Posts tagged environmental cost
Not sure where you line up on the debate on drilling for Natural Gas? Hear Philly Water Department’s take…
Dec 8th
There’s so much polarizing debate going on around the issue of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation that it’s hard to know what lies ahead. On one side, there are those who see the “gasrush” as nothing less than economic salvation; on the other, those who believe environmental disaster is imminent and drilling must be prevented no what the opportunity cost. There are a ton of far smarter minds than ours weighing in, yet we tend to believe that somewhere along the line we must reach a middle ground and PROCEED SLOWLY, AND WITH EXTREME CAUTION, because it’s pretty clear we’re not getting to a 100% renewable energy future anytime soon…
Kelly Anderson and Paula Conolly of the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) will present an overview of PWD’s approach to source water protection and what steps are being taken to address the challenges presented by natural gas drilling in the Schuylkill and Delaware River basins–the source of Philadelphia’s water supply.
Please RSVP by December 13. For reservations or more information, please call 215-685-0723. More Information at FWWIC website >>
As a prelude to the program, you might want to Remember The River by tuning in to a video we created for our tireless friends at the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. It’s mainly derived from a pair of our beautiful documentaries, Life on the Delaware and PA: A River Sojourn. Both are available now on DVD. Go to the Shop >>
Remember the River from GreenTreks Network on Vimeo.
Come out to Philadelphia City Council Hearing on Gas Drilling, Sept. 28
Sep 27th
The City of Philadelphia will not be able to escape the effects of gas drilling in the Delaware River Watershed. 36% of the Delaware River Watershed is underlain with Marcellus shale, including the upper reaches of both the Delaware River and its major tributary, the Schuylkill River, which join together in Philadelphia and supply 1.5 million people in the Philadelphia region with their water. Pollution, water depletion, the transformation of upstream watersheds to industrial conditions will all combine to degrade downstream water quality. Philadelphia’s intake is the furthest south and acutely vulnerable to the effects of inadequate fresh water to meet its requirements to supply clean drinking water.
What is Philadelphia City Council doing about it? Councilman Jones has called a Hearing to examine the potential impacts of natural gas drilling on the Delaware River and Philadelphia. An impressive roster of experts will present testimony, including Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper.
Who: The Committees on Transportation & Utilities and the Environment
When: Tuesday, September 28th 10:00AM — 2:00 PM
Where: City Council Room 400, City Hall (enter at southeast door of building)
What: “Marcellus Shale” Philadelphia Council Hearings
Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. will hold “Marcellus Shale” hearings on Tuesday, September 28th at 10am, in City Hall to the joint committees of Transportation & Utilities and the Environment. These hearings will examine the environmental and economic impacts for Philadelphia of hydraulic drilling (Fracking) onto Marcellus Shale .The Marcellus Shale formation is the one of the largest natural gas reserves in the country.
There are many unresolved questions regarding this natural state possession, and the paramount issue for Philadelphia, as the “down-stream” community is the safety of our drinking water. We, Philadelphians, can not isolate ourselves from the economic and environmental impacts that affect the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.. This hearing will carefully explore and balance all the issues; job creation and environmental preservation yet my focus is to protect Philadelphia, first and foremost.
Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr.
The Marcellus Shale hearings will serve as the foreground to create safeguard policy for Philadelphia’s water supply. There will be several panels to address the concerns of Philadelphians, from regulation, scientific experts, the input of utility and water commisioners, as well as those who represent the drilling industry. Several council members are weighing in their concerns as well as the benefits and direction of Philadelphia legislation for Marcellus Shale.
This is a very important issue, that has potential implications on our environment and water supply, council must closely examine this issue before haste decisions are made forward.
Councilman William Greenlee
Further study of fracking is needed to insure that ground water and other environmental resources are protected. We should also explore more environmentally responsible methods of extracting natural gas from the Marcellus Shale.
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell
As the author of the first resolution calling for no fracking in the Delaware River Basin until an environmental impact study is completed, I see this hearing as an essential next step in providing the public with the information necessary to form an educated decision on this important environmental issue.
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown
Marcellus Shale natural gas offers significant advantages for Philadelphians over petroleum (cleaner-burning and less dependence on foreign energy), but we need to make certain that the fracking process does not irreparably damage our natural resources.
Councilman Frank Rizzo
Invited Witnesses include: Delaware River Basin Commission, Philadelphia Gas Works, Philadelphia Water Department, Protection Our Waters, Dr. Engelder, Dr. Boufadel, Marcellus Shale Coalition, Academy of Natural Sciences, National Fish & Wildlife, Senator Casey, Congressman Sestak, Regional and National Environmental Protection Agency commissioners, Water Keeper Alliance, and the Department of Environmental Protection.
September 28th is our time to be in direct contact with the experts to create the best supported by evidence legislation and regulations. Government is the job of risk-management and secured implementation and direction. As a councilmember it is my obligation to promote legislation that will benefit our region, instills exceptional protocols for our city and to be on the forefront of what is best for Philadelphia.
Councilman Jones, Jr.
Uncommon Heroes: Your Choice of Fair Trade Can Change the World
Aug 23rd
It’s hard to acknowledge that despite our current “economic hardships”, here in the U.S. we enjoy a standard of living that’s unheard of tin the rest of the world. How’s this for a bit of perspective:
Worldwide, more than 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day!
We’re all increasingly concerned with what our products contain and how they’re made because of the potential impacts on our own health and the health of the environment, but how often do we make the connection to the farmers, laborers, and factory workers involved in the production process in other parts of the world?
Understanding and supporting the Fair Trade movement is a very real and tangible way to ensure that when we spend our hard earned dollars, we are truly getting the most “bang for the buck”. This short film from the Skoll Foundation offers a great introduction to Fair Trade, and highlights Paul Rice, founder and CEO of Trans Fair USA.
