Workshop: Promoting Public Participation in Oil & Natural Gas Drilling Permits Oct. 11, 10am-4pm

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Presents Promoting Meaningful Public Participation in Michigan Oil & Gas Permitting Decisions

Presentation & Workshop on Public Participation in Oil & Gas Permit Decisions, by Christopher Grobbel, Ph.D., Grobbel Environmental & Planning Associates, in collaboration with the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Beyond Natural Gas & Oil Committee. 

When:  Saturday, October 11, 2014  10AM–4PM 

For more information and to register by October 8 -   Contact Rita Chapman at rita.chapman@sierraclub.org       No walk-up registrations! 

Where:  Kent District Library, Caledonia Branch, 6260 92nd St SE, Caledonia, MI 49316    

Who should come?  Participants will learn to read and comment on oil & natural gas drilling permits proposed in their communities, and about how to find more information.  We’ll cover technical information about the current Michigan Department of Environmental Quality regulations, Michigan geology, and other topics.  We'll also walk participants through a real permit application, and suggest items for potential comments. 

Cost – Bring a Friend and you Both Learn and Benefit for Less              $40 covers 2 people from the same township – bring someone with you who also wants to learn.  Otherwise,  $50 per person covers lunch and handouts.  Some scholarships are available, call ASAP!

Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter has worked successfully for nearly 5 decades to protect, explore and enjoy our Great Lakes State and way of life.  Today, the 168,000 members and supporters of Sierra Club in Michigan stand ready to tackle current threats.  Our experienced staff and dedicated volunteers work hard to protect the places you love and to make sure your family has a healthy, safe Michigan to call home.  http://michigan.sierraclub.org

MDEQ HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON NEW DRAFT FRACKING RULES

If you are concerned about Fracking in Michigan - then we need you to speak out now!  

The MDEQ is now accepting comments on their new draft rules for hydraulic fracturing.  The comment period ends on Thursday July 31.  There are two public hearings - one in Gaylord on Tuesday July 15, and one in Lansing on July 16.  Both are from 6:30-9:30PM.  Details are in the official Public Notice here:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-oogm-Part615-Revision-NOH2014_460477_7.pdf  

We need as many people as possible to attend these two hearings, and tell the DEQ:  

"These new rules don't make fracking any safer for Michigan; our air, water and communities are still at risk, and MDEQ needs to go much much further to protect us, or just stop allowing fracking."  

Would you be willing to go to one of the hearings, and help us to share that message?  

Won't you please join us?  Our attendance at these two hearings are one of the most direct ways we'll ever have of winning any positive changes in Michigan having to do with extracting fossil fuels.  If you live in an area of Michigan that has been subjected to new extreme hydraulic fracturing for natural gas or oil, then you have important input for the DEQ on their proposed rules.  Who better than you to tell them what it's like to live near one of these places?  

If you have any questions at all, let me know at rita.chapman@sierraclub.org.  

Thank you, I hope to hear from you!    

Rita Chapman

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

Possible Oil Spill In Benzie County On Cold Creek

Posted: Apr 07, 2014 4:20 PM EDTUpdated: Apr 15, 2014 11:37 AM EDT

Developing news in Benzie County where the Department of Environmental Quality is investigating a possible oil spill.

An oily sheen can be seen in the Cold Creek in downtown Beulah, not far from Crystal Lake.

Pictures show booms in the water, and an oily substance near the water's edge.

But the DEQ says they still aren't sure if it is in fact oil or something else.

The DEQ says the substance could be a number of things, but didn't want to elaborate until they've met with the team who's been on scene for the last couple of days. They will meet Tuesday.

9&10 News will bring you continuing coverage as new details come in.

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BP-Canadian Tar Sands and The Environmental Expense to Lake Michigan

The Michigan Voice

Saturday, March 25

Developing story – BP oil spill, the BP oil disaster, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and now The Great Lakes of Michigan began on 25 March 2014 at the Whiting refinery (a new unit to process Canadian tar sands) more evidence of industrial pollution discharged into Lake Michigan. A less than massive response ensued to protect a sandy cove on BP’s property. Hear what U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk of Illinois had to say! And what else should Michiganders know about The Whiting plant?

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France’s Ban On Fracking Is ‘Absolute’

BY ANDREW BREINER ON OCTOBER 11, 2013 AT 2:09 PM

France’s ban on fracking was finally completed Friday, as its constitutional court upheld a 2011 law prohibiting the practice and canceling all exploration permits. The decision posted on the court’s website said the ban “conforms to the constitution” and is not “disproportionate,” effectively protecting it from any future legal challenge.

U.S. driller Schuepbach Energy brought its complaint to the court after two of its exploration permits were revoked due to the ban. Schuepbach attempted to argue that since no study had established fracking risks, there was no cause for the ban, and that since fracking isn’t banned for geothermal energy projects, it was unfair. The court didn’t find that convincing, citing the differences between geothermal and shale gas exploration.

