Fracking Newslinks - 2011 and before- Rochester, NY area

RochesterEnvironment.com

These NewsLinks represents more than a decade of ferreting out local online NewsLinks to the issue of Fracking in our area. Because of length, I've had to continue the rest of Energy Newslinks on --so go there for all links back to 1998.

The more recent stories are on the top and oldest at the bottom of this list. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STORY ABOUT THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE? SEND IT TO ME! Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.

Although many of these links no longer work, I believe that it is important to be able to find that these stories have existed for ferreting out existing or impending environmental problems. The repercussions of pollution or overuse of a resource often takes a long time for us to recognize and when we finally do, it is invaluable to be able to track the history of various issues before they get to a tipping point and became a crisis.

Also, much that mankind has done to change our environment was accomplished without any knowledge of what the environment was like before changing it, but maybe we will be able to heal our environmental if we archive the news stories so we will be able to unravel the events that led up to the disaster. Students, scientists, historians, and citizens alike should benefit from being able to follow the thread of an issue back through time.

2011

FRACKING: Critics attack Cuomo’s frack plan « City Newspaper Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration has floated a plan to allow high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the deepest parts of the Marcellus Shale. And critics are speaking out. The New York Times reported on the plan last week, crediting anonymous senior Department of Environmental Conservation officials as sources. (June 20, 2012) City Newspaper [more on Fracking in our area]
Town of Penfield likely to pass a hydrofracking moratorium - Webster, NY - Webster Post Penfield, N.Y. — It has been three months since residents asked the town of Penfield to pass a moratorium on hydrofracking, and an answer may now be in sight. In March, a group of residents presented the town board with a petition to establish a moratorium on the controversial gas drilling method. (June 11, 2012) Homepage - Webster, NY - Webster Post [more on Fracking in our area]
University at Buffalo Faces Scrutiny Over Gas Drilling Report - NYTimes.com A report from a new institute at the State University at Buffalo asserting that state oversight has made natural gas drilling safer is causing tumult on campus and beyond, with critics arguing that the institute is biased toward industry and could undercut the university’s reputation. The study, issued on May 15, said that state regulation in Pennsylvania had made drilling there far safer and that New York rules were even more likely to ensure safety once drilling gets under way in the state. (June 11, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Fracking in our area]
Hopewell Town Board to hold public hearing on fracking moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Hopewell, N.Y. — The Town Board is having a public hearing on establishing a one-year moratorium on horizontal drilling, high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, at Town Hall, 2716 County Road 47. A hearing had been held earlier this year, but because of a notification oversight, a new hearing on the temporary drilling ban was scheduled, Supervisor Margaret “Peg” Hilton said. (June 5, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
New Database Unifies Data to Support Marcellus Shale Research - Canon-McMillan, PA Patch The Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystems at Carnegie Museum of Natural History has created a comprehensive new Geographic Information Systems— known as GIS—based database that is a one-stop-shop for information about Marcellus Shale-related natural gas development throughout Pennsylvania. The ground-breaking new database was created in direct response to a need voiced by local governments, environmental and economic researchers, and urban planners looking for a single tool to link isolated datasets from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. Canon-McMillan, PA Patch - News, Sports, Events, Businesses & Deals (More on Fracking in our area]
Marcellus shale: Gas leasing in Western Maryland spurs calls for reform - baltimoresun.com — The first natural gas well has yet to be drilled into the Marcellus shale deposits underlying Western Maryland, but ripples already are being felt here from an industry that has brought wealth — and controversy — in neighboring states where drilling has proceeded apace. Complaints from landowners about misleading pressure tactics by drilling company agents and concern that widespread leasing for mineral rights could hurt home sales are prompting calls for legislation to change the state's laws on leasing of land for gas and possibly other energy development. (December 31, 2011) The Baltimore Sun | Breaking news, sports, weather and traffic in Baltimore - baltimoresun.com [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - Hydrofracking review and controversy likely to continue well into 2012 (12/30/11) Hydrofracking has been one of the biggest and most controversial issues facing New York this year, and that's likely to be true in the coming year, too. Governor Cuomo's environmental department is conducting a review process and is likely to begin issuing permits sometime in 2012. (December 30, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Fracking in our area]
Fracking Cracks the Public Consciousness in 2011 - ProPublica It wasn't just that environmental concerns about the underground drilling process finally struck a mainstream chord -- after three years of reporting and more than 125 stories [1]. For the first time, independent scientific investigations linked the drilling technique with water pollution [2], and a variety of federal and state agencies responded to the growing apprehension about water contamination with more studies and more regulation. The most important development -- and perhaps a crucial turning point -- was in December. In a landmark finding [3], the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that hydraulic fracturing was the likely culprit in a spate of groundwater contamination that had forced residents to stop using their water in dozens of homes in central Wyoming. The agency had been investigating since 2008. (December 29, 2011) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
Brighton votes for fire service changes | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Also Wednesday, the board unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in the town. By a 5-0 vote, the town said it will not allow the use of a high-pressure mix of water, salt and chemicals to extract natural gas from shale deposits deep underground — a process known as hydrofracking. The moratorium is the first to be approved by a town in Monroe County. (December 29, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Fracking's impact to be discussed in Rush | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com A public forum will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at Rush Methodist Church, 6200 Rush-Lima Road (Route 15A), to discuss the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the town of Rush. (December 30, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: Gas well impacts add up - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper If state officials green-light high-volume hydraulic fracturing, and they probably will, the negative impacts associated with natural gas wells will add up. And environmental groups say that the state hasn't done enough to study those impacts. They want the state Department of Environmental Conservation to include a comprehensive cumulative-impacts study in its draft environmental statement on high-volume hydrofracking. Now that the state has extended the comment period on the fracking environmental statement, these groups will have more time to make their case. (The DEC's web page for commenting is www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html.) (December 28, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Fracking in our area]
ANALYSIS-Green groups find success fighting shale oil boom - AlertNet WASHINGTON, Dec 27 (Reuters) - A resurgent green movement is launching a multi-pronged counter-attack against the shale oil and gas boom in the United States that could slow, though ultimately not stop, development. Building upon their unexpected success in the battle against the Keystone XL pipeline, a renewed onslaught from environmentalists is putting the shale industry on the defensive while adding to costs, limiting expansion and potentially scuttling major projects. "I think it's the totality of what's going on all at once, that's the biggest concern," said Barclay Nicholson, a lawyer for the Washington-based Fulbright & Jaworski law firm, which has represented companies involved in shale development. (December 27, 2011) AlertNet - A Thomson Reuters Foundation Service - AlertNet [more on Fracking in our area]
County officials get a glimpse at hydrofracking - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York A group of Oneida County officials recently stood at a hydraulic fracturing pad and witnessed the process in person. No, the controversial method of drilling for natural gas hasn’t started in the county. But county officials took a trip last week to Bradford County, Pa., where a large amount of hydrofracking has occurred in the past few years. During the trip, Oneida County representatives met with officials from Bradford County and the Chesapeake Energy Corp. and were able to see in detail what occurs at a drilling location. (December 23, 2011) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York [more on Fracking in our area]
Top 10: The fracking wait | Innovation Trail This was not the year of hydrofracking. The controversial method for extracting natural gas from deep shale deposits, by blasting chemicals and water into rock formations and shaking loose gas, is not currently allowed in New York. But this was the year of controversy about hydrofracking, ensured by a moratorium that pitted drillers against environmentalists, and people who want to lease their land for a windfall, against people who want to invest in renewables, or preserve the integrity of their rural lifestyle. (December 24, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
Coal's Power: Mining issues are overshadowed by shale gas boom With attention focused on Marcellus Shale, a reminder that an older energy resource also can cause plenty of headaches. With so many energy firms flocking to Pittsburgh and Washington County -- and with so many established firms opening up their own energy practices -- because of the Marcellus Shale natural gas land rush, the coal side of the energy law practice is getting lost in the mix, Mr. Saxton said. "Everybody has kind of forgotten about some of the issues from coal," he said. That includes subsidence, drainage and water contamination issues, mineral and surface rights, and more. (December 26, 2011) Post-Gazette.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Binghamton approves 2-year drilling moratorium | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com BINGHAMTON -- If the law stands, oil and gas drills won't break ground in the city for the next two years. Following an impassioned, three-hour public hearing Wednesday night, Binghamton City Council voted 6-1 to enact a moratorium on oil and gas extraction within the city's borders. (December 21, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Fracking Opens Fissures Among States as Drillers Face Many Rules - Bloomberg Pennsylvania regulators orderedChesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) to install pressure gauges costing as little as $600 on 114 of its wells after natural gas contaminated drinking water last year. Officials rejected a call from environmental groups to order safety devices for all similar natural-gas wells, a requirement in neighboring Ohio. (December 23, 2011) Bloomberg - Business & Financial News, Breaking News Headlines [more on Fracking in our area]
PA to NY: Get ready | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Good call, Joe Martens. As my colleague Jon Campbell reported from Albany late Tuesday, state environmental commissioner Martens has directed a consultant to revisit its study of the socio-economic impacts of intensified natural-gas drilling in New York. The consultant, Ecology and Environment Engineering of suburban Buffalo, had prepared a lengthy study on impacts, but it is said to have given more emphasis to the positives than the negatives. As some will recall, Democrat and Chronicle photographer Shawn Dowd and I spent several days recently in the hills of northern Pennsylvania doing our own quick assessment of the impacts of gas drilling, which has been going whole-hog there for several years. (December 22, 2011) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
DEC takes closer look at community hydrofracking costs | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com ALBANY -- An outside consultant has been asked to take a closer look at the cost natural-gas drilling would have on communities, the state's top environmental watchdog said Tuesday. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens said the agency has directed an outside firm to look at the impact the gas industry would have on things like the housing market and emergency services if high-volume hydraulic fracturing is given the go-ahead in New York. (December 20, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Fracking in our area]
As shale oil fracking booms, environmental protection lags - Wire - Lifestyle - bellinghamherald.com WASHINGTON — America's race for cheap natural gas and energy independence has been outpacing the flow of state rules aimed at assuring people that gas production won't harm their health. Today 24 states have wells that use hydraulic fracturing: pumping water, sand and chemicals into deep layers of rock at high pressure to release oil and gas. Because the nation's major environmental laws exempt the oil and gas industry, regulating hydraulic fracturing — also known as fracking — is largely up to state environment departments. States have been issuing new rules and guidelines, but often years after the boom began. (December 22, 2011) Bellingham, Whatcom County News and Information / The Bellingham Herald [more on Fracking in our area]
No funding for more fracking oversight yet - News Blog - Rochester City Newspaper Governor Andrew Cuomo will soon unveil his 2012-13 budget proposal, but the plan most likely will not include funding for more natural gas drilling regulatory staff. The state Department of Environmental Conservation did not include funding for additional staff to review gas-well permits and monitoring high-volume hydrofracking operations, says DEC spokesperson Emily DeSantis. The reason: the department is still conducting an environmental review on fracking. (December 21, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Fracking in our area]
Is 2012 the year for hydrofracking? | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com ALBANY -- For natural gas companies and eager landowners hoping to tap into New York's vast underground reserves, 2008 was looking like "the year." The same could have been said every year since. It's been 3 1/2 years since New York began assessing the risks and benefits of using high-volume hydraulic fracturing to extract gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations that lie deep beneath the state's surface. (December 16, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Study of fracking costs sought | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — An outside consultant has been asked to take a closer look at the cost burden that natural gas drilling would have on communities, the state's top environmental official said Tuesday. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens said the agency has directed Buffalo-based Ecology & Environment to assess the impact the gas industry would have on housing markets, emergency services and other aspects of communities if high-volume hydraulic fracturing is given the go-ahead in New York. (December 21, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Groups: One Potential Risk "Missing" from NY Fracking Draft NEW YORK - The deadline for New Yorkers to comment on a "fracking" plan is just weeks away, but some say the draft does nothing to assess the potential risks that hydraulic fracturing may pose to New York schoolkids. Claire Barnett, founder and executive director of Healthy Schools New York, says her group has mapped school facilities that draw their water from private wells along the Marcellus Shale, the deep-underground rock formation where companies want to drill for natural gas. She says they found more than 100 facilities in 28 counties where the state has not examined the potential risks to school children from the chemicals used in fracking. (December 20, 2011) Public News Service [more on Fracking in our area]
Cuomo's budget won't include additional hydrofracking costs | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — If the state does look to add regulators to watch over the natural gas industry, it won't be part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's initial budget proposal next year, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. DEC spokeswoman Emily DeSantis said Monday that additional funds for regulating hydraulic fracturing and gas drilling "will not be included in the executive budget," which Cuomo will propose in mid-January. (December 20, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Will Community Bans on Hydrofracking Hold Up? (Gotham Gazette, Dec 2011) Communities across the state have passed legislation banning the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing. The movement brings up questions of home rule and is being followed closely by the natural gas industry. Cuomo administration efforts to open the New York State section of the Marcellus Shale to drilling will require hydraulic fracturing, which critics say poses a serious threat to the safety of surface and underground water sources, and causes other environmental problems. Advocates of the process say it will boost upstate economies. (December 2011) http://www.gothamgazette.com/ [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking: Bane or boon? A look into industry's presence in Pa. | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Set amid steep, forested hills on the banks of the west branch of the Susquehanna River, this little northern Pennsylvania city has always had its charms. It once was considered the lumber capital of the world. West Fourth Street was dubbed Millionaire's Row for the baronial homes that lined it. And, of course, Williamsport has for decades been home to iconic Little League baseball and hosts the kids' world championship every summer. (December 18, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas: Shale boom has Appalachia dreaming of industrial renaissance -- 12/15/2011 -- www.eenews.net Pennsylvania wants a cracker, and it's not alone. Thanks to underground natural gas deposits such as the Marcellus Shale, the Keystone State is doing something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: It is vying with its neighbors to lure a multibillion-dollar chemical plant known as an "ethane cracker" that some are describing as a sign of a coming manufacturing renaissance in Appalachia. The oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC says it will pick a location for the plant early next year. Pennsylvania is in the running, as is Ohio, which has offered the company $1.4 billion of incentives, and West Virginia, where lawmakers passed a bill this April that would allow crackers to get the same tax breaks as manufacturing plants. (December 15, 2011) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking push in New York may be derailed by contaminated water in Wyoming - NY Daily News U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report says the gas drilling tainted Paillion, Wyoming's water ALBANY — The battle over hydrofracking is heating up in New York, courtesy of a little town in Wyoming. Environmentalists believe a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report released Thursday that links the controversial natural gas drilling process to contamination of drinking water in Pavillion, Wyo., is a “game-changer” for the Empire State. (December 10, 2011) New York News, Traffic, Sports, Weather, Photos, Entertainment, and Gossip - Homepage - NY Daily News [more on Energy in our area]
Some Blame Hydraulic Fracturing for Earthquake Epidemic - NYTimes.com YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Until this year, this Rust Belt city and surrounding Mahoning County had been about as dead, seismically, as a place can be, without even a hint of an earthquake since Scots-Irish settlers arrived in the 18th century. But on March 17, two minor quakes briefly shook the city. And in the following eight months there have been seven more — like the first two, too weak to cause damage or even be felt by many people, but strong enough to rattle some nerves. (December 12, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
DEC on defensive after EPA links hydrofracking to water pollution | Innovation Trail New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is defending its position that hydrofracking can be done safely after federal officials with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they've found a possible link between hydrofracking and groundwater contamination in Wyoming. The EPA report singles out hyrofracking as the likely cause of high concentrations of chemicals like benzene in the water of Pavillion, Wyo. (December 9, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
EPA frack finding fuels local opposition in Canandaigua Lake region - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the first time has implicated hydraulic fracturing — a controversial method of improving the productivity of oil and gas wells — for causing groundwater pollution. The EPA’s findings add fuel to a growing movement to protect watersheds and communities statewide. (December 11, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Implicates Fracking In Wyoming Pollution : NPR The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday for the first time that fracking — a controversial method of improving the productivity of oil and gas wells — may be to blame for causing groundwater pollution. The draft finding could have a chilling effect in states trying to determine how to regulate the process. The practice is called hydraulic fracturing and involves pumping pressurized water, sand and chemicals underground to open fissures and improve the flow of oil or gas to the surface. (December 9, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Connects 'Fracking' To Water Contamination : NPR For the first time, a government study has tied contamination in drinking water to an advanced drilling technique commonly known as "fracking." The Environmental Protection Agency released a draft study Thursday tying the technique, formally called hydraulic fracturing, to high levels of chemicals found in ground water in the small town of Pavillion, Wyo. EPA scientists found high levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, and synthetic glycol and alcohol, commonly found in hydraulic fracturing fluid. (December 9, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Wyoming fracking pollution may fuel NY debate ALBANY — The Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that chemicals used in fracking natural gas wells are to blame for groundwater pollution in Wyoming is likely to fuel opposition to the industry in New York state. New York regulators haven’t issued permits for gas drilling with high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale since they began an extensive environmental review in 2008. A public comment period on proposed regulations ends Jan. 11, after which permitting may start if the Department of Environmental Conservation determines fracking can be done safely. (December 8, 2011) NY Daily Record [more on Energy in our area]
Feds Link Water Contamination to Fracking for the First Time - ProPublica In a first, federal environment officials today scientifically linked underground water pollution with hydraulic fracturing, concluding that contaminants found in central Wyoming were likely caused by the gas drilling process. The findings by the Environmental Protection Agency come partway through a separate national study by the agency to determine whether fracking presents a risk to water resources. (December 8, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
DEC fracking report may come as soon as spring 2012 | Innovation Trail New York’s top environmental regulator, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, says his agency will likely finish its review of hydrofracking late next spring. That means drilling permits for fracking could quickly follow. That’s a faster timeline than expected. DEC officials had previously been much less specific, saying their report will probably be finished “sometime next year.” (December 2, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Study touting economic benefits of fracking skips over NYS | Innovation Trail An industry-backed study released Tuesday says shale-gas extraction will continue to be a boon for the U.S. economy. The American Natural Gas Alliance commissioned economic forecasting firm IHS Global Insight to conduct the study. The key findings: By 2015, shale-gas extraction will account for 870,000 U.S. jobs and $118 billion in economic impact. The numbers are big - but IHS Vice President John Larson says they could have been bigger. (December 7, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario warns of chronic underfunding to Great Lakes and risks of fracking | rabble.ca On Tuesday, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO) Gord Miller released his 2010/11 annual report entitled Engaging Solutions. The ECO report begins by framing the discussion with commons and public trust principles and examines pressing issues including threats to the Great Lakes and the emerging issue of hydraulic fracturing or fracking in Ontario. (December 2, 2011) rabble.ca | News for the rest of us [more on Energy in our area]
Canandaigua Town Board passes hydrofracking moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Canandaigua Town Board unanimously passed a moratorium on natural gas and petroleum activities — including high volume hydraulic fracturing — Monday night during a public hearing at the Town Hall. The moratorium would ban hydrofracking — the controversial natural gas drilling method — for 18 months. The moratorium would give the town additional time to update the Town Code to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents, said Kevin Reynolds, the Chairman of the town’s Environmental Conservation Board. (December 6, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Pros and cons of importing more Canadian hydro New York imports hydroelectricity generated by giant dams on Canadian rivers. Lot6s of it. And some would like to see the state get more of that renewable power. But as Emma Jacobs reports in the first story of our series on New York's imports of Canadian power, there's also opposition to that idea. (December 05, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Canandaigua Town Board to hold hydrofracking hearing Dec. 5 - Webster, NY - Webster Post Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Canandaigua Town Board will hold a public hearing for a proposed moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 at the Canandaigua Town Hall, 5440 Routes 5 and 20. The moratorium would ban hydrofracking — the controversial natural gas drilling method — for a certain period of time, thus giving the town more time to research the issue and to possibly change the town’s zoning code. (December 3, 2011) Homepage - Webster, NY - Webster Post [more on Energy in our area]
Unprecedented Turnout at DEC Hearings on High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation 6,000 Attend and More than 1,250 Comments Received Yesterday in New York City the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation held its fourth and final public hearing on the agency's draft SGEIS, draft regulations and draft stormwater permit for high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Previous hearings were held in Dansville, Binghamton and Loch Sheldrake. In total, approximately 6,000 people attended the hearings, which each had an afternoon and evening session, and approximately 590 people gave verbal comments. An additional 669 written comments were also submitted at the hearings. (December 1, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
DEC announces 'unprecedented turnout' at fracking hearings - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — The state State Department of Environmental Conservation reported Thursday an “unprecedented turnout” at its hearings on high-volume hydraulic fractruting that began in Dansville last month and ended this week in New York City. The estimate was 6,000 people. (November (December 1, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Researchers announce error in their Pennsylvania fracking study - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Pittsburgh, Pa. — A recently released study on natural gas drilling and contamination of water wells, contentious issues as drillers swarm to a lucrative shale formation beneath Pennsylvania, had an error, according to researchers from Penn State University. The researchers reported that there is far less evidence of well contamination by bromides, salty mineral compounds that can combine with other elements to cause health problems, than first suggested. The researchers are reviewing the entire study, released in October, after discovering that results from an independent water testing lab contained the error. (November (December 1, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Proponents: Yes, there will be lots of fracking jobs | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Today marks the third of four public hearings on New York state’s proposed guidelines and public hearings on hydraulic fracturing. This one is in Loch Sheldrake, Sullivan County, in a part of the Catskills region where gas drilling is likely if the state gives the go-ahead. An early report said the hearing auditorium was overflowing even before the first speaker spoke. Figures. At any rate, the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York, one of the leading pro-fracking groups, was planning to enter a statement into the record at the hearing that calls for the state to let drilling begin. President Brad Gill also was to say that the practice of hydrofracking is safe and that New York’s proposed rules are overly burdensome and should be softened. (November 29, 2011) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Oil and gas: Drilling regulators pull double duty as industry promoters -- 11/30/2011 -- www.eenews.net State oil and gas agencies across the country are straining to prevent a flood of new drilling from harming human health and the environment. But that's not really their job. Or at least not all of it. Their job is also to promote drilling. And sometimes the law makes that their top priority. (November 30, 2011) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Energy in our area]
Group: Gas drilling polluting Chesapeake Bay area | Latest State headlines from AP | New... BALTIMORE — An environmental group said Wednesday that infrared video shows air pollution streaming from natural gas sites that have been sprouting up across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said it sent the videos to the federal Environmental Protection Agency along with a letter saying they show emissions are not being adequately controlled. The video "establishes that the industry is not sufficiently limiting the amount of leaks from drilling and processing operations and the full extent of those leaks" has not been adequately considered in the EPA's proposed regulations, the letter said. (November 30, 2011) Star-Telegram.com | News, Videos & Commentary about Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, Texas, Cowboys & more [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking foes blast Cuomo at Manhattan hearing - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Representatives of an anti-fracking coalition that includes celebrities, scientists and environmentalists blasted Gov. Andrew Cuomo today in Manhattan at a press event prior to the final public hearing on hydrofracking before the Department of Environmental Conservation. Advocates alleged the Cuomo administration has exaggerated the economic benefits of fracking including the number of jobs created, while also failing to consider the negative impacts to agriculture, tourism, and other industries (November 30, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Southern Tier economic council promotes renewable energy, rural economics | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The plan is broken into 14 proposals that each fall under the umbrella of five strategies developed by the council, focusing on health care, renewable energy, rural economics, infrastructure and transportation. (November 30, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Comment period on hydrofracking extended | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The state Department of Environmental Conservation has extended the public comment period on its proposed rules for hydraulic fracturing to Jan. 11, the agency announced Wednesday. The period on the DEC's 1,500-page environmental review and proposed regulations had been slated to end Dec. 12. The DEC in September formally released its draft rules for comment, after releasing an incomplete draft in July. (December 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Company Backs out of $45 Million Deal to Buy Troubled Wyoming Gas Field - ProPublica A deal to sell a controversial central Wyoming natural gas field has fallen apart amidst allegations that drilling there has caused water pollution [1]. Texas-based Legacy Resources backed out of a $45 million [2] deal to buy the field near Pavillion, Wyom., from EnCana last week, soon after the Environmental Protection Agency said it had detected cancer-causing benzene at 50 times the level safe for humans and other carcinogenic pollutants during its latest round of sampling. (November 29, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
NY state's fracking hearings move to the Catskills - WSJ.com LOCH SHELDRAKE, N.Y. — Landowners eager to cash in on natural gas leases implored New York state regulators to swiftly clear the way for hydraulic fracturing while other residents, farmers and environmental groups called for a ban on the technology at a public hearing in the Catskills on Tuesday. Supporters insist that the practice known as fracking has a long track record of safety. Opponents fear contamination of water supplies and note that the state's ban on gas drilling in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds demonstrates that environmental regulators consider it risky as well. Fracking stimulates shale gas wells into production by injecting millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into the well shaft to fracture rock a mile underground, freeing trapped gas. (November 29, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Energy in our area]
Forum on gas drilling is tonight | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com A forum on the local effects of expanding natural-gas drilling is scheduled for tonight in Honeoye Falls. The Rochester Sierra Club is among the groups sponsoring the event, which begins at 7 pm in the Lower Mill, 61 N. Main St. (November 28, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking forum on Monday adds art to the debate | Her Writers and Editors Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle A Hydrofracking Forum Monday night in Honeoye Falls will add artwork to the debate about the environmental impacts of hydrofracking. The event, at 7 p.m. at the Rabbit Room, 61 North Main St., Honeoye Falls, in the historic Lower Mill, is free and open to the public (November 28, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Avoca earthquake info: Still deep underground | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Last week I wrote a story about the connection between natural gas production and storage wells and earthquakes. It seems one can cause the other. Induced seismicity, it’s called. Very interesting subject, I thought. And also, as we shall see, a subject shrouded in secrecy. My story began with an account of a seemingly classic example of induced seismicity 10 years ago in Avoca, Steuben County. A company was testing wells that were to be used to dispose of brine, or salt water, created during production of caverns to store gas. Earlier tests by another company had been unsuccessful. The new owner said it could do better. It requested and got a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to test the wells. I don’t know yet what that permit allowed. (November 23, 2011) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking Debate Spurs Huge Spending by Industry - NYTimes.com ALBANY — Energy companies have been pouring millions of dollars into television advertising, lobbying and campaign contributions as the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo enters the final phase of deciding when and where to allow a controversial form of natural gas extraction that is opposed by environmental groups. Companies that drill for natural gas have spent more than $3.2 million lobbying state government since the beginning of last year, according to a review of public records. The broader natural gas industry has been giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaign accounts of lawmakers and the governor. And national energy companies are advertising heavily in an effort to convince the public that the extraction method, commonly known as hydrofracking, is safe and economically beneficial. (November 25, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
NRC finds no negative impact if Indian Point gets exemptions for fire damage shutdowns BUCHANAN – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a finding that there would be no negative environmental impact should it grant Entergy exemptions for Indian Point’s fire damage shutdown procedure. Entergy maintains that a number of operator manual actions in lieu of methods specified in the regulations to ensure a train of safe shutdown equipment are free of fire damage when redundant trains are in the same area. (November 23, 2011) New York State News on the Net!
