Arrests at Blockade of “Dirty Inergy” Facility at Watkins Glen, as Protesters Protect Finger Lakes


As of 11:04 AM today, the last three resisters — including Sandra Steingraber — blocking Inergy, a company insisting on using hotly debated salt caverns near the Finger Lakes to store fracked gas (a practice that has led to leaked gas, health problems, and subsidence problems elsewhere), faced arrest during a protest at Watkins Glen, New York.
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 Groundbreaking new study proposes New York's energy to be produced from 100% sustainable sources

  Stanford University Professor Mark Z. Jacobson, who explores and analyzes air quality, global warming and large-scale renewable energy solutions through elegant mathematical models, has already connected the eco-economic dots that Obama omitted. Jacobson, director of Stanford's Atmosphere/Energy Program and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy, is motivated by the findings of his recent report, which reveal, he says, "the technical and economic feasibility of repowering an individual state for all purposes primarily with wind, water and sun (WWS)." 

     Jacobson co-authored the report, entitled, "Examining the Feasibility of Converting New York State's All-Purpose Energy Infrastructure to One Using Wind, Water and Sunlight" with Cornell University Professor of Engineering, Anthony Ingraffea, Cornell Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Robert W. Howarth and University of California at Davis scientist Mark Delucchi, among others. Their findings are published in the Journal Energy Policy.

Read the full article here

 List of the Harmed

 Jenny Lisak, co-director of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Water and Air, maintains a list of people claiming to be harmed by hydraulic fracturing or related processes, called the List of the Harmed.  This version of the list, last updated on February 23, 2013, has 822 people thought to be negatively impacted by the industry, with symptoms ranging from headaches and rashes to death. FracTracker now has mapped these sites in an interactive map here: http://www.fractracker.org/2013/03/pacwas-list-of-the-harmed-now-mapped-by-fractracker/

AP: NY fracking held as Cuomo, RFK Jr. talk health

 The turning point, which could delay a decision for up to a year or longer, came in a series of phone calls with Kennedy. The two discussed a new health study on the hydraulic fracturing drilling method that could be thorough enough to trump all others in a debate that has split New York for five years.  "I think the issue suddenly got simple for him," Kennedy told the AP, then went on to paraphrase Cuomo in their discussions: "'If it's causing health problems, I really don't want it in New York state. And if it's not causing health problems, we should figure out a way we can do it."

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Seneca Supervisors committee: Request alternate LPG site

 

WATERLOO — Several weeks ago, state Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-54 of Fayette, urged state officials to help Inergy Midstream LLC find an alternate location for the underground storage of liquefied petroleum gas.

Nozzolio expressed concern about the safety and possible negative impacts of the LPG storage and transportation hub proposed for the western shore of Seneca Lake in the Schuyler County town of Reading.

Nozzolio received support Tuesday night from the Environmental Affairs Committee of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors.

Committee chairman Stephen Churchill, D-Seneca Falls, said Seneca County has jurisdiction over most of Seneca Lake and he joins Nozzolio in being concerned about a reported cave collapse in a salt mine where Inergy wants to store propane and butane.

“There have been salt leaks as well. This is a high-risk venture for Seneca Lake’s quality. Storing LPG in these caves is not a good idea,” Churchill said. “We share Sen. Nozzolio’s concerns, and I’m proposing we make the same request that the DEC work with Inergy to find another site.”

Churchill cited an abundance of information on the LPG project on the Internet and strong opposition research by Gas Free Seneca.

“We recently made Route 414 a scenic byway and across the lake people will see this operation,” he added.

Committee member Keith Kubasik, R-Waterloo, questioned why anyone would be allowed to threaten the lake, given its importance as a drinking water source and other purposes.

A motion to ask the DEC to find an alternate site was approved by a 5-0 vote. It now goes to the full board March 12.

