politicians. Some live among the 99 percenters, hoping to cash in on the boom. But extremists, anti-Ohio and anti-jobs we are not. We are simply acting as responsible stewards of our environment and protectors of our health and quality of life. Many fracking opponents are not against oil and gas exploration/extraction so long as best practices and strong, enforceable regulations are put into place to protect the environment and public health. In the absence of such regulations, fracking cannot be allowed. Athenians, stand strong and continue to make your voices heard — No Fracking!

Jim Montgomery

Rosewood Drive
Athens

Join the protest! http://www.facebook.com/events/139941972791724/

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