STATEMENT FROM A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN ON DECISION TO DELAY VOTE ON PROPOSED FRACKING REGULATIONS NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today issued the following statement regarding a decision by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to postpone a scheduled vote on its proposed draft hydrofracking regulations. “This delay further demonstrates that the proposed regulations for fracking in the Delaware River Basin are not ready to see the light of day. Without a full, fair and open review of the potential risks of fracking in the Basin, the public will continue to question the federal government’s ability to protect public health and environment. (November18, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
IMPACT: EPA posts secret 'watch list' that includes chronic polluters | iWatch News The Clean Air Act “watch list” is secret no more. Just days after the Center for Public Integrity's iWatch News and NPR reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains an internal list that includes serious or chronic violators of air pollution laws that have not been subject to timely enforcement, the EPA has posted the September and October watch list on its website. (November 22, 2011) iWatch News | Investigation. Impact. Integrity. [more on Energy in our area]
Is EPA rule coal in utilities' stockings? - Erica Martinson and Darius Dixon - POLITICO.com The Environmental Protection Agency soon-to-be-issued utility mercury and air toxics rule could be a death knell for reliable electric service in parts of the country, opponents warn — while accusing the agency of intentionally ignoring the potential harm. But supporters call those complaints exaggerated, saying they come largely from a small portion of the energy industry trying to protect older coal-fired power plants. (November 22, 2011) Politics, Political News - POLITICO.com [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas: Obama gets another energy headache as agency delays drilling vote -- 11/21/2011 -- www.eenews.net The Obama administration controls the tie-breaking vote on a plan to begin drilling for natural gas in the Northeast, shining a spotlight on its efforts to find a middle ground on the use of hydraulic fracturing to tap deep shale rock formations for energy. Some local environmental groups are comparing the proposal, and their efforts to block it, to the debate over the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring crude to the United States from Canada's oil sands region. Green groups claimed a big victory earlier this month when the administration delayed a decision on that project. (November 21, 2011) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Decision gives state more time on fracking rules A major decision about the future of hydro-fracking in the Northeast has been postponed. The delay gives states, including New York, more time to consider their own fracking regulations. WMHT's Marie Cusick reports for the Innovation Trail. (November 21, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Delaware River Basin ongoing fracking ban applauded - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — CREDO Action, a national environmental-advocacy group, applauded a recent decision by the Delaware River Basin Commission to cancel a vote on lifting a ban on fracking. More than 40,000 CREDO members in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware signed a petition sent to their governors and President Barack Obama, seeking the continued ban, according to a release from CREDO Action. (November 21, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Clean Cars Would Cut Oil Use, Save New Yorkers $14.8 Million on Thanksgiving Travel - Environment New York As New Yorkers prepare for one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, a new Environment New York report finds that more fuel efficient cars would make significant cuts in oil use and save New Yorkers roughly $14.8 million at the gas pump this Thanksgiving alone. The report was released just days after the Obama administration’s announcement of proposed new fuel efficiency and global warming pollution standards for cars and light trucks sold from 2017 through 2025. (November 21, 2011)Home - Environment New York [more on Energy in our area]
Delaware River Basin Commission Postpones Plan To Allow Fracking In Region « CBS Philly WEST TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- A key decision on the future of fracking in the region has been put on hold. It appears there may not be a lot of political support for the practice. Members of the Delaware River Basin Commission were scheduled to decide Monday on a revised list of regulations that would allow natural gas drilling and govern the process. The states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware each get a vote, as does the federal government. New York is on record against fracking, and now Delaware indicates it will also vote no, given concerns over protection of drinking water. (November 18, 2011) CBS Philly - News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and Philly's Top Spots [more on Energy in our area]
Vote delayed on proposed fracking regulations - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Attorney General Eric Schneiderman Friday issued the following statement regarding a decision by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to postpone a scheduled vote on its proposed draft hydrofracking regulations. (November 18, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Passion play | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle When I arrived in the Livingston County village of Dansville shortly before 11 am Wednesday, people were already lined up to talk about hydrofracking at New York’s first public hearing on their plans for regulating that controversial method of natural-gas drilling. When I left at 7 pm, they were still going at it. They didn’t finish until deep in the night. The experience cemented in my mind what I’d been thinking for a while: Hydrofracking is the single biggest environmental issue I’ve seen in my 30 years in New York, and the fiercest and most personal debate. Nothing else comes close. It unites people from one end of the state to another in support or opposition. You known an issue is uncommonly large when people in both Manhattan and Mendon are equally engaged. (November 17 , 2011) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Q&A: Inventor of Waterless Fracking on Why His Method Will Be a Game-Changer | InsideClimate News In an interview, Robert Lestz discusses everything from the risks of using propane to why Canadian companies are more willing to try something new. When Robert Lestz was a research engineer at Chevron in the 1990s, he began searching for a way to extract deeply buried gas and oil deposits without using the vast quantities of chemically enhanced water needed for hydraulic fracturing. The industry's increasing reliance on such large amounts of water seemed unsustainable, both economically and ecologically. At first, Lestz experimented with nitrogen and liquid carbon dioxide. But he wasn't satisfied. (November 17, 2011) | InsideClimate News [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Hearing expose deep divide on hydrofracking The Department of Environmental Conservation held public hearings on hydrofracking in Binghamton yesterday. The city is the epicenter of expected development of New York's share of the Marcellus Shale formation. Officials and residents were invited to make three-minute statements about hydraulic fracturing. More than 1,000 people turned out to listen. With frequent interruptions for catcalls and applause, only 63 people got a chance to speak during the three-hour hearing. (November 18, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Ohio nuclear plant won't open until cracks studied | CanadianBusiness.com OAK HARBOR, Ohio (AP) — Federal regulators say they won't allow an Ohio nuclear reactor to reopen until they find out more about cracks discovered in concrete at the plant along Lake Erie. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it wants to make sure that the tiny cracks found on the outside of the reactor containment building don't pose a safety threat at the Davis-Besse (BEH'-see) plant outside Toledo. (November 17, 2011) CanadianBusiness.com [more on Energy in our area]
Richmond sets public hearing on fracking moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Richmond, N.Y. — The Richmond Town Board this week set a public hearing for Dec.6 to let citizens voice their opinions about whether the town should impose a moratorium against hydrofracking. The public hearing begins at 6:30 at the Town Hall, 8690 Main Street, in Richmond’s hamlet of Honeoye. (November 18, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking debated at Binghamton hearings - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Binghamton, N.Y. — Speakers at a state hearing on natural gas drilling Thursday drew conflicting images of the industry’s impact in nearby Pennsylvania, with drilling advocates touting jobs and prosperity and opponents describing a despoiled landscape and ruined water wells. With frequent interruptions for catcalls and applause, only 63 people got a chance to weigh in on proposed natural gas-drilling rules during a three-hour hearing attended by more than 1,000 people Thursday in Binghamton, the expected epicenter of drilling in New York’s part of the Marcellus Shale (November 18, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking regulations: DEC's latest script produces high drama at Binghamton Forum | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com BINGHAMTON -- It was the perfect setting for the Southern Tier's longest-running drama. In Binghamton's downtown Forum theater Thursday, two hopelessly divided sides took center stage in a region at the crux of New York's natural gas drilling debate. And, predictably, voices were raised and fingers were wiggled when the estimated 1,050 people began voicing their opinions on the state Department of Environmental Conservation's proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing. (November 18, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Nighttime Meeting on Hydrofracking Draws Hundreds - YNN, Your News Now Hundreds of people packed into the Dansville middle school auditorium in rural Livingston County to be among the first to weigh in on the DEC's revised draft supplemental Generic Environmental impact statement. The document will govern how the controversial technique of high-volume hydraulic fracturing will happen in New York. They came by the hundreds, armed with signs, press releases, even costumes; all for a for a chance to have their final opinions on the 3½ year debate over drilling for natural gas in New York heard. (November 17, 2011) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
Thousands Want DEC Draft Withdrawn | WBNG-TV: News, Sports and Weather Binghamton, New York | Local With the DEC hearing in Binghamton this week there's a call to scrap the DEC's revised draft supplemental generic environmental impact statement. While others will call to press forward with natural gas drilling in New York's shale areas. (November 15, 2011) WBNG-TV: News, Sports and Weather Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. Puts Oil Pipeline Plan In Limbo Until After 2012 Vote : The Two-Way : NPR A final decision on building a new oil pipeline to connect Alberta, Canada, to U.S. refineries near the Gulf of Mexico will not be made until after the 2012 presidential election, the State Department said Thursday. TransCanada's proposal to build the Keystone XL pipeline had come under pressure from environmentalists, as well as government officials in Nebraska. It would cost an estimated $7 billion to build. (November 10, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Passions electrify Dansville hydrofracking hearing | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com DANSVILLE — The first public hearing on New York's controversial rules for regulating natural gas drilling brought little meeting of the minds Wednesday, but plenty of passion. More than 1,500 people descended on an old school auditorium in the Livingston County village of Dansville for two separate sessions. Anti-drilling forces rallied outside the school, pro-drilling forces flashed placards and drove a mobile billboard up and down the village streets, and advocates of both positions exchanged pointed comments at the public sessions amid cheers, applause and not a little booing. A large contingent of Rochesterians made the one-hour trip to Dansville, as did a sizable group from Steuben County just south of here. Sixty-four people spoke at the three-hour daytime session, with about two-thirds of the speakers voicing opposition to high-volume horizontal fracturing, the drilling technique that has revitalized the gas industry in other states. The industry says there are enormous amounts of gas locked in shale layers below upstate New York that can be freed up by fracking. New York state environmental officials have been drafting and reviewing new rules for hydrofracking for more than three years. (November 17, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Financial expert criticizes economics of shale gas exploration Drilling companies have been criticizing New York for delaying permits to drill for gas in the state's underground shale formations. The Department of Environmental Conservation says it is still considering regulations, and might not issue permits until 2013. Deborah Rogers is glad New York is asking questions before allowing this type of drilling. Rogers has become a leading critic of the economics of shale gas exploration. (November 16, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking public hearing in Dansville Wednesday - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation holds a public hearing on the draft regulations for the highvolume hydraulic fracturing of natural gas drilling Wednesday in Dansville. It is one of four public hearings on the revised draft environmental impact statement, draft regulations and proposed State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit (GP) for Stormwater Discharges associated with high-volume hydraulic fracturing, which involves injecting water and chemicals into rock to release gas. (November 16, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking sparks earthquake concerns | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com In early 2001, people living in northern Steuben County experienced something that many of them had never felt before — a series of earthquakes, the largest of which was more powerful than any naturally occurring tremor in New York in a decade. Damage was minimal but nerves were jangled. Because the epicenters were in an area not known to be quake-prone, officials looked for an explanation. They found one that might seem improbable. (November 16, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in this area]
Oil and gas: Puny fines, scant enforcement leave drilling violators with little to fear -- 11/14/2011 -- www.eenews.net Oil and gas drillers who pollute groundwater, spill toxic chemicals or break other rules have little to fear from the inspectors and agencies regulating the surge in American petroleum production. A Greenwire review of enforcement data from the largest drilling states shows that only a small percentage of violations result in fines, and the fines that are levied often amount to little more than a rounding error for billion-dollar companies. In Texas, 96 percent of the 80,000 violations by oil and gas drillers in 2009 resulted in no enforcement action. West Virginia, a state with 56,000 wells, issued 19 penalties last year. And Wyoming, the center of Rocky Mountain energy, collected $15,500 in fines in 2010. (November 14, 2011) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas industry experts host forum in Geneva - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Geneva, N.Y. — Representatives from the natural gas industry will host “Fuel For Thought: A Community Conversation” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the North Street School, 400 W. North St., Geneva. The dialogue is presented by the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York. (November 14, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Naples passes moratorium against hydrofracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Naples, N.Y. — After a public hearing that sometimes turned emotional Monday night, Town Board passed a six-month moratorium against the natural gas drilling method of hydrofracking. (November 14, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
State launches hydrofracking hearings this week | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The 3½-year debate over drilling for natural gas in New York is about to hit the stage. Officials in Dansville and Binghamton are preparing for large, emotional crowds this week as the Department of Environmental Conservation travels the state to solicit input on its proposed rules for hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. Anywhere from several dozen to a few hundred people from all parts of the state and all sides of the debate are expected to attend, with those hoping to secure a coveted three-minute speaking slot expected to line up at the doors well before they're open. (November 15, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Anti-fracking groups say DRBC ‘shutting out’ public from gas drilling decisions WEST TRENTON – The Delaware River Basin Commission’s issuance of “modified” natural gas development regulations on Tuesday doesn’t sit well with organizations that want more public input before they are potentially adopted. The DRBC will vote on the draft regulations on November 21, which if approved, would lift the current moratorium on gas drilling in the Delaware River Basin. Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum is critical of the DRBC’s latest decision. (November 9, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking fees could mean millions for New York | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The state Department of Environmental Conservation has quietly begun rolling out potential scenarios for a new gas-drilling fee structure in New York as an advisory panel wrestles with how to pay for new regulators. Last month, seven members of a state DEC task force were given three separate charts detailing the amount of revenue certain taxes and fees could bring in if high-volume hydraulic fracturing is given the go-ahead in New York. (November 13, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Finds Compound Used in Fracking in Wyoming Aquifer - ProPublica As the country awaits results from a nationwide safety study on the natural gas drilling process of fracking, a separate government investigation into contamination in a place where residents have long complained [1] that drilling fouled their water has turned up alarming levels of underground pollution. A pair of environmental monitoring wells drilled deep into an aquifer in Pavillion, Wyo., contain high levels of cancer-causing compounds and at least one chemical commonly used in hydraulic fracturing, according to new water test results [2] released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency. (November 10, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Groups form alliance to back hydrofracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — More than a dozen groups supportive of hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale launched a new alliance Thursday that they say will highlight the positive economic impacts gas drilling would bring to long-suffering regions of the state. Clean Growth Now, which includes 16 statewide and local business and trade groups such as the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and the Construction Contractors Association of the Hudson Valley, will have a presence both at the community level and in the state Capitol, organizers said. November 11, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Obama Administration Delays Decision on Keystone XL Pipeline - NYTimes.com WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, under sharp pressure from officials in Nebraska and restive environmental activists, announced Thursday that it would review the route of the disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline, effectively delaying any decision about its fate until after the 2012 election. (November 10, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna Nuclear Plant will test emergency sirens | www.WHEC.com Constellation Energy Nuclear Group’s (CENG) R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant on the lakeshore will test two public notification sirens today (Thursday). The tests will take place at 9:00am and 5:00pm. (November 10, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Energy in our area]
Group Formed in Support of Marcellus Shale Formation - YNN, Your News Now A group has been formed in support of the development of the Marcellus Shale Formation with hydrofracking. The organization is calling itself Clean Growth Now, and comes as the debate over hydrofracking is heating up in Albany. (November 10, 2011) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
STATEMENT FROM A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN REGARDING THE FEDS’ PROPOSED FRACKING REGULATIONS NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued the following statement in response to revised draft hydrofracking regulations posted today by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), with the approval of its supporting federal agencies. “By issuing these modified draft regulations, the federal government continues to ignore New Yorkers’ concerns about the impact fracking may have on our environment, health and homes. Though modified, these regulations still lack the benefit of a full environmental impact study, which is required by law and dictated by common sense. Without it, the federal government does not have a complete understanding of the health and safety risks fracking poses, even as it stands to open up the Delaware River Basin to thousands of new gas wells. These regulations are both inadequate and illegal, and I will continue to use the full authority of my office to require that the federal government meet its clear legal obligation to fully study the environmental impacts of fracking in the Basin.” (November 8, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
DEC commissioner today addresses fracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens will speak to reporters today after a meeting of the High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel in Albany. Martens is scheduled to answer questions during a brief period beginning at 4 p.m. at the DEC's headquarters, 625 Broadway, Albany. (November 10, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Watershed Action Committees of Keuka Lake host big gathering over fracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Representatives from towns in Ontario, Yates and surrounding counties gather Thursday, Nov. 10, 7 p.m. at Lyons National Bank, 205 Liberty Street Penn Yan, to share updates on the status of bans and moratoriums agasint hydrofracking in the various communities. (November7, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Gas industry: Rules on drilling are excessive | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — A gas industry trade group estimates the state's proposed hydraulic fracturing requirements would cost companies an additional $1 million per well to drill in New York compared to other states. In a strongly worded letter to the state's top environmental regulator, the Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York said many of the Department of Environmental Conservation's proposals are far too restrictive and "do not send the signal that New York state is 'open for business.'" (November 8, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
11/04/2011: EPA, DOE Partner to Develop Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Sites / Clean energy project aims to benefit local economies and create jobs WASHINGTON –The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are evaluating the feasibility of developing renewable energy production on Superfund, brownfields, and former landfill or mining sites. As part of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative, EPA is investing approximately $1 million for projects across the United States aiming to revitalize abandoned sites while protecting people’s health, the environment and providing economic benefits to local communities, including job creation. “The RE-Powering America's Land Initiative is not just about using these sites for energy production but using these sites to re-energize communities,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “These studies are the first step to transforming these sites from eyesores today to community assets tomorrow.” (November 4, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
11/03/2011: EPA Announces Final Study Plan to Assess Hydraulic Fracturing/Congressionally directed study will evaluate potential impacts on drinking water WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its final research plan on hydraulic fracturing. At the request of Congress, EPA is working to better understand potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. Natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that we continue to leverage this vital resource responsibly. In March 2010, EPA announced its intention to conduct the study in response to a request from Congress. Since then, the agency has held a series of public meetings across the nation to receive input from states, industry, environmental and public health groups, and individual citizens. In addition, the study was reviewed by the Science Advisory Board (SAB), an independent panel of scientists, to ensure the agency conducted the research using a scientifically sound approach. (November 3, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Brian Kolb: Finger Lakes need hydrofracking buffer zone | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The Assembly's minority leader is pushing for a "buffer zone" around each of the Finger Lakes that would prevent natural-gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing within 4,000 feet of the lakes. Assemblyman Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, asked for the setback in formal comments he submitted late last month to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, saying its current proposed hydrofracking regulations offer "no substantive protection to these environmentally sensitive bodies of water. "This serious omission is correctable through a minimum 4,000-foot buffer zone for each of the 10 unprotected Finger Lakes," Kolb wrote. (November 4, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Hydrofracking panel needs more time—Cuomo says that's OK (10/31/11) The state's Environmental Commissioner said this week that the process to permit hydrofracking on some private lands in New York State may take longer than expected. DEC Commissioner Joe Martens even cast doubt on whether permits would be issued in 2012 at all. Governor Cuomo says he's willing to wait, if it leads to a rational decision making process on what's become a highly emotional issue. (October 31, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking for Natural Gas Underneath NY Delayed ALBANY, N.Y. - The state Department of Environmental Conservation has indicated it will not meet a deadline for an advisory report on fracking. As a result, the expectation that drilling permits would be issued next year seems in doubt. Commissioner Joe Martens said a DEC advisory panel will miss its Tuesday deadline for a report - likely by months. (October 27, 2011) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking panel stalled over setting fees | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — An apparent slowdown in a state hydraulic fracturing committee's work can be partially attributed to plenty of unanswered questions. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens announced Tuesday the 18-member panel tasked with creating a new fee structure for gas drillers wouldn't be ready to release its recommendations until sometime next year. (October 27, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Canandaigua town officials urge watershed protection from drilling - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — With a room full of supporters, a resolution that aims to protect the region’s watersheds from a controversial method of gas drilling commonly called hydrofracking was passed unanimously by the Town Board Monday night. Specifically, the resolution asks that the state Legislature, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Gov. Andrew Cuomo apply the same standards to the Canandaigua Lake watershed and the Finger Lakes watersheds that has been issued for New York City and Syracuse (Skaneateles Lake). (October 26, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling in 2012 may not happen | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Department of Environmental Conservation ALBANY — After previously indicating his agency anticipated high-volume hydraulic fracturing to begin next year, the state's top environmental regulator said Tuesday it's "hard to predict" whether that will happen. Commissioner Joseph Martens said an agency panel needs more time to come up with a new fee structure for gas drillers. The panel's recommendations had initially been expected next month. (October 26, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Plans to Issue Rules Covering Fracking Wastewater - ProPublica The EPA took another step toward tightening oversight of hydraulic fracturing today, announcing it would initiate a process to set national rules for treating wastewater discharged from gas drilling operations. Until now, the agency has largely left it to states to police wastewater discharges. Some have allowed drillers to pump waste through sewage treatment plants that aren't equipped to remove many of the contaminants, leading to pollution in some rivers and to problems at drinking water facilities. (October 20, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Hydrofracking decision faces delay An advisory panel on hydrofracking in New York may not meet its initial November deadline to report on potential fees to charge gas drillers and other impacts on proposed hydrofracking on the state. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the details. (October 21, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Voice of the Voter Poll: Likely Monroe County voters back fracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Compared with the rest of upstate New York, Monroe County is a hotbed of support for the controversial method of natural gas extraction known as hydrofracking, a Voice of the Voter poll has found. The poll found that 55 percent of likely Monroe County voters were in favor of hydrofracking and 35 percent were opposed. The remaining 10 percent were undecided. (October 23, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Rush to Drill for Gas Creates Mortgage Conflicts - NYTimes.com As natural gas drilling has spread across the country, energy industry representatives have sat down at kitchen tables in states like Texas, Pennsylvania and New York to offer homeowners leases that give companies the right to drill on their land. (October 19, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Naples village enacts fracking ban - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Naples, N.Y. — The Village Board this week unanimously passed a moratorium prohibiting hydrofracking and is urging the Town Board to follow suit with a temporary ban on the controversial natural gas drilling method. The local law keeping hydrofracking out of the village for one year is a crucial step, said Village Board member Mark Donadio. The gas industry is putting a lot of money and energy into slick promotion of hydrofracking and lining up leases in preparation for when the drilling technique is allowed in New York, he said. (October 22, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Hydrofracking decision will likely be delayed until 2012 as committee members express concerns As natural gas drilling has spread across the country, energy industry representatives have sat down at kitchen tables in states like Texas, Pennsylvania and New York to offer homeowners leases that give companies the right to drill on their land. And over the past 10 years, as natural gas has become increasingly important to the nation’s energy future, Americans have signed more than a million of these leases. (October 19, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Hydrofracking decision will likely be delayed until 2012 as committee members express concerns An advisory panel on hydrofracking in New York may not meet its initial November deadline to report on potential fees to charge gas drillers and other impacts on proposed hydrofracking on the state. (October 21, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
EPA to Weigh In on State Dept's Contentious Keystone Review Any Day Now | InsideClimate News EPA has slammed the State Dept's earlier draft reviews. Pipeline opponents are counting on the agency to be as tough on the final assessment. WASHINGTON—Any day now, the EPA will be weighing in with an analysis of the State Department's final environmental evaluation of the controversial oil sands Keystone XL pipeline. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson said Friday that authorities from her agency's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance will be responding to the document, which was released Aug. 26, within "the next week or so." (October 19, 2011) | InsideClimate News [more on Energy in our area]
Gas industry representatives to speak in Canandaigua - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Independent Oil & Gas Association of New York (IOGA of NY) is hosting forums across the region through December to discussion hydrofracking and answer questions from the public. Tom Johnson, vice president of Alpha Geoscience, an environmental and geological consulting group, and Jeff Heller from Steuben County Landowners Coalition will lead the conversation. Representatives from America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) will also be on hand. (October 19, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: Speakers pan fracking review The state's review of high-volume hydraulic fracturing has some serious flaws, said speakers at a forum on Sunday. Roger Downs, conservation director for the state Sierra Club chapter, said parts of the state's draft environmental impact statement are ambiguous: such as whether brine hauled up from the wells would be used to melt snow on roads. But the state also lacks adequate health studies, he said, and doesn't analyze the potential cumulative impacts of statewide drilling. (October 19, 2011) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area}
Pipeline Powerhouse? Kinder Morgan To Buy El Paso : NPR Texas-based energy company Kinder Morgan plans to buy El Paso Corp. in a $20.7 billion deal that's expected to create America's largest natural gas pipeline operator. The deal would more than double the size of Kinder Morgan's existing pipeline network to 80,000 miles. The company's pipelines in Texas, the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains will be joined to El Paso's vast network which stretches from the Gulf Coast east to New England and west to California. The deal is a vote of confidence in the economic viability of the mushrooming exploration of natural gas in this country (October 17, 2011) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Drill panel delay raises concerns - Times Union ALBANY -- A postponed meeting of a state advisory panel on natural gas hydraulic fracturing had one member saying Friday that it showed the state was rushing an approval process for drilling to start next year. Robert Moore, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York and a member of the hydrofraking advisory panel set up this summer by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said Friday's meeting was scrapped because state Department of Health, Transportation Department, Public Service Commission, and Agriculture and Markets Department are still estimating demands that gas drilling will place on staff and resources. (October 15, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Colleges expand offerings amid natural gas boom - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Vast stores of natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica shales running under Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia have set off a rush to grab leases and secure permits to drill using the extraction technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. (October 17, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
State Did Not Rush on Fracking, Commissioner Says - NYTimes.com From the quietness of his office, Joe Martens, head of New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation, answered questions on Saturday morning about the charged topic of natural gas drilling in an hourlong session online. The decorum of the online “chat,” at the state government Web site CitizensConnect, was in sharp contrast to the tone of a hearing on Thursday in the New York State Assembly, where some of Mr. Martens’s remarks on the drilling process known as high-volume hydraulic fracturing were punctuated by shouts of “Liars!” from spectators. (October 8, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
'Utica Shale' could push gas drilling further north | Innovation Trail Since Chesapeake Energy announced last month that it saw great promise in test wells in Ohio, the public has become newly acquainted with the Utica Shale, the Marcellus Shale's northern sibling. Monday the Syracuse Post-Standard reported that Norse Energy, which has substantial lease holdings in central New York, has applied for the first permit for a Utica Shale well. The well, in Chenango County half an hour's drive from Syracuse, is on hold pending the state's regulatory review. The new target Joe Heath's reaction to the sudden interest in the Utica Shale is tantamount to an 'I told you so'. (October 12, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna Reactor Shut Due To Turbine Snag - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Ginna Reactor Shut Due To Turbine Snag Ontario, N.Y. - Ginna nuclear power plant in Ontario shut late Tuesday from full power due to a turbine auto-stop valve closure, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a report. (October 12, 2011) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Energy in our area]
Utica Shale is the next fracking frontier | syracuse.com It’s unlikely that anyone’s going to drill in the town of Tully into the now-famous Marcellus shale because the rock is too close to the surface. But that doesn’t mean drilling rigs and hydrofracking will bypass the town — and a large piece of Central New York. Despite all the attention given to the Marcellus shale, there’s another, deeper rock layer in New York that is an intriguing mystery — bigger but economically an unknown. It’s the Utica shale: a layer of rock thousands of feet deeper than the Marcellus and less well-studied. (October 10, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Naples sets public hearing on fracking moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Naples, N.Y. — Several dozen residents voiced strong opposition Monday night to hydrofracking, urging the Town Board to impose a moratorium on the natural gas drilling method. Many also urged the town to ban the process over environmental concerns. (October 10, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling leases: Some wary, many welcoming | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com As debate rages in other corners of New York state about the risks and rewards of rampant natural-gas drilling, Rochester has been slow to warm to the topic. The perception has been that the wells would go somewhere else — in the Southern Tier, far from metropolitan Rochester. Hydrofracking, as the well-drilling method is known, would be someone else's problem. (October 9, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. Venture Aims to Improve Wind Energy Forecasting and Save Billions | InsideClimate NewsNOAA and DOE have deployed more than a dozen wind detection instruments across the Midwest to measure the economic value of improved forecasting. If the weather report says it's supposed to be sunny and breezy tomorrow, do you trust that forecast enough to plan a picnic or hike? Probably. But what if instead of a soggy lunch or wet boots, the efficiency and reliability of the region's electricity grid was at risk? (October 7, 2011) | InsideClimate News [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. Regulators Promise Oversight Of Offshore Drilling Contractors : The Two-Way : NPR Nearly 18 months after a disastrous oil spill killed wildlife and endangered the futures of fishermen and resort businesses along the Gulf of Mexico, the federal government announces it will regulate not only the operators of offshore oil rigs, but the contractors who own and work on them, as well. The shift in enforcement is one of several changes announced in the past 24 hours, as federal regulators seek to ensure the Gulf spill catastrophe does not recur. (October 4, 2011) Energy Rochester |Alternative & Traditional Energy | RochesterEnvironment.com [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Locals fight for control over hydro-fracking New York's proposed regulations for the drilling technique known as "hydro-fracking" are currently in the public comment stage. The Department of Envitronmental Conservation has scheduled four public hearings will be held in November, three in the Marcellus shale region and one in New York City. Environmental groups want more time for comment. And they'd also like public hearings in the Utica Shale area, which may be the next region slated for drilling. (October 6, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling boom sparks rise in well testing | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com They are among a growing number of Pennsylvanians motivated by the growth of Marcellus Shale drilling to test their well water. In fact, gas drilling concerns could lead to the state's first regulation of private water well construction. (October 2, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Pa. would let counties set gas drilling fees - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Pittsburgh — Gov. Tom Corbett released a plan for Pennsylvania's natural gas boom Monday that would allow the state's counties to impose a fee on drilling to help pay to regulate it and fix environmental damage in communities where it is happening. The fee, which could be as high as $160,000 per well over a 10-year period, is part of broader plan that Corbett said calls for even-handed laws that recognize the competition beyond the state's borders for an industry that he said is boosting the economy and lowering energy bills. The plan also would toughen laws that protect the state's water sources and help the industry find new outlets for its product, such as converting school bus fleets and mass transit systems to natural gas power. (October 4, 2011) Latest News - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Issues Draft Regulations for High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today issued its draft regulations for high-volume hydraulic fracturing which are based on the proposed requirements contained in the agency's revised draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement released earlier this month, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. "Public review of the proposed requirements and regulations governing high-volume hydraulic fracturing is an important part of the environmental impact statement process," Martens said. "The comments from the 2009 public comment period proved insightful and helped inform the revised SGEIS. We look forward to continuing to hear from commentors in person and in writing over the next few months." (September 28, 2011) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Fight Over Fracking Goes Another Round in NY and Nation NEW YORK - It was a big week for new proposed federal and state regulations for hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." The federal Environmental Protection Agency wants all fracking wells fitted with special equipment to separate oil and gas from byproducts. Those byproducts have been implicated in air and water quality problems, with links to serious health conditions for nearby residents. The industry says the new rules are costly and unnecessary, but Wes Gillingham, program director of Catskill Mountainkeeper, disagrees. He says the EPA has a real opportunity to help states such as New York by setting strict national standards. (September 30, 2011) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - DEC takes next step in hydro-fracking rules New York environmental regulators have formally issued proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing. Drilling companies want to "hydro-frack" the Marcellus Shale region of southern New York. The Department of Environmental Conservation has scheduled four public hearings on the proposed rules. (September 29, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
DEC assesses facilities in Broome, Steuben for gas drilling | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com Agency looks to expand offices, add staff | ALBANY -- Anticipating an influx of natural gas drilling in the Southern Tier, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is looking to expand a pair of offices in the region the industry is expected to target. The DEC estimates it will have to spend $1 million annually for additional office space in Kirkwood in Broome County, and Bath in Steuben County, when it begins permitting high-volume hydraulic fracturing, according to a document obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request. (September 26, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Public hearings announced today on hydrofracking regulations - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the public comment period begins today on the draft regulations for high-volume hydraulic fracturing. The regulations are based on the proposed requirements contained in the agency's revised draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement released earlier this month, The public comment period ends Dec. 12. (September 29, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Kolb to discuss hydrofracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, will appear on YNN’s “Capital Tonight” with host Nick Reisman tonight Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Kolb will discuss today’s release of draft regulations for hydrofracking by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. (September 29, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
DEC moves to expand offices as gas drilling looms | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Anticipating an influx of natural-gas drilling in the Southern Tier, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is looking to expand a pair of offices in the region the industry is expected to target. The DEC estimates it will have to spend $1 million annually for additional office space in Kirkwood, Broome County, and Bath, Steuben County, when it begins permitting high-volume hydraulic fracturing, according to a document obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request. (September 27, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Spin overtaking facts in Marcellus Shale debate - Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 | 9:48 a.m. - Las Vegas Sun Some insist Marcellus Shale natural gas is a huge economic boom for America, while others are certain it's an environmental catastrophe. Gas drilling from the Marcellus pollutes groundwater, or it never pollutes groundwater. It's cleaner than coal or oil, except that it's dirty. It provides a boost to hard-hit rural economies; but then again, maybe it doesn't. The one point of agreement? Scientists say advocates on both sides increasingly spin every shred of research to fit their own views, and ignore the bigger picture. (September 25, 2011) Las Vegas Sun [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking Leases Subject of Regrets in New York - NYTimes.com Hundreds of other state residents who signed leases allowing gas companies to drill deep into their properties with a method known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing have changed their minds and are trying to break or renegotiate their contracts. Millions of acres in upstate New York are under lease, awaiting permits for the drilling, which has yet to begin, delayed by a state environmental review. (September 22, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Shale Drilling Must Improve to Protect Environment, GDF Says- Bloomberg The technology used to extract oil and gas from shale rocks, a process that has revolutionized the U.S. energy industry, should be improved to protect the environment, the head of Europe’s largest gas company said. “There are concerns about the environmental impact,”Gerard Mestrallet, chief executive officer of GDF Suez (GSZ) SA, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York.“Probably it can be improved and probably it has to be improved.” (September 22, 2011) Bloomberg [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Poll: New Yorkers support hydrofracking, casinos A new poll on several current issues, finds more New Yorkers support hydrofracking in the Marcellus shale region of upstate New York--and that the majority thinks expanding casino gambling in the state is a good idea. (September 21, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
New York fracking lawsuit could set drilling precedent | Reuters (Reuters) - A lawsuit challenging a small town's ban on natural-gas drilling could have implications throughout New York, where state officials are poised to approve a controversial drilling method known as fracking. Anschutz Exploration Corporation filed suit on Friday against Dryden, a rural suburb of Ithaca with about 13,000 residents that last month amended its zoning laws to bar all gas drilling within its unincorporated borders. (September 19, 2011) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Energy in our area]
Professor to talk on hydrofracking in Perinton | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com A program about hydrofracking is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Fairport United Methodist Church, 31 W. Church St. The free presentation, called Hydrofracking: The Facts, Hazards and Benefits, is sponsored by the Fairport branch of the American Association of University Women. (September 15, 2011) URMC Today - News for faculty, staff and volunteers of the University of Rochester Medical Center [more on Energy in our area]