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U.S. approves natural gas exports from third terminal

Wed Aug 7, 2013 6:13pm EDT

* Export terminal wins approval to export 2 bcf a day

* Nearly two dozen applications waiting for export decision

* Lawmaker calls for swifter action on applications

* Industrial group warns of price spikes from exports

By Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Wednesday approved natural gas exports from a third U.S. facility, the second permit issued in about three months, triggering debate over whether the review of a long backlog of export applications is picking up steam.

The export terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was given a conditional license from the Department of Energy to ship liquefied natural gas to all countries. The terminal is backed by BG Group Plc and Energy Transfer Partners LP's Southern Union Co.

The department's order gives the Lake Charles terminal permission to export up to 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day for 20 years. The approval is contingent upon the Lake Charles terminal receiving a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for construction of the facility.

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Oil companies frack in coastal waters off Calif.

JASON DEAREN, Associated Press, By JASON DEAREN and ALICIA CHANG, Associated Press

Updated 1:25 pm, Saturday, August 3, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Companies prospecting for oil off California's coast have used hydraulic fracturing on at least a dozen occasions to force open cracks beneath the seabed, and now regulators are investigating whether the practice should require a separate permit and be subject to stricter environmental review.

While debate has raged over fracking on land, prompting efforts to ban or severely restrict it, offshore fracking has occurred with little attention in sensitive coastal waters where for decades new oil leases have been prohibited.

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Revealed: EPA Fracking Study Rebukes Agency's Own Safety Claims

Published on Monday, August 5, 2013 by DeSmog Blog

DeSmog Exclusive: Censored EPA PA fracking water contamination presentation published for first time

by Steve Horn

DeSmogBlog has obtained a copy of an Obama Administration Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fracking groundwater contamination PowerPoint presentation describing a then-forthcoming study's findings in Dimock, Pennsylvania. 

The PowerPoint presentation reveals a clear link between hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") for shale gas in Dimock and groundwater contamination, but was censored by the Obama Administration. Instead, the EPA issued an official desk statement in July 2012 - in the thick of election year - saying the water in Dimock was safe for consumption.

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Efficiency Drove U.S. Emissions Decline, Not Natural Gas, Study Says

 inside climate news 

Conventional wisdom says switching to natural gas is why CO2 fell last year, but a recent analysis found a different explanation.

By Maria Gallucci, InsideClimate News

Jul 30, 2013

Aggressive energy efficiency efforts by households, companies and motorists led to the decline in carbon dioxide emissions from energy use in the United States,according to a recent report. The controversial finding contradicts recent studies that say the power sector's shift away from coal to cheap natural gas caused the bulk of reductions.

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Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Enforcement - Violations

EARTHWORKS

Click chart for larger version
Drilling and Violations

Between 2005 and 2011 more than 24,000 oil and gas wells were drilled in Pennsylvania. During that time, there were more than 15,000 violations. Interestingly, since 2008 the number of wells drilled per year has decreased, yet the number of violations per year has more than doubled – from 1,500 in 2008 to 4,069 in 2011.

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Fracking Bill could Take the ‘Public’ Out of Federal Lands

It’s about local control, say members of Congress who want the states, not the federal government, to regulate fracking on federal lands — those public lands that belong to all Americans.

The House Natural Resources Committee is considering a bill that would bar the feds from enforcing any “Federal regulation, guidance, or permit requirement regarding” fracking in states that have their own rules or guidance.

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Former Mobil VP Warns of Fracking and Climate Change

truthout

Friday, 19 July 2013 00:00By Ellen Cantarow, Truthout | Interview
Few people can explain gas and oil drilling with as much authority as Louis W. Allstadt. As an executive vice president of Mobil oil, he ran the company's exploration and production operations in the western hemisphere before he retired in 2000. In 31 years with the company he also was in charge of its marketing and refining in Japan, and managed its worldwide supply, trading and transportation operations. Just before retiring, he oversaw Mobil's side of its merger with Exxon, creating the world's largest corporation.
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Ohio activists, eco-groups write to Kasich with concerns about radioactive shale drilling wastes

Akron Beacon Journal

By Bob Downing 
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published: August 1, 2013 - 09:39 PM

A coalition of Ohio activists on Thursday asked Gov. John Kasich to get answers to questions about radioactive drilling wastes.

In their letter, the activists urged Kasich to personally direct the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to answer questions on shale drilling wastes from Ohio and out-of-state companies that are coming into Ohio.

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House GOP panel curbs fracking role for feds

Democrat Tonko says vote another giveaway to big oil, gas producers

By Jennifer A. Dlouhy

Updated 11:02 pm, Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Washington

The House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would effectively block the federal government from regulating the hydraulic fracturing process that is unlocking previously unrecoverable supplies of gas and oil.