'Fracklash': Colorado Governor Threatens to Sue Over Fracking Bans

 

Pro-fracking Governor John Hickenlooper aims to smash democratic moves by cities

- Lauren McCauley, staff writer

One week after members of the Fort Collins city council voted to ban the polluting oil and gas extraction process of hydraulic fracturing within city limits, former oilman and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper declared he will sue any city that enacts a fracking ban.

read more here

 

"Heard owls last night and a woodpecker this morning. No rain today, it's nice.

A poem:

From tar sands oil, fracking gas, and

mountaintop removal coal

It's hard to believe these exec's still got souls

They say that there's no other way to live

but think about what the world could give

If I can survive up here in a tree

I think there's hope for you and me

If they can make computers the size of a hand

Then I think we can still save this land."

-A journal entry sent from Gifford Pinchot in the trees on Day 5 of the tree sit blockade halting construction for the Tennessee Gas Pipeline here in beautiful northeast Pennsylvania 

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The right climate for a time out 

 By SANDRA STEINGRABER

 

...So when Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced down the bullies in the oil and gas industry who had been pushing and pushing him to release final regulations on fracking in advance of a manipulated deadline — even though the state Department of Health hasn't yet completed its limited and insufficient review — I knew I had a teachable moment.
"You see," I said to my son and daughter over breakfast, "the governor is being gutsy. By granting the health commissioner more time to study the human health effects of fracking, he's telling the gas industry to back off."...
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Strictly Business: A volley in the LPG battle of Seneca Lake

 On Thursday, Deborah Greenberg, managing attorney of Earthjustice’s New York office, and office campaign manager Kathleen Sutcliffe met with representatives of Gas Free Seneca to tour the site of the project and discuss strategies for continuing the struggle against it. That initial meeting was followed later that evening with a reception for the environmental attorneys held at Damiani Wine Cellars in Hector.

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Direct Action Under Way Protesting Fracking Pipeline

  

Early this morning, two local youth engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience by locking themselves to the entrance gate of the Delaware State Forest in eastern Pennsylvania which is being used for access by pipeline workers to clearcut trees for the construction of the Northeast Upgrade Project of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline.

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Ohioans Shut Down Fracking Wastewater Storage Facility

  

Ohioans and environmental groups including Earth First! have disrupted operations at Greenhunter Water’s hydraulic fracturing or fracking wastewater storage site along the Ohio River in Washington County, Ohio. Nate Ebert, a 33-year-old Athens County resident and member of Appalachia Resist!, ascended a 30 foot pole anchored to a brine truck in the process of unloading frack wastewater, preventing all trucks carrying frack wastewater from entering the site.

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Draft Plan Public Meeting

You are invited to attend a public informational session on March 14, 2013, at the Springwater Fire Hall, 8145 S. Main St. Springwater, NY.

Doors will open for an informational open house at 6:30pm. Display stations will be set up and committee members will be available for discussion. A half-hour presentation on the draft plan will begin at 7:00 pm, followed by a comment session. Staff will be available until 9:00 pm to accept comments. The Fire Hall is accessible. For additional accommodations, please contact the DEC Bath office.

You can access the draft plan at:

Hemlock-Canadic Unit Management Plan (Draft) (PDF, 13.5 MB) This file is large and may take a long time to download.

Michael Brune, Sierra Club executive director, and Allison Chin, board president, were arrested today outside the White House.

 

Today's civil disobedience, the first in the Club's 120-year history, was a call to President Obama to take bold action now to stop Big Oil, Big Coal, and unregulated natural gas -- with shutting down the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline a necessary first step.

Mike and Allison were joined by almost 50 other climate leaders and activists, including 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben, former NAACP chairman Julian Bond, Sierra Club Director Jim Dougherty, the Rev. Lennox Yearwood from the Hip Hop Caucus, actress Daryl Hannah, climate scientist James Hansen, and landowners from the path of Keystone XL.

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Sierra Club Statement on State of the Union

Washington, D.C. -- Tonight President Obama gave his 2013 State of the Union address.