DEC foresees adding staff for fracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The state Department of Environmental Conservation expects it will need an additional 226 staffers within five years if high-volume hydrofracking moves forward in New York, according to a document provided to an agency task force. The internal estimate was given by the DEC to members of its hydrofracking advisory panel Tuesday and viewed by Gannett's Albany bureau. (September 14, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Begins 90-Day Public Comment Period on Draft Hydraulic Fracturing Study - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Four Public Hearings Planned DEC to Move Forward with Hydraulic Fracturing Regulations Concurrently with Draft SGEIS Socio-economic Study Shows Potential for 6,200 to 24,800 FTE Positions with $420 Million to $1.7 Billion in Wages The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation opened a more than 90-day public comment period on its revised draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. In addition, the agency will issue its proposed regulations governing high-volume hydraulic fracturing in early October. (September 7, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Fracking floods! Assembly Energy Committee Chair Kevin Cahill says he’s disappointed with Governor Cuomo’s Department of Environmental Conservation’s decision to limit a public comment period on a draft final report on hydrofracking to 90 days. The DEC did extend the comment period from the initial 60 days to the 90 days. But Cahill says many of the key regions in the Marcellus shale are also areas that were flooded by tropical storm Irene and now the remnants of hurricane Lee, and several of the counties there have been declared federal disaster areas. He says people there will be too busy cleaning up ruined homes and businesses to focus on attending hearings or submitting opinions on the future of hydro fracking in New York. (September 9, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
DEC releases last fracking review component - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The full draft of the state's fracking review is up and the public will have approximately 90 days to comment. Environmental and good government groups had asked the DEC for a 180-day comment period. This morning, the state Department of Environmental Conservation posted on its website the entire draft environmental statement on high-volume hydraulic fracturing. It also announced a comment period that starts today, September 7, and ends on December 12. There will be four public hearings: three in Marcellus Shale-region counties, and one in New York City. (September 7, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Number of landowners forced to frack could rise "exponentially" | Innovation Trail Compulsory integration is (not completely unfairly) sometimes called the "eminent domain" of gas drilling, including by the decidedly pro-gas drilling governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett. We did a longer report on the ups and downs of the New York State law, which forces landowners to let their land be drilled in some cases, even if they don't want to sign a lease to allow a gas well. But whatever your perspective, what seems clear is that compulsory integration is going to happen a lot more if (or when) horizontal hydrofracking goes forward in New York State. (September 6, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: State Environmental Agency to Release Fracking Report (2011-09-06) ALBANY, NEW YORK (WXXI) - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is due to release it's final version of an environmental impact statement on hydro fracking in New york. The report is being eagerly anticipated by both environmentalists and the natural gas industry. (September 6, 2011)WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
ENERGY: Marcellus estimates vary - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The US Geological Survey has released new estimates of Marcellus Shale gas reserves, but questions continue over whether the gas industry and other federal agencies are exaggerating the source's potential. In its new report, USGS pegs the Marcellus reserve at 84 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 3.4 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. That's a significant increase over its 2002 numbers: 2 trillion cubic feet of gas and .01 billion barrels of natural gas liquids. (August 31, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking study now due next week | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — A long-awaited state report on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas will have to wait a little bit longer because of Tropical Storm Irene. The 1,000-plus page draft report on the controversial technique won't be released until next week because the state Department of Environmental Conservation is responding to flooding and damage caused by Irene earlier this week, spokeswoman Emily DeSantis said Wednesday. (Sept. 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
WNED: Grisanti Urges Further Fracking Review (2011-08-16) BUFFALO (wned) - Dozens of groups across New York want more time to review the state's proposed "fracking" rules. 76 organizations representing thousands of residents signed a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation urging them to extend the public comment period. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is supporting groups request, including State Senator Mark Grisanti. (August16, 2011) Western New York Public Broadcasting Association [more on Energy in our area]
DEC's hydrofracking study expected this week | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The state Department of Environmental Conservation is expected to release its latest environmental impact study on natural gas production in the Marcellus Shale region this week. The agency released a partial version of the study on July 8, and has since received a socio-economic impact evaluation to add to the DEC report. The 1,000-plus page document will be subject to a public comment period when it's released. (August 30, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. to Slash Marcellus Shale Gas Estimate 80% - Bloomberg inShare26 More Business Exchange Buzz up! Digg Print Email The U.S. will slash its estimate of undiscovered Marcellus Shale natural gas by as much as 80 percent after a updated assessment by government geologists. The formation, which stretches from New York to Tennessee, contains about 84 trillion cubic feet of gas, the U.S. Geological Survey said today in its first update in nine years. That supersedes an Energy Department projection of 410 trillion cubic feet, said Philip Budzik, an operations research analyst with the Energy Information Administration. (August 23, 2011) Bloomberg - Business & Financial News, Breaking News Headlines [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - State DEC open to longer comment period on hydrofracking State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens says he's "not shutting the door" on holding a longer public comment period and new public hearings on hydrofracking. (August 22, 2011) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
DEC hydrofracking panel meets in private | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com ALBANY -- An advisory panel met behind closed doors Thursday to discuss what kind of additional resources the state would need in order to properly regulate hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. The panel, a mix of industry, lawmakers, conservationists and others, held its first meeting Thursday at the Department of Environmental Conservation's headquarters. (August 20, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Energy in our area]
"Compulsory integration" takes heat for forcing drilling on landowners | Innovation Trail Drawing in the 40 percent of landowners that won't lease - that's the "integration." That the state can make you accept a lease - that's the "compulsory." (August 16, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Groups Ask to Extend Fracking Comment Period from 60 to 180 Days (2011-08-15) Environmental and government reform groups are calling on Governor Cuomo's Environmental Department to triple the amount of time for public comments on proposed rules for hydro-fracking in New York. Groups, including Environmental Advocates and Common Cause, are asking Cuomo's Department of Environmental Conservation to extend the public comment period on an environmental review of the natural gas extraction process known as hydro fracking from 60 to 180 days. Common Causes' Deanna Bitetti says the groups are also requesting more public hearings in more locations. (August 15, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Common Cause New York urges extended public comment on fracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Common Cause New York, a nonprofit, nonpartisan citizens’ advocacy organization, today called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Department of Environmental Commissioner Joe Martens to “hold no less than a 180-day comment period and statewide public hearings on the state's proposed fracking guidelines.” (August 15, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Report for Obama Questions Effectiveness of Gas Drilling Regulations - ProPublica In sharp contrast with gas industry portrayals, the draft report released yesterday by a federal panel on shale gas drilling [1] explicitly acknowledges that current regulations may be insufficient to protect the environment and public health. For years, the gas industry has said that drilling with hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, into deep shale formations is safe. The federal government has been caught in an awkward position, limited from regulating the industry by exemptions written into federal environmental laws, while also working to promote domestic energy production. (August 12, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania lags in public access to fracking fluid info | Innovation Trail Pennsylvania doesn't require that franking chemical disclosures be posted online - unlike Arkansas, Michigan, Texas, and Wyoming. That's just one of the findings in a review of disclosure laws around the country compiled by Scott Detrow at State Impact PA. (August 11, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]'
Fracking': Did Energy Department report clear up controversy? - CSMonitor.com According to the US panel, 'fracking' to release gas deposits in shale can be done in an environmentally responsible way. The industry hailed the report as refuting shrill critics, but environmentalists decried 'advocacy-based science' by a panel tilted toward the industry. Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” to release vast supplies of natural gas trapped in shale deposits can be conducted in an environmentally responsible way, a federal energy panel has concluded, but only if major steps are taken, including greater transparency by the gas-drilling industry, the close monitoring of groundwater quality, and the adoption of rigorous emissions standards. (August 11, 2011) The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com [more on Energy in our area]
Poll backs drilling's jobs over environmental impact | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Voters think the economic benefits of natural-gas drilling outweigh concerns about the environment, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday. By a 47 percent to 42 percent margin, registered New York voters who responded to the poll said they back the controversial drilling process. Still, the poll showed how divided people are about the heavily debated hydraulic fracturing technique. A decision on whether to allow the process won't be made until the state Department of Environmental Conservation completes its analysis. (August 12, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Energy Department panel to endorse shale gas exploration - The Washington Post A key Energy Department advisory panel will issue a qualified endorsement of shale gas exploration Thursday, saying that hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” can continue safely as long as companies disclose more about their practices and monitor their environmental impact. The committee’s report could ease the way for greater domestic gas exploration, even as it calls for new standards to limit harmful air emissions that bring to the surface gas buried deep in shale formations. But the report is largely silent on the most contentious issue surrounding shale gas exploration: who should regulate it, and whether regulators should apply to it laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act. (August 11, 2011) The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post [more on Energy in our area]
Energy Dept. panel backs ‘fracking’ chemicals disclosure - The Hill's E2-Wire Energy Department advisers are backing mandatory disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, the controversial natural gas drilling method, in a new report that lauds expanded development while calling for several improved environmental safeguards. The wide-ranging report arrives amid a legal and political battle over the method – dubbed “fracking – that’s enabling a U.S. gas boom but raising fears of water and air pollution. (August 11, 2011) TheHill.com [more on Energy in our area]
Energy Panel Wants Answers On Gas 'Fracking' : NPR A Department of Energy panel hopes new recommendations — if implemented — will restore the public's trust in hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" for natural gas. In the last few years, fracking has brought new life to old gas fields around the country. Most of the increasing production comes from dense layers of shale deep underground. By pumping huge deep underground amounts of water, along with smaller amounts of chemicals and sand, drillers can force gas out of shale. (August 11, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
N.Y. Enviro Commissioner Expects Little From EPA Fracking Study - ProPublica When Joe Martens became commissioner of New York's Department of Environmental Conservation in March, he expected an unusual challenge. The department oversees everything environmental in the state, from managing 4.5 million acres of land to regulating ship ballast water in the Great Lakes. But no contemporary issue is more dominant — or more controversial — than whether and how to allow energy companies to drill for natural gas in New York using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. (August 9, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Fund would make drillers clean up damage from fracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli proposed Tuesday establishing a fund supported by fees from drillers to clean up environmental damage from natural gas drilling using high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow (August 9, 2011) [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear-Waste Disposal a Growing Fiscal Problem - WSJ.com Imagine a football field packed 20 feet high with highly radioactive nuclear waste. That's about the volume of the 65,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel stranded at dozens of nuclear sites across the U.S. It isn't just a potential public health hazard, as Japan's recent nuclear disaster showed, but a growing burden on the federal government's groaning finances. (August 9, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Energy in our area]
New York Times vs. natural gas industry - Talia Buford - POLITICO.com The fight between The New York Times and the natural gas industry is going nuclear. A series of critical articles in the paper of record has the natural gas industry fuming as it struggles to persuade the public that hydraulic fracturing is a safe, clean, inexpensive and reliable way of securing the nation’s energy supply for decades to come. (August 8, 2011) Politics, Political News - POLITICO.com [more on Energy in our area]
Drillers target three counties in Southern Tier | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com BINGHAMTON — A portion of the Southern Tier stretching from Binghamton west to Elmira is likely to be the bull's-eye when natural gas drillers target New York's portion of the Marcellus Shale, according to experts in shale geology. Terry Engelder and Gary Lash, geologists whose calculations have been credited with helping spur the natural gas rush in Pennsylvania, said the Southern Tier holds the most promise amid the 18,700 square miles of New York covered by the Marcellus. (April 9, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Energy program saves 32 million kilowatt hours | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Nearly 5,000 small businesses have reduced their electricity use by some 32 million kilowatt hours through an energy efficiency program offered by Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. and New York State Electric & Gas Corp., officials said Friday. (August 5, 2011) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Feds Say Major New York Gas Pipeline Poses Safety Risk - ProPublica A major natural gas pipeline stretching across southern New York may be at risk of rupturing and poses a safety threat, according to a recent inspection by federal regulators. The pipeline's owner, Millennium Pipeline Co., has reduced pressure on the line, lessening the risk of explosion, but there are concerns that its problems may extend beyond a leak spotted by workers in January. (August 5, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
New York State’s Fracking Lawsuit Barred by Law, U.S. Says - Bloomberg The U.S. government said it will ask a judge to dismiss a New York lawsuit that seeks to force a fuller environmental review of how natural-gas extraction could affect 9 million water drinkers in the state. The U.S. plans to ask U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn, New York, to dismiss the case on the grounds that the state can’t prove injury and doesn’t have the right to sue federal agencies, according to a letter filed with the court yesterday. (August 2, 2011) Bloomberg - Business & Financial News, Breaking News Headlines [more on Energy in our area]
Whistleblowers Say Nuclear Regulatory Commission Watchdog Is Losing Its Bite - ProPublica When he retired after 26 years as an investigator with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of the Inspector General, George Mulley thought his final report was one of his best. Mulley had spent months looking into why a pipe carrying cooling water at the Byron nuclear plant in Illinois had rusted so badly that it burst. His report cited lapses by a parade of NRC inspectors over six years and systemic weaknesses in the way the NRC monitors corrosion. (July 27, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Does an Old EPA Fracking Study Provide Proof of Contamination? - ProPublica This post has been updated with the industry's response. For years the drilling industry has steadfastly insisted that there has never been a proven case in which fracking has led to contamination of drinking water. Now Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization engaged in the debate over the safety of fracking, has unearthed a 24-year-old case study [1] by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that unequivocally says such contamination has occurred. The New York Times reported [2] on EWG's year-long research effort and the EPA's paper Wednesday. (August 4, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Andrew Cuomo signs bill ending power-plant impasse | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Thursday to fast-track the siting of power plants, a process that expired in 2003 and had stalled in the Legislature for years. The Power New York Act establishes a new Article X power plant siting law and creates a multi-agency panel to oversee the development of power-generating facilities that produce more than 25 megawatts. It will also allow homeowners and businesses to repay loans for energy-efficiency upgrades through a surcharge on utility bills. (August 4, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: Drilling double-whammy - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The Utica Shale's potential for natural-gas drilling has received less attention than the Marcellus Shale's, says local environmentalist Frank Regan, but more of the state lies above the Utica formation. The Utica Shale formation stretches underneath 28,500 square miles of Western and Central New York as well as the Southern Tier. Rochester and Monroe County are entirely within the formation. The State Department of Environmental Conservation is completing an environmental review of horizontal drilling and high-volume fracking in deep shale formations: that includes the Marcellus and the Utica Shales. Unless Norse Energy submits a site-specific environmental statement, its application will remain on hold until the state review is completed, DEC spokesperson Emily DeSantis said in an e-mail. (August 3, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
NRC approves Indian Point cyber-security plan BUCHANAN – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the cyber-security plan for the Indian Point nuclear power plant. The NRC staff found the cyber-security program provides “high assurances that digital computer and communications systems and networks … are adequately protected against cyber-attacks up to and including the design basis threat.” (August 4, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Report: Fracking Contaminated Drinking Water | Environmental Working Group Washington, D.C.– Contrary to the drilling industry claim that hydraulic fracturing has never contaminated groundwater, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded in a 1987 study that “fracking” of a natural gas well in West Virginia contaminated an underground drinking water source. That all-but-forgotten report to Congress, uncovered by Environmental Working Group and Earthjustice, found that fracturing gel from a shale gas well more than 4,000 feet deep had contaminated well water. EPA investigators concluded that the contamination was “illustrative” of a broader problem of pollution associated with hydraulic fracturing but said the agency’s investigation was hampered by confidentiality agreements between industry and affected landowners. Environmental Working Group’s year-long investigation of the incident found that several abandoned natural gas wells located near the fractured well in West Virginia could have served as conduits that allowed the gel, a common ingredient in fracking fluid, to migrate into the water well. (August 3, 2011) EWG Home | Environmental Working Group [more on Energy in our area]
Law firm petitions for groups demanding rules for fracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Attorneys with the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice announced they are filing a petition Thursday on behalf of more than 100 groups nationwide, urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency draft rules regarding hydrofracking, a controversial method of natural gas drilling. The rules would require manufacturers and processors of drilling and fracking chemicals to do testing and produce health and safety data needed to evaluate the health and environmental risks of their substances and mixtures. (April 3, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
New Hydrofracking Rules Pushed Back - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Albany, N.Y. (AP) - A Department of Environmental Conservation spokeswoman says New York's new rules for natural gas drilling using high-volume hydraulic fracturing have been pushed back to "late summer." (Aug 3, 2011) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Energy in our area]
Vermont finds contaminated fish as nuclear debate rages | Reuters (Reuters) - Vermont health regulators said on Tuesday they found a fish containing radioactive material in the Connecticut River near Entergy's Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant which could be another setback for Entergy to keep it running. The state said it needs to do more testing to determine the source of the Strontium-90, which can cause bone cancer and leukemia. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin wants the 620 megawatts reactor shut in March 2012 when its original operating license was to expire. (August 3, 2011) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Energy in our area]
Natural Gas Extraction Creates A Boom For Sand : NPR The rise of fracking as a method for extracting natural gas from shale rock has triggered demand for a key ingredient in the process: silica sand. In parts of the upper Midwest, there's been a rush to mine this increasingly valuable product. In northeast Iowa, a mine recently reopened to profit from the new demand. It's owned by the Pattison family, who have run a grain business for decades. They had been storing the grain in the old, unused mine tunnels carved into the cliffs and then loading it onto barges to ship downriver. They pretty much ignored the sandstone all around them. (Aug 3, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Worries Over Water As Natural Gas Fracking Expands : NPR Drive through northern Pennsylvania and you'll see barns, cows, silos and drilling rigs perched on big, concrete pads. Pennsylvania is at the center of a natural gas boom. New technology is pushing gas out of huge shale deposits underground. That's created jobs and wealth, but it may be damaging drinking water. That's because when you "frack," as hydraulic fracturing is called, you pump millions of gallons of fluids underground. That cracks the shale a mile deep and drives natural gas up to the surface — gas that otherwise could never be tapped. (Aug 2, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
DEC: Hydrofracking comment period to start 'late summer' | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The public will likely have to wait until September to get its say on the state's review of the controversial hydraulic fracturing process. The state Department of Environmental Conservation received a report late last month from a Buffalo-based consulting company that proposes ways to limit the effects on communities from an anticipated spike in activity by the natural-gas industry. (Aug 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking foes learn ways to fight it | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com PULTENEY — Activists opposed to the use of hydraulic fracturing to harvest natural gas from underground shale are spending a weekend in Steuben County learning how to fight it. The "organizer and action training camp," held at the Andrysick farm on Gallagher Road, was organized by a group of young New York state residents and students called NY Green Umbrella, based in Ithaca. (July 31, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Proposes New Rules on Emissions Released by Fracking - ProPublica Prohibited from regulating hydraulic fracturing under the Safe Drinking Water Act, yesterday the EPA took to the air, proposing federal regulations to reduce smog-forming pollutants released by the fast-spreading approach to gas drilling. If approved as currently written, the rules would amount to the first national standards for fracking of any kind, the EPA said. The agency sets guidelines when companies inject fluids underground for various purposes, but in 2005 Congress prohibited the EPA from doing so for fracking. Regulation has been left to the states, some of which compel companies to report what chemicals they use and have imposed tougher well-design standards. (July 29, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Binghamton region may be heart of NYS natural gas reserves | Innovation Trail Greater Binghamton and its surrounding areas are likely to be the bull's-eye when natural gas drillers target New York's portion of the Marcellus Shale, according to experts in shale geology. Terry Engelder and Gary Lash, geologists whose calculations have been credited with helping spur the natural gas rush in Pennsylvania, said a three-county area of the Southern Tier holds the most promise amid the 18,700 square miles of New York covered by the Marcellus Shale. (July 27, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Energy in our area]
Alternative gas pocket beckons drillers to N.Y. | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com Deeper Utica Shale formation could surpass Marcellus | While the spotlight is fixed firmly on the Marcellus Shale, some energy firms think the key to widespread natural gas production in New York might lie a few thousand feet deeper. The Utica Shale -- an energy-rich rock formation that lies several thousand feet below the Marcellus Shale across an equally massive swath of the Northeast -- is stirring the interest of drilling companies with footprints in central and southern New York." (July 25, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Document estimates fracking's toll on N.Y. roads | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com Repairs could cost hundreds of millions annually, it states | A leaked internal New York State Department of Transportation document suggests that the state is not ready for an estimated increase of up to 1.5 million heavy truck trips per year that could result from natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The cost of the increased heavy traffic could result in the need for repairs and reconstruction ranging from $211 million to $378 million annually, the document states. (July 26, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
NYSEG sets record in heat wave | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com As temperatures soared last week, New York State Electric & Gas Corp. customers used a record amount of power trying to keep cool. NYSEG set a peak load record of 3,346 megawatts Thursday, when the mercury rose to higher than 100 degrees across the region, eclipsing the old record of 3,299 megawatts set Aug. 2, 2006. (July 26, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
New York Power Authority chief Richard Kessel resigns | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Richard Kessel, who has headed the state's largest public power utility since 2008, announced his resignation Tuesday, ending his rocky term as president effective Sept. 6. Kessel made the announcement at a New York Power Authority board meeting in Westchester County. The authority's chief operating officer, Gil Quiniones, will take over as interim leader while the state searches for a permanent replacement. The authority manages 17 public power-generating facilities across the state. (July 27, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. Department of Energy Prepares to Take the Floor in the Nation's 'Fracking' Debate - NYTimes.com When talking about his department's role in steering U.S. energy policy, Energy Secretary Steven Chu likes to recall its role in last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In an interview, Chu suggested his department will try to play a similar role in sorting out the entangled mess of misinformation and spin about the environmental impacts of gas drilling. (July 26, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Enviros say gas drilling rules still "lack teeth" | Innovation Trail Back when New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released 700 pages of its draft regulations on hydrofracking, state environmental advocates said they'd need some time to read up. This week they released their top ten list of concerns. (July 22, 2011)Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Hundreds demand Marcellus drilling moratorium in West Virginia - News - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports - MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Opponents of Marcellus shale gas drilling are demanding a moratorium on new West Virginia operations until tough laws are passed, enforcement is dramatically increased and water supplies are protected from overuse and pollution. The Joint Select Committee on Marcellus Shale is taking comments on how to better regulate the rapidly growing industry at three public hearings in northern West Virginia, where the industry is in overdrive. The second, held at the West Virginia University College of Law, drew a standing room-only crowd of hundreds Monday night. (July 25, 2011) - - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports - [more on Energy in our area]
EERE News: DOE and ASHRAE Sign Agreement to Improve Building Energy Standards The U.S. Department of Energy and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) today announced a new agreement to develop achievable and cost effective standards, jointly promote educational programs, and support one another's products and services. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) underscores the commitment between DOE and ASHRAE to improve building energy standards that reduce energy costs and carbon pollution nationwide. These concerted efforts help home and business owners save money on their annual utility bills, enhance our nation's energy security by reducing fossil fuel use, and strengthen America's position as a leader in energy-efficient building construction. (July 25, 2011) EERE: News Home Page [more on Energy in our area]
Pipeline Protest: The New Battleground Over Gas Drilling? | StateImpact Pennsylvania The Marcellus Shale natural gas boom has brought thousands of new wells, truck traffic, and water contamination to rural Pennsylvania in a short period of time. The industry also brings jobs and cash to an impoverished area of the state. Environmentalists want the drilling to stop, or at the very least, slow down. But they haven’t had much success. Now they’re targeting proposed gas pipelines. Thousands of miles of proposed pipelines could be the next battleground over gas drilling. (July 25, 2011) NPR StateImpact: Issues That Matter. Close To Home. [more on Energy in our area]
NYSEG and RG&E set records for customer power use - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — As the temperatures soared last week, New York State Electric & Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric set records for customer power use on Thursday, July 21. The companies reported NYSEG set a new peak load record of 3,346 megawatts (mw), eclipsing the old record of 3,299 mw set on Aug. 2, 2006. RG&E’s new peak load record is 1,752 mw, surpassing the old record of 1,744 mw set on Aug. 1, 2006. (July 25, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Power Line Policy Passed by Energy Regulatory Commission - NYTimes.com WASHINGTON — Federal regulators laid down principles on Thursday for planning and paying for new power lines, part of a long-term policy effort to help the nation’s electricity grid grow enough to meet the demands of renewable energy and a competitive electricity market. The rule, which has been in the works for several years, is intended to push the organizations that manage the grid into cooperating with one another, so that developers can build power lines across several states and multiple electrical jurisdictions. (July 21, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
NYSERDA provides funds for energy audits - Times Union ALBANY -- The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is making available $5.6 million to provide small businesses and nonprofits with audits to help them make energy improvements to buildings. The program will provide free energy audits for small businesses and nonprofits with an electric demand of 100 kilowatts or less. (July 22, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Policy to Reduce Cooling Water Intake Fish Kills by 90 Percent - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Power plants and other industrial facilities throughout the state will be required to use the Best Technology Available (BTA) to protect aquatic wildlife when seeking cooling water intake permits under a new policy finalized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today. A BTA determination is required in each State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit for industrial facilities operating a cooling water intake system. "Billions of fish are killed each year when they are caught up in the intake of cooling water for industrial processes," Commissioner Joe Martens said. "The policy we are implementing today will reduce fish kills by 90 percent while allowing flexibility for the industry to reach our goal of protecting aquatic wildlife." Throughout New York State, more than 16 billion gallons of water are permitted to be withdrawn each day for the purposes of industrial cooling. As a result, more than 17 billion fish of all life stages (eggs, larvae, juveniles and adults) are entrained or impinged annually. The policy outlines mitigation measures that facilities must implement in order to minimize impacts to fish and other aquatic organisms from the intake of billions of gallons of the state's surface waters. Implementation of this policy through the permitting process is anticipated to significantly reduce these losses of the state's aquatic resource. (July 20, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Wastewater from gas drilling being used for area road maintenance | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com Several New York municipalities -- including communities in Chemung, Broome and Tompkins counties -- are using contaminated wastewater from natural gas drilling operations as part of their road and highway maintenance programs, according to an Ithaca-based environmental activist. The state Department of Environmental Conservation sanctions the use of the wastewater, with restrictions, through a "beneficial use determination" program. (July 21, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Possible Indian Point Nuke Shutdown Heightens Economic Fears | SolveClimate News For more than half a century Indian Point has been a prime employer and tax-revenue generator in the Westchester County region of New York | Editor's Note: In this three-part series, SolveClimate News examines the feasibility of closing the Indian Point nuclear facility in Buchanan, N.Y. The plant, now up for relicensing, faces demands for a shutdown by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and many environmental groups. This is part three. (Read parts one and two.) (July 11, 2011) | SolveClimate News [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking at Drinking Water Source for 80,000 Pennsylvanians Raises Alarms | SolveClimate News Documents and interviews reveal that one Pa. water utility has already leased its watershed to gas drillers — and many others are being courted | Cynthia Walter, an ecologist at St. Vincent College outside Pittsburgh, gets a lot of emails from local wildlife enthusiasts asking about "this bird" or "that amphibian." But one day last year she got an uncommon request to inspect the forest cover around the Beaver Run Reservoir via Google Earth. The 1,300-acre lake is the main source of drinking water for 80,000 residents in southwestern Pennsylvania. It also rests atop the enormous Marcellus Shale gas reserve. (July 19, 2011) | SolveClimate News [more on Energy in our area]
EPA to stay ‘engaged’ in fracking issue, but New York is in the lead, says EPA official NEW YORK – The US Environmental Protection Agency is keeping a close eye on the issue of hydrofracking and will be commenting on it, but in the end, it will be up to the state as to how to regulate the process, EPA Regional Director Judith Enck told EmpireStateNews.Net. (July 18, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Gas-drilling companies hold leases on 30 percent of Finger Lakes | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com More than 65,000 acres in Ontario and Livingston counties were leased to natural gas exploration companies between 2005 and 2010, according to a report prepared by Citizens Campaign for the Environment. The two counties are part of eight in the Finger Lakes region surveyed by the group, which found a majority of natural gas exploration in Chemung, Steuben and Schuyler counties, where more than 300,000 acres were explored. (July 18, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking's impact on air quality concerns some | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Much of the debate about hydraulic fracturing has focused on the impact that the controversial method of natural gas extraction could have on water quality in upstate New York. Some say, though, that air quality is just as big a concern. Last week, an Albany environmental group focused attention on a citizen-driven study in two western states that found elevated levels of harmful chemicals in the air near gas wells and gas-handling facilities. (July 18, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
State Fracking Rules Could Allow Drilling Near New York City Water Supply Tunnels - ProPublica The latest draft of guidelines for hydraulic fracturing in New York could open the door to drilling within 1,000 feet of aging underground tunnels that carry water to New York City—a far cry from the seven-mile buffer once sought by city officials. The draft environmental impact statement, released last week by state officials [1], is a crucial step toward allowing high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in New York. The gas drilling technique was put on hold three years ago so the state could assess any environmental effects of the practice. (July 15, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Town of Caroline keeps fracking ban options open | Innovation Trail The Town of Caroline, near Ithaca, is keeping the option of a local ban on hydrofracking on the table, after a three-hour meeting on Tuesday about the issue. Alyson Martin reports at the Ithaca Journal that the vote of the town board was cast in biblical terms: (July 14, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
FEDS ACCEPT A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN’S PETITION TO ENFORCE FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS AT INDIAN POINT A.G. Seeks Federal Enforcement Against Indian Point For Dodging Basic Fire Protection Requirements Feds’ Rare Step Brings Indian Point Closer to Compliance With Critical Safety Rules [En Español] NEW YORK – The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman’s petition for fire safety enforcement action at Indian Point. The Attorney General filed the petition over Indian Point’s continued failure to comply with federal fire safety regulations established to keep plants secure in an emergency. As a result, the NRC will now consider action to compel Indian Point to meet the critical fire safety requirements – and action that could bolster fire safety enforcement at nuclear facilities across the country. (July 12, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
New York’s Rules for Hydrofracking Draw Objections - NYTimes.com Rules proposed recently by New York State for regulating a controversial form of natural gas drilling are drawing expressions of guarded optimism from the natural gas industry but objections from some environmentalists, who say they do not go far enough in protecting water supplies. (July 14, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Poll: Voters split over gas drilling report | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — New Yorkers are evenly split over a recent state report that spells out regulations to allow for controversial natural-gas drilling in the state, a Siena College poll released Thursday found. Forty-five percent of voters supported recommendations released July 1 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation to allow permits for hydraulic drilling operations under specific conditions. Forty-three percent opposed the report. That's well within the poll's margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. (July 15, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Closing Indian Point Plant Has Risks, Experts Warn - NYTimes.com Peculiarities of the electricity system in New York State, including its unusual independent status, would make it difficult and expensive to replace electricity from the Indian Point nuclear power plant if Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo succeeds in shutting it down, experts on the grid warn. (July 13, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
DEC chief defends plan for ‘fracking’ Says certain areas require protection | State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens says he doesn’t see a double standard in new natural gas drilling recommendations that would bar a controversial practice in parts of the state and not others. His department’s recommendations for regulating the natural gas drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing would bar the practice in the Syracuse and New York City watersheds, but would open about 85 percent of the gas-rich Marcellus Shale region to drillers. (July 13, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
DEVELOPMENT: Legal test looms for fracking bans - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Zoning and other land-use laws are valuable tools for communities. They can be used to control growth, separate incompatible activities, and even squeeze out or prohibit some uses. That last function may set the stage for one of the next battles over hydraulic fracturing in New York. Some communities in the state - the Town of Dryden in Tompkins County, for example - have passed local laws ban fracking within their limits. Others are considering them. (July 13, 2011) [more on Energy in our area]
Analysis: Study warns of leak risks of Canada-U.S. oil pipe (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp, a company that hopes to build a $7 billion pipeline to take crude from Canada's oil sands to Texas, has underestimated the number and volume of leaks that could occur on the duct and hurt water supplies, an analysis released on Monday said. The independent analysis by a water resources engineer at the University of Nebraska was released by the environmental group Friends of the Earth, which has helped mount a fierce campaign hoping to convince the Obama administration to turn down the pipeline in a decision expected later this year. (July 11, 2011) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Report on Recommendations for Permitting of Hydraulic Fracturing Now Online - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The 2011 draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for high-volume hydraulic fracturing is now available on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's website. A link to the draft SGEIS webpage can also be found on DEC's homepage. All news organizations that posted the July 1 version of the draft SGEIS to the web should remove that version and replace it with the version released today and now available on DEC's website. (July 8, 2011) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Auburn to ban wastewater from gas drillers - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Auburn, N.Y. — The city of Auburn is banning natural gas-drilling wastewater from its treatment plant. City councilors voted Thursday to stop the city’s practice of accepting the chemical-laced wastewater from hydraulic fracturing of gas wells. The city has been under pressure from the Cayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance to enact the ban. Environmental groups say the wastewater poses a threat to water supplies. They say it contains high concentrations of salt and cancer-causing petroleum agents that the city’s treatment plant isn’t equipped to remove. (July 8, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Steve Sink: There are compelling reasons to tap the Marcellus Shale | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Environmental groups are anxious about the impact that drilling for natural gas will have on New York State. Meanwhile, from Binghamton west to Elmira, 15,000 people who would like to be employed aren't. Who will prevail in the battle over hydraulic fracturing, the controversial drilling technique used to extract natural gas from deep below the surface? Will it be the environmentalists or will it be those eager for economic growth in parts of New York like the Southern Tier, where growth has been elusive? (July 10, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking backlash hits Albany | Innovation Trail A coalition of nearly 50 organizations is pressing governor Andrew Cuomo to issue a statewide ban on the most controversial type of natural gas drilling, hydrofracking. More than 100 protestors joined in on a rally at the capitol this morning and accused the DEC and the governor of favoring New Yorkers who live in the Syracuse and New York City watersheds, and putting public health at risk (July 7, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
DEC: Fracking on private land OK - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The Department of Environmental Conservation says the state should allow high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing on private land, but with restrictions. | The DEC's recommendations accompany a revised draft environmental statement, which analyzes the technique's potential environmental impacts and lays out ways to mitigate harm. The public will have 60 days to comment on the document, beginning in August, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens said during a press conference last week. (July 5, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
NYC, Syracuse watershed exemptions enter fracking fight | Innovation Trail The experts are still poring over the details of the DEC's proposed rules for fracking - a process that injects water and chemicals at high pressure to free natural gas from deep underground. But the state environmental agency did announce big plans to keep fracking out of the watersheds that supply drinking water to New York City and Syracuse. (July 6, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
DEC boss foresees fracking lawsuits | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com BINGHAMTON — While the state will try to make sure that new natural gas wells in the Marcellus Shale adhere to local laws and zoning ordinances, disputes between municipalities and gas companies will likely be resolved in court, the state's top environmental regulator said Wednesday. Joseph Martens, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, touted his office's review of high-volume hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. The report was released last week and is a step toward allowing the controversial gas-drilling technique in New York. (July 7, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
What Went Wrong In Fukushima: The Human Factor : NPR Japanese officials are still trying to understand all the factors that contributed to the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Officials already have concluded that the plant was not designed to withstand the 40-foot tsunami that hit it on March 11. But it is also likely that workers at the plant could have reduced the severity of the accident if they had made different decisions during the crisis. (July 5, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Groups pore over proposed fracking rules | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — A late Friday release from the state Department of Environmental Conservation provided some holiday reading material for advocates: 736 pages of proposed regulations to mitigate the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing. Now, with environmental and industry groups continuing to analyze the dense contents of the state's review of the natural gas extraction technique, questions have begun to surface. (July 6, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Horizontal drilling skirts some DEC proposed rules | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com Despite the threat of stipulations that would exclude large swaths of Southern Tier land from surface-level gas extraction activity, area drilling advocates gave a near-unanimous nod of approval to the proposed statewide regulations for high-volume hydraulic fracturing released this week. The draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, issued by the state Department of Environmental Conservation following a lengthy review process, would limit the drilling activity near aquifers, municipal water supplies and private water wells that punctuate the landscape above New York's portion of the energy-rich Marcellus Shale formation. (July 1, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Panel to get drill rules - Times Union ALBANY -- Drilling permits for natural gas hydrofracking could go out as early as this winter under proposed state regulations revealed Friday by Environmental Commissioner Joseph Martens. Draft drilling rules for the gas-rich Marcellus Shale will get a look from a special advisory panel to offer ideas on how the state can regulate shale gas drilling to avoid the problems faced by states where the technique is already in use. (July 2, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