For more information about Fair Trade, check out Trans Fair’s FAQ>>
And look into some of these other sources of Fairly Traded Goods:
- A Greater Gift – a program of SERRV International, one of the first alternative trade organizations in the world and a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT).
- Bead for Life – Ugandan women craft beautiful beads out of colorful recycled paper, “eradicating poverty one bead at a time.”
- Fair Trade Federation – a membership association of retailers and importers committed to fair trade principles.
- Fair Trade Sports – the first sports equipment company in the US. offering fairly traded soccer balls, sports apparel and more.
- Global Exchange Online Store - shop online with Global Exchange, knowing the products you buy are entirely sweatshop free.
- Mercado Global – a non-profit fair trade organization that links rural and economically-disadvantaged cooperatives to the U.S. market.
- Pachamama, World of Artisans – Pachamama works to increase consumer awareness, build equitable producer relationships and bring beautiful fair trade products to the public.
- Ten Thousand Villages – one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations, offering jewelry, home décor and gifts.
- World of Good – Berkeley-based World of Good offers ethically sourced gifts, housewares and accessories.
Marcellus Drilling: Is the PA Gas Rush Worth the Cost?
Aug 3rd
AUDUBON MAGAZINE TAKES A LOOK AT THE WILD WEST OF THE EAST
Gas Pains
Pennsylvania, reeling from a budget crisis, exploits—at any and all costs—what might be the largest U.S. natural gas deposit. The results could be disastrous.
By Ted Williams
If the current orgy is allowed to continue and if it becomes a model for the other Marcellus states, vast swaths of the East’s best forests will be fragmented, groundwater and surface water polluted, and fish and wildlife wiped out on a scale that would dwarf the recent tragedy seen in the gas fields of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.
House Panel Approves Funding to Study Impacts of Natural Gas Drilling in Delaware River Basin
Jul 23rd
***NEWS RELEASE***
For Immediate Release July 23, 2010
Contact: Mike Morosi – 202-225-6335 (Hinchey)
Zach Goldberg – 202-225-5801 (Holt)
Jonathon Dworkin – 610-892-8623 (Sestak)
Hinchey, Holt, Sestak Secure House Panel Approval of $1 Million to Study Cumulative Water Impacts of Natural Gas Drilling in Delaware River Basin
Washington, DC – Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA) today announced that they have secured approval from a key House panel of $1 million for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a cumulative impact study on water withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing of Marcellus Shale natural gas wells in the Delaware River Basin. The House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies this week approved the funding for the study, which would be conducted in partnership with the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC).
“The expected scope of hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin and the prodigious water withdrawals for this process raise important questions and concerns about the cumulative impacts of natural gas exploration and drilling in the Basin. It is estimated that more than 30,000 natural gas wells could be developed in the Upper Delaware River Basin in the coming years, and it is critical that we understand the impacts of these proposed activities upon the water resources of the Basin,” said Hinchey, who in April called on the DRBC to conduct a cumulative impact study. “With over 15 million people relying on the Delaware River for clean drinking water, we simply cannot allow drilling to move forward without first giving full scrutiny to the cumulative effects on water resources throughout the region.”“Hydraulic fracturing poses a possible health and environmental threat to the millions of people who make their home in the Delaware River watershed and the almost 10 percent of the nation’s population who rely on these waters for drinking, recreational, and industrial use. We should not put these invaluable resources at risk. This funding would ensure that the Delaware River Basin Commission assess the cumulative impacts of oil and gas drilling before considering hydraulic fracturing proposals,” said Holt.
“There is extraordinary economic potential associated with the development of Marcellus Shale resources,” said Sestak. “However, as the oil spill in the Gulf and the recent explosion in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania reminds us, there is also great risk. One way to ensure proper development is understand the potential impacts. That is why I supported the funding of the cumulative effects of drilling and operation of gas wells on the water supply in the Delaware River Basin. With information from the study, we can make educated decisions on how best to minimize the impacts of drilling, while enhancing the benefits.”
The study will evaluate the cumulative impacts on water supply and resources from additional water consumption for hydraulic fracturing, landscape alteration due to gas well pad development, and changes in water quality resulting from water discharges within the Basin.
Over 15 million people, including New York City and Philadelphia residents, depend on the water resources of the Delaware River Basin. While property owners and local businesses could benefit economically from drilling activities in the Basin, the study is necessary to ensure that these individuals as well as other stakeholders throughout the Basin are not adversely impacted by any Marcellus Shale natural gas development and that the region’s water resources are fully protected. The cumulative impact analysis will help to inform and guide DRBC management policies and practices that both enable economic progress and also ensure protection of public health and the environment. The DRBC has regulatory jurisdiction over all water withdrawals and discharges for Marcellus Shale drilling in the Delaware River Basin.
Hinchey continues to be a leading voice in federal efforts to protect drinking water and the environment from the risks of hydraulic fracturing. In April, Hinchey wrote to DRBC Executive Director Carol R. Collier to urge the agency to conduct a cumulative water impact study prior to permitting individual gas drilling projects in the Basin. In March, the EPA announced that it had initiated a study on the environmental risks of hydraulic fracturing based on legislative language Hinchey authored. Last year, Hinchey, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), and several of his colleagues introduced the FRAC ACT — Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, which would close the loophole that exempted hydraulic fracturing from the Safe Drinking Water Act and require the oil and gas industry to disclose the chemicals they use in their hydraulic fracturing processes. Holt and Sestak have co-sponsored the legislation.
Hinchey and Holt currently serve as co-chairs of the Congressional Delaware River Task Force, a bipartisan group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives from all four basin states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) that coordinate congressional efforts to promote the restoration and vitality of the Delaware River Basin and its communities.
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