In response, Michael Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director, issued the following statement:

“As the president put it tonight, we must act on the climate crisis ‘before it’s too late.’ We couldn’t agree more. The Sierra Club thanks President Obama for his strong words in his State of the Union address, and we applaud his vow to prioritize innovative climate solutions, including  investments in jobs-producing solar and wind energy as well as a focus on energy and fuel efficiency. These are critical steps forward in the fight against climate disruption, but that progress would be rolled back by more destructive oil drilling and gas fracking, and the burning of toxic tar sands.

“Moving the nation off fossil fuels, and confronting the climate disruption caused by the burning of those fuels, is a matter of such importance to the nation and the world that -- for the first time in the Sierra Club’s 120-year history -- we will soon participate in an act of civil disobedience to demonstrate our resolve. The obligation to address climate disruption has become so urgent, and the opportunity to attain clean energy prosperity so real, that we have a moral duty to act.

“The Sierra Club’s 2.1 million members and supporters have and will continue to back President Obama in his efforts to usher in clean energy prosperity and applaud his statement reminding congress that he has the authority to act, without waiting for their approval.  We will also continue to push him forward. President Obama has the authority to create a robust clean energy economy and lead the world on climate solutions. He also has the executive power to reject the dirty Keystone XL pipeline, stop natural gas exports, reject trade agreements that put our air and water at risk, put an end to destructive Arctic drilling, and hold polluters accountable for their pollution. He has our full support to wield that power, and we will push him every step of the way to ensure a safer future for Americans.”

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Over 2400 New Yorkers are joining tens of thousands more this Sunday, Feb. 17th, at the Washington, DC Climate Change

Breaking News: Huge Victory – Fracking Delayed in New York!

GOVERNOR CUOMO DELAYS FRACKING DECISION

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH COMMISSIONER DR. SHAH SAYS HE NEEDS MORE TIME TO COMPLETE HEALTH REVIEW FORCING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION TO MISS KEY DEADLINE 

In an incredible victory for Mountainkeeper and activists across New York State – Dr. Shah, the State Department of Health Commissioner sent a letter to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens stating:
“As we have been reviewing the scope of these studies, I have determined — and prudence dictates — that the DOH Public Health Review will require additional time to complete based on the complexity of the issues. My team and I will be in Pennsylvania and Washington in the coming days for first-hand briefings on these studies and their progress, which will assist in informing the New York review. I have also extended the term of the DOH outside expert researchers to continue to assist my review. I anticipate delivering the completed Public Health Review to you within a few weeks, along with my recommendations.”
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DEC Continues to Shut the Public Out of Fracking Review

Refuses to Release Scientific Reports that Proposed HVHF Regulations are Premised Upon

As the DEC  and Governor Cuomo contemplate their next step in the ongoing sham of a fracking review process, the DEC continues to refuse to release the scientific reports that the proposed high volume horizontal fracking regulations are required to be premised upon.

Under New York law, the DEC must release within thirty days after being asked all scientific studies that are used as the basis for a proposed rule. On this past January 11th, we requested copies of all reports that formed the basis for the proposed fracking regulations. The DEC had until today, February 11th, to respond, and has failed to. 

Today CEDC sent a letter to the DEC demanding that the records be made available immediately and put the DEC on notice that if it fails to respond that we will bring a suit to compel production of the reports and to stop the proposed regulations from being enacted.

Read the letter here: CEDC Letter to DEC

Arun Gandhi, grandson of nonviolent protest leader Mahatma Gandhi, signs a pledge resisting hydraulic fracturing during a Feb. 4 rally in the War Room at the Capitol in Albany. Earlier, during a joint budget hearing on the environment, Commissioner Joe Martens of the state Department of Environmental Conservation said his agency has no timetable for finishing shale gas drilling rules, with the completion date dependent on recommendations made by the health commissioner.

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