DEC outlines new fracking rules | Innovation Trail New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens appeared this morning to share outlines of a new plan to regulate hydrofracking in New York State. In hydrofracking, a mix of water, sand and chemicals is pumped underground at high pressure to break up rock layers. Natural gas seeps through the cracks and is captured. (July 1, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: New York State to Allow Hydro Fracking (2011-06-30) ALBANY, NEW YORK (WXXI) - Governor Andrew Cuomo's Environmental Commissioner says New York will allow the natural gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, to proceed with some limitations. In a statement, Cuomo's Department of Environmental Conservation says the process known as hydro fracking will eventually be allowed on private lands in New York, following the proper environmental review process, and with "rigorous and effective controls". Fracking will not be permitted in the New York City and Syracuse watershed areas, or within 500 feet of all other primary aquifers. It would also be banned on state lands, including the Adirondack and Catskill parks. (July 1, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Commissioner Appoints Members to Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens today announced the members of the High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel that will be charged with: developing recommendations to ensure DEC and other agencies are enabled to properly oversee, monitor and enforce high-volume hydraulic fracturing activities; developing recommendations to avoid and mitigate impacts to local governments and communities; and evaluating the current fee structure and other revenue streams to fund government oversight and infrastructure related to high-volume hydraulic fracturing. "I want to thank the panel members for agreeing to participate," Martens said. "The guidance they will provide will be invaluable as we move forward with this process." (July 1, 2011) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Proposal would allow 'fracking' in state - News - The Buffalo News Recommendations spare public land, watersheds | The state is opening the door to a surge in natural gas drilling with the end of a moratorium across much of upstate New York on a controversial method called hydraulic fracturing to extract large volumes of natural gas from shale. The state Department of Environmental Conservation said Thursday it will release new recommendations today on the horizontal drilling version of the technique, which uses millions of gallons of water, treated with sand and chemicals, under high pressure to unlock natural gas trapped in shale thousands of feet below ground. (July 1, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo Will Seek to Lift Drilling Ban - NYTimes.com The Cuomo administration is seeking to lift what has effectively been a moratorium in New York State on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial technique used to extract natural gas from shale, state environmental regulators said on Thursday. (June 30, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
DEC says fracking can be done safely | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Can hydraulic fracturing be used to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale beneath New York without major damage to the environment? The commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation said Friday that he thinks it can. Industry officials, land owners and many business interests have long maintained it could be a major economic boost. (July 02,2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking confusion | 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle It’s been an afternoon of confusion about the fate of high-volume hydraulic fracturing here in the Empire State. To no small degree I think this may be due to confusion on the part of reporters on a certain fog-shrouded eastern isle. Be that as it may, things are happening with fracking. But what? Here’s my best guess, based on vague rumblings and common sense: (June 30, 2011) 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
New Recommendations On Hydrofracking | Local News - ROCHESTER'S NEWS LEADER NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM New York environmental officials have proposed a ban on drilling for natural gas with hydraulic fracturing in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds and on all state-owned lands. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York environmental officials have proposed a ban on drilling for natural gas with hydraulic fracturing in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds and on all state-owned lands. They'd permit it on private land only under "rigorous and effective controls" codified into state law. The Department of Environmental Conservation will give its revised recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday, the same day an executive order prohibiting "hydrofracking" expires. The agency released details of the major revisions Thursday afternoon. (June 30, 2011) WHAM-AM - ROCHESTER'S NEWS LEADER NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM [more on Energy in our area]
Oil and Gas Drilling Surges Despite Increased Oversight - ProPublica Energy companies have spent the last couple of years fighting off added government regulation, saying red tape is slowing development. But recent data show that the pace of drilling is just short of the 20-year high it reached before the recession. Gas drilling has dropped off as the price of natural gas has stayed low, but high oil prices (and the widening price gap between oil and gas) have spurred enough oil drilling to more than make up the difference. (June 30, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
NY may ban gas drilling in watersheds, state land - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Albany, N.Y. — New York environmental officials have proposed a ban on drilling for natural gas with hydraulic fracturing in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds and on all state-owned lands. They’d permit it on private land only under “rigorous and effective controls” codified into state law. The Department of Environmental Conservation will give its revised recommendations to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday, the same day an executive order prohibiting “hydrofracking” expires. The agency released details of the major revisions Thursday afternoon. (June 30, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Ogden offering free rabies clinic | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The Brockport Animal Hospital and the Monroe County Department of Health are hosting a free rabies clinic from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Spencerport Fire Station 3, 2588 S. Union St. (July 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Rabies in our area]
DEC issues proposed hydraulic fracturing rules | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — In a surprise move Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a long-awaited summary of major, sweeping changes to its review of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, a day before a full 900-page report is due to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The new recommendations include an outright ban of high-volume hydrofracking in the Syracuse and New York City watersheds and also would prohibit drilling on the surface of state-owned land. (July 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
City Explores Water Turbines for Electricity - RochesterHomePage.net The City of Rochester is working to see if it can harness electricity from the Johnson Seymour Mill Race. It runs alongside the Genesee River in downtown and diverts water around the Court Street Dam in downtown. Now the city wants to see if that raceway should be fitted with hydrokinetic generators - or underwater turbines. (June 30, 2011) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
EERE News: Department of Energy Awards Nearly $7.5 Million to Help Develop Next Generation Wind Turbines U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that six projects in four states—California, Colorado, Florida, and New York—have been selected to receive nearly $7.5 million over two years to advance next-generation designs for wind turbine drivetrains. Drivetrains, which include a turbine's gearbox and generator, are at the heart of the turbine and are responsible for producing electricity from the rotation of the blades. The advances in drivetrain technologies and configurations supported through these research and development projects will help the United States maintain its position as a global leader in wind energy technologies, support thousands of American manufacturing, construction and planning jobs in a key renewable energy market, and reduce the cost of wind energy in the future. The projects selected today will also help promote and accelerate the deployment of advanced turbines for offshore wind energy in the United States (June 28, 2011) Department of Energy [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking report might miss deadline | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The state's environmental impact statement about hydraulic fracturing for natural gas might not be completed by Friday's deadline. The Department of Environmental Conservation had been ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office to finish a revised draft of the impact statement by July 1. But DEC Commissioner Joseph Martens said Tuesday his office might not be finished by then. (June 29, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Pollution found in Pa. wells near site of blowout | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Federal environmental officials say that testing has revealed contamination in three private water wells following an April blowout at a Pennsylvania natural gas drilling site. Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Roy Seneca said Friday that EPA took water samples from seven private water wells near the Chesapeake Energy Corp. drilling site near Canton in in northeastern Pennsylvania's Bradford County. (June 28, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Ask a trail guide: Should frackers pay to insure against spills? | Innovation Trail New York has yet to lift its temporary moratorium on the most controversial method of natural gas drilling - horizontal hydraulic fracturing (or hydrofracking). But if hydrofracking is eventually allowed here, how will the state make sure that drillers, not taxpayers, cover the costs of environmental cleanups? (June 23, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Gas Leases Impact Home Lending (2011-06-21) SYRACUSE, NY (WXXI) - Gas companies still have to wait to drill in the Marcellus Shale until the state finishes writing drilling rules. But local banks say they're already restricted from issuing mortgage or home equity loans on some properties leased for drilling. That's because protections for landowners may not always be in the contracts. If you own a piece of land free and clear, you own rights to use the surface. You also own what are called the mineral rights - the coal, the gas, the gravel that might be in the ground. "In theory it goes up to the heavens and down to the center of the earth," explains Chris Denton, an attorney. (June 21, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
SEC Loosening of Rule Let Natural Gas Firms Recalculate Reserves, Potential Profits - ProPublica Natural gas has been widely promoted across the political spectrum as a key to solving U.S. energy problems. “The potential for natural gas is enormous,” President Obama said [1] recently, referencing an estimate that the United States has enough gas to supply the country for more than a century [2]. That’s a contention that’s being challenged by a series [3] of New York Times articles [4] over the past few days that show some U.S. Energy Department officials [5] and energy market analysts [6] questioning whether the much-ballyhooed “natural gas boom” is overhyped, or even a “giant Ponzi scheme [7].” Emails from officials and industry analysts show them raising concerns about exaggerated estimates of gas reserves making the natural gas business appear more profitable than it really is. (Check out the emails [8].) According to the Times, the industry’s estimates for how well it will produce gas are based on “limited data and a certain amount of guesswork.” (June 27, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Anti-fracking groups come together for rally in Ithaca | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com Most of the vehicles that filled the parking lot in front of the Campus Center on Ithaca College's campus had one thing in common: bumper stickers. Many cars had a small black sticker that said FRACK in white letters with a red slash through it. Another read, "Hydrofracking is immoral: Thou shalt not poison thy neighbor's water and air." One read, "Stop Marcellus Shale. Fracking = poison water." (June 25, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking and Water: E.P.A. Zeroes In on 7 Sites - NYTimes.com The Environmental Protection Agency has chosen seven natural gas drilling sites where it will conduct case studies to evaluate the impact of hydraulic fracturing on local drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves freeing of natural gas trapped in shale rock by injecting copious amounts of water at very high pressure. It has become increasingly controversial as companies have turned to drilling horizontally at significant depths. Communities fear that this form of drilling may cause serious environmental damage, particularly if the chemicals enter the drinking water supply. Yet companies, arguing that natural gas is a cleaner energy source than coal, are eager to tap these bountiful underground reserves. (June 23, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Insiders Sound an Alarm Amid a Natural Gas Rush - NYTimes.com Natural gas companies have been placing enormous bets on the wells they are drilling, saying they will deliver big profits and provide a vast new source of energy for the United States. (June 25, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Behind Veneer, Doubt on Future of Natural Gas - NYTimes.com Energy companies have worked hard to promote the idea that natural gas is the fossil fuel of tomorrow, and they have found reliable allies among policy makers in Washington. (June 26, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Fracking Study to Focus on Five States – But Not Wyoming - ProPublica The Environmental Protection Agency will focus its national study of hydraulic fracturing on seven areas in five states, but will exclude the two Wyoming gas fields where agency researchers have already collected some of the most in-depth data on drilling's environmental impacts. (June 24, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Hydro-powered Library One Step Closer to Reality (2011-06-23) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Rochester's central library is one step closer to being powered by an old, 19th century millrace. As the WXXI Innovation Trail's Zack Seward explains, the city wants to use river water to help keep the lights on. According to Rochester City Engineer Jim McIntosh, the easiest way to conceptualize a hydrokinetic turbine, is to think of a partially submerged windmill. (June 23, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Senate Passes Legislation to Help Homeowners With "Green" Upgrades - RochesterHomePage.net For a while, the state has been helping homeowners make "green" improvements by offering low interest loans. But now, a new bill makes it easier to pay the money back and one local contractor thinks this will open up the door for a lot more people to make upgrades. Damian Hodkinson owns True Energy Solutions. We caught up with his crew last December when they were making energy upgrades to a home in Rochester. (June 23, 2011) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking and Water: E.P.A. Zeroes In on 7 Sites - NYTimes.com The Environmental Protection Agency has chosen seven natural gas drilling sites where it will conduct case studies to evaluate the impact of hydraulic fracturing on local drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves freeing of natural gas trapped in shale rock by injecting copious amounts of water at very high pressure. It has become increasingly controversial as companies have turned to drilling horizontally at significant depths. Communities fear that this form of drilling may cause serious environmental damage, particularly if the chemicals enter the drinking water supply. Yet companies, arguing that natural gas is a cleaner energy source than coal, are eager to tap these bountiful underground reserves. (June 23, 2011) Power NY Act Promises Thousands of Jobs and Help for Homeowners [more on Energy in our area]
Power NY Act Promises Thousands of Jobs and Help for Homeowners NEW YORK - Lawmakers have passed a measure that promises to help New York residents improve their homes' energy efficiency while also creating thousands of new construction jobs. The "Power NY Act of 2011" will allow tens of thousands of New Yorkers to access funding for energy efficiency improvements which will save money on their utility bills, says Emmaia Gelman, green-economies strategist at the Center for Working Families Those upgrades, she says, also will put thousands of New Yorkers to work in construction jobs that can't be outsourced. (June 24, 2011) [more on Energy in our area]
EERE News: Department of Energy Commits Support for Landmark Rooftop Solar Project Largest Rooftop Project in U.S. History Will Enable Wide Distribution of Solar Power Across Country While Creating at Least a Thousand Jobs June 22, 2011 U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the offer of a conditional commitment to provide a partial guarantee for a $1.4 billion loan to support Project Amp. This project will support the installation of solar panels on industrial buildings across the country, with the electricity generated from those panels contributing directly to the electrical grid, as opposed to powering the buildings where they are installed. Supported by funding from the Recovery Act, the solar generation project includes the installation of approximately 733 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, which is nearly equal to the total amount of PV installed in the U.S. in 2010. The project sponsor estimates Project Amp will create at least one thousand jobs over a four year period. (June 22, 2011) Department of Energy - Homepage [more on Energy in our area]
Bill allows new power plants to be built in NY - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow ALBANY, N.Y. — New York state will have a streamlined process to get new and improved power plants approved and homeowners will have an easier way to pay for energy-saving home improvements under a bill passed by the Legislature on Thursday. The “Power NY Act,” supported by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, creates a new power plant permitting law with a seven-member panel to oversee and fast-track the development of power-generating facilities in the state. (June 24, 2011) Energy Rochester |Alternative & Traditional Energy | RochesterEnvironment.com [more on Energy in our area]
State to get new law on power plants | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — After not having a law on the books since 2003, New York is poised to establish a new power plant siting law and create a panel to oversee the development of generating facilities in the state. The bill, called the Power New York Act, was part of a flurry of legislation moving toward approval at the end of the legislative session Wednesday night. In a rare accord, environmentalists and business groups hailed the new measure. The legislation is tied to a new provision in the state's Green Jobs program that would allow homeowners to finance energy improvements through their local utility bill. (June 23, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Weekend boasts competing natural gas events | Innovation Trail A business expo about the Marcellus Shale kicks off at the end of the week, reports the Elmira Star-Gazette, including talks like "The Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Resource - A Real Game Changer for Pennsylvania." Its competition: the "EPIC No Frack Event," featuring dozens of speakers, several films, and concerts geared to building grassroots opposition to hydraulic fracturing. (June 21, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Gas Leases Impact Home Lending (2011-06-21) SYRACUSE, NY (WXXI) - Gas companies still have to wait to drill in the Marcellus Shale until the state finishes writing drilling rules. But local banks say they're already restricted from issuing mortgage or home equity loans on some properties leased for drilling. That's because protections for landowners may not always be in the contracts. (June 21, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Tunnel will increase Canada's power generation capacity - Business - The Buffalo News Four hundred and sixty feet beneath Niagara Falls, Ont., the place bustles like the tourist town above. Lights and dust conceal the time of day for 400 workers who have spent five years boring and cementing the 6-mile Niagara Tunnel from the Sir Adam Beck Reservoir to above Niagara Falls. The 47-foot diameter tunnel, about as tall as a four-story building, has a single-lane road carrying workers, cement and rocks back and forth 24 hours a day. (June 20, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Critics Find Gaps in State Laws to Disclose Hydrofracking Chemicals - ProPublica Over the past year, five states have begun requiring energy companies to disclose some of the chemicals they pump into the ground to extract oil and gas using the process of hydraulic fracturing. While state regulators and the drilling industry say the rules should help resolve concerns about the safety of drilling, critics and some toxicologists say the requirements fall short of what’s needed to fully understand the risks to public health and the environment. (June 20, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards - The Washington Post LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Time after time, officials at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission have decided that original regulations were too strict, arguing that safety margins could be eased without peril, according to records and interviews. (June 20, 2011) The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post [more on Energy in our area]
'Fracking' Disclosure to Rise - WSJ.com Gas Drillers Begin Supporting Laws Requiring Them to List Chemicals They Use | The natural-gas industry, bowing to longtime pressure, will disclose more information about the chemicals it uses in the controversial process of hydraulic fracturing. (June 20, 2011) Business News, Finance News, World, Political & Sports News from The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [More in Energy in our area]
Ohio taking in flood of Pennsylvania brine for disposal | The Columbus Dispatch Much more toxic wastewater entering state, despite fee hike | Millions of barrels of salty, toxic wastewater from natural-gas wells in Pennsylvania are coming into Ohio despite efforts to keep it at bay. In June 2010, Ohio quadrupled the fees that out-of-state haulers must pay to dump brine into 170 disposal wells. Ohio officials thought that raising the fees to 20 cents per barrel from 5 cents would help keep the brine in Pennsylvania, where drilling has exploded since the discovery of huge gas deposits deep in Marcellus shale. Ohio wants to keep its injection wells open for Ohio brine, which also might explode in volume if the state's own shale begins to give up natural gas. (June 19, 2011) Central Ohio News, Sports, Arts & Classifieds | The Columbus Dispatch [more on Energy in our area]
Ohio Senate passes bill allowing oil, gas drilling in state-owned lands - Toledo Blade COLUMBUS — A bill allowing drilling for oil and natural gas in parks, forests, and other state-owned lands passed the Ohio Senate Wednesday after the chamber again rejected an attempt to place Lake Erie off limits. In separate action, the Senate voted 25-7 to forward to Gov. John Kasich a bill that would allow the carrying of concealed handguns into bars, night clubs, and alcohol-serving restaurants. The drilling bill, however, must return to the House for approval of changes made in the upper chamber. “There’s close to half a billion dollars — half a billion dollars — in unmet capital needs in our state parks…,’’ said Sen. Keith Faber (R., Celina). “The reality is that around almost all of the state parks where oil and gas drilling is contemplated, there is already drilling, and some of that drilling is taking the gas that is under our state parks. (June 15, 2011) Home - Toledo Blade [more on Energy in our area]
Rules fail to weigh nuclear grid risks - Times Union ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday. (June 16, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chief Blasts Agency’s Approach to Fire Safety - ProPublica In a forceful critique of his agency’s approach toward fire safety, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission declared that the policy of not enforcing most fire code violations at dozens of nuclear plants is “unacceptable” and has tied the hands of NRC inspectors. The written comments by NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko [1], released last week, were made as the commission voted in late May to continue a policy of citing only the most serious fire violations at 44 of the nation’s 101 reactors that are in the process of updating fire plans, and to address old hazards. (June 15, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Hydrofracking Debate Takes On Dumped "Drill Cuttings" (2011-06-14) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - The latest showdown over hydrofracking in New York's Southern Tier is over the issue of so-called "drill cuttings." As the WXXI Innovation Trail's Zack Seward reports, some say they're dangerously radioactive, while some say they're safe. Drill cuttings are basically the piles of earthen waste that gas drillers remove as they dig out new wells. Ultimately the cuttings end up in landfills, and Steuben County's publicly operated landfill is on track to be one of them. (June 14, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
US Dept. of Energy to hold meeting on frackingPITTSBURGH — A U.S. Department of Energy hearing on fracking in Pennsylvania is expected to draw numerous supporters and protesters of the practice Monday night. Members of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board will be at the meeting on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., from 7-9 p.m. to garner detail, reaction and comments about hydraulic fracking, or fracking, which breaks up the shale and frees natural gas. (June 13 2011) NY Daily Record [more on Energy in our area]
Oswego County Legislature hires appraiser for nuclear plants | syracuse.com Oswego, NY -- The Oswego County Legislature Thursday night hired George E. Sansoucy of New Hampshire to do appraisals on Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2. Sansoucy, who also did previous appraisals on the nuclear plants, will be paid $25,000. He also will provide consulting on an as-needed basis after the appraisals are completed. (June 9, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
In Fukushima Nuclear Plant Crisis, Crippling Mistrust - NYTimes.com TOKYO — On the evening of March 12, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s oldest reactor had suffered a hydrogen explosion and risked a complete meltdown. Prime Minister Naoto Kan asked aides to weigh the risks of injecting seawater into the reactor to cool it down. (June 12, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale drilling process pumps water underground, never to return | PennLive.com Drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale uses millions of gallons of water at each well. The water is mixed with sand and chemicals and pumped deep into the ground at very high pressure to fracture the rock and release the natural gas. Most of it never returns. While many have focused on the degree to which that “fracking” process threatens to pollute drinking water supplies, Jeff Schmidt, director of the Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club, recently raised a different concern. (June 10, 2011) Central PA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - PennLive.com [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling group offers paid trip to energy hearing SCRANTON, Pa. — A natural gas industry group is offering an all-expenses paid trip to pro-drilling landowners in the Northeast’s Marcellus Shale to get them to attend a public meeting by the U.S. Department of Energy on the issue of hydraulic fracturing, a newspaper reported Friday. A consultant for Energy In Depth, a public-relations group formed in 2009 to promote natural gas drilling and respond to criticism of the gas industry, emailed supporters in northeastern Pennsylvania and central New York, offering transportation, meals and lodging to the hearing outside Pittsburgh, according to The Times-Tribune of Scranton. (June 10, 2011) NY Daily Record [more on Energy in our area]
Electrical Fire Knocks Out Spent Fuel Cooling at Nebraska Nuke Plant - ProPublica A fire [1] in an electrical switch room on Tuesday briefly knocked out cooling for a pool holding spent nuclear fuel at the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant [2] outside Omaha, Neb., plant officials said. The safety of deep pools used to store used radioactive fuel at nuclear plants has been an issue since the accident at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant in March. If the cooling water a pool is lost, the used nuclear fuel could catch fire and release radiation. As ProPublica reported earlier, fire safety is a continuing concern [3] at the country's 104 commercial reactors, as is the volume of spent fuel [4] piling up at plants. (June 9, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
NY to Clinton: Stop Canadian Tar Sands Pipeline ALBANY, N.Y. - Concerned citizens' groups in New York have joined with others in the Northeast to call on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to reject construction of a pipeline carrying tar sands from Canada. The thick crude oil, originating in distant Alberta, was of little use until oil prices rose and new technology was found to extract and refine it. The planned pipeline, known as Keystone X-L, would cross the border in Montana and run to Texas refineries. The fuels, considered "dirty" by critics, would ultimately impact New York, according to Joe Mendelson, director of global-warming policy at the National Wildlife Federation. (June8, 2011) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking disclosure proposal gets strong investor support, says comptroller NEW YORK - State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s shareholder resolution seeking greater disclosure of the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) garnered support from investors at Carrizo Oil’s annual meeting last week. The resolution received 43.7 percent of the vote, according to a company filing released today. DiNapoli filed the resolution as trustee of the $140.6 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), which owns 324,994 Carrizo shares worth an estimated $11.1 million. (June 7, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna’s latest post-Fukushima safety update | 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle In the latest update on post-Fukushima nuclear plant safety reviews in the United States, federal officials have issued a scorecard indicating many plants need to brush up on their extreme-emergency plans. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it intiated a series of checks after the catastrophic accident in March at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex in Japan. It is reporting this afternoon that only 42 percent of U.S. plants regularly review and revise their mandatory “Severe Accident Management Guidelines” and only 61 percent regularly include the guidelines in employee drills. (June 6, 2011) Ginna’s latest post-Fukushima safety update | 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Explainer: When could hydrofracking actually begin? | Innovation Trail The saga of New York’s complicated relationship with natural gas drilling continues this week in Albany, as the Assembly takes steps to put off drilling for another year. The key issue in the Marcellus Shale debate is the controversial drilling technique called horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which pumps pressurized water and chemicals into the ground. (June 6, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
NY Assembly eyes ’hydrofracking’ moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York Assembly’s Democratic leadership is pressing for a one-year moratorium on so-called “hydrofracking” for natural gas to further study the environmental impact of the deep drilling, especially on drinking water. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, says his chamber will vote to postpone issuing state permits for new hydraulic fracturing until June 1, 2012. (May 7, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling symposium serves as anti-fracking rally warm-up act | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com BINGHAMTON -- Anti-hydraulic fracturing activists gathered Saturday for a symposium to discuss the possible dangers of natural gas drilling. The discussion was a warm-up act of sorts for Sunday's anti-fracking rally that will feature eight local bands, including Yolk, Thousands of One, Driftwood playing from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Binghamton's Recreation Park. (June 4, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
New York Republican Congressman Tom Read had an editorial in the Ithaca Journal yesterday arguing that the state's investment in natural gas development through the pension fund is an rightful endorsement of the value of natural gas, saying it's "an investment in all of us:" (June 3, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo wants hydrofracking drilling report by July | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — A recent directive from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office to expand the state's ongoing review of natural-gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing drew praise from environmental groups and some lawmakers. But it was the very last line of that directive that left some of them a bit miffed. (June 6, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo announces millions in clean energy investments | Innovation Trail Governor Andrew Cuomo announced millions of dollars in state investments to clean energy today. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) have awarded $191 million to help power 17 renewable energy projects across the state, including: Four wind farms Four hydroelectric projects Seven landfill gas-to-electricity sites Two anaerobic digesters, located at dairy farms (June 2, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Lawsuit calls for full environmental review of hydrofracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — An environmentalist and Canandaigua Lake watershed educator says the state attorney general’s litigation to seek a full environmental review of the hydraulic fracturing process is an important step. “The more we delve into this and get information, the better,” said Nadia Harvieux. “Further inquiry and study can only help us make informed decisions as we move forward.” (June 2, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN TO SUE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TODAY FOR FAILURE TO STUDY “FRACKING” Demand For Fracking Study In Delaware River Basin Ignored – Even Though Drilling Would Affect NY Watershed And Portions Of 8 New York Counties Feds Abandon Legally Required Responsibility To Assess Environmental & Public Health Impacts Of Natural Gas Drilling Schneiderman: Feds Have An Obligation To Protect Public Health & Safety - We Will Force Them To Do So [En Español] NEW YORK - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced he will file a lawsuit today against the federal government for its failure to commit to a full environmental review of proposed regulations that would allow natural gas drilling – including the potentially harmful "fracking" technique – in the Delaware River Basin. Last month, the Attorney General notified the federal government that if it did not commit to conducting an environmental review before the regulations authorizing gas drilling are finalized, he would take legal action to compel such a study. “Before any decisions on drilling are made, it is our responsibility to follow the facts and understand the public health and safety effects posed by potential natural gas development,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “The federal government has an obligation to undertake the necessary studies, and as I made clear last month, this office will compel it to do so. The welfare of those living near the Delaware River Basin, as well as the millions of New Yorkers who rely on its pure drinking water each day, will not be ignored.” (May 31, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
NY attorney general suing feds over gas drilling - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow ALBANY, N.Y. — The federal government should conduct a full environmental review that weighs potential damage to the welfare of people in the Delaware River watershed and the drinking water quality for millions of New Yorkers before allowing natural gas drilling in the region, the state’s attorney general said in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. Eric Schneiderman said in the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn that the Delaware River Basin Commission, with approval of federal agencies, proposed regulations without doing a full review as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. (June 1, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
New York state sues over hydrofracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a handful of federal agencies to force a full study of the environmental impact of natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the Delaware River Basin. The river basin includes a significant chunk of the New York City watershed. Schneiderman contends the government is obligated under the National Environmental Policy Act to undertake a study because several federal agencies are part of the Delaware River Basin Commission (June 1, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo's office expands fracking review, sets July 1 end date | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com ALBANY -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has ordered an expansion of the state's ongoing review of hydraulic fracturing after a natural gas well blowout in April sent chemical-laced water into a Pennsylvania creek, according to an internal memo sent this week. In the memo sent Friday to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens, Director of State Operations Howard Glaser ordered the department to complete an on-site inspection of the Bradford County, Pa. gas well, and to include any information from the site in the DEC's environmental review of hydrofracking. (May 29, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
DEC to probe gas well blowout in Pa. | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has ordered an expansion of the state's ongoing review of hydraulic fracturing after a natural gas well blowout in April sent chemical-laced water into a Pennsylvania creek, according to an internal memo sent this week. In the memo sent Friday to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens, Director of State Operations Howard Glaser ordered the department to complete an on-site inspection of the Bradford County, Pa., gas well, and to include any information from the site in the DEC's environmental review of hydrofracking. (May 29, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Legislation would make hydrofracking a local decision - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York State Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, announced Wednesday that he is co-sponsoring legislation that would give local governments veto power through zoning to choose whether they want to allow natural gas drilling in their communities. Several local governments have already approved or are considering legislation to prohibit natural gas drilling such as the use of hydraulic fracturing. The state legislation would clarify the law about how local zoning ordinances can affect drilling to avoid potentially costly and time-consuming litigation, according to Seward. (May 26, 2011) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Gas lease deal sealed in Broome County | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com WINDSOR — After a brief hiccup, a group of 40 Windsor, Broome County, landowners and a Denver-based energy company have finalized the area's largest gas lease deal in more than a year. The $8.25 million lease agreement for drilling rights on 3,000 acres of land was struck in January, but became snared when Inflection Energy asked an Albany-based lawyer to review the legal documents before the company signed off on them. (May 26, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Spent Reactor Fuel Risk Greater in U.S. Than in Japan, Study Says - NYTimes.com WASHINGTON — The threat of a catastrophic release of radioactive materials from a spent fuel pool at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi plant is dwarfed by the risk posed by such pools in the United States, which are typically filled with far more radioactive material, according to a study released on Tuesday by a nonprofit institute. (May 24, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking moratorium bill moves forward ALBANY – With a temporary ban on new permits for hydraulic fracturing in New York set to expire on June 1, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) has introduced legislation to extend the moratorium until June 1, 2012. (May 23, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Underground Gas Storage? Finger Lakes Business Owners Say No (2011-05-19) A group of Finger Lakes business owners is rallying opposition to a proposed energy project near the south end of Seneca Lake. As the WXXI Innovation Trail's Zack Seward reports, the project calls for storing liquefied petroleum gas in underground salt caverns. As part of the group known as Gas Free Seneca, Lou Damiani has been circulating petitions against the proposed storage facility. (May 19, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
$111M RG&E upgrade occurring in Genesee River gorge | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com In the lowest level of Station 5, hand-laid walls of beautiful cut stone bring to mind the foundation of an old farmhouse, or a musty catacomb. Nearby hangs a collection of huge wrenches, once used to tighten giant bolts but now, tarnished by time, serving only as a reminder that Station 5, a hydroelectric generating plant hidden away in the Genesee River gorge, has been around a very long time. (May 23, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Forced Pooling: When Landowners Can’t Say No to Drilling - ProPublica As the shale gas boom sweeps across the United States, drillers are turning to a controversial legal tool called forced pooling to gain access to minerals beneath private property--in many cases, without the landowners' permission. Forced pooling is common in many established oil and gas states, but its use has grown more contentious as concerns rise about drilling safety and homeowners in areas with little drilling history struggle to understand the obscurities of mineral laws. (May 19, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
05/17/2011: EPA Releases More Electric Utility Plans to Improve Safety of Coal Ash Impoundments WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing action plans developed by 20 electric utility facilities with 70 coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. The action plans are a response to EPA’s final assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public last May. Coal ash was brought prominently to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed coal ash waste generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority failed, creating a massive spill in Kingston, Tennessee, that released more than 5 million cubic yards of coal ash to the surrounding area and is regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in history. Shortly afterwards, EPA began overseeing the cleanup, as well as investigating the structural integrity of impoundments where coal ash waste is stored. (May 18, 2011) Energy Rochester |Alternative & Traditional Energy | RochesterEnvironment.com [more on Energy in our area]
Gas Drilling Companies Hold Data Needed by Researchers to Assess Risk to Water Quality - ProPublica For years the natural gas drilling industry has decried the lack of data that could prove—or disprove—that drilling can cause drinking water contamination. Only baseline data, they said, could show without a doubt that water was clean before drilling began. The absence of baseline data was one of the most serious criticisms leveled at a group of Duke researchers last week when they published the first peer-reviewed study linking drilling to methane contamination in water supplies. (May 17, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
State is split over use of fracking, poll finds | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — When it comes to their feelings on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, New Yorkers are evenly split, according to a new poll. The NY1/YNN-Marist College poll showed 41 percent of adults statewide oppose the hydrofracking technique, which involves the injection of chemical-laced water to fracture gas-rich shale formations a mile below the surface. That's compared with 38 percent who support it, making it a statistical dead heat given the poll's margin of error of 5 percentage points. (May 18, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Sen. Maziarz announces the passage of energy legislation - Gates, NY - Gates-Chili Post Gates, N.Y. — Sen. George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane) announced that two key bills relating to New York’s energy future were approved last week in the State Senate: legislation establishing a process for the siting of electric generation facilities (S.191) and legislation to permit remote net metering (S.3407-A). As Chairman of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Sen. Maziarz sponsored both bills and helped advance them through his committee. Article X of the Public Service Law, which governs the siting of new electricity generation facilities in the state, expired in 2003. Since then the development of major new facilities in New York has been at a standstill, despite a growing demand. (May 16, 2011) Homepage - Gates, NY - Gates-Chili Post [more on Energy in our area]
Findings: Ginna generally prepared for accidents | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com An initial round of inspections at the Ginna nuclear power plant found the facility in Wayne County generally ready to deal with an extreme accident like the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, though some shortcomings were identified. Most notably, it was determined that fire suppression systems, some natural gas and steam lines, and hydrogen storage areas were potentially vulnerable to an earthquake. (May 17, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Two Other Nuclear Reactors Suffer Serious Damage - WSJ.com TOKYO—Substantial damage to the fuel cores at two additional reactors of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex has taken place, operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Sunday, further complicating the already daunting task of bringing them to a safe shutdown while avoiding the release of high levels of radioactivity. The revelation followed an acknowledgment on Thursday that a similar meltdown of the core took place at unit No. 1. (May 16, 2011) [May 16, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Energy in our area]
Obama Shifts to Speed Oil and Gas Drilling in U.S. - NYTimes.com WASHINGTON — President Obama, facing voter anger over high gasoline prices and complaints from Republicans and business leaders that his policies are restricting the development of domestic energy resources, announced on Saturday that he was taking several steps to speed oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters. It was at least a partial concession to his critics, who say he has shackled domestic energy development at a time when consumers are paying near-record prices at the gas pump. The Republican-led House passed three bills in the last 10 days that would significantly expand and accelerate oil development in the United States, saying the administration was driving up gas prices and preventing job creation with anti-drilling policies. (May 14, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point evacuation zones could widen if necessary (updated) - DailyFreeman.com BUCHANAN — The 10-mile emergency evacuation zone around U.S. nuclear plants, including Indian Point, is a “planning standard” that could change during an accident or attack, the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said on Tuesday. Gregory Jaczko said during a visit to Indian Point that his agency recommended that Americans move 50 miles away from the Japanese nuclear power plants that were failing after an earthquake in March because of “the potential for a more significant event to develop.” (May 11, 2011) The Daily Freeman: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871 (DailyFreeman.com) [more on Energy in our area]
State Senate Energy Committee hears takes testimony on Indian Point STONY POINT – The State Senate Energy Committee Thursday heard testimony from public officials, special interest group officials and scientists about the safety of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan. The session, in Stony Point, was right across the Hudson River from the plant, which has gained heightened attention since the Japanese nuclear power plant collapses following the March earthquake and tsunami. A scientist from the Lamont-Dougherty Geological Observatory, which monitors earthquake activity, said he doubts there would ever be a quake anywhere near the magnitude of that which hit Japan. (May 13, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
