“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing.” ~Edmund Burk
There is an opportunity to do something on Monday March 21st. You could speak your mind on the evils of fracking in Harrisburg. In fact, it may be one of the few chances you have to actually be heard and to balance the excessive influence of the energy lobby. Read the details here.
December 9th, 2015, 9:15 am. In just a few minutes I will be leaving home to testify at the Delaware River Basin Commission’s (DRBC) business meeting. These five people representing New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and the US Government grant permits for projects that impinge on the watershed or the Delaware River itself. So they decide about pipelines, drilling of wells, and industrial processes on the river banks. They have a moratorium in place on shale gas extraction permits in the basin. But they are considering allowing pipelines to cross the watershed and the river. Here is what I plan to say:
DRBC
I am Richmond Shreve, of Newtown, PA. I’m a grandfather concerned for his grandchildren’s future and I’m here to speak for them. I want to be sure that each of you is mindful of the effect of your decisions on their future not just in terms of stewardship of the Delaware River, but in terms of global environment.
Only half of the 9,000 shale gas wells already drilled in Pennsylvania are in production. Yet the glut of domestic gas has driven the price per million BTU as low as $2 and forecasters don’t see it going above $3.40 until 2020 or later. And 16,000 more drilling permits are already approved.
These numbers tell us the market is already in oversupply with more is coming on line. We are moving from an energy boom to an energy bust.
Sure, Japan and other countries may pay a premium price to buy and burn some of the excess. But you and I know that atmospheric carbon is changing the climate. The world’s present known reserve of fossil fuels represents five times what it will take to exceed the 2 degrees centigrade tipping point and trigger a century of catastrophic global warming.
We must not burn all that carbon fuel. If we do, our grandchildren’s prospects look grim. So when you are asked to permit more pipelines, or to allow more fracking, or to accept toxic waste facilities I beg you to be mindful of all the consequences. You are like the legendary Casey Jones at the throttle of a colossal engine racing toward a train wreck.
Don’t leave your grandchildren to say, “They didn’t see it coming. They couldn’t stop it.”
Public comments like mine are allowed only two minutes, sometimes less. So I will have to read fast. I’m hoping my words will speak to their hearts and stiffen their resistance to the enormous pressure to get gas out of the ground and sell it to the highest bidder. If you share my hope, print this post and attach it to a handwritten note to your legislative representatives both state and federal. Perhaps what can’t be acknowledged for political reasons will be acknowledged for personal ones.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 the Upper Makefield Board of Supervisors unanimously passed their version of the shale gas drilling moratorium resolution. This will be used to give weight to our appeals to the Delaware River Basin Commission and the PA Legislature to permanently ban fracking in the Delaware Basin.
Now all three townships that comprise the zoning jointure have passed such ordinances. Their Solicitor has the Riverkeeper’s guide book for drilling ordinances and also the guide for pipeline zoning. With these tools it should be possible to craft zoning ordinances that give the maximum protection to air and water quality and the environment generally. Although there is no urgency to act quickly, it is crucial to invest the time to get a good ordinance in place as a fall-back should efforts to ban fracking fail.
Every resident of Bucks County should be respectfully working to make sure that Supervisors take the next steps.
In addition to the resolution, and drilling and pipeline ordinances, we anticipate that innovative lawyers will be offering bold strategies for townships to protect their citizens from the worst abuses of the shale gas industry. To get an idea what shape this might take visit Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF.org)
Many people see stewardship of our environment as a moral issue. The world’s great religions call their followers to love one another and be stewards of all creation. Climate disruption has moral and social justice implications that are the common concern of all faithful people. The forum announced in the flyer below affords a great opportunity to explore and discuss how faith informs our efforts to ensure a safe healthy planet for future generations.
The call to environmental stewardship is nearly universal. Citizens Climate Education has published a book of statements by world faith leaders titled Faith Based Statements on Climate Change. Copies are available from them – 1330 Orange Avenue #300, Coronado, CA 92118; 609 437-7142.
132 Page book of Statements by World Faith Leaders.
That oil and gas interests might be reluctant to accept information pointing to the end of the fossil fuel era is completely understandable. But the just released report by the Union of Concerned Scientists titled The Climate Deception Dossierdocuments decades of deliberate deception aimed at sewing doubt in the media and the public’s perception of climate science. The report reveals industry internal secret documents that prove there has been a strategy to hide the truth. It’s little wonder that so many politicians today find it easy to deny the opinion of 97% of the scientific community. They’ve been blinded by money and duped with lies.
Proof of decades of deception by fossil fuel industry: Union of Concerned Scientists.
I can’t improve on the summary that appears in the summer issue of UCS’s journal, so I urge you to read it for yourself and then browse through the report that it announces. Although those few who have been close to the issue for years knew of various elements of the deception, the strategy was largely successful and history may yet look back upon the years since 1988 as the beginning of society’s greatest and most disastrous propaganda lies.