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New Hinkley plume map shows growth on western edge

The chromium 6 pollution made public in "Erin Brockovich" has not been cleaned, and is in fact worse than when it was discovered.

RedlandsDailyFacts

By Jim Steinberg, Staff Writer 
jim.steinberg@inlandnewspapers.com

Posted:   07/31/2013 07:25:53 PM PDT

HINKLEY -- This town's contaminated groundwater plume has expanded on its western boundaries, reinforcing water regulators' fears that Pacific Gas & Electric Co.'s efforts to create a barrier are floundering, a map made public Wednesday shows.

"This is definitely a concern," said Lauri Kemper, assistant executive officer of the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, the state agency that overssees the cleanup and containment of Hinkley's water, contaminated by chromium-6, a carcinogen.
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Kalkaska company that spread toxic solvents on some Benzie County roads that were a thousand times stronger than state limits

August 2, 2013

By BRIAN McGILLIVARY bmcgillivary@record-eagle.comTraverse City Record-Eagle

TRAVERSE CITY — A Kalkaska company that spread toxic solvents on some Benzie County roads that were a thousand times stronger than state limits learned its fate following a review by Michigan regulators:

Do a self-investigation, don’t do it again, and clean up the mess.

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GAS FLARING IN MICHIGAN STATE FOREST/FIRE FIGHTERS CALLED TO SCENE

For Immediate Release July22, 2013  Kalkaska, Michigan
Submitted by FARWatershed.com and respectmyplanet.org.
Contact: Jacque Rose, FARWatershed@gmail.com, 517-410-8959

GAS FLARING IN MICHIGAN STATE FOREST/FIRE FIGHTERS CALLED TO SCENE

Flames soar above treetops in Kalkaska County

Gas Flare off the Garfield 1-25, July 20, 2013. Photo courtesy of respectmyplanet.org. More photos and video

The Encana State Garfield 1-25 HD 1 well is located in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County, Michigan. Situated amid state forests and palatial wetlands, the natural gas well was completed via the controversial hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” process, in December of 2012, using 12,539,639 gallons of water. The well originates in Section 36 of Garfield Township and the horizontal portion continues into Section 25.

Garfield Wetlands

Garfield Well being Drilled

 (Photos courtesy of respectmyplanet.org)

Pipeline construction from the Garfield well site.  Photo courtesy of respectmyplanet.org

and Encana has begun flaring gas from the well in a big way.

The pipeline is currently under construction from the well site:

Daylight aspect of Garfield flare.  Photo courtesy of respectmyplanet.org.  More photos and video

The Garfield Fire Department responded to a call at 11:00 p.m., July 20, 2013 from a local resident alarmed by the flames. Fire Department officials state they had not been informed prior to flaring by Encana, nor have they received any specialized training in connection with fire suppression on a frack pad—which may contain hazardous chemicals, some of which are deemed to be “proprietary” and are not disclosed—even to first responders. There is a high fire danger rating for Kalkaska County, and  burning permits are prohibited at the present time in Garfield Township.  

Fire trucks going into well site.  Photo courtesy of respectmyplanet.org

“Encana needs to ensure that our Kalkaska County EMS and firefighters are properly informed, properly trained and properly equipped to deal with all potential  emergency situations which could develop on their well pads”, states Paul Brady, Kalkaska County resident. “Large amounts of volatile hydrocarbons and chemicals are present on these sites.   Protection of our first responders should be top priority”. 

Encana plans an additional 500 wells in Michigan, and a second well in Garfield Township, to originate in Section 23. The well is permitted and staked but construction of the pad has not yet begun.  An additional thirteen wells are currently permitted or applied for on Sunset Trail in Oliver and Excelsior Townships.

Expansion of drilling prompts deep fears

 

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• JULY 29, 2013 AT 10:08 AM
  

  Michigan fracking fight

  GARY HEINLEIN 
• DETROIT NEWS LANSING BUREAU

Lansing — A new environmental fight looms over a huge natural gas harvesting project opponents claim will industrialize northern Lower Peninsula forests and drain billions of gallons of water from aquifers that feed treasured trout streams.


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Fracking Boom Threatens Health Across America

he reports are as ominous as they are wide-ranging: Students at a high school outside Fort Worth begin complaining of nosebleeds, chest pains and a sense of disorientation while at school. A group of mothers in a Denver suburb demand answers after their families are struck with a host of mysterious illnesses ranging from asthma and migraines to nausea and dizziness. The well water of a family in northeastern Pennsylvania suddenly turns brown, and their son develops sores up and down his legs from showering in it.

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Oil and gas leases being signed across Barry County

The Hastings Banner

Since December, people with job titles of “independent landmen” from companies with names such as Pteradon Energy, Michigan Basin Resources, Bishop Land Service and West Bay Geophysical have been canvassing Barry County selling oil and gas leases. 

But state officials and lawyers are warning sellers to beware of unknown details in the agreements they sign and of possible dire environmental consequences from their decision to sell.

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