NRC Waives Enforcement of Fire Rules at Nuclear Plants - ProPublica The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is routinely waiving fire rule violations at nearly half the nation's 104 commercial reactors, even though fire presents one of the chief hazards at nuclear plants. The policy, the result of a series of little-noticed decisions in recent years, is meant to encourage nuclear companies to remedy longstanding fire safety problems. But critics say it is leaving decades-old fire hazards in place as the NRC fails to enforce its own rules. (May 11, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Gas-drilling advocates get their day in Albany | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — After groups opposing hydraulic fracturing swarmed Albany three times in the past two months, the natural gas industry got its day at the Capitol on Wednesday. About 50 members of industry and other pro-gas groups met with lawmakers on the Legislature's environmental conservation committees, urging them to stand back and let the state Department of Environmental Conservation complete its review of permitting guidelines for hydrofracking, the controversial technique in which chemical-laced water is injected deep into tight shale formations to release gas. (May 12, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Remote net metering passes both houses ALBANY - The Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) announced today that the State Senate and Assembly have passed legislation amending New York's net metering laws, which were expanded in 2008 to give non-residential customers the ability to net meter renewable power generating systems of up to two megawatts in size. The amendment (S.3407A/A.6270B), sponsored by Senator George Maziarz and Assemblyman Marcus Crespo, lets farm and non-residential customers more efficiently utilize renewable energy resources by allowing the use of remote net-metering when their generating equipment is not immediately adjacent to the location of their energy use. (May 10, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Study finds gas in drinking water near drilling WASHINGTON, D.C. — New research is providing some of the first scientific evidence that a controversial gas drilling technique can contaminate drinking water. Higher concentrations of methane gas were found in water from wells near drilling sites in Pennsylvania. But there was no trace of the chemicals used in the process. (May 9, 2011) NY Daily Record [more on Energy in this area]
Scientific Study Links Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking - ProPublica For the first time, a scientific study has linked natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire. The peer-reviewed study [1], published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, stands to shape the contentious debate [2] over whether drilling is safe and begins to fill an information gap that has made it difficult for lawmakers and the public to understand the risks [3]. (May 9, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Hydrofracking's effects too little studied, Cornell, Ithaca College scientists say | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com WASHINGTON — Scientists from Cornell University and Ithaca College briefed congressional aides Friday on what they say is a lack of research on the health and environmental impacts of a natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing. "Fracking is surrounded by metaphors rather than data," said Sandra Steingraber, a biologist and scholar in residence at Ithaca College. "Many of the chemicals used in fracking are carcinogens." (May 7, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Criticized for Industry Ties - NYTimes.com Critics have long painted the commission as well-intentioned but weak and compliant, and incapable of keeping close tabs on an industry to which it remains closely tied. The concerns have greater urgency because of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, which many experts say they believe was caused as much by lax government oversight as by a natural disaster. (May 7, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Scientists call for more studies on hydraulic fracturing | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com WASHINGTON — Scientists from Cornell University and Ithaca College briefed congressional aides Friday on what they say is a lack of research on the health and environmental impacts of a natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing. ”Fracking is surrounded by metaphors rather than data,” said Sandra Steingraber, a biologist and scholar in residence at Ithaca College. “Many of the chemicals used in fracking are carcinogens.” (May 6, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Energy in our area]
DEC challenged on gas drilling rules - Times Union CHERRY VALLEY -- Opponents of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas want the state Department of Environmental Conservation to adopt a more detailed level of environmental review for the limited use of the technique already allowed by the state. The claim was made in legal papers filed Wednesday with the DEC by Advocates for Cherry Valley, an Otsego County environmental group. It focuses on the use of hydrofracking -- a high-pressure injection of a mix of chemicals, sand and water to break up underground formations of gas-bearing rock -- already used on vertical wells in Cherry Valley, an area north of Cooperstown. (May 6, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Small turnout for Ginna nuclear power plant meeting In the wake of the radiological disaster at the Fukushima power plant in Japan, concern about nuclear power has deepened, and some are calling for closure of U.S. nuclear plants. But if that concern exists in the Rochester area, it wasn't evident Thursday night when barely a dozen people came out to a public meeting in Walworth about the Ginna nuclear power plant in Ontario, Wayne County. (May 6, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
NRC chief plans Indian Point tour | The Journal News | LoHud.com Regulatory Commission will tour the Indian Point nuclear power plant in northern Westchester County on Tuesday, along with two House members who want the plant shut down. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko was testifying at a House hearing Wednesday when he confirmed plans to visit the plant in Buchanan. He'll be accompanied by Reps. Eliot Engel, D-Bronx, and Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, who have criticized the NRC's relicensing of aging nuclear power plants. They have proposed legislation to impose the same standards for relicensing plants that apply to approving new ones. (May 5, 2011) The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York | LoHud.com [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna to Test Sirens Today - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Ontario, N.Y. - The Ginna Nuclear Power Plant will be testing its sirens Thursday morning. (May 5, 2011) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Energy in our area]
NYPA Celebrates Earth Week With The Release Of Its Sustainability Annual Report WHITE PLAINS— In celebration of Earth Week, New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel today announced the issuance of NYPA’s Sustainability Annual Report to formalize the implementation of future energy-saving and environmental initiatives and review the goals set out in the Power Authority’s Sustainability Action Plan, which was released in January 2010. “The Power Authority has redoubled its sustainability efforts and intends to lead by example,” Kessel said. “This is NYPA’s commitment to demonstrating to the public that we will provide future generations with an improved environment. Governor Cuomo has stressed this priority and we hope to make additional strides through 2011 in maximizing the efficient use of energy supplies and other resources, building on our reputation as one of the cleanest utilities in the country.” (April 29, 2011) New York Power Authority [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. neighbours oppose underground storage at Bruce plant - thestar.com It's not even a hole in the ground, yet. But a proposed storage site for low- and mid-level radioactive waste near Kincardine, on the eastern shores of Lake Huron, is getting attention across the water in the U.S. “What fool would put nuclear waste under the Great Lakes?” demands Doug Martz, who chairs the Water Quality Board in Macomb County, Mich., one of the municipalities that makes up the Detroit metropolitan area. That's not the view of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which has proposed the project be built at the Bruce nuclear generating station. It has submitted 12,000 pages of environmental studies. (April 27, 2011) News, Toronto, GTA, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Canada, World, Breaking - thestar.com [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear Plants' Emergency-Power Rules Questioned - WSJ.com The top U.S. nuclear regulator questioned Thursday whether the nation's nuclear plants were prepared to deal with losses of power that last several hours or even days, a vital safety issue as constant access to power is needed to run cooling systems and prevent core meltdowns. Regulations currently require nuclear power plants to have as few as four hours of emergency power. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said during a commission meeting that this might not be enough, because it could take much longer to reconnect to the main power supply or a backup diesel generator after a plant suffers major damage in a catastrophic event. (April 29, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna parent Constellation agrees to be sold to Exelon | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Constellation Energy Group Inc., the Baltimore-based parent of the R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Wayne County, has agreed to be sold to Exelon Corp. of Chicago for $7.9 billion in all stock transaction, officials announced Thursday. The deal will have no impact on Electricite de France S.A.’s 49.99 percent ownership of Constellation Energy Nuclear Group LLC, which includes the Ginna plant, officials said. The resulting company will retain the Exelon name and have its headquarters in Chicago, officials said. Exelon’s power marketing business and Constellation’s retail and wholesale business will be consolidated under the Constellation brand and be based in Baltimore. (April 27, 2011) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Chilling downtown Syracuse with cold lake water: Cool idea or pipe dream? | syracuse.com A new study concludes that Syracuse could become the first city in the United States to stop using electricity to cool its downtown buildings, hospitals and universities. Instead, one of the region’s most abundant resources — cold water from Lake Ontario or Skaneateles Lake — would provide cooling power for air conditioning systems in public and private buildings. (April 24, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Response to PA Gas Well Accident Took 13 Hours Despite State Plan for Quick Action - ProPublica When Chesapeake Energy lost control of a Marcellus Shale gas well in Pennsylvania on April 19, an emergency response team from Texas was called in to stop the leak. By the time the team arrived more than 13 hours later, brine water and hydraulic fracturing fluids from the well had spewed across nearby fields and into a creek. (April 26, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Gov’t watchdog group compiles fracking petition ALBANY — A government watchdog group says it will deliver to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s offices in Albany and Manhattan a petition signed by thousands of New Yorkers urging protection of drinking water from the natural gas drilling procedure called hydraulic fracturing. (April 26, 2011) NY Daily Record [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna nuclear plant shuts down for refueling | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The Ginna nuclear power plant in Ontario, Wayne County, was shut down Saturday night for routine refueling and maintenance. The 41-year-old plant, owned by Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, is given fresh nuclear fuel every 18 months. Old fuel rods are stored in a spent fuel pool at the plant and later moved to a dry storage building on the grounds. (April 26, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Canada eyes nuke waste dump near Lake Huron | detnews.com | The Detroit News Proposal to house contaminants worries U.S. officials, residents | Canadian energy companies are considering a proposal that would place an underground nuclear waste storage facility near the shore of Lake Huron — a move that is causing growing concern among U.S. conservationists. Ontario Power Generation owns a nuclear plant located between Kincardine and Saugeen Shores, Ontario. That's roughly 55 miles across the water from Port Hope in Huron County. (April 19, 2011) The Detroit News | detnews.com | Thursday, April 21, 2011 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan [more on Energy in our area]
SCHNEIDERMAN TO FEDS: COMMIT TO STUDY SAFETY IMPACTS OF “FRACKING” IN DELAWARE RIVER BASIN IN 30 DAYS OR I’LL SUE Federal Commission Considering Allowing Natural Gas Drilling in Delaware River Basin Without Assessing Environmental or Health Impacts NYC Watershed and Portions of 8 New York Counties Would be Affected Schneiderman: We Will Ensure Potential Dangers Are Understood Before Doors are Opened to Drilling in New York [En Español] NEW YORK - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today pledged to sue the federal government if it doesn’t commit in 30 days to conducting a full environmental review of proposed regulations that would allow natural gas drilling – including the potentially harmful "fracking" technique – in the Delaware River Basin. The Basin includes the New York City watershed and portions of Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Schoharie, Greene, Ulster, Orange and Sullivan Counties, and provides approximately 50 percent of the drinking water used by over nine million New York residents and visitors every day. (April 18, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
30,000 comments opposing shale gas drilling hit feds - Times Union TRENTON, N.J. -- Environmentalists said they delivered a record 30,000 public comments opposing natural gas drilling near the Delaware River to federal regulators on Thursday. The comments to the Delaware River Basin Commission come from residents of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware who oppose "fracking," a technique in which water, sand and toxic chemicals are injected to break up shale and release natural gas. (April 15, 2011) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
‘Spillionaires’: Profiteering and Mismanagement in the Wake of the BP Oil Spill - ProPublica The oil spill that was once expected to bring economic ruin to the Gulf Coast appears to have delivered something entirely different: a gusher of money. Some people profiteered from the spill by charging BP outrageous rates for cleanup. Others profited from BP claims money, handed out in arbitrary ways. So many people cashed in that they earned nicknames -- "spillionaires" or "BP rich." Meanwhile, others hurt by the spill ended up getting comparatively little. In the end, BP's attempt to make things right -- spending more than $16 billion so far, mostly on claims of damage and cleanup -- created new divisions and even new wrongs. Because the federal government ceded control over spill cleanup spending to BP, it's impossible to know for certain what that money accomplished, or what exactly was done. (April 13, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Environmental groups urge DRBC to extend gas drilling moratorium WEST TRENTON NJ – Environmental groups from four states urged the Delaware River Basin Commission on Thursday to not move forward with gas drilling in the river basin until thorough studies have been completed and can prove drilling is safe. The groups expressed “outrage” over the DRBC’s proposal to allow hydrofracking to begin in the Delaware watershed, putting an end to the existing moratorium on any watershed drilling. They delivered over 30,000 public comments from residents of the four states – New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware – to the DRBC urging a continued moratorium on drilling. (April 15, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
More Reasons to Question Whether Gas is Cleaner than Coal - ProPublica One of the main advantages of natural gas is that it is supposed to be far cleaner than oil or coal. Right now Congress is even considering a T. Boone Pickens-inspired bill aimed at converting the nation's truck fleet to run on natural gas. If it's passed, it will be in large part on the assumption that such a move will help the nation reduce climate-changing greenhouse gases. But evidence continues to mount that natural gas is not as clean as we like to think. (April 12, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. Nuclear-Disaster Preparedness Hobbled by Uncertain Chain of Command - ProPublica If the United States faced a nuclear disaster, local governments would automatically take charge, followed by federal authorities if the crisis grew too big for local responders to handle. But this system has a flaw: The nation's emergency plans [1] don't spell out when or how the transfer of authority would be handled, even though small delays could put thousands of lives at risk. The timing of federal involvement is deliberately kept ambiguous in order to "forestall a conflict about who's in charge," said William Banks, director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism and a Syracuse University law professor. (April 8, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester mulls using old race for electricity | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com On the eastern bank of the Genesee River is an unseen race that, during its heyday, powered multiple flour mills, a brewery, oil, paper, candle and saw mills, and more. All that ended around 1937. The Johnson and Seymour race is much narrower today, used to help cool the public library above, and for aesthetics, providing the water that cascades from arches beneath the Rundel Memorial Building. That soon could change, however, as city officials are seeking proposals to install hydrokinetic turbines in the waterway and once again harness its energy. (April 13, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Showdown: It’s Wind Energy v. Shale Gas for Cavern Storage WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Federal and state agencies are convinced that salt caverns three miles north of this Finger Lakes village can be used to spur the rapid development of wind energy projects throughout upstate New York. A proposed $125 million, 150-megawatt power plant at the site would use compressed air to store energy that commercial wind farms produce at night and dispatch it back to the state’s electric grid during peak daytime hours. The low profile plan by New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) has already received a $29.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and $1 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). (March 28, 2011) DC Bureau – Exposing Environmental Polluters, Breaking Environmental and Natural Resources News, and National Security Stories That Matter [more on Energy in our area]
Hundreds attend rally to bar drilling | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY – Hundreds of opponents of hydraulic fracturing in New York gathered outside the state Capitol Monday to protest the controversial drilling technique proposed for the Marcellus Shale in the Southern Tier and other shale formations. "It will fill our roads with fleets of diesel trucks, our fields and forests with diesel-powered compressors and our rural air with benzene ... and other carcinogenic vapors," said ecologist Sandra Steingraber, an author and a scholar-in-residence at Ithaca College. (April 12, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna fire risk? Never mind. | 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle A news release arrived Thursday from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announcing the discovery of a fire-protection flaw at the Ginna nuclear power plant in Wayne County. Given heightened interest in reactor safety these days in light of the on-going disaster in Japan, I thought it was worth inquiring about. The flaw that was reported was, in and of itself, minor - lack of a proper fire barrier between the basement of the plant’s auxiliary building and an adjacent pump room. After checking, I was told the missing barrier were seals around two pipes that pass through the wall separating the two areas. (April 8, 2011) 520 - An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
PA’s New Jobs Czar Fought Enviro Regs for Years - ProPublica For years C. Alan Walker, a coal industry mogul and wealthy donor to Pennsylvania's Republican Party, clashed with environmental officials who tried to regulate his companies. He described them as "vindictive," "out of control" and "the most dangerous thing" affecting the country's welfare. In 1981 Walker even argued that the state should let someone from industry influence how environmental regulations were enforced. (April 11, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
NY Lawmakers Urged to Proceed with “Extreme Caution” on Gas Drilling NEW YORK - Hundreds of New Yorkers head to Albany today to warn Governor Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers to proceed with extreme caution on natural gas drilling in New York. Dozens of environmental and health groups are asking them to put the longer-term issues of air and water quality ahead of any short-term gas profits. Roger Downs, conservation program manager with the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, says states such as Pennsylvania are now dealing with toxic water problems because they did not have safeguards in place to regulate the hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" process used in natural gas wells to set free gas trapped in rock formations deep underground. (April 11, 2011) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
Faculty Members Receive $100,000 Grant to Develop Natural Gas Engine for Hybrid Vehicles - RIT News New model would have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 million tons | Natural gas is considered a viable alternative to gasoline or diesel fuel. Yet one of the challenges, according to a team of researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology, is the lack of range for the vehicle using natural gas. To address this challenge, the team is developing a prototype for a new homogeneous charge compression engine for hybrid electric vehicles through a grant awarded by the California Energy Commission. (March 21, 2011) RIT News [more on Energy in our area]
Hundreds from Finger Lakes to attend anti-fracking rally in Albany - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — More than 300 people and representatives of more than 40 organizations statewide will rally Monday in Albany against hydrofracking. The rally on the Capitol lawn will call on state leaders “to safeguard public health and the environment from dirty gas drilling called hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking,’ a release said. The groups will also launch the "New York Water Rangers" campaign to combat potential dangers from the controversial natural gas drilling method being considered for New York. (April 6, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
NYSEG gets $1 million for compressed air project - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — New York State Electric and Gas has received $1 million to proceed with a project that would harness compressed air to generate energy. The funding, provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, will be used to evaluate the potential of a compressed air energy storage facility at a salt cavern in the Town of Reading, Schuyler County. (April 6, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Zion nuclear plant to be shut down and eventually eliminated | abc7chicago.com April 4, 2011 (ZION, Ill.) (WLS) -- The nuclear power plant in far north suburban Zion is being shut down and eliminated. In 10 years there won't be anything left but the spent nuclear fuel, which will be entombed in steel and concrete and stored on site, under armed guard for who knows how long. A company named Energy Solutions now holds title to the plant and its nuclear license. Last fall it started the decade-long process of decommissioning a plant that stopped producing nuclear power 13 years ago. (April 6, 2011) WLS Chicago News, Weather, Traffic | Chicago Area News | ABC7Chicago - abc7chicago.com | abc7chicago.com [more on Energy in our area]
Tapping shale gas is called benefit to economy, consumers - Business - The Buffalo News Low natural gas prices, and ample supplies that are likely to keep prices down far into the future, are the rewards that could come from tapping into the vast supplies of shale gas trapped deep below the United States, an energy industry analyst said Thursday. (April 1, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Radioactive Water Leaking From Crippled Japan Plant : NPR Japan's prime minister surveyed the damage in a town gutted by a massive tsunami, as officials said Saturday that highly radioactive water was leaking into the sea from the nuclear plant stricken by the disaster. The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex has been spewing radioactivity since March 11, when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing wave knocked out power, disabling cooling systems and allowing radiation to seep out of the overheating reactors. (April 2, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale caucus of House members meets today - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — U.S. Reps. Tom Reed, R-Corning announced he and U.S. Rep. Mark Critz, D-Pa., have created a House Marcellus Shale Caucus. The group met for the first time Friday, April 1, in Washington, D.C. The caucus has 17 members from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, with Reed and Critz co-chairman. (April 1, 2011) Latest News - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania Limits Authority of Oil and Gas Inspectors - ProPublica Oil and gas inspectors policing Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania will no longer be able to issue violations to the drilling companies they regulate without first getting the approval of top officials. That’s according to a directive laid out in a series of emails received by the Department of Environmental Protection staff last week and leaked to ProPublica. The emails [1] say [2] the new edict applies only to enforcement actions related to Marcellus Shale drilling and that failure to seek prior approval “will not be acceptable.” (March 39, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Power Plants Face EPA Cooling-Water Rules to Protect Fish - Bloomberg Utilities such as Entergy Corp. (ETR)face U.S. rules aimed at preventing fish from being sucked into cooling-water systems and costing industry $384 million a year, the Environmental Protection Agency said. The Obama administration’s proposal introduced yesterday will affect more than 1,200 facilities and save billions of aquatic organisms, including 615 million fish and shellfish a year, the agency said in an e-mailed statement. (March 29, 2011) Bloomberg - Business & Financial News, Breaking News Headlines [more on Energy in our area]
Corbett's natural-gas panel begins its work | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A 30-member commission that will advise Gov. Tom Corbett on how the state should deal with Pennsylvania's fast-growing natural-gas industry is holding its first meeting in Harrisburg. Corbett's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission is holding a daylong meeting Friday to organize itself and hear from experts about the economic potential and environmental threats of the drilling to extract gas trapped in shale deep underground. The commission is chaired by Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley. (March 28, 2011) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
New York attorney general knocks fire safety at nuke plant | syracuse.com WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — The state attorney general says federal regulators should take action against nuclear plants in the New York suburbs for what he called failure to comply with fire safety regulations. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a petition with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has granted Indian Point several exemptions involving fire safety. He said Monday that compliance is essential for the plant’s emergency systems (March 29, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
A.G. files petition forcing Indian Point to comply with federal fire safety regulations NEW YORK – Amid growing concerns that Indian Point has failed to meet federal safety requirements, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a petition with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Monday, urging it to take enforcement action against the plant for what he says is a failure to comply with fire safety regulations. Following his lawsuit last month pressing the NRC to study the safety impact of storing spent nuclear fuel on site, today’s action is the latest in a series the Attorney General has taken to promote comprehensive, transparent and vigilant reviews of the Buchanan plant before decisions are made on whether to extend its operating license for another 20 years. In a petition filed today with the NRC, Schneiderman wrote that compliance with fire safety requirements was necessary to ensure that the facility would be able to safely shut down during and after an emergency. Indian Point is currently in violation of established fire safety regulations and in seeking more than 100 exemptions from those regulations, undermines the efforts to secure the reactors lying within a 50-mile radius of where more than 20 million people live, work and travel. (March 29, 2011) Energy Rochester |Alternative & Traditional Energy | RochesterEnvironment.com [more on Energy in our area]
Are Nuclear Plants Safe? Environmentalists Are Split : NPR The nuclear disaster in Japan comes at a time when some environmental groups had softened their positions against nuclear power. A few prominent environmentalists had even embraced nuclear energy as a way to fight climate change. But will the latest nuclear crisis bring them back to their "no nukes" roots? (March 28, 2011) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Federal, state lawmakers differ on whether Indian Point is safe BUCHANAN – House Members Eliot Engel (D- Westchester/Rockland) and Nita Lowey (D- Westchester) called on the House energy and Commerce Committee to hold hearings on the licensing of nuclear facilities located within an evacuation area containing a high population. The Indian Point nuclear power plant is in Buchanan and since the Japanese earthquake and tsunami wreaked havoc on nuclear facilities in that country, there has been much concern about the safety of Indian Point since it is close to the City of New York and located near a fault area. (March 24, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Radiation in seawater may be spreading in Japan | www.WHEC.com Officials in Japan warn today that radiation seeping from a crippled nuclear power complex is spreading to seawater and soil. Workers at the damaged plant are racing to pump out contaminated water suspected of sending radioactivity levels soaring. (March 28, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Energy in our area]
Free farm energy seminar March 30 | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The town of Parma and Monroe Community College’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute are holding a free workshop on Farm Energy Audits and Energy Options for Agricultural Buildings from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, at VFW Post 6105, 550 Peck Road. March 28, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
An Update on Indian Point | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Governor Cuomo today announced important developments regarding safety issues at the Indian Point nuclear facility. In light of the recent crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, earlier today the Governor sent top members of his administration -- including Lieutenant Governor Duffy -- to meet with senior staff at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about Indian Point. (March 22, 2011) Newsroom | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo [more on Energy in our area]
Times on fracking study: Don't rush it - News Blog - Rochester City Newspaper The state's environmental agency shouldn't rush to release the next draft of its environmental impact statement concerning hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus and Utica shales, a New York Times editorial argues. The document is supposed to be due June 1, which is the deadline set in an executive order from former Governor David Paterson; the order was continued by Governor Andrew Cuomo. (March 23, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Cuomo Announces Nuclear Regulatory Commission has Agreed to Make Indian Point the Top Priority in Nuclear Plant Seismic Risk Review | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has pledged to make Indian Point its first and top priority in its review of seismic risk at 27 nuclear plants throughout the country. At the request of the Cuomo Administration, the NRC has agreed to a cooperative review of Indian Point as a joint effort between the NRC and New York State. As a result of the meeting today at NRC headquarters in Maryland between Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, Director of State Operations Howard Glaser, and top NRC officials, the NRC has also agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding that will: Share federal data regarding seismic risk specific to Indian Point with New York technical experts Include New York experts as part of the NRC on-site inspection team that will evaluate Indian Point with regard to seismic risk In addition, NRC Chair Greg Jaczko has agreed to conduct a personal site inspection of Indian Point with New York officials. (March 22, 2011) Newsroom | Governor Andrew M. Cuomo [more on Energy in our area]
New York reconsiders nuclear | Innovation Trail Both the Times Union and Post-Standard have pieces looking at the safety of regional reactors following the situation in Japan. In Albany, Brian Nearing reports that one Saratoga County reactor sits near faults that could generate an earthquake, while another is more secure: (March 21, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna Officials Monitoring Nuclear Situation in Japan ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - As the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant continues to unfold, a spokeswoman for Rochester's local nuclear plant says they are closely monitoring developments in Japan. But Ginna Nuclear Power Plant near the town of Ontario is not without minor problems of its own. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently notified Ginna that it's one of only 15 nuclear units in the country not performing "at the highest level." (March 16, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Japan Crisis Sparks Nuclear Waste Questions In U.S. : NPR The nuclear crisis in Japan is prompting scrutiny of nuclear power plants in the U.S., leading to a decades-old question: What to do with all the spent nuclear fuel produced here? The law says the federal government is supposed to take nuclear waste off the hands of plant operators. The Department of Energy had planned to store it underground in Nevada at Yucca Mountain. But President Obama — fulfilling a campaign promise — put a stop to that controversial program, leaving the long-term storage of nuclear waste in limbo. (March 22, 2011) Environment : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Cuomo Concerned About NY Nuclear Plant Safety - RochesterHomePage.net (Buchanan, NY) -- In the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Governor Andrew Cuomo has called a meeting to look into the safety of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County. (March 20, 2011) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
Officials: Slim chance of nuclear leak at Ginna - Greece, NY - Greece Post Webster, N.Y. — With the unfolding nuclear disaster in Japan, northeastern Monroe County residents are reminded of the nuclear energy in their own backyard. The Ginna Nuclear Power Plant is just miles from the county border, putting Webster and Penfield residents within a 10-mile emergency zone if tragedy were to strike the plant. Although scientists have found a fault line running beneath Lake Ontario, plant officials say the Ontario plant is not in danger of being damaged by the magnitude of quakes that shook Japan last week. On Wednesday, a 4.7-magnitude quake struck about 300 miles away in Canada — near the same spot that a quake rumbled last June, shaking Rochester. Scientists have also found a fault line running through Lake Ontario. (March 18, 2011) Homepage - Greece, NY - Greece Post [more on Energy in our area]
Large majority says nuclear energy is safe | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information More than eight in 10 respondents to this week’s RBJ Daily Report Snap Poll say nuclear power is safe. And more than half think it is very safe. The poll was conducted as the Japanese government declared an emergency at one of the country’s nuclear power plants and ordered thousands evacuated after Friday’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami shut down its reactors. Emergency workers were forced to leave the nuclear power plant when radiation levels soared. (March 19, 2011) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Dresden coal-fired plant shutting down this weekend - Finger Lakes Times: Local DRESDEN — AES Greenidge will shut down its coal-fired plant atthe end of the weekend and put it into protective lay-up status forup to two years. Six months ago, the company asked the state Public Service Commission to put the plant into a long-term protective lay-up. Atthe time, plant manager Doug Roll cited a combination of increased costs for coal and rail transportation, high state taxes, fees, decreased electricity demand and a decline in natural gasprices. (March 18, 2011) Finger Lakes Times: Finger Lakes Times [more on Energy in our area]
Gov. Cuomo Calls For Closing Indian Point Nuclear Plant | New York League of Conservation Voters Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday called for the closure of Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Westchester County. The governor's comments followed a new report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that Indian Point has the highest risk of any U.S. plan for core damage from a earthquake. The NRC recently revised and upgraded risks to 104 nuclear power plants nationwide, based on rising estimates of severe quakes and the likelihood of violent ground shaking. Indian Point 3 now has a one in 10,000 chance of catastrophic failure, a 72 percent increase in risk over prior estimates. Under NRC guidelines, "that's right on the verge of requiring `immediate concern regarding adequate protection' of the public," according to MSNBC. (March 17, 2011) New York League of Conservation Voters | Electing for the Environment [more on Energy in our area]
RG&E, NYSEG report on production at plants | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Hydroelectric generating stations of Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. and New York State Gas & Electric Corp. combined to produce 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in the last five years, company officials said Thursday. The power generated from 2006 to 2010 was enough for 70,000 homes, officials said. “NYSEG and RG&E have operated hydroelectric generating plants for more than 100 years, starting long before the green power movement hit its stride,” President Mark Lynch said in the statement. (March 17, 2011) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Officials stress safety at Ginna nuclear plant | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The focus of much of the world is on the frantic efforts to prevent a nuclear catastrophe at the disabled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan a week after a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaged the Asian country. But while the eyes of Rochester-area residents watch the drama being played out live through media outlets, many can't help thinking about the safety of the nuclear power plant in their own backyard. (March 18, 2011) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Cuomo: Indian Point "A Matter of Concern" (2011-03-16) Governor Andrew Cuomo says he's concerned over a report that one of the nuclear reactors at the Indian Point power plant along the Hudson River is on an earthquake fault line, and is looking into the matter. Cuomo says it was a "surprise" to him that a study, first reported on MSNBC, finds Indian Point may be the nuclear plant most susceptible to possible damage from a massive earthquake in the nation. One of the reactors is built very near an earthquake fault line. "One normally doesn't think of earthquakes and New York in the same breath," said Cuomo. "So that is a matter of concern". (March 16, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Earthquake in Canada felt in NY's Adirondacks | www.WHEC.com A magnitude 4.7 earthquake in east-central Canada was felt as far south as New York's Adirondack Mountains. The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports that residents of Saranac Lake felt a rocking sensation and saw walls shake during the quake at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. (March 17, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo: NY will review safety at nuclear plant ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered a safety review of a nuclear plant that lies near a seismic fault line 35 miles north of Manhattan. Cuomo said Wednesday that the review will cover the Indian Point Energy Center on the Hudson River in suburban Westchester County. The plant is near the Ramapo Fault in New York, where substantial earthquakes are infrequent. (March 17, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Federal legislation aimed at protecting drinking water from gas drilling WASHINGTON DC – Members of both chambers of Congress introduced legislation they say is aimed at protecting drinking water from gas drilling pollution. Rep Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are among the cosponsors in their respective chambers. At issue is a controversial gas drilling technique -- known as hydraulic fracturing – in which drillers blast millions of gallons of chemically-treated water into the earth to extract the gas from underground deposits. (March 16, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Earthquakes not likely here : News : UpperMichigansSource.com HOUGHTON -- Amid all the horrific reports and video coming from Japan after the massive earthquake a few days ago, some of us have wondered, "What about here? Could we see a devastating earthquake in the U.P.?" The answer, quite simply, is no. "The Great Lakes are just about the safest place you can live in North America as far as earthquakes are concerned," says Michigan Tech seismologist Dr. Wayne Pennington. There have been occasional (March 16, 2011) UpperMichigansSource.com - Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula [more on Energy in our area]
Oswego's nuclear reactors built to withstand worst earthquake, regulators say | syracuse.com Oswego, NY -- Amid concerns for Japanese nuclear reactors after a devastating earthquake, U.S. regulators expressed confidence that Oswego's nuclear power plants were not at risk of leaking if an earthquake hit here. (March 11, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Japan Woes May Impede U.S. Nuclear Push - NYTimes.com WASHINGTON — The fragile bipartisan consensus that nuclear power offers a big piece of the answer to America’s energy and global warming challenges may have evaporated as quickly as confidence in Japan’s crippled nuclear reactors. Until this weekend, President Obama, mainstream environmental groups and large numbers of Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed that nuclear power offered a steady energy source and part of the solution to climate change, even as they disagreed on virtually every other aspect of energy policy. Mr. Obama is seeking tens of billions of dollars in government insurance for new nuclear construction, and the nuclear industry in the United States, all but paralyzed for decades after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979, was poised for a comeback. (March 13, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Riverkeeper wants nuclear plant shut down following Japan crisis WHITE PLAINS – Hudson Riverkeeper Paul Gallay told a special session of the Westchester County Legislature’s Environment and Energy Committee that the Indian Point nuclear power plant should be shut down until it can be scientifically proven that it could withstand a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. The session was called in response to the earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear power plant explosions in Japan. Gallay said more study must be done immediately into the “what if’s” at Indian Point. (March 15, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Can U.S. Nuclear Plants Handle a Major Natural Disaster? - ProPublica As engineers in Japan struggle to bring quake-damaged reactors under control [1], attention is turning to U.S. nuclear plants and their ability to withstand natural disasters. Rep. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who has spent years pushing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission toward stricter enforcement of its safety rules, has called for a reassessment. Several U.S. reactors lie on or near fault lines, and Markey wants to beef up standards for new and existing plants. "This disaster serves to highlight both the fragility of nuclear power plants and the potential consequences associated with a radiological release caused by earthquake related damage," Markey wrote NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko in a March 11 letter [2]. (March 13, 2011) [more on Energy in our area]
German nuclear dispute sharpened by Japan mishap - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — BERLIN (AP) — Thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday against plans to extend the life of Germany’s nuclear power stations, as an explosion at a Japanese nuclear power plant sharpened a long-running dispute over the technology’s future in this country. Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany would examine whether it needs to draw lessons from Japan for its own plants and that officials would be asked to check safety at German nuclear power stations. However, she stressed that the country’s standards are high. (March 12, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
RIT researchers creating green fuel from algae - Henrietta, NY - Henrietta Post Henrietta, N.Y. — Imagine using algae and wastewater to fuel your car. Now imagine that the process of creating fuel cleans the water so significantly that it is fit to send back into Lake Ontario. That is just what researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology envisioned, and their research may someday make it a reality. The idea came two years ago when Eric Lannan, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at RIT, was thinking about a topic for his master’s thesis. (March 11, 2011) Homepage - Henrietta, NY - Henrietta Post [more on Energy in our area]
Former Bush EPA Official Says Fracking Exemption Went Too Far; Congress Should Revisit - ProPublica When Benjamin Grumbles was assistant administrator for water at the Environmental Protection Agency in the George W. Bush administration, he oversaw the release of a 2004 EPA report that determined that hydraulic fracturing was safe for drinking water. Then he watched as Congress used those findings to bolster the case for passing a law that prohibited the EPA from regulating fracking under the Safe Drinking Water Act. (March 9, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Majority favors hydraulic fracking if it is ruled safe | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information The majority of respondents to this week’s RBJ Daily Report Snap Poll favor use of high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus shale, a formation extending deep underground from Ohio and West Virginia into southern New York. By 57 percent to 43 percent, readers favor the process, with 31 percent endorsing the condition that the state Department of Environmental Conservation conduct a comprehensive review and analysis to determine its safety. (March 4, 2011) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
E.P.A. Struggles to Regulate Natural Gas Industry - NYTimes.com When Congress considered whether to regulate more closely the handling of wastes from oil and gas drilling in the 1980s, it turned to the Environmental Protection Agency to research the matter. E.P.A. researchers concluded that some of the drillers’ waste was hazardous and should be tightly controlled. (March 3, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Radiation in fracking fluid is a new concern Wastewater from Marcellus Shale drilling may contain unhealthy concentrations of radioactivity, and federal officials, researchers, the industry and the former head of Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection have called for testing of drinking water sources and full disclosure of results. The New York Times reported in a story Saturday that 116 of 179 Marcellus wells in Pennsylvania had high levels of radiation in wastewater samples and that wastewater discharges into rivers and streams were untested for radiation even though government agencies and the industry knew of the risks. The radiation is picked up by water used to hydraulically fracture the deep, 380 million-year-old shale layer and release the natural gas it holds. (March 1, 2011) Post-Gazette.com [more on Energy in our area]
U.S. OKs First Deep-Water Well In Gulf Since Spill : NPR The federal government has approved the first new drilling permit for a deep-water oil well in the Gulf of Mexico since the BP oil spill last April. The new permit, issued Monday, gives Noble Energy the go-ahead to finish drilling a new well about 70 miles southeast of Venice, La. The government stopped deep-well drilling after the BP oil blowout in April 2010, though 37 shallow-water wells have gone ahead since then. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Environment says it is satisfied that Noble Energy has better capping technology than BP did. Several safety mechanisms failed at the BP Macondo well and led to the largest spill in U.S. history. (February 26, 2011) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Energy in our area]
Gas Drillers Recycle Wastewater, but Risks Remain - NYTimes.com As drilling for natural gas started to climb sharply about 10 years ago, energy companies faced mounting criticism over an extraction process that involves pumping millions of gallons of water into the ground for each well and can leave significant amounts of hazardous contaminants in the water that comes back to the surface. (March 1, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Regulators say Kewaunee nuclear plant can operate until 2033 - JSOnline The Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewed the operating license Thursday for Kewaunee Power Station, east of Green Bay on the Lake Michigan shore, allowing the nuclear plant to run for 20 additional years until December 2033. The commission concluded that Dominion Energy Kewaunee, an affiliate of Dominion Resources Inc., had demonstrated "the capability to manage the effects of plant aging and that there were no safety concerns that would preclude license renewal." The NRC's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards - an independent body of technical experts that advise the Commission - issued its letter recommending the license be renewed. (February 24, 2011) Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Breaking news, sports, business, watchdog journalism, multimedia in Wisconsin [more on Energy in our area.]