For those who follow NoFrackingBucks.net there is a disturbing confirmation that the oil and gas industry is ruthless and unrelenting in its hunger to expand regardless of the cost to society and future generations. Although our focus is very local, the menace is global and it will touch everyone – especially the poorest and most vulnerable nations.
We must consider both actions and words in weighing arguments about fossil energy. On the fracking issue, the industry has gotten legislation to exempt itself from regulations aimed at protecting the environment, and has succeeded in getting other legislation that severely limits the ability of local government to protect municipalities from the ravages of gas and oil extraction. These self-serving legislative campaigns are perverse and destructive. The deception and amoral (some might say psychopathic) campaign to discourage society from acting prudently in the face of a clear danger is a disgrace. If you agree, take the time to phone your state representatives and your US senators and congressman. Tell them to read the evidence and see for themselves how we all have been duped. Demand that public policy reflect climate reality.
Flyer Announcing 8/3 Update and Supervisors’ Visit
We’re asking everyone to come out on Monday August 3 to hear an update on our efforts to prevent premature adoption of the jointure drilling zone ordinance. We’ll meet at six (6PM) at the Wrightstown Friends Meeting at 535 Durham Road, PA 413 North. After a short update there will be time for comments and questions. Then at seven (7PM) all will go over to the Wrightstown Municipal Building (2203 Second Street Pike) for the Supervisors’ Meeting that starts at 7:30PM. As before a few people will present our concerns.
We’ve been in touch with the Supervisors and anticipate a good reception and discussion. It’s clear that they are not eager to see fracking come to our area. We want to be a resource and provide support for a good strategy to deal with the threat fracking represents to our quiet enjoyment of our beautiful Bucks County homes and surroundings.
There will be an open public meeting to brief concerned citizens on the impact of fracking on people and quality of life, health and infrastructure in the region at 6 PM in the Newtown Friends Meeting. Note that fracking and the proposed ordinance are not on either the Planning or the Supervisor’s agenda so far as we know.
We do know that it was already reviewed and revised by Upper Makefield and the version with their revisions was given to Wrightstown and Newtown Township on May 4th. The Planning Board of Newtown Township has reviewed it in June, but has not approved it. So we believe it’s timely and appropriate to express our concerns and desire for more public participation during the public comment portion of their meeting July 7 and 8. Further details are in the flyer below:
Briefing Flyer (Click Image for Printer Friendly PDF Version) [This page was revised on 7/4 changing the words “to consider” in the flyer to “are exploring” for clarity.
URGENT NEED TO AVOID FRACKING IN NEWTOWN, UPPER MAKEFIELD, AND WRIGHTSTOWN
Bring your children, your neighbors, your friends to two critical meetings:
Tues., July 7 at 7pm – the Newtown Township Planning Board will meet to discuss a resolution to allow fracking in Newtown Twn. (Rt. 413, off Durham Rd.)
Wed., July 8 at 7pm – the Newtown Township Supervisors will meet to hear the recommendation of the Planning Board and vote on the resolution.
Stop Fracking poster (click to download) by Greg Deal.
With the out-sized influence of the fossil fuel industry in PA, with the predictability of human error, with the inevitable escape of methane gas during drilling, extraction and abandonment of wells, there is no sure way to regulate fracking’s impact. The proposed resolution makes clear the risks involved (to use the language of the resolution)
Air and water pollution
Offensive or noxious odors, gases, dust, and glare
Junk, refuse, trash or abandoned material (including the well itself)
Hazardous or toxics materials
Blowouts
It doesn’t mention other known risks:
Decreased property values (and banks refusing to provide mortgages for properties that have wells on or near them)
Noise and road damage 24/7 from18-wheelers hauling supplies in and fracking waste water out (not to mention the amount of water used in processing)
The fact that every vertical well into the shale can conceal 10-16 horizontal well branches that can run 2-4 miles underground
Lawyerly language full of loopholes and slippery language.
The proposed resolution uses vague, slippery language like
“except pipelines WHERE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY”
“UNLESS SUCH PLACEMENT IS UNAVOIDABLE”
“the operator shall take ALL POSSIBLE PRECAUTIONS…to minimize noise levels”
The price for this irreversible damage? “A letter of credit or other financial security” approved by the governing body “BUT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.” Litigation to enforce would cost more. Remember, once any ordinance is passed, it can be amended at any meeting, so the language of the law is not much protection even if air-tight .
On Dec. 20, 2013, the PA Supreme Court ruled that municipalities “must act as trustees to protect the rights of PA citizens” to “clean air and pure water” and the “preservation of natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment.” STAND UP FOR OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE. Arrive no later than 6:30pm to be sure to get a seat. Check to be sure that the meeting agendas haven’t changed.
Thanks. Marguerite & Richmond
Reading a paper copy of this? Details, links, and supporting information are available on our blog site: NoFrackingBucks.com.
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