Recent Fracking News
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 8:36AM In one heard of cows, 60 head were exposed to fracking chemicals in their drinking water. Of those, 21 died and 16 did not reproduce. The remaining 36 cows that were not exposed to the chemicals had no changes in health or reproduction.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 9:33AM A while back, I wrote about the disappearing hunting lands and why we, as sportspeople, should be worried. The outfitters are leasing land, and out-of-staters also are eating up land. Developers arebuying farmlands and making subdivisions, and a new monster is looming: the Marcellus miners. These oil companies are leasing vast expanses of land to do shale drilling. I wonder just how this will affect hunting land. I do not think they will let people hunt where they are drilling just as the coal companies closed land in the past.
Will this spell the end of yet more of our sport?
I have a real concern about this. Hunting is the least of our worries. I did some research on the operations at the Natural ResourcesDefense Council website, and what I found is truly scary. Outdated regulations do not cover the new high-tech drillings, and some of the results were not pleasant. I read of exploding water wells and contaminated water supplies resulting in flammable water and human and animal illnesses. Imagine the impact on wildlife habitat.
The shale formation is along the southeastern part of Ohio in about 10 counties, not in Muskingum County, according to my research, but in Guernsey and Noble. The by-products of this fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, need to be disposed of in some way. Chemicals, water and sand are used under extremely high pressure to fracture the shale. The people who are doing this process say it is safe. Maybe it is, but some other research shows that fracking is suspected in polluted water tables. Once water is polluted, it is done.
All this being said, I submit when habitat is destroyed, animals are atrisk as well. Water, air and habitat destruction only can mean fewer animals and fewer leased lands means less land for us to hunt on in an already shrinking picture. In an area of Wyoming where fracking is allowed, the mule deer numbers declined by 30 percent. I think you can get my drift.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 2:50PM Washington, DC — The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service needs rules to protect National Wildlife Refuges from spills and contamination from oil and gas drilling, according to a rulemaking petition filed today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Thousands of wells now operate on refuges, particularly in the south and east where the subsurface rights are privately held, with little regulation. That number is likely to skyrocket as natural gas from underground shale formations is tapped.
PEER is pressing the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) which operates the refuge system to adopt rules modeled on ones the National Park Service has had in effect for more than 30 years. The rules address spill prevention and response, bonds for reclamation, proper waste disposal and reducing surface impacts. The Park Service is now in the process of updating its rules to close loopholes that exempt more than half of drilling operations; extend incentives for directional drilling; adopt operating standards that minimize effects on park lands; and hike inadequate assurance and bonding requirements as well as the fees and penalties. PEER is urging FWS to incorporate these improvements, as well.
A 2003 report by the Government Accountability Office report found that –
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 2:33PM In June 2008, 303,000 L of hydrofracturing fluid from a natural gas well were applied to a 0.20-ha area of mixed hardwood forest on the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia. During application, severe damage and mortality of ground vegetation was observed, followed about 10 d later by premature leaf drop by the overstory trees. Two years after fluid application, 56% of the trees within the fluid application area were dead.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 2:56PM A new coalition of outdoors groups is emerging as a potent force in the debate over natural gas drilling. The Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation isn't against the process of fracking for gas, but its members want to make sure the rush to cash in on the valuable resource doesn't damage streams, forests, and the various creatures that call those places home.
The movement grew out of grass-roots anger as passionate outdoorsmen found their questions about drilling and wildlife brought few answers from local or state officials.
"Either we didn't get a response or the answer we got didn't seem feasible or acceptable. It didn't seem like the people who were in charge had their pulse on what was actually happening," said Ken Dufalla of Clarksville, Pa.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 2:52PM How's this for a winning strategy to create jobs and promote economic growth in Ohio?
Risk dangerously low water levels and quality in Lake Erie — the shallowest of the Great Lakes — and its tributaries. Jeopardize the $10 billion a year in revenue, the 250,000 jobs, and the tourism, boating, fishing, and recreational industries that the lake contributes to the Ohio economy.
Aggravate pollution — including toxic algae blooms — in Lake Erie and the rivers and streams that feed it. Threaten the supply of drinking water for 3 million Ohioans.
Shift costs for water and wastewater treatment from big businesses to smaller businesses and consumers. Defy the spirit, and probably the letter, of the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement by eight states, Congress, and Canada to protect the lakes from excessive withdrawals and manage them wisely for future generations.
Sound good? Want to sign up? Contact your nearest Republican state lawmaker.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 1:59PM Opponents -- which include the Mohican-Loudonville Visitors Bureau, Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation and other groups -- say the state parks historically have been off-limits to drilling and allowing it would harm vistas and groundwater.
Democratic amendments on where and how drilling would be done failed to gain traction. The party holds 10 seats in the 33-member chamber.