No danger exists with control rods at two area nuclear plants | syracuse.com Scriba, NY -- Problems with cracking in control rod blades at a foreign boiling water reactor nuclear plant have resulted in inspections of similar rods at two nuclear plants in Scriba. Nine Mile Point Nuclear Plant Unit I and James FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant use the same rods as those found to be cracked in a plant in an unidentified country, company and federal officials said. Inspectors at both plants have checked the rods and there is no danger posed at either plant, they said. (February 25, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Ban on hydrofracking nearly ready for board action - Southern Erie County - The Buffalo News The Wales Town Board will soon entertain an ordinance banning the controversial gas-drilling practice of hydrofracking Tasked with writing the ordinance, Councilman Michael Simon said during a work session meeting of the board last week that the law should be ready for board consideration soon. (February 27, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers - NYTimes.com The American landscape is dotted with hundreds of thousands of new wells and drilling rigs, as the country scrambles to tap into this century’s gold rush — for natural gas. The gas has always been there, of course, trapped deep underground in countless tiny bubbles, like frozen spills of seltzer water between thin layers of shale rock. But drilling companies have only in recent years developed techniques to unlock the enormous reserves, thought to be enough to supply the country with gas for heating buildings, generating electricity and powering vehicles for up to a hundred years. (February 26, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Bills on Marcellus Shale drilling to be heard | syracuse.com ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A House committee will be hearing about legislation relating to drilling of the Marcellus Shale in western Maryland. The House Environmental Matters Committee will hold hearings on Wednesday. A measure sponsored by Delegate Wendell Beitzel, R-Garrett, would require regulations to be sent to a legislative panel by the end of the year relating to natural gas exploration and production. The Marcellus Shale is a mineral-rich geological formation that extends from New York to Virginia (February 23, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point schedules reactor maintenance BUCHANAN - Control room operators will remove Indian Point’s unit 3 nuclear power plant from service this evening in order to repair a leak from a pipe that carries nonradioactive river water to the plant. The river water contained in the pipe is used to cool components in the turbine building, located on the non-nuclear side of the plant. The pipe leak is located outdoors between the river and the building that houses the turbines and generator. (February 23, 2011)New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Opponents plan next step to stop Bruce Power shipments - Owen Sound Sun Times - Ontario, CA Opponents on both sides of the Canada-U. S. border are continuing efforts to stop the shipment by Bruce Power of 16 decommissioned radioactive steam generators through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Sierra Club Canada was to hold a conference call today to discuss a possible court appeal of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's Feb. 4 decision to grant Bruce Power a licence to transport the generators, which the company and CNSC consider low-level nuclear waste, to Sweden, John Bennett, the club's executive director, said Thursday. The CNSC decision can be appealed to the Federal Court of Canada within 30 days of being handed down, according to Aurele Gervais, the spokesman for the commission. (February 18, 2011) Owen Sound Sun Times - Ontario, CA [more on Energy in our area]
Last Call for New York's "Great Appliance Swap Out" | www.WHEC.com Nearly $1 million in rebates is still available for New Yorkers who purchase energy efficient appliances through “New York’s Great Appliance Swap Out". According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the program has provided more than $15 million dollars in rebates to more than 157,000 New Yorkers. (February 18, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Energy in our area]
SCHNEIDERMAN URGES U.S. HOUSE ENERGY CHAIR TO KEEP ENVIRONMENTAL REGS THAT CUT TOXIC AIR POLLUTION IN NEW YORK Schneiderman Leads Coalition of Five State AGs in Warning that Proposed U.S. House Resolution Would Weaken Hard-Fought Protections for Health and the Environment Ravena and two other plants collectively account for 20% of all mercury emitted annually in New York [En Español] NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, leading a coalition of attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Massachusetts, called on the U.S. House of Representatives leadership today to rebuff efforts to remove critical environmental regulations that protect New York communities from toxic pollution. In a letter to Rep. Fred Upton, Chairman, House Energy & Commerce Committee, Schneiderman and his fellow attorneys general detail their opposition to House Joint Resolution No. 9, which would undo strict, new limits on the cement industry’s emissions of mercury and other toxic substances hazardous to human health and the environment. The resolution was referred to Chairman Upton’s committee on February 1. (February 14, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
SCHNEIDERMAN CHALLENGES FEDS' NEW PLAN TO DUMP NUCLEAR WASTE AT INDIAN POINT FOR 60 YEARS POST-CLOSURE A.G. Sues Nuclear Regulatory Commission for Authorizing Nuke Plants to Dump Radioactive Wastes onsite for 60 Years After Closure, Without Mandated Review Schneiderman: Whether For or Against Re-Licensing Indian Point, We Can All Agree that Environmental, Public Health & Safety Risks Should Be Assessed Before Dumping Waste There After Plant is Closed [En Español] BUCHANAN – New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that he is suing the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for approving a regulation that would allow the use of Indian Point and nuclear power facilities across the nation as storage sites for radioactive waste for at least 60 years after their closure. The NRC’s approval would allow the long-term storage of nuclear waste without completing the federally required review of the public health, safety and environmental hazards such storage would pose. Attorney General Schneiderman is leading a coalition of state attorneys general, including Connecticut and Vermont’s, in calling on the federal government to conduct necessary impact studies before deciding that nuclear waste should be stored onsite. (February 15, 2011) HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: NY AG Sues Over Nuclear Waste Storage (2011-02-16) WHITE PLAINS, NY (WXXI) - New York is joining Connecticut and Vermont in filing suit against the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for it's decision to allow the use of nuclear power facilities as storage sites for nuclear waste. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the suit, and was highly critical of the NRC's new "final rule." Schneiderman says he filed a petition demanding the NRC conduct a full environmental impact study before it issues a final rule on this issue. (February 16, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
RIT team envisions algae as new biofuel | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com HENRIETTA — Algae cultures started in flasks of wastewater by a Rochester Institute of Technology graduate student could grow into a commercial source of diesel fuel. This fuel would not only be less polluting than standard diesel, but also cleanse the wastewater that nurtures the algae. (February 17, 2011) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
NRC delays hearing on Indian Point relicensing after state, environmental groups file petitions | LoHud.com | The Journal News BUCHANAN — Indian Point's case to continue making electricity beyond 2015 won't be heard until next year — primarily because of arguments against the nuclear plant put forth by the state and environmental groups. Officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had expected to hold the hearing this year, but have now agreed to allow new arguments to be considered. "Apparently we have quite a ways to go before we get to a hearing," commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said Friday. "There have been a number of extensions granted to parties in this and it's taking more time than we expected." (February 13, 2011) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Commissioner Urges Caution On Fracking | New York League of Conservation Voters Joseph Martens, whom Gov. Andrew Cuomo has nominated to lead the Department of Environmental Conservation, said this week that New York "won't undertake drilling until it can be done safely." Speaking before a state legislative budget committee, Martens also suggested that DEC will release its study of hydraulic fracturing (also called hydrofracking) even if the EPA hasn't finished its own study of the practice. (February 10, 2011) New York League of Conservation Voters | Electing for the Environment [more on Energy in our area]
Group urges more study of plan to store liquid gas in mines WATKINS GLEN — A detailed geological assessment and additional testing should be done before a decision is made to store liquid propane gas in salt mines near the south end of Seneca Lake. (February 10, 2011) Finger Lakes Times: Finger Lakes Times [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Wants to Look at Full Lifecycle of Fracking in New Study - ProPublica The EPA has proposed examining every aspect of hydraulic fracturing, from water withdrawals to waste disposal, according to a draft plan the agency released Tuesday. If the study goes forward as planned, it would be the most comprehensive investigation of whether the drilling technique risks polluting drinking water near oil and gas wells across the nation. The agency wants to look at the potential impacts on drinking water of each stage involved in hydraulic fracturing, where drillers mix water with chemicals and sand and inject the fluid into wells to release oil or natural gas. In addition to examining the actual injection, the study would look at withdrawals, the mixing of the chemicals, and wastewater management and disposal. The agency, under a mandate from Congress, will only look at the impact of these practices on drinking water. (February 9, 2011) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Buffalo takes a stand on fracking - News Blog - Rochester City Newspaper Buffalo has become the first city in New York to ban hydraulic fracturing within its boundaries, though the measure is largely symbolic. The Marcellus Shale lies under the bottom half of Erie County, though Buffalo is just past the edge of the formation. (February 9, 2011) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear-waste transport plan facing a fight Groups vow to continue opposition | Environmentalists and a coalition representing Great Lakes cities including Windsor say they will continue to fight a proposed shipment of radioactive waste despite regulatory approval in Canada. On Friday, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission granted a one-year licence to Bruce Power to ship 16 decommissioned steam generators through the lakes en route to a recycling plant in Sweden. (February 8, 2011) The Windsor Star [more on Energy in our area]
Gas Prices Going Up Gas prices are getting more expensive in this month of February, and the prices could keep going up. The Energy Department is reporting that the national average for a gallon of unleaded regular is now $3.13. That's the highest price ever posted during the month of February and that dates back more than 20 years. (February 8, 2011) ROCHESTER'S NEWS LEADER NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Nuclear Waste Shipment on Great Lakes Approved (2011-02-08) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - A coalition of Great Lakes mayors is opposing an extraordinarily large shipment of nuclear waste across several of the lakes, including Lake Ontario. The shipment just won approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Canadian company Bruce Power plans to ship16 school-bus sized, radioactive generators for recycling in Sweden this spring. David Ullrich is the Director of the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative. He says the organization of mayors is worried the ship could sink and contaminate the lakes and the St. Lawrence River. (February 7, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Shale gas exploration on hold New rules sought for industry. 'Clear, concise and non-contradictory' regulatory framework called essential | Strident public opposition to shale gas development in Quebec, along with warnings by environment minister Pierre Arcand, have effectively shut down exploration and shifted the onus to a regulatory report late this month. But whatever the report may say, the industry won't go back to drilling again until the province draws up a clear and effective regulatory framework for shale gas operators that is separate from the mining law, Michael Binnion, CEO of Calgary's Questerre Energy Inc., said yesterday. (February 3, 2011) The Gazette (more on Energy in our area)
New Jersey lawsuit seeks to stop hydrofracking, or natural gas drilling TRENTON, N.J. — Two environmental groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop exploratory drilling of natural gas wells in the Delaware River basin. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Damascus Citizens for Sustainability filed the suit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Trenton. The Delaware River Basin Commission is in the process of adopting regulations for the natural gas drilling industry. Energy companies have leased thousands of acres of land in the Delaware River basin hoping to tap vast stores of natural gas in a rock formation known as the Marcellus Shale. (February 1, 2011) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Pa. fracking blowout spews fluid onto state forest lands | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Talisman Energy may face heavy penalties | Talisman Energy has resumed its Marcellus drilling operations in Pennsylvania, a week after one of the company's gas wells experienced a blowout that caused an uncontrolled discharge of sand and fracking fluids onto state forest lands in Tioga County. As a result of the incident, Talisman shut down all of its hydraulic fracturing operations in North America while it conducted an internal investigation into the cause of the Jan. 17 blowout. Those operations have since resumed, with Talisman's Pennsylvania drilling program being the last to be brought back online. (January 289, 2011) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
$250 million in funding for renewable energy projects ALBANY - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Public Service Commission has announced that approximately $250 million is available to fund a broad range of renewable energy generation projects that will reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and help build a clean-energy economy in New York State. Supported by the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), the funds will be awarded competitively through a solicitation released today for electric generation projects using wind, hydroelectric, biomass or other clean-energy resources. Awards under this solicitation are expected to be announced in April. (January 25, 2011) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Anti-gas drilling movie about Marcellus shale wins Oscar nomination | syracuse.com MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A film about natural gas drilling in Appalachia's Marcellus shale gas field is up for an Oscar. HBO's "GasLand" is among five nominees for Best Documentary Feature. It portrays the industry as dangerous to human health and the environment, but industry groups say it's full of inaccuracies. (January 26, 2011) [more on Energy in our area] Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com
Nuclear shipment decision delayed - The Sarnia Observer - Ontario, CA The decision whether to approve a controversial plan to ship low-level radioactive waste across the Great Lakes has been delayed. Aurele Gervais, spokesperson for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), said the commissioners have gone beyond the normal 30 business day deadline for a response. "I don't know what (they) are discussing. I only know that the commission members are still in deliberations." Bruce Nuclear wants to ship 16 contaminated steam generators to Sweden for recycling. But a long line of opponents, including politicians, First Nations leaders and environmentalists, spoke out at November hearings held to examine the company's plan. (January 22, 2011) The Sarnia Observer - Ontario, CA [more on Energy in our area]
DEC plan may expand gas drilling in state forests | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin A state Department of Environmental Conservation plan released this month leaves open the possibility of hydraulic fracturing and expanded natural gas development on state forest land. (January 22, 2011) PressConnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
DiNapoli joins push for disclosure from gas companies | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin ALBANY -- Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is among investors who have filed shareholder resolutions with nine oil and gas companies asking them to disclose their plans for managing water pollution and risks with natural gas hydraulic fracturing operations (January 21, 2011) PressConnects.com [more on Energy in our area]
Cornell Chronicle: Cornell helps start geothermal academy In step with the world's pressing need to explore alternative energy sources, Cornell is taking a leading role in the country's first National Geothermal Academy, expected to launch this summer. Funded with a $1.2 million Department of Energy grant, the multi-university academy will offer an eight-week, intensive summer training program for undergraduate, master's and Ph.D.-level students in all aspects of geothermal energy. (January 12, 2011) Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future - News [more on Energy in our area]
NCPR News - Massena proposes going nuclear Massena town supervisor Joe Gray’s been busy lately. He’s been fielding calls from people reacting to his proposal last week to bring a nuclear power plant to the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Nuclear power has evoked deep divisions in communities across the country. A reactor would bring hundreds of good-paying jobs and a big boost to the tax rolls. But it also raises concerns about radioactive waste and impacts on the health of local residents and the St. Lawrence River. (January 18, 2011) North Country Radio [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling likely to cause radon problems | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette In the Southern Tier of New York, most of the Marcellus Shale is a mile down vertically. All sedimentary rock has been uplifted or pushed down by plate tectonic movement over the millennia. Natural cracks or faults are all over the place due to Earth's restless motion. Many homes with basements have radon gas seepage due to naturally decaying isotopes of radium and uranium. Radon particles can raise havoc with our lungs by producing scar tissue and/or abnormal cellular growth, e.g. cancer. (January 18, 2011) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Salt caverns wanted for gas storage | WATKINS GLEN – A company wants to store liquefied petroleum gas in huge underground salt caverns near Seneca Lake. Finger Lakes LPG Storage, a subsidiary of Inergy Liquid Propane of Kansas City, Mo., is seeking state Department of Environmental Conservation approval to store up to 2.1 million barrels, or 88.2 million gallons, of LPG in the caverns on a seasonal basis. (January 17, 2011) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Quebec should 'go slow' on shale gas: experts MONTREAL - Quebec should hold off on shale gas drilling until serious environmental, economic and legal questions about the industry can be answered, a panel of U.S. and Quebec experts told a packed public meeting in Mont St. Hilaire Saturday. “The government of Quebec should look to Pennsylvania, and monitor how it is dealing with its problems with shale gas,” said Robert Howarth, a professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University who has studied the environmental impacts of the shale gas industry in the U.S. (January 15, 2011) The Gazette [more on Energy in our area]
Nine House members from N.Y. push for drilling disclosure | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle WASHINGTON — Nine members of the New York congressional delegation are among House Democrats urging federal officials to require natural gas drillers to disclose the chemicals they use under a technique called hydraulic fracturing. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced in November that his agency, which oversees natural gas and oil drilling on public lands, is reviewing its regulations. (January 14, 2011) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Opposition to 'fracking' affirmed by Common Council - City of Buffalo - The Buffalo News Buffalo lawmakers condemned a controversial natural gas mining technique known as "fracking" Tuesday, reaffirming their support for a proposed law that would ban the practice. But an environmental lawyer wondered aloud why the Council would take up the issue when no one has proposed hydraulic fracturing in Buffalo. (January 12, 2011) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Frackwater from the faucet: Pa. efforts to track, regulate wastewater sometimes fail | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin The natural gas boom gripping parts of the U.S. has a nasty byproduct: wastewater so salty, and so polluted with metals like barium and strontium, most states require drillers to get rid of the stuff by injecting it down shafts thousands of feet deep. Not in Pennsylvania, one of the states at the center of the gas rush. There, the liquid that gushes from gas wells is only partially treated for substances that could be environmentally harmful, then dumped into rivers and streams from which communities get their drinking water. (January 8, 2011) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Free residential energy audits available to area homes Most New Yorkers qualify for a free or reduced cost residential energy audit through Green Jobs - Green New York. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYERDA) is funding these audits on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are committed. In Chautauqua County, a family making up to $102,800 is eligible for a free audit, while families making up to $205,600 are eligible for a reduction in cost of the audit. For Cattaraugus County, free audits are available for families making up to $102,200. Reduced cost audits are available to families making up to $204,400. Family size is not taken into account in determining eligibility. (December 30, 2010) http://www.observertoday.com/ [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling in Pennsylvania raises stakes in New York - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow While Pennsylvania missed the mark on imposing regulations that might have alleviated environmental concerns, such as pollutants from the hydraulic fracturing drilling method, commonly called hydrofracking, getting into drinking water, there is no guarantee New York will do any better. (January 4, 2011) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
State weighs gas-drilling rules | poughkeepsiejournal.com | Poughkeepsie Journal On Dec. 11, in the final weeks of his governorship, David Paterson vetoed a six-month moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in New York state. In lieu of the bill, Paterson enacted an Executive Order that allows vertical hydraulic fracturing to continue, but defers permitting on high-volume, horizontal wells until July 1, 2011. The future of natural gas wells in our state lies with the horizontal drilling method. (January 2, 2011) poughkeepsiejournal.com | Poughkeepsie Journal | Poughkeepsie news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Poughkeepsie, NY [more on Energy in our area]

2010

Showdown nears over Indian Point plant future | LoHud.com | The Journal News BUCHANAN — Indian Point's future comes into focus early in the new year, when company lawyers will be battling state environmental regulators and activists over the nuclear plant's use of the Hudson River. A recent state Department of Environmental Conservation ruling sets up January filing deadlines and a June hearing to argue whether the company will have to drastically change the way it operates or be forced to close down. And that's just at the state level. (December 28, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
12/28/2010: EPA Improves Guidance for Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Cleanup WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today updated its guidance on how to properly clean up a broken compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Included with the guidance is a new consumer brochure with CFL recycling and cleanup tips. EPA encourages Americans to use CFLs for residential lighting to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a CFL breaks, some of the mercury is released as vapor and may pose potential health risks. The guidance and brochure will provide simple, user friendly directions to help prevent and reduce exposure to people from mercury pollution. More information on the clean up guidance: http://www.epa.gov/cflcleanup More information on CFLs: www.epa.gov/cfl (December 28, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
$5/Gallon Gas in 2012? - RochesterHomePage.net We could pay $5 for a gallon of gas by 2012. That's according to former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister. (December 28, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
Watertown Daily Times | Paterson nixes power deal 20-MEGAWATT ALLOCATION: State official says NYPA-River Agency contract has conflicts to be resolved | The fledgling St. Lawrence River Valley Redevelopment Agency suffered a major setback Wednesday when Gov. David A. Paterson refused to sign a contract between the agency and the New York Power Authority for the release of 20 megawatts of low-cost power to spur economic development. (December 23, 2010) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York [more on Energy in our area]
Lake Erie Power Plant Targeted in Fish Kill Case COLUMBUS, Ohio - Conservationists want a Lake Erie power plant near Toledo to change its ways, and now they're taking the battle to court. Environmental groups have filed a legal challenge against recently-issued U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permits that they say allow First Energy's Bay Shore Power plant to continue using methods that put a strain on the ecosystem, instead of updating their equipment. (December 22, 2010) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
Quebec study of potential shale gas pollution needs broader mandate: Cirque founder effects of extracting shale gas, Guy Laliberté, a philanthropist and creator of the Cirque du Soleil, said Monday. Laliberté was discussing the progress of his One Drop Foundation, the charity that seeks to fight poverty through worldwide access to clean water. One of the main concerns about the extraction of shale gas is that the process may contaminate groundwater. December 20, 2010) http://www.montrealgazette.com/index.html [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Paterson Approves Hydropower Contract Extensions with More Than 100 Western New York Companies Governor David A. Paterson today announced that he has approved long-term contract extensions for the continued supply of low-cost hydropower to more than 100 of Western New York's leading companies. In celebration of the achievement, representatives of the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Power for Economic Prosperity (PEP) were joined by State officials and business leaders at Praxair, Inc. in Tonawanda. The Governor's actions will help protect nearly 30,000 jobs and a combined annual payroll of over $2 billion and ensure annual capital investments of tens of millions of dollars. "The long-term contract extensions I have approved today will serve as a cornerstone for Western New York manufacturers to manage production costs and operate competitively," Governor Paterson said. "Niagara hydropower-some of the lowest cost power in the country-is a tremendous asset for protecting and creating jobs and bringing about the expansion of crucial New York industries. The contractual arrangements that the New York Power Authority has reached for this power for years to come is in keeping with my Administration's emphasis on using all the tools at our disposal to encourage and support the success of our State's businesses. This initiative is especially imperative in today's challenging economic climate, and the hydropower contract extensions are a key element of our efforts in this part of the State." (December 21, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Energy in our area]
Executive Order Suspending Fracking Brings Little Change - ProPublica When New York Gov. David Paterson recently vetoed a bill that would have placed a temporary moratorium on new permits for hydraulic fracturing, he issued an executive order that instead suspended the approval of certain types of these permits until after July 1, 2011. "I am proud to issue this Executive Order," Paterson said in a statement [1], "which will guarantee that before any high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing is permitted, the Department of Environmental Conservation will complete its studies and certify that such operations are safe." (December 17, 2010) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Supervisors pass ban on hydrofracking in Ontario County - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Ontario County Board of Supervisors overwhelmingly backed a measure to ban the practice of hydrofracking on property owned by the county. All supervisors present at Thursday night’s meeting voted to approved the resolution, which also stipulates that the Ontario County landfill will not accept waste products from hydraulic fracturing without written permission from the county. "December 21, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point's 20-year impact on environment not substantial, NRC finds | LoHud.com | The Journal News BUCHANAN — Extending Indian Point's operation for 20 years won't harm the environment enough to derail the nuclear plant's application for license renewal. In a 2,200-page final environmental impact statement, federal regulators re-affirmed their preliminary finding, clearing a key hurdle to the plant operating until 2035. Among the findings, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff said the environmental impacts of fish being killed by the plant's use of 2.5 billion gallons of Hudson River water were noticeable but not significant to destabilize the ecosystem. (December 16, 2010) LoHud.com | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam zagform | The Journal News [more on Energy in our area]
Report: White House seeks drilling OK before hydrofracking study is complete - DailyFreeman.com The New York Times reports the Obama administration is supporting a full study of the effects of hydrofracking, but doesn't want to wait until it's finished for drilling to begin. The Times said the administration position was outlined in a letter to U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley. Hydrofracking is the injection of water and chemicals under high pressure into rock formations to extract natural gas. Critics say the technique imperils the quality of groundwater. Drilling supporters say the technique is time-tested and no contamination of groundwater has been directly linked to the practice. (December 15, 2010) The Daily Freeman: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871 (DailyFreeman.com) [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Paterson Issues Executive Order on Hydraulic Fracturing | Governor David A. Paterson has issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct further comprehensive review and analysis of high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale. The Executive Order requires that, if approved, high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing would not be permitted until July 1, 2011, at the earliest. This should allay any fears that high-volume hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling under study by DEC will commence without assurances of safety. "We in government must always focus on protecting the well-being of those whom we represent and serve, but we also have an obligation to look to the future and protect the long-term interests for our State and its residents," Governor Paterson said. "Therefore, I am proud to issue this Executive Order, which will guarantee that before any high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing is permitted, the Department of Environmental Conversation will complete its studies and certify that such operations are safe." (December 11, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Energy in our area]
Industry, enviros praise NY gas-drilling time-out - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow ALBANY, N.Y. — Environmental groups and energy companies both claimed victory after Gov. David Paterson ordered a seven-month moratorium on some natural gas drilling in the state, although environmentalists would have preferred the broader ban that the Legislature had approved. The outgoing Democratic governor vetoed a bill on Saturday that would have suspended all new natural-gas drilling permits until May 15. Instead, he issued an executive order prohibiting high-volume hydraulic fracturing of horizontally drilled wells, such as those in the Marcellus Shale region of southern New York. The order stands until July 1. (December 13, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Paterson vetoes gas drilling moratorium, but orders temporary ban | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson on Saturday vetoed a bill to temporarily ban natural-gas drilling in New York, but issued an executive order to prohibit the hydraulic fracturing process until at least July 1. In doing so, Paterson sought to find a middle ground between environmentalists concerned about the potential harm of the so-called hydrofracking and business groups critical that the moratorium bill would impact all gas drilling in the state. (December 11, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
New York Governor Vetoes Fracking Bill - NYTimes.com Gov. David A. Paterson of New York on Saturday vetoed legislation intended to curtail natural gas development using the technique called hydraulic fracturing until a closer review of its effects can be undertaken. Instead, the governor issued an executive order instituting a moratorium that extends until July 1, 2011 — beyond the date specified in the legislation — and that more narrowly defines the types of drilling to be restricted. (December 11, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
David Paterson vetoes gas drilling ban; orders moratorium | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson on Saturday vetoed a bill to temporarily ban natural-gas drilling in New York, but issued an executive order to prohibit the controversial hydraulic fracturing process until at least July 1. In doing so, Paterson sought to find a middle ground between environmentalists concerned about the potential harm of the so-called hydrofracking and business groups that criticized the moratorium bill for impacting all gas drilling. (December 12, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
NYSERDA announces cash incentives for building and certification of new green homes ALBANY - With consumer interest in environmentally sustainable homes remaining strong despite the economic downturn, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is formally announcing a program to spur the building and certification of more green homes across the state. The Green Residential Building Program offers incentives to owners of certain new or substantially renovated residential or residential mixed-use buildings that incorporate practices and technologies that lower energy costs, reduce waste and water use, and improve indoor air quality. Incentives will be paid to owners who demonstrate that their building will use at least 30 percent less energy than conventionally built homes and has utilized the following green principles: (December 9, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Wayne County on verge of gas boom, but not just yet - News - The Times-Tribune While natural gas drilling is well under way throughout the state, including prolific production in Susquehanna County, a large swath of Northeast Pennsylvania still remains mostly off-limits because of an obscure federal regulatory agency charged with protecting the Delaware River Watershed. And Wayne County appears to be ground zero of a battle among environmentalists and local landowners who are eagerly awaiting draft natural gas regulations expected to be released this month by the Delaware River Basin Commission. "We're on the front lines," said Pat Carullo, who heads the Wayne/Pike-based environmental group Damascus Citizens for Sustainability. "We are the Gettysburg." (December 5, 2010) Scranton news, sports, obituaries, and shopping | thetimes-tribune.com | The Times-Tribune [more on Energy in our area]
No reason to shut Indian Point, NRC concludes - DailyFreeman.com BUICHANAN — The environmental impact of the Indian Point nuclear power plant is not great enough to justify closing it down, federal regulators concluded on Friday. In a 2,200-page report, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found no environmental reason to block new licenses requested by plant owner Entergy, a decision that company spokesman Jerry Nappi called “a significant milestone. (December 4, 2010) The Daily Freeman: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871 (DailyFreeman.com) [more on Energy in our area]
NRC gives environmental green light to Indian Point license renewal BUCHANAN – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Friday issued its final supplemental environmental impact statement for the proposed renewal of the operating license for Indian Point nuclear power plant Units 2 and three in Buchanan. The report concludes there are no environmental impacts that would preclude license renewal for an additional 20 years of operation. New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance Chairman Arthur “Jerry” Kremer said the finding is good news. “It’s further proof that the claims by the opponents that the plant is an environmental hazard have always been false and outrageous,” he said. (December 4, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Latest Carbon Auction Yields Nearly $17 Million for Clean Energy Programs in NY - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation EmPower New York Helps Saratoga Household Halve Electric Costs The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) today released the results of their 10th auction of carbon dioxide (CO2) allowances, held Wednesday, Dec. 1. As with previous auctions, states are reinvesting the proceeds in a variety of strategic energy programs to save consumers money, benefit the environment and build the clean-energy economies of the RGGI states. The offering of current control period CO2 allowances (2009-11) in the auction yielded a total of $46 million from the sale of 24.8 million allowances. Approximately 57 percent of allowances offered were sold at a price of $1.86 per allowance. States also offered a smaller number of allowances for a future control period (2012-2014). This offer produced $2.2 million from the sale of 1.8 million allowances. Approximately 53 percent of these allowances were sold at a price of $1.86 per allowance. New York's share of the total proceeds from the December auction is approximately $16.9 million. (December 3, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Oil Spill at Indian Point Contaminates Hudson River | Riverkeeper When alarming news broke in early November that an electrical transformer had exploded at Indian Point, a key piece of the story was missing: this major failure resulted in thousands of gallons of oil releasing to the environment and the Hudson River. Though it was not disclosed to the public, Entergy Corporation, the owner of Indian Point, called in a report several hours after the transformer fire to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) notifying the state that oil from the transformer had been released as a result of the event. By the next day, involved officials had ascertained that the “entire contents” of the 20,000 gallon capacity transformer had “been lost,” with the oil having been released into the site’s storm drain system and discharge canal, and to the Hudson River. According to DEC’s spill reports, oil sheens were repeatedly observed in the Hudson River in the days following the transformer explosion, and the Coast Guard was called in for support. (December 2, 2010) Riverkeeper - NY's Clean Water Advocate [more on Energy in our area]
Riverkeeper says Entergy didn’t tell the public about oil leak from transformer explosion BUCHANAN – Riverkeeper Thursday accused Entergy, the owner of Indian Point nuclear power plants, with not informing the public about an oil leak from a transformer that exploded at the facility on November 7. Indian Point officials say they notified state and federal officials and other stakeholders about it and were able to contain the vast majority of the spill. Some 20,000 gallons of the clear oil spilled. (December 3, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Temporary Ban on Gas Drilling Goes to Paterson - NYTimes.com Gov. David A. Paterson is considering whether to sign legislation that would impose a temporary moratorium on the issuing of permits for a controversial type of natural gas exploration that has raised broad safety concerns in New York State. The State Assembly voted 93 to 43 on Monday night to block new permits for the drilling practice, known as hydraulic fracturing, until May 15. The purpose would be to give the state more time to address safety and environmental worries, especially concerns that the drilling could contaminate groundwater supplies. (November 30, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas drillers feel pressure on fracking fluids | Energy | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle Government considers forcing them to reveal more on chemicals | WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is considering forcing energy companies to reveal more details about the chemicals they use to help extract natural gas from public lands, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday. The federal government is weighing the new disclosure requirements for natural gas wells on public lands that are stimulated using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, amid mounting fears that the practice can contaminate nearby drinking water supplies. (November 30, 2010) Houston news, entertainment, search and shopping | chron.com - Houston Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
New York adopts fracking moratorium ALBANY – State legislature in neighboring New York approves temporary moratorium, sends it to governor The New York State Assembly Monday night approved a resolution calling for a moratorium on hydrofracking in New York. The Senate had already approved the measure. The bill, if signed into law by the governor, would place a hold on hydrofracking for natural gas or oil until May 15, 2011. (November 30, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
11/29/2010: EPA Finalizes 2011 Renewable Fuel Standards WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the 2011 percentage standards for the four categories of fuel under the agency’s renewable fuel standard program, known as RFS2. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) amended the Clean Air Act to greatly increase the total required volume of renewable fuels each year, reaching a level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. To achieve these volumes, EPA calculates percentage-based standards for the following year. Based on the standards, each producer and importer of gasoline and diesel determines the minimum volume of renewable fuel that it must ensure is used in its transportation fuel. The final 2011 overall volume and standards are: Cellulosic biofuel - 6.6 million gallons; 0.003 percent Biomass-based diesel - 800 million gallons; 0.69 percent Advanced biofuel - 1.35 billion gallons; 0.78 percent Renewable fuel - 13.95 billion gallons; 8.01 percent (November 29, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Assembly OKs short halt to natural-gas drilling | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — The Assembly approved a temporary moratorium on natural-gas drilling Monday night, with the goal of placing a hold on a controversial extraction process until May. The bill passed, 93-43, according to the unofficial tally. The bill now goes before outgoing Gov. David Paterson for his consideration before it can become law. (November 30, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Pt. 2 restarts after fire, has new transformer | LoHud.com | The Journal News BUCHANAN — Indian Point 2 went back online early Wednesday morning, after being shut down for 17 days due to a transformer fire. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials said the re-start went off without a problem and inspectors had reviewed installation of the new transformer and testing of the plant's electrical system. (November 25, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania investigates spill at natural gas well site | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal HARRISBURG, Pa. -- State officials are investigating a leak of drilling wastewater at a natural gas well site in northcentral Pennsylvania that they say polluted a stream and a spring. The Department of Environmental Protection (November 23, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Nuclear power in Ontario: a controversial history Ontario's long-term energy plan, released Tuesday, calls for a re-investment by the government and the private sector to build two new nuclear reactors at Darlington and refurbish 10 older units. It confirms Ontario's intentions to keep getting half of the province's electricity from nuclear and to phase out coal-fired generation by 2014 at the latest, with two coal burning units at Nanticoke set to close next year. In 2009, nuclear power generated 55.2% of Ontario’s power. But the history of nuclear power in this province has not been without ballooning costs and political interference. (November 23, 2010) Global Toronto [more on Energy in our area]
Federal probe: Workers felt pressed to ignore safety issues at Knolls nuclear site - Times Union NISKAYUNA -- A federal investigation into radiation released during demolition of a research building at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory found workers felt pressed by bosses to ignore safety issues and get work done faster. A draft report, filed by investigators for the Department of Energy and obtained by the Times Union, also concluded that Washington Group International, a private company performing work under a $69 million contract, made missteps that led to an "uncontrolled spread of radioactive contamination" during the Sept. 29 demolition of a tainted Cold War-era research building at the research complex. (November 24, 2010) Home - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Environmental group calls for national moratorium on natural gas drilling YOUNGSVILLE – The Catskill Mountainkeeper organization is calling on President Obama’s administration not to approve any more natural gas drilling permits until the EPA’s study of the impacts of hydrofracking has been completed. Mountainkeeper said that while the United States, especially the Marcellus Shale, have reserves of natural gas and there is interest in developing them, they are “enormously concerned about the idea of fast tracking natural gas exploration and the risks such actions will bring.” (November 19, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Pittsburgh Bans Natural Gas Drilling - ProPublica Citing health and environmental concerns, the Pittsburgh, Pa., city council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban natural gas drilling within the city limits. It is the first such ban in a Pennsylvania city. (November 16, 2010) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: State Funding to Bring Green Roof to Rochester (2010-11-17) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Late last week, Governor David Paterson announced more than $60 million for water quality improvements around the state. Slightly over $2 million is coming to the City of Rochester for green infrastructure improvements. Some of that money is going towards building a brand new green roof. It would be the first green roof on a city building in Rochester. (November 17, 2010) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point operators trained as fire brigade BUCHANAN — The Sunday evening blast set off a blur of activity at the Indian Point nuclear power plants. At 6:39 p.m. the transformer explosion outside Indian Point 2 sent an automatic signal that immediately isolated the damaged unit electronically, shut down the reactor and triggered a sprinkler "deluge" system that doused the transformer. The shift manager told a staffer to call 911, but quickly initiated the plant's own internal emergency response plan. (November 14, 2010) LoHudson.com [more on Energy in our area]
RG&E, NYSEG looking for energy conservation projects to fund Sister utility companies New York State Electric and Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric are looking for large-scale energy-saving proposals to fund. The proposals must be from nonresidential customers or third-party aggregators working with those customers and be expected to save at least 100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity by October 2012. Proposals that save the most energy at the least cost will receive funding under the utility companies' block bidding program. (November 14, 2010) The Ithaca Journal [more on Energy in our area]
DEC voices concerns over Broome County natural gas lease review | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin BINGHAMTON -- A proposed plan for a state-mandated review of a Broome County natural gas lease drew concern from a Department of Environmental Conservation official in September, according to internal correspondence. Betty Ann Hughes, then the DEC's chief of State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) and training, said in a pair of messages that without the county completing some analysis of "the potential impacts of typical development activities" on land offered for lease, she would be "concerned that the lease action and supporting SEQR record could be vulnerable to challenge." (November 11, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Paterson Anticipates Continued Growth for Clean Energy Industry in New York State Governor David A. Paterson today announced, following the conclusion of "Advanced Energy 2010," a statewide conference produced by the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University, that New York's unique qualities will ensure that the State's clean energy economy continues its significant growth. This builds on the Governor's recently released New York State Climate Action Plan, which will help guide the State on its ambitious economic and environmental goals. "The vast array of companies and cutting-edge research showcased at the Advanced Energy Conference clearly demonstrated that New York has the ingredients to help clean energy companies develop and thrive," Governor Paterson said. "The combination of talent, technological innovation and supportive policies in New York has created a vibrant clean energy industry that is leading the nation in meeting the energy challenges of our future." (November 11, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Energy in our area]
Tioga County to monitor Susquehanna waters for natural gas production pollution | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Concern that natural gas production could eventually pollute the Susquehanna River has led officials to begin monitoring tributaries along the waterway. The Susquehanna River Basic Commission will install two real-time water quality stations in Tioga County, with data available online. Stations will be located along the Apalachin Creek watershed in Owego and the Upper Catatonk Creek watershed in Spencer. With installation expected in December, the stations will be operational by January, according to the SRBC. (November 9, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Poll: More than half of Broome residents support development of gas drilling in state | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin More than half of Broome residents polled last month support the development of natural gas in New York. In a Zogby International poll taken Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 52 percent of 401 Broome residents interviewed said they supported the development of natural gas in New York. On the flip side, 34 percent said they were opposed. In the same Zogby poll, 58 percent of Broome residents polled said they supported local government leasing county-land to gas companies to generate revenue. In contrast, 32 percent said they were opposed. (November 7, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Activists gather at Cobbs Hill to protest hydraulic fracturing | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle A Rochester activist group used open-flame street theater Tuesday to make a point about natural-gas drilling, in the process managing to draw the attention of bemused fire and police officials. A dozen or so members of Genesee Valley Earth First gathered shortly after noon alongside Cobbs Hill reservoir in southeast Rochester to protest what they see as the environmental risks of the controversial natural-gas extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking. (November 10, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania to Become 'Gasland'? Pennsylvanians set to take on gov't, industry, and Karl Rove over one of world's largest gas deposits | On the day after the midterm elections, the outline of Pennsylvania's next battleground was clearly drawn. Pittsburgh hosted the largest conference of companies interested in the massive Marcellus Shale gas deposit, thought to hold enough gas to power the entire U.S. for anywhere from two to thirty years. Drilling communities around the country report serious environmental and public health concerns --The Real News Network [more on Energy in our area]
Foodlink teams with Epiphergy to turn its waste into ethanol - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Rochester, N.Y. — Foodlink, the regional food bank for Central and Western New York, is teaming up with a local alternative-energy company to transform its organic food waste into a golden opportunity. Foodlink has partnered with Epiphergy, out Pittsford, to launch a program, which began in August, that diverts its organic waste products from the garbage can into ethanol fuel, an alternative to gasoline. (November 9, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Vermont Nuclear Reactor Shuts Down Due To Leak | AHN Vernon, VT, United States (AHN) - The Garden State's only nuclear power plant was forced to shut down Sunday night because of a radioactive leak. A 24-inch pipe in Vermont Yankee's feedwater system is leaking radioactive water at about 60 drops per minute. A spokesman for the reactor, which is owned by Entergy Corp., is quoted in local reports as saying the leak is within a building and does not pose a public health risk (November 8, 2010) AHN | All Headline News | Breaking News and Headlines [more on Energy in our area]
Alert declared, then lifted, at Indian Point BUCHANAN – Entergy officials declared an alert at the Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant Sunday evening following an explosion of one of its two main electrical transformers. The alert was lifted 3½ hours later. Those devices are located outdoors in a non-nuclear area of the plant and help transfer electricity that is generated at the power plant to the main electrical grid. (November 8, 2010) Hudson Valley News, as it happens! [more on Energy in our area]
Problems Shut Down Pair Of Nuclear Plants - RochesterHomePage.net Problems forced two of the nation's nuclear power plants to shutdown Sunday. The Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchannan, New York is closed following a transformer explosion Sunday evening. Indian Point spokesperson Jerry Nappie says nobody is hurt and there was no release of any radioactive materials. The power plant is located about 24 miles north of New York City. (November 7, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
Second reactor eyed at Ginna | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Next Page 1 | 2 Previous Page A French company has acquired land near the Robert E. Ginna nuclear power plant in Wayne County and the Nine Mile Point plant in Oswego County for possible new reactors. Electricite de France SA said it has purchased Constellation Energy Group's (November 2, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Local families sought for electricity study The state is looking for Rochester-area families to participate in an energy-use monitoring program. Jumpstart NY, a statewide initiative of the Public Service Commission, aims to enroll 250 families. They will be asked to check their energy use, reduce electricity waste and communicate with other families in the program. The objective is to encourage a dialogue on efficient use of household electricity. (November 1, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Students Rally Against Hydrofracking - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Canandaigua, N.Y. -- Student and community environmental groups held a rally at Finger Lakes Community College Wednesday night against a form of natural gas drilling. The Process Hydro-fracturing or "hydrofracking" is a drilling technique that blasts water into rock in order to extract natural gas deep beneath the ground. Hydrofracking has been around for decades in New York State, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation, but a different method that's being discussed for New York has drawn criticism. It's called high-volume horizontal drilling. (October 28, 2010) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Energy in our area]
Foodlink turns spoilage into ethanol for vehicles | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Foodlink is partnering with a local alternative energy company to turn garbage into a bio-fuel that can power the organization's vehicles. The project is a pilot for the regional food (October 22, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Canandaigua company to start pilot project for lighting technology CANANDAIGUA — As promised in July, Moser Baer Technologies has formed a partnership to establish the world’s first pilot production facility for Organic Light Emitting Diode lighting panels. Moser Baer representatives told Geneva city officials in July of its pilot production plans, saying the aim was to be successful and then go into regular production. (October 19, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Third-party gubernatorial candidates push for ban on hydraulic fracturing | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin While no major party gubernatorial candidates in either state have carried the banner for a hydraulic fracturing moratorium, both New York and Pennsylvania have fringe candidates who have made the fight against the natural gas drilling technique one of their top priorities. (October 16, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
In-ground wall to filter water at NY nuke site - State Wire - The Buffalo News WEST VALLEY, N.Y. (AP) - Contaminated water inching through the ground at a nuclear cleanup site is about to hit a wall. And if all goes as planned, it will seep through it and come out clean on the other side. Crews at the West Valley Demonstration Project in Cattaraugus County are digging an 850-foot-long, three-foot-wide trench along the site's northwest edge and back filling it with crushed volcanic material called zeolite. The in-ground wall slicing to clay 19 to 30 feet below is meant to decontaminate groundwater as it moves through it toward Cattaraugus Creek in the Lake Erie watershed. (October 17, 2010) Home - buffalonews [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas elbows its way to energy industry's center stage | syracuse.com NEW YORK — By unlocking decades’ worth of natural-gas deposits deep underground across the United States, drillers have ensured that natural gas will be cheap and plentiful for the foreseeable future. It’s a reversal from a few years ago that is transforming the energy industry. The sudden abundance of natural gas has been a boon to homeowners who use it for heat, local economies in gas-rich regions, manufacturers that use it to power factories and companies that rely on it as a raw material for plastic, carpet and other everyday products. But it has upended the ambitious growth plans of companies that produce power from wind, nuclear energy and coal. Those plans were based on the assumption that supplies of natural gas would be tight, and prices high. (October 15, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Otisco board to hold hearing on a hydrofracking moratorium | syracuse.com Otisco, NY -- Otisco town board members have agreed to hold a hearing on whether to impose a moratorium on hydrofracking. Town board members decided Monday night to hold a hearing Nov. 4 on the controversial method of extracting natural gas from underground rock formations. Town Supervisor Wayne Amato said the board consensus appears to favor a ban on hydrofracking, but a moratorium is not a sure thing. “My feeling is we need to have a discussion that brings together both sides of the issue so that we have pretty good representation of each,” Amato said. (October 12, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Not everyone agrees shale's a plus Natural gas exploration has been promoted as an economic boon for the province, but not everyone agrees | When Natural Resources Minister Nathalie Normandeau began touting the potential benefits of shale gas development in Quebec, it seemed the province had finally struck economic gold. After some initial exploratory work, several companies concluded in early 2010 that we were sitting on enough of the natural gas -trapped in a expansive shale formation beneath the St. Lawrence Lowlands -to supply the province's energy needs for the next 200 years. (October 12, 2010) Montreal Gazette - Breaking News, Quebec, Opinion, Multimedia & More [more on Energy in our area]
Wood Library series focuses on topic of hydrofracking - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — A series of events at Wood Library this month is aimed at shedding light on a controversial method of natural gas drilling commonly called hydrofracking. Hydraulic fracturing involves the high-pressure injection of millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into a well to crack rock and release gas. Though not yet permitted in New York state, the Southern Tier and areas of the Finger Lakes region have been targeted because the Marcellus Shale extends from the Appalachian basin into the Finger Lakes region. (October 8, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Dresden power plant's future is up in the air AES Greenridge could be mothballed after review DRESDEN — AES Greenidge may shut down its coal-fired power plant for an unspecified period of time unless the market improves, costs are cut or continued operation is determined necessary for reliability. The state will first have to complete a review process. On Sept. 17, the company submitted a document to the state Public Service Commission asking to put the plant into a long-term protective lay-up. Plant Manager Doug Roll cited a combination of increased costs for coal and rail transportation, high state taxes, fees, decreased demand for electricity and a decline in the price of natural gas. (October 5, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Schumer announces tighter security against terrorism at nuclear plants | LoHud.com | The Journal News PEEKSKILL — Would-be terrorists will have a tougher time working at the nation's nuclear plants when federal regulators tighten employee hiring and retention security in the coming weeks. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will run prospective employees through the federal criminal databases, rescreen current employees on a regular basis and teach staffers to look for suspicious co-worker behavior. The changes follow an audit by the agency's Office of Inspector General done at the request of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. (October 5, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna, other nuclear power plants need to improve security | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ONTARIO — Nuclear power plants across the nation, including Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Wayne County, need to improve security procedures to prevent possible terrorist infiltration, according to an audit by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The audit was requested in March after it was discovered that suspected al-Qaeda member Sharif Mobley had worked in New Jersey nuclear power plants for six years before he was arrested in Yemen in early March with other suspected al-Qaeda members. (October 5, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
New study finds frac'ing chemicals hazardous | PostIndependent.com A total of 944 chemicals used to extract natural gas, some of which are said to cause serious health problems for humans, have been identified in a recently released study by an organization based in Paonia. The study found that at least 73 of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or “frac'ing,” were found to have “10 or more adverse health effects” and should be considered potentially hazardous to humans. (October 2, 2010) Glenwood Springs Colorado | PostIndependent.com News [more on Energy in our area]
Governor Paterson Sends President Obama Letter Supporting Improved Fuel Efficiency Standards Governor David A. Paterson today was joined by seven other governors, including Governor John Baldacci of Maine; Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland; Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts; Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico; Governor Theodore R. Kulongoski of Oregon; Governor Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania; and Governor Christine O. Gregoire of Washington in support of improved fuel efficiency and stronger greenhouse gas pollution standards. Stronger national clean vehicle standards will grow the clean energy economy here in New York. There are already 56 companies that are part of the Governor Paterson’s Battery Energy Storage Technology consortium working towards high tech batteries for clean cars. (October 1, 2010)http://www.ny.gov/governor [more on Energy in our area]
Harper amendment helps pass Marcellus Shale tax bill - North Penn Life - Montgomery News A local lawmaker was successful Tuesday in breaking the logjam in the House over passage of a bill to tax natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania, leading to passage of the bill by the House today, Wednesday. An amendment by state Rep. Kate Harper, R-61, to Senate Bill 1155, which places a tax of 39 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas, was approved by a 154-45 vote Tuesday night. Harper’s amendment puts more of the tax proceeds toward environmental initiatives than had been proposed in the bill. (September 30, 2010) Montgomery News [more on Energy in our area]
UR working to create energy from fusion | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Robert L. McCrory is keeping a close eye on experiments getting under way today at the National Ignition Facility in California. The Laboratory for Laser Energetics that McCrory heads at the University of Rochester is helping the federal government in its research (September 30, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Opponents of Dryden gas drilling proposal protest to DEC | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Group asserts company's application lacks important information | For Deborah Cipolla-Dennis, the words "not known" are simply not acceptable. When those words decorated the environmental form of a natural gas drilling application submitted to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Cipolla-Dennis had to take action. The phrase was the answer to several questions asked on the application about nearby features such as public water supplies and aquifers and farmland. This led the Dryden Resource Awareness Coalition, of which Cipolla-Dennis is a member, to write to DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis to inform him of what she believes are deficiencies in the application. (September 28, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point cooling towers get lukewarm reception | LoHud.com | The Journal News Stadium-size cooling towers astride Indian Point's nuclear reactors isn't a vision that some elected officials want to see. "Towers are not going to be well-received," said John Testa, R-Peekskill, as he questioned whether residents' opinions would be seriously considered. Indian Point officials briefed county lawmakers Monday on plans to comply with federal clean-water regulations and the prospect of huge structures along the Buchanan banks of the Hudson River (September 28, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Reminds Homeowners to Inspect Fuel Oil Tanks Before The Temperatures Drop - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Thoroughly Checking for Common Problems Can Prevent Expensive Leaks and Spills Before receiving the first shipment of fuel oil for the upcoming heating season, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis is encouraging homeowners to thoroughly check their heating fuel oil storage tanks to help prevent leaks and spills. *September 29, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
Refusal to stall gas drilling heartens industry NEW PALTZ — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision not to institute a moratorium on water withdrawals for natural gas drilling in the Delaware River Basin has increased the resolve of the industry to accelerate development of the Marcellus Shale formation, an opponent says. As first reported Wednesday by The New York Times, the Army Corps has rejected a request by U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, to use the federal government’s vote on the Delaware River Basin Commission to seek a temporary ban on natural gas production in the Delaware watershed. (September 24, 2010) The Daily Freeman: Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871 (DailyFreeman.com) [more on Energy in our area]
Wyoming Fracking Rules Would Disclose Drilling Chemicals - ProPublica New rules going into effect Wednesday will place Wyoming at the forefront of the national push to disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing [1], the drilling technique that’s been suspected of polluting groundwater in parts of the country with vast reservoirs of untapped natural gas. If the rules work as promised, they should provide the most comprehensive accounting yet of exactly what substances drilling companies are injecting into particular wells, a level of specificity that goes beyond disclosures in Pennsylvania and New York, two states where drilling has been controversial. (September 14, 2010) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
State DEC report on fracking may still be months away | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin BINGHAMTON -- Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has left town and the local spotlight on its hydraulic fracturing study has gone dim, the focus of the New York gas drilling debate shifts 140 miles up I-88. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials in Albany, however, are remaining silent. High-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale remains non-existent in the state as the DEC reviews its supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, a blanket document that when finalized will guide the permitting process for horizontal natural gas drilling. (September 17, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Natural gas drilling meetings in Binghamton wrap up | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle BINGHAMTON — Several weeks of tense negotiations, venue changes, a postponement and a pair of pricey contracts led to a two-day U.S. Environmental Protection Agency meeting at The Forum that concluded Wednesday without a hitch. Speaker after speaker stepped up over 16 hours to sound off to an EPA panel of researchers on how they think the agency should proceed with its hydraulic fracturing study, or to vent — sometimes loudly — about where they stand on the drilling technique. (September 16, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Water leak shuts down Indian Point unit 3 BUCHANAN – Entergy removed the Indian Point power plant unit 3 from service Thursday night after a non-radioactive water leak was identified in the main electrical generator. There was no release of radioactivity and no threat to the safety of workers or the public, Entergy officials said. (September 11, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling becomes election issue in the 29th - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — Candidates are lining up behind the issue of gas drilling as the controversial method called hydrofracking takes center stage this election season in the Finger Lakes region. Hydraulic fracturing involves high-pressure injection of millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into a well to crack rock and release gas. Opponents fear it could endanger drinking water, but the industry says it has been done safely for decades. (September 11, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
09/09/2010: EPA Formally Requests Information From Companies About Chemicals Used in Natural Gas Extraction / Information on hydraulic fracturing chemicals is key to agency study of potential impacts on drinking water WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it has issued voluntary information requests to nine natural gas service companies regarding the process known as hydraulic fracturing. The data requested is integral to a broad scientific study now underway by EPA, which Congress in 2009 directed the agency to conduct to determine whether hydraulic fracturing has an impact on drinking water and the public health of Americans living in the vicinity of hydraulic fracturing wells. (September 9, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Fracking Regulations Vary Widely from State to State | Circle of Blue | WaterNews A look at how states across America are facing deep frack dilemmas. | Prompted by upgrades in drilling technology and immense reserves of natural gas contained in carbon-rich shales that lies miles deep, a boom in natural gas development is well underway across the United States that is also causing states to scramble to review their drilling regulations and cleanup requirements. At risk is the safety of groundwater that millions of people use in their homes and businesses. (August 31, 2010) Circle of Blue | WaterNews [more on Energy in our area]
Benefits unclear in new law on power - City & Region - The Buffalo News 'A very big deal' for the local economy? It all depends on who's doing the math | A new state law being hailed as a major boost to the local economy may or may not be all that it's cranked up to be. In all likelihood, its impact will be far less that what politicians have contended since Gov. David A. Paterson last weekaug31 signed a law redirecting profits from the sale of unused hydropower from the New York Power Authority to a new program to fund economic development in Erie and Niagara counties. (September 7, 2010) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Amid drilling for clean fuel, why does water go bad? - City & Region - The Buffalo News No shortage of finger-pointing as residents blame gas boom for contamination of wells | WYALUSING, Pa. -- Jacqueline Place knew something was wrong when the cows stopped drinking the water. Jonna Phillips' warning came straight through the faucet, which in July started serving up water the color of chocolate milk -- water that could be lit with a lighter. And for Jared McMicken, the gas meter in the basement issued the ultimate alert. (September 6, 2010)The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Motherlode of gas is fractious pursuit - City & Region - The Buffalo News Drilling technique to access reserves in Marcellus Shale stirs controversy | COVINGTON, Pa. -- A city of semis appeared out of nowhere on a hillside here a few weeks ago, all working in tandem with machinery that reached more than a mile deep into the earth's surface to lay claim to a piece of Pennsylvania's economic future. It's a scene appearing again and again in two of the four corners of the Keystone State, in the valleys southwest of Pittsburgh as well as these rolling hills in Tioga County 35 miles south of Corning. Hydraulic fracturing -- the drilling technique that taps into the vast gas reserves of the Marcellus Shale -- may be banned for now in gas-rich, cash-poor upstate New York, but it's remaking the economy and the environment of the state just to the south. (September 6, 2010) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Watertown Daily Times | Plans for Massena hydro dam dead $5M SPENT ON FEES, STUDIES: Utility says lack of cooperation from state, federal agencies killed project | MASSENA — A proposed hydroelectric dam in the Grasse River that could have powered 800 homes and was a key component to downtown Massena revitalization is dead in the water, washing $5 million spent on seven years of regulatory fees and project studies down the drain. Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York (September 2, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
Ginna fixing pump, NRC reports | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Federal regulators have scaled back oversight at the Ginna nuclear power plant in Ontario, Wayne County, after the plant's owner made progress in addressing a key piece of backup equipment that failed several tests last year. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission focused on the turbine-driven auxiliary feedwater pump during a special July inspection at the plant, on the Lake Ontario shore about 15 miles east of Rochester (September 2, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New Yor [more on Energy in our area]
Rallies may be few at Binghamton EPA meeting | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Groups finding it hard to organize in short period of time | BINGHAMTON -- Now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's hydraulic fracturing meeting has been rescheduled in Binghamton, the rallies that posed security concerns to some may be a thing of the past. No one has contacted the City of Binghamton requesting a permit to stage a demonstration since the rescheduled dates of Sept. 13 and Sept. 15 at The Forum were announced Tuesday, according to Andrew Block, executive assistant to the mayor. (September 1, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
08/31/2010: EPA’s Public Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing Study to Take Place in Binghamton, New York; Meeting Scheduled for September 13 and 15 at the Broome County Forum Theater New York, NY – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected a new venue and dates for the public meeting on EPA’s upcoming hydraulic fracturing study originally scheduled for August 12, 2010. The meeting will now be held at the Broome County Forum Theater in Binghamton, New York, on September 13th and 15th, 2010. (August 31, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
General Motors: Hydrogen Fuel is Safe - RochesterHomePage.net The hydrogen fueling station where the explosion occurred is used to fuel a fleet Monroe County vehicles that run on hydrogen. The county is partnering General Motors to do research on hydrogen as a fuel source. GM owns the pump, and the refueling equipment. It insists hydrogen explosions are rare. (August 31, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
NYPA Receives Award For Promoting Green Commutes WHITE PLAINS—New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel today announced that NYPA was the recipient of a top award for its participation in the “2010 Earth Day Commuter Challenge,” a year-long contest which aimed to reduce drive-alone commuting time in the Hudson Valley. NYPA was among three local employers to take top honors in the category of “New Enrollments” on Nu-Ride.com, a free on-line ride matching network that tracks participants’ ridesharing performance. “Along with producing clean energy, the Power Authority is proud to promote clean commuting alternatives for our employees,” Kessel said. “The Power Authority is committed to seeking ways to help our customers reduce energy use and operate more efficiently and we like to practice what we preach. Programs like this yield value to our employees and to the environment and are right up our alley.” (August 26, 2010) New York Power Authority [more on Energy in our area]
Energy monitoring program is launched - Times Union ALBANY -- New York state has quietly launched a campaign to promote energy efficiency and is seeking 50 families in the Capital Region to participate in a program that would measure their electricity usage in the home. The program, called Jumpstart NY, is being promoted mostly through websites including Facebook, Twitter, craigslist and blogging sites in addition to classified advertising. (August 29, 2010) Home - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
EPA, Binghamton negotiate details of hydraulic fracturing forum | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle BINGHAMTON — Local and federal officials are remaining tight-lipped about closed-door negotiations into where to house the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's final public meeting on its multi-million-dollar hydraulic fracturing study. In a written statement, Broome County Deputy Executive Darcy Fauci said Friday that the county submitted everything the agency needed to The Cadmus Group, an EPA contractor, and is "hopeful for this resolution to this issue early next week." (August 29, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
CBC News - Montreal - Shale gas drilling worries some Quebecers Shale gas exploration along the banks of Quebec's fertile St. Lawrence River has worried residents, town leaders and environmentalists, who say projects to extract the natural resource are forging ahead in a regulatory vacuum. Shale gas is considered an increasingly important source of natural gas in North America, with the potential of significantly boosting the world's energy supplies. (August 26, 2010) CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News [more on Energy in our area]
ENERGY: Will town opposition block offshore turbines? - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The Greece and Webster Town Boards have formalized their opposition to a potential Lake Ontario offshore wind project. So have a minority of Monroe county legislators, all of them Republicans. But will that be enough to sway state Power Authority officials, who are facilitating a process that could put wind farms in Lakes Erie and Ontario? An authority spokesperson wouldn't give a firm answer early this week. She also wouldn't say what sort of weight the towns' resolutions carry. (August 25, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Revamped website enhances shopping for energy suppliers | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information A revamped website has been launched to make it easier for residential consumers to shop for electricity and natural gas suppliers, the state Public Service Commission said Monday. The site, www.newyorkpowertochoose.com, allows real-time offers and rates to be presented, PSC officials said. Consumers also can search for offers in their ZIP code, compare offers, and save and print offers. (August 23, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Shale sites studied for emission storage - Times Union ALBANY -- New York's gas-rich underground rock formations have sparked a contentious fight over drilling safety, but they're also being studied as potential tombs for the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel global warming. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is overseeing a $1.5 million research project, also supported by the U.S. Energy Department, into the Marcellus Shale as well as other shale formations in New York, Vermont and Kentucky. (August 21, 2010) Home - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
EERE News: DOE Announces Nearly $120 Million to Advance Innovative Weatherization Projects, Highlights Progress in the Program Nationally U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today award selections for approximately 120 organizations across the country that will receive nearly $120 million to drive innovation under the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Weatherization Assistance Program. These investments will enable successful weatherization agencies to expand their programs and will support new pilot projects to demonstrate innovative weatherization delivery and financial models and new technologies. Secretary Chu also announced that the program reached a new milestone in June—weatherizing more than 31,600 homes across the country. (August 19, 2010) Department of Energy - Homepage [more on Energy in our area]
Energy efficiency successes detailed ALBANY - The State Public Service Commission (Commission) today received a report from Department of Public Service staff detailing the latest successes of the Commission's landmark Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS) proceeding. "Substantial progress continues to be made in terms of meeting the goals set by the Commission's energy efficiency efforts," said Commission Chairman Garry Brown. "We are seeing steady month-over-month gains in the annualized energy savings as a result of the installation of new electric and gas efficiency measures. These steady gains we are making move us that much closer to realizing our overall goal of reducing New York's electricity consumption by 2015. Additionally, reports indicate that most of the programs will meet energy savings goals established by the Commission for 2011, which is encouraging." (August 20, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
RIT Research Looks at Turning Methane Gas into Fuel - YNN, Your News Now Research underway at Rochester Institute of Technology aims at finding a way to convert an abundant gas into a usable, low-cost fuel. A grant is funding the efforts of an RIT professor and his students to change methane with laser light. (August 14, 2010) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
Paterson demands "overwhelming evidence" that drilling is safe | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin ALBANY (AP) - Gov. David Paterson says hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells in New York's part of the four-state Marcellus Shale region won't be allowed without “overwhelming evidence that nothing will happen” to harm clean water supplies. In an interview Friday with Syracuse radio WSYR's Jim Reith, Paterson said the controversy over natural gas drilling is “obviously a clash between a very lucrative profit-making opportunity and a very serious public safety hazard.” (August 13, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Methane found in northeastern Pennsylvania wells | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Chesapeake Energy are investigating three drinking water wells in Bradford County that tested positive for methane gas. A spokesman for the DEP said three homes on Brocktown Road in Monroeton have water wells infused with methane, according to WENY-TV. The DEP discovered the problem after a lid blew off one of the water wells last week. Officials got word of the incident Aug. 4, and the DEP served Chesapeake with a notice of violation. (August 13, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Supervisors approve solar array bid - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The Ontario County Board of Supervisors Thursday approved a bid to install a solar panel array at the county transportation office. All supervisors present voted in favor of the measure. Rochester Solar Technologies of Victor will install a solar panel array at the county’s transportation facility. The project will be paid for entirely with $200,000 in federal funds, said county DPW head William Wright, along with a potential grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. (August 10, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling forum moved to Syracuse | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle SYRACUSE — In anticipation of as many as 8,000 people at a public hearing on natural gas drilling, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it was moving it from Binghamton University to a Syracuse convention center 65 miles north. The hearing is the last by the EPA to get public comment on its study of hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells. Critics say the technology, which blasts chemical-laced water into the earth, could poison water supplies. The industry says it has been used safely for decades. (August 10, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Old, new demands tax New York's power grid | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Whether it's to plug in a vacuum cleaner or to recharge an iPod, to light a farmer's early morning milking or to keep a cooling unit running in a corner store in the city, we all depend on the power grid. That massive network, which includes all the lines and transmission equipment between the power plants and your home, has some catching up to do to serve an Internet age of high-definition videos and high-tech gadgets. Not to mention the nascent electric car market. (August 8, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Site still undetermined for next week's EPA natural gas hearing | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin In less than a week, the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to be in the area to host the largest public meeting on its $1.9 million study of hydraulic fracturing. Just where will that meeting take place? That's up in the air. More than 1,200 people are already registered to attend the Aug. 12 event, but the venue has yet to be determined, according to Binghamton University and the EPA. It was expected to take place in BU's Anderson Center for the Performing Arts — as it was advertised on the EPA's website — but the school and agency are apparently at odds. (August 6, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
New York Senate Passes Temporary Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing - ProPublica In a pre-dawn vote Wednesday, New York State's senate passed a bill that reaches beyond the debate over the environmental safety of drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale and would effectively ban almost all gas and oil drilling in the state until next spring. The bill circumvents an environmental review by the state's regulatory agency that could be finished this year. The bill prohibits the underground process of hydraulic fracturing [1], which breaks up buried rock and releases gas trapped inside. (August 4, 2010) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
Cuomo wants 'the facts' before moving forward on natural gas drilling | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal BINGHAMTON -- About 50 people gathered outside the State Office Building Wednesday, demanding answers from Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo on where he stands on drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation. (August 4, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling moratorium passes state Senate - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Albany, N.Y. — While environmental groups celebrated passage of a gas-drilling moratorium in the state Senate, an industry group said it needlessly delays work already held up for two years during an environmental review. (August 4, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
State Senate votes to delay hydrofracking ALBANY – If the Assembly goes along, an almost one-year moratorium would be declared on hydrofracking for natural gas for 11 months. The 48 yes votes included 15 Republicans, among them Hudson Valley Senators John Bonacic of Mount Hope and Stephen Saland of Poughkeepsie. (August 4, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale gas drillers committed 1,435 violations in 2.5 years, report says | PennLive.com Marcellus Shale gas drillers in Pennsylvania commit an average of 1.5 regulatory violations per day, according to a report from the Pennsylvania Land Trust, based on Right To Know requests to the Department of Environmental Protection. In the last two and a half years, drilling companies were cited for 1,435 violations -- 952 of which were considered most likely to harm the environment, according to the report. (August 2, 2010) Central PA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - PennLive.com [more on Energy in our area]
Va plans $15M energy project Plant addition will house bio-mass fueled boilers | As part of the project, two biomass-fueled (wood chips) steam boilers utilizing computer-controlled gasification technology for high efficiency and low emissions will be installed in a new addition to the existing central plant building. The addition also will house a steam-driven generator, automated conveyors, four days worth of wood chip storage, emission control equipment and supporting utilities. Included with the project are site improvements to the Bushwood Lane site entrance at the medical center, paving, landscaping and relocation of an existing pole barn. (August 03, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania Marcellus shale drilling companies get violations - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Harrisburg, P.A. — A report from a Pennsylvania environmental group says companies drilling for natural gas in the lucrative Marcellus shale have tallied more than 1,400 violations of state rules since January 2008. (August 03, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Ontario Beach event protests offshore drilling | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The stretch of colorful flags revealed animal after animal — manatees, pelicans, sea turtles and many more — whose existence has been threatened as a result of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A total of 367 flags, each of which had its own distinct species written across the front, were unfurled on Ontario Beach Park on Saturday afternoon, as part of the second local "Hands Across the Sand" demonstration, a protest against offshore drilling. (August 1, 2010) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Reports: Natural Gas Production Declines 11 Percent In 2009 - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Natural gas production from New York wells in 2009 continued at a relatively high rate but has declined from recent record levels, State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. For 2009, 44.85 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the state, representing the sixth-highest total ever. Still, that represents an 11 percent decline from the 2008 total of 50.32 bcf and 19 percent below the all-time high of 55.34 bcf, set in 2006. The 2009 production, which was enough to supply the natural gas needs of approximately 650,000 homes for a year, was driven by wells in the Trenton-Black River formation in the Finger Lakes region and by increases in production from traditional New York formations, such as the Herkimer sandstone in Madison and Chenango Counties. (July 28, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Energy in our area]
NYS solar grant interest and processing improves ALBANY - New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) praised the state for turning around processing of applications in its photovoltaic grant program, allowing the industry to continue on its growth track. Reversing a dramatic slowdown in processing state solar grant applications earlier this year, a record number of applications have been processed in June by New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in half the regular turnaround time. (July 27, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Residents tell EPA that Pa. gas drilling poisons water | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal CANONSBURG, Pa. -- People who make a living from a natural gas drilling technique that involves pumping chemical-laced water into the earth and others who believe it has poisoned them or their well water packed into a hotel ballroom in southwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday night to make an impression on federal researchers. (July 22, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Residents tell EPA that Pa. gas drilling poisons water | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin CANONSBURG, Pa. -- People who make a living from a natural gas drilling technique that involves pumping chemical-laced water into the earth and others who believe it has poisoned them or their well water packed into a hotel ballroom in southwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday night to make an impression on federal researchers. Residents of Hickory, about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, called for intensive study of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and told a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency panel that their well water turned foul after drilling began nearby in the last few years. A similar EPA meeting to discuss natural gas in the Marcellus Shale is scheduled for Aug. 12 at Binghamton University. (July 22, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Cornell poll: 53% of New Yorkers see more risk than revenue in gas drilling | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin The majority of New Yorkers feel the risks of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale outweigh any revenue that may come from it, according to a poll by the Cornell University Survey Research Institute. Fifty-three percent across the state said they felt the risks outweigh the revenues, and 25 percent said the revenues outweigh the risks. Twenty-two percent said they did not know enough about the issue to offer an opinion. (July 15, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Pete Seeger, Mark Ruffalo, Among Advocates for Hydro Fracking Moratorium (2010-07-20) Folksinger Pete Seeger and actor Mark Ruffalo were among those who traveled to the State Capitol Tuesday to speak out against hydro fracking. A bill to place a moratorium on the natural gas extraction is just one item on a lengthy to do list for the legislature, which adjourned earlier this month without acting on a number of key items. (July 20, 2010) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling debate on deck | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Southern Tier and Finger Lakes region residents who care about the future of natural gas drilling in their home counties should pay close attention to the New York governor's race. The candidate who gets elected may well have a significant, if not final, say on whether drilling goes forward in New York. For now, the three candidates have confined their positions on horizontal hydro-fracturing to general policy statements that either walk a careful line between pro- and anti-drilling forces — as in the case of Andrew Cuomo and Rick Lazio — or advocate a full-speed-ahead philosophy as espoused by Carl Paladino. (July 18, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus drilling company to identify fracking chemicals | PennLive.com Range Resources, of Cannonsburg, was the first company to drill a Marcellus Shale gas well in Pennsylvania. Wednesday it became the first to disclose the chemicals used in the fracking process at each of its wells. It’s a public relations move of monumental proportion. The identification of the chemicals - added to millions of gallons of “frack water” pumped into deep wells to fracture shale and release natural gas - has become a rallying cry of many who have seen the documentary film “Gasland.” (July, 2010) Central PA Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - PennLive.com [more on Energy in our area]
Area environmentalists says lessons need to be learned from Gulf leak | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle "I hope this has worked. I hope we learn some lessons here about monitoring and regulating oil development in not just marine environments but everywhere, and that includes hydrofracking in New York state," said Jim Howe, executive director, of the Nature Conservancy's central and western New York chapter. "We need to find leadership in the energy industry that's willing to work with the regulatory community to find ways to safely extract oil and gas. That includes marine systems, that includes hydrofracking here in New York, that includes wind energy for that matter." Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Solar power law wins approval of Tonawanda Town Board : Northern Suburbs : The Buffalo News The Tonawanda Town Board approved a solar energy law Monday that also won the approval of a developer with a solar project in the pipeline. (July 13, 2010) The Buffalo News [more on Energy in our area]
Green Column - Dash for Gas Raises Environmental Worries - NYTimes.com FORT WORTH, TEXAS — American politicians often extol natural gas as abundant, cleaner-burning than other fossil fuels, and domestically produced, unlike Middle Eastern oil. But the process of extracting it is raising concerns among people with wells in their backyards. (July 12, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling task force up for approval WATERLOO –– The formation of a task force to study the hydraulic fracturing method of drilling for natural gas could be approved by the Seneca County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. (July 13, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
07/12/2010: EPA Proposes 2011 Renewable Fuel Standards WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed the 2011 percentage standards for the four fuels categories under the agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard program, known as RFS2. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) established the annual renewable fuel volume targets, reaching an overall level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. To achieve these volumes, EPA calculates a percentage-based standard for the following year. Based on the standard, each refiner, importer and non-oxygenate blender of gasoline determines the minimum volume of renewable fuel that it must ensure is used in its transportation fuel. The proposed 2011 overall volumes and standards are: Biomass-based diesel (0.80 billion gallons; 0.68 percent) Advanced biofuels (1.35 billion gallons; 0.77 percent) Cellulosic biofuels (5 – 17.1 million gallons; 0.004 – 0.015 percent) Total renewable fuels (13.95 billion gallons; 7.95 percent) (July 12, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
How drilling companies won't take no for an answer | syracuse.com Under what the law calls compulsory integration, a gas company can drill under land without permission of the owners if enough of their neighbors have already leased their property to the company. (July 11, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drilling moratorium explored - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — A state senator from downstate is tallying resident’s calls about whether to have a moratorium on gas drilling. (July 12, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Sen. Charles Schumer Calls for Restoration of Federal Fuel Cell Funding During visit to RIT, Schumer promises to fight 20 percent cut in funding for research | U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer urged Congress to reverse a proposed 20 percent cut to the U.S. Department of Energy’s hydrogen fuel cell research program during an event June 21 at Rochester Institute of Technology. Schumer toured RIT’s fuel-cell labs, visited its hydrogen fueling station and rode in a fuel-cell propelled car made start-to-finish in Rochester. (June 22, 2010) RIT - University News [more on Energy in our area]
07/08/2010: EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study In Canonsburg July 22 (PHILADELPHIA - July 8, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is hosting an informational public meeting in Canonsburg, Washington County, Pa. about its proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and potential impacts on drinking water. The meeting will be held from 6-10 p.m., July 22, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Canonsburg to provide information about the scope and design of the proposed study, and give the public an opportunity provide input and comment on the draft study plan. (July 9, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Gillibrand wants environmental safeguards on Marcellus Shale mining NEW WINDSOR – US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wants environmental safeguards in place to protect drinking water before she will support hydrofracking to mine natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation. Her comments came during a meeting with Hudson Valley business leaders at Stewart Airport Wednesday. (July 7, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: Marcellus Shale moratorium in limbo - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Legislators have left Albany, but that doesn't mean the death of bills that would establish a moratorium on Marcellus Shale hydraulic fracturing. It does, however, put off action on the legislation. The proposals are sitting in state Assembly and Senate committees. And with legislative leaders bickering over the budget, the bills haven't been a priority. Legislators will go back to Albany this summer, so there's still an opportunity for the bills. (July 7, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Freeze on gas drilling appears dead | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — The Legislature appears increasingly unlikely to enact a moratorium on natural gas drilling in the state's portion of the vast Marcellus Shale formation. Two pending bills would place a temporary ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing, a controversial extraction technique in which a mixture of water, chemicals and sand is blasted deep underground to break up the rock formation and make natural gas more accessible. (July 1, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our ara]
Schroeppel residents take on ethanol and livestock operation - NewsChannel 9 WSYR Town of Schroeppel (WSYR-TV) - Residents of the Town of Schroeppel may soon receive a postcard in the mail from a group called Citizens for Family Farms. The postcard is protesting a project that would potentially bring 72,000 cows to a future location in Oswego County. Bion Environmental Technologies is proposing the project, which would create a facility that also includes an ethanol plant. The idea is to use the waste created at one part of the facility to power the other part. (June 15, 2010) Home - NewsChannel 9 WSYR [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester’s hands across the sand A recent demonstration at Charlotte Beach against the BP Oil Spill was well covered by the local media, as far they went that is. (July 3, 2010) Rochester News, Restaurants, more by Top Local Experts [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale drilling moratoriums face uphill battle in Legislature | LoHud.com | The Journal News ALBANY — The Legislature has yet to act on two bills that would enact a moratorium on natural-gas drilling in the state's portion of the Marcellus Shale formation, increasing the likelihood that they won't be taken up before legislative session ends. The bills would suspend the use of hydraulic fracturing, in which a mix of water, chemicals and sand is blasted underground to break up the rock formation and make natural gas more accessible. One bill would place a moratorium on the practice until May 15, 2011. The other would ban it until 120 days after a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (July 1, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Oil Spill Nears Record as Largest Ever - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com New Orleans – BP's massive oil spill will become the largest ever in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday based on the highest of the federal government's estimates, an ominous record that underscores the oil giant's dire need to halt the gusher. (July 1, 2010) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling concern sparks action -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY Pennsylvania to make public chemicals used in pursuit of natural gas HARRISBURG, Pa. -- More than two years after the start of a natural gas drilling boom, Pennsylvania is making public a complete list of the chemicals used to extract the gas from deep underground amid rising public fears of potential water contamination and increased scrutiny of the fast-growing industry. (June 29, 2010) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy [more on Energy in our area]
75 Rochester-area residents protest offshore oil drilling | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle More than 830 Hands Across the Sand events took place Saturday at beaches throughout the United States and other countries including Australia, India, South Africa, Japan, South Korea, Greenland and Brazil. Locally, about 75 people at Ontario Beach Park in Charlotte held hands and signs reading "Oil spill equals catastrophe, but solar spill equals a nice day," expressing their shared feelings about the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The metaphor is drawing a line in the sand against offshore drilling and bringing awareness to protecting the coastal economy, oceans, marine wildlife and the fishing industry. (June 27,2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Dozens Gather to Speak Against Off-Shore Drilling - YNN, Your News Now A local group says it’s fed up with BP Oil Company and off-shore oil drilling. Dozens met up at Ontario Beach Park to speak out against it. "‘Hands Across the Sand" is an effort that's sweeping the nation. A handful of environmental organizations are taking part in it. (June 26, 2010) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester IMC: Video from Fracking Moratorium Demonstration at the DEC in Avon, NY Last week, more than 300 people from all across New York state gathered at six different Department of Conservation offices to demand a moratorium on permits for “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing, until the Environmental Protection Agency completes a study on its dangers. The event in Region 8, which includes Monroe County, drew more than 100 people from Horseheads, Elmira, Hammondsport, Bath, Avoca, Canandaigua, and Rochester. Watch the video of the action below. Watch the Video: Englebright-Addabbo Demonstration in Avon NY, 2010 (June 24, 2010) Rochester IMC: home [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester IMC: Demonstrators Call for Fracking Moratorium in NY Last week, more than 300 people from all across New York state gathered at six different Department of Conservation offices to demand a moratorium on permits for “fracking,” or hydraulic fracturing, until the Environmental Protection Agency completes a study on its dangers. The event in Region 8, which includes Monroe County, drew more than 100 people from Horseheads, Elmira, Hammondsport, Bath, Avoca, Canandaigua, and Rochester. (June 24, 2010) Rochester IMC: home [more on Energy in our area]
Expert: Anti-drilling claims full of hyperbole | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Meeting touts benefits of tapping into Marcellus Shale BINGHAMTON -- Anti-drilling activists have presented harrowing images -- explosive tap water, contaminated waterways, animals mysteriously losing their hair -- of what they think are the side effects of hydraulic fracturing. (June 24, 2010)pressconnects.com | Binghamton zagform | Press & Sun-Bulletin [more on Energy in our area]
Indian Point 3 'should be ready to go back to green' safety rating soon | LoHud.com | The Journal News Indian Point 3's four emergency shutdowns in the first eight months of 2009 cost the nuclear reactor a top safety rating, but federal regulators say worker response in each case was "acceptable" and the company could be back to the highest rating as soon as July. (June 22, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York [more on Energy in our area]
EPA plans gas-drilling meetings | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host four public meetings on its proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and its potential effects on drinking water. The last is scheduled for Aug. 12 at Binghamton University's Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. (June 22, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Fuel Cell Forklifts Leading Hydrogen Push (2010-06-22) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - In the receiving bay of the Chili Wegmans a massive pile of wooden pallets is stacking up. Workers have used what's called a "walkie reach" to move big cubes of cereal and boxes of ketchup bottles onto towering shelves. This electric lift truck - like the vast majority of the 1.7 million in America - is powered by rechargeable lead-acid batteries. They've been around for over a century. But a number of companies, Wal-Mart and Wegmans among them, are beginning to switch to a new technology for their lifts: hydrogen fuel cells. (June 22, 2010) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
Anti-drilling film has fans - and foes | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Gas industry rebuts claims; documentary premieres Monday on HBO | If you're Josh Fox, you refuse the money -- then make an award-winning documentary portraying the natural gas industry as an environmental menace that ruins water, air and lives. In "Gasland," premiering 9 p.m. Monday on HBO, Fox presents a frightening scenario in which tens of thousands of drilling rigs take over the landscape, gas companies exploit legal loopholes to inject toxins into the ground and residents living nearby contract severe, unexplained illnesses. (June 20, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Lake Erie drilling ban opposed WINDSOR, Ont. — Hundreds of offshore natural gas wells in Lake Erie have a perfect safety record over a century of operation, say representatives of the Ontario Petroleum Institute. Industry officials here oppose the total ban on offshore drilling in the Great Lakes called for recently by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow in reaction to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Even some environmental groups in Ontario, like the Sierra Club, aren't supporting the ban that Stabenow seeks. (June 21, 2010) Windsor Star - News [more on Energy in our area]
Seneca looks at hydrofracking WATERLOO — As is often the case, the most interesting topics are at the committee level of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors. Tomorrow’s meeting is no exception. The new Environmental Affairs Committee will discuss the formation of a special committee or task force to study the hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracking method used in drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale region. (June 21, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Schumer to fight for hydrogen fuel cells | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said Monday that he would use his clout in Congress to fight a proposed cut in funding for hydrogen fuel cell development. Schumer recognized the leadership in the greater Rochester area in developing hydrogen-powered vehicles and said the technology could break the United States' addiction to foreign oil and have a positive effect on the environment. (June 22, 2010)Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New Yor [more on Energy in our area]
NY drilling policies may be shaped by industry dollars, says Common Cause report NEW YORK - Common Cause/New York released a report entitled Deep Drilling, Deep Pockets, Expenditures of the Natural Gas Industry in New York to Influence Public Policy, Part 1 – Lobbying Expenditures, a detailed analysis of the natural gas industry's lobbying expenditures in New York State over the 2005-2009 five year periods, as well as the first four months of 2010. As New York State determines whether to permit natural gas exploitation using the controversial hydraulic fracturing technique, industry has poured millions of dollars into lobbying the Governor and the New York State Legislature. The analysis, based on lobbying reports filed with the New York State Commission on Public Integrity, shows a dramatic jump in the amounts natural gas companies are spending in lobbying in the last 2 years. (June 21, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
‘Hydrofracking’ natural gas plan draws protest | The Livingston County News Nearly 100 demonstrators gathered on the grounds of the DEC Region 8 Office in East Avon Tuesday afternoon to protest hydraulic fracturing (also known as ‘hydrofracting,’ or ‘hydro-fracking’) as a method of natural gas extraction. The demonstration was one of six taking place simultaneously at different DEC headquarters throughout the state. (June 16, 2010) The Livingston County News [more on Energy in our area]
Gulf Oil Spill Emergency Response Team Includes RIT Graduate Lockheed Martin environmental engineer on team testing oil dispersants effects | Emergency response teams from around the country continue efforts to manage the enormous oil spill from the BP offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. With the steady flow of oil issuing from the damaged well, teams are working to cap the massive leak and assess environmental damage to sea, wildlife and individuals living in the area. (June 16, 2010) RIT - University News [more on Energy in our area]
06/18/2010: EPA Announces a Schedule of Public Meetings on Hydraulic Fracturing Research Study; August 12 Meeting to be Held in Binghamton, N.Y. (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting four public information meetings on the proposed study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and its potential impacts on drinking water. Hydraulic fracturing is a process that drills vertical and horizontal cracks underground that help withdraw gas or oil from coalbeds, shale and other geological formations. By pumping fracturing fluids (water and chemical additives) and sands into rock formations, fractures are created in the formation from which natural gas or oil can be more easily extracted. The meetings will provide public information about the proposed study scope and design. EPA will solicit public comments on the draft study plan. The public meetings will be held on: August 12 at the Anderson Performing Arts Center at Binghamton University in Binghamton, N.Y. for 3 sessions - 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT (June 18, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Upstate residents call for state moratorium on hydrofracking NEW PALTZ – Concerned citizens of all ages rallied Tuesday afternoon in front of the regional state Department of Environmental Conservation Office in New Paltz to urge representatives in Albany to support legislation calling for a moratorium on the issuance of all permits allowing hydrofracking in the state prior to the completion of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s research into the hazards and accidents associated with this natural gas extraction method. In light of the current disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Tuesday’s rally in New Paltz was one of six organized at DEC regional offices across the state, in areas located above the Marcellus Shale formation, by the Frack Action Campaign to call attention to the Englebright-Addabbo bill that is currently before the New York State Legislature in order to avoid hasty decision making on the issue and serious environmental repercussions. (June 16, 2010)New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
FL Institute to meet on drilling, water safety GENEVA –– The relationship of drinking water contamination and drilling for natural gas will be discussed from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Finger Lakes Institute, 601 S. Main St. The public meeting is sponsored by Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association. The speakers will be Stephen Penningroth, executive director of the Community Science Institute in Ithaca, and Thomas Scoles of the Seneca County Health Department. (June 16, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Tompkins gas drilling concerns voiced at Sierra Club event NEW YORK - Tompkins County concerns about risks associated with natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale were once again communicated, at a session in New York City last week. Legislature Chair Martha Robertson was one of 15 invited speakers at the event, cosponsored by the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Speakers urged immediate passage of pending state legislation which would ban hydraulic fracturing until after findings are issued on its effects on water quality and public health. (June 14, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Going Green: Biofuel good for the environment - YNN, Your News Now New York sources of biofuel made from wood, grass and other forms of biomass could substantially reduce our consumption of gasoline and reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to a report from the Pace Law School's Energy and Climate Center. (June 13, 2010)TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: After BP, a closer eye on shale drilling - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper As the BP oil spill saga enters its second month, the country continues to struggle with questions: how to stop the leak, how to contain the environmental damage, what can be done to make sure this doesn't happen again, and what, exactly, led to this unprecedented disaster June 9, 2010)Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Landowners rallying in Albany Wednesday to ask legislators to stay out of DEC's way | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal Convincing the state that the Marcellus Shale can be drilled safely got a bit harder over the past several days, after natural gas explosions on rigs in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and two explosions in Texas. Nevertheless, 400 to 500 Southern Tier landowners are expected to rally in Albany today, where they will ask legislators to stay out of the way of DEC's environmental review of hydraulic fracturing and halt all industry-thwarting legislation that's threatening to delay drilling even longer. (June 8, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Help from Rochester Headed to Gulf Disaster (2010-06-07) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Two of Rochester's 14 Coast Guard reservists are on their way to the Gulf of Mexico to help with cleanup from the BP Oil Spill. (June 7, 2010) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
An Old Nuclear Problem Creeps Back - Green Blog - NYTimes.com The American nuclear industry, primed to begin new construction projects for the first time in 30 years, is about as eager for an operating problem at an old reactor as the oil industry was for a well blowout on the eve of opening the Atlantic coast to oil drilling. Nonetheless, a nuclear reactor where a hidden leak caused near-catastrophic corrosion in 2002 has experienced a second bout of the same problem. (June 7, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area)
Should you let your pickup drink biofuels? Rochester Environmental News Examiner My Bio · Articles To keep your pickup healthy and running smoothly, it requires some sort of fluid that burns. I’m not a mechanic, but I’m guessing that the brewski you love won’t work so well in your vehicle. Gasoline works... Keep Reading » (June 5, 2010) Rochester News, Restaurants, more by Top Local Experts [more on Energy in our aera]
Gillibrand to BP: Disclose chemical details - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday urged Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, to use her legal authority to force BP to disclose confidential information about chemicals being used to disperse oil from the disastrous BP oil dump in the Gulf of Mexico. (June 5, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Scientists: Gulf oil spill surpasses Exxon Valdez - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Covington, La. — The Gulf oil spill has surpassed the Exxon Valdez as the worst in U.S. history, according to new estimates released Thursday, but the Coast Guard and BP said an untested procedure to stop it seemed to be working. (May 27, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Environmental, gas groups spar over Marcellus Shale drilling | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal ALBANY -- Environmentalists descended on the Capitol this week to push a bill that would prohibit issuing natural-gas-drilling permits in New York's Marcellus Shale until a federal study is complete, but a group of drilling advocates called the proposal "unnecessary." Natural-gas companies and some landowners are eager to begin drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation, which stretches across many of the northeastern states and is rich with natural gas. But some are worried about the potential impact of using hydraulic fracturing, or hydro-fracking, to help extract the gas. (May 22, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Tompkins Legislature urges state hydrofracking ban ITHACA - The Tompkins County Legislature is calling upon New York State to ban all hydraulic fracturing operations to extract natural gas from shale until independent scientific assessments are competed to determine the risk of hydraulic fracturing, the greenhouse gas emissions it would produce, and its economic and social costs. The action supports legislation proposed in the State Senate and Assembly. After listening to more than an hour of impassioned public comment from more than 20 residents who urged support of the ban and another half-hour of discussion, mostly focused on wording changes, the measure was approved by a 13-1 vote, with Legislator Peter Stein voting no. (Legislator Carol Chock was excused.) (May 23, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Shale drilling plans create friction | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle In Pennsylvania, miners are pumping millions of gallons of chemical-laced water into horizontal wells to fracture underground shale formations and release valuable natural gas. Plans to do so in New York are mobilizing citizens by the thousands. (May 23, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New Yor [more on Energy in our area]
Chemung panel analyzing potential natural gas drilling in the region | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette A special panel has begun to gather information so Chemung County can move forward if the state approves a new natural gas drilling technique. With nearly two dozen members, the Chemung County Executive's Advisory Commission on Natural Energy Solutions first met April 29, and three or four of the panel's eight subcommittees have already begun meeting, County Executive Tom Santulli said Wednesday. (May 12, 2010) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Thruway Authority to develop energy master plan | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information The New York State Thruway Authority on Wednesday announced a $400,000 agreement with Buffalo energy engineering firm C.J. Brown Energy P.C. to develop an energy master plan for Thruway and state canal facilities. (May 19, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale: PRI and Cornell University Receive NSF Grant To Do Outreach in NY, PA, WV, & OH - WIVT/WBGH Newschannel34 From Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth: The Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth (PRI), along with colleagues in the department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS) at Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), have been awarded nearly $100K from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award will provide resources to promote public understanding of science and the relative risk associated with natural gas drilling, and to help stakeholders who might consider leasing their land for drilling make informed decisions based on existing scientific evidence. (May 17, 2010) Home - WIVT/WBGH Newschannel34 [more on Energy in our area]
Green Fuel Station in Chili gets more business - Gates, Chili, NY - Gates-Chili Post Chili, N.Y. — The Monroe County Green Fuel Station on Scottsville Road soon will share services with Monroe Community College, the county Water Authority, and other local public corporations. (May 18,2010) Homepage - Gates, Chili, NY - Gates-Chili Post [more on Energy in our area]
RIT Student Government President Signs Congressional Letter to Support Energy Education More than 100 student-body presidents send pleas to local representatives More than 100 university and college student-government presidents submitted a letter recently urging Congress to launch a national program for clean-energy science and engineering education. The presidents—including Matt Danna from Rochester Institute of Technology—warned Congress that advanced energy education is critical for U.S. leadership in the global clean- energy industry. (May 13, 2010) RIT - University News [more on Energy in our area]
Statement by New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel Regarding the Power For Jobs and Energy Cost Savings Benefit Programs “NYPA is extremely disappointed that the enabling statute for the Power For Jobs and Energy Cost Savings Benefit programs will expire at midnight this Saturday. At that point, the Power Authority will no longer have the legal authority to continue to provide the benefits of the programs. Having visited some of the participating businesses, and having had the opportunity to speak directly with many of the people employed by them, I am personally cognizant of the disruption that this lapse will create for our 520 business customers. Therefore, NYPA is committed to working with these businesses during this difficult time, and remains hopeful that we will be able to make them whole if the appropriate legislation is enacted.” (May 14, 2010)New York Power Authority [more on Energy in our area]
New York’s first solar thermal roadmap unveiled ALBANY - The Solar Thermal Consortium (STC) today unveiled the first roadmap to establish New York as a national leader in solar heat and cooling (“Solar Thermal”) technologies through consumer education and incentives, installer training, promotions to attract manufacturers, investments in R&D, and permitting improvements. Developed over the past six months by more than 130 industrial, academic and governmental representatives, the Solar Thermal Roadmap creates a path to move New York State toward 2,000 MWs of solar thermal capacity, equal to 1,000,000 solar hot water collectors, or 500,000 residential systems. The plan would result in $2.6 billion in economic activity and 25,000 new jobs over the next decade. (May 13, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Fuel cells' next hurdle: The filling station | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle General Motors Co. is turning to a utility company in Hawaii for a pilot program to create a network of fuel cell filling stations on the island of Oahu. The arrangement announced today with natural gas provider The Gas Co. goes to the heart of R&D work GM is doing in Honeoye Falls. There, the automaker is working on fuel cell engines that would run on hydrogen to replace the internal combustion engine. (May 11, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
05/10/2010: EPA Updates BP Spill Website with Information on Dispersants WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday posted information on BP’s use of dispersants to its oil spill response website, www.epa.gov/bpspill. The site includes EPA’s plan to monitor BP’s use of dispersants as well as additional background information and frequently asked questions on dispersants. EPA will add information to the site as it becomes available. (May 19, 2010 )U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy]
Hydrofracking foes: They know the drill - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Hopewell, N.Y. — It’s a relatively new method of extracting natural gas from rock. It’s got a funny-sounding name. And yesterday it was at that center of a local rally by opponents who say it poses dangers to the area’s tourism and agricultural industries, wildlife and the health of some 500,000 people who depend on the Finger Lakes for their drinking water. (May 6, 20100 )Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area
The Future of Hydrofracking in NY State Unclear | NYLCV - New York League of Conservation Voters NY State announced last Friday new gas drilling regulations proposed for hydrofracking drilling, will now require environmental reviews for each new well for the New York City and Syracuse reservoir systems; the rest of the state will continue to adhere to a different set of rules. (May 5, 20100) NYLCV - New York League of Conservation Voters | Educating and Electing for the Environment [more on Energy in our area]
Chemicals Meant To Break Up BP Oil Spill Present New Environmental Concerns - ProPublica The chemicals BP is now relying on to break up the steady flow of leaking oil from deep below the Gulf of Mexico could create a new set of environmental problems. (April 30, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
New York Puts Brakes on Drilling in NYC Watershed, Clears Way for Upstate Wells by Next Spring - ProPublica New York State environment officials shoved a cumbersome task off their plates Friday when they announced that their controversial environmental review of natural gas drilling in New York's Marcellus Shale would not apply to drilling inside New York City's 1,900-square-mile watershed. (April 23, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [more on Energy in our area]
New York toughens rules, virtually bans gas drilling in Skaneateles Lake watershed | Syracuse, NY -- State environmental officials on Friday made it virtually impossible to drill for natural gas in the Skaneateles Lake and Catskills watersheds. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said that applications to drill in the watersheds, which supply drinking water to nearly 9 million people in the Syracuse and New York City areas, would be considered on a site-by-site basis, separately from any regulations governing hydrofracking elsewhere in the state. (April 23, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
State sets date for hearing on double-digit rate hikes for NYSEG, RG&E | Syracuse, NY -- State regulators are inching closer to a decision on double-digit rate hikes proposed by two Upstate electric and gas utilities that serve portions of Central New York. Now it’s time for consumers to weigh in. New York State Electric & Gas Corp. and Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. are looking to boost their delivery revenues in September by increasing customer bills for electricity and natural gas by roughly 15 percent to 19 percent (April 23, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
04/19/2010: EPA Announces New Guidelines for Energy Star Homes WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing new, more rigorous guidelines for new homes that earn the Energy Star label. Compared to the current Energy Star guidelines, the new requirements will make qualified new homes at least 20 percent more efficient than homes built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) – slashing utility bills for qualified homes by 15 percent compared to IECC code-built homes. (April 19, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Energy grants powering bright ideas throughout Rochester area | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Replace a 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent one, and the socket will use about 75 percent less energy than it did before, which means an RG&E customer who uses the light for six hours a day will save about $8 annually. (April 18, 2010) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
County study says soil from gas drilling is safe | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette Chemung County officials over the weekend released results of a study that shows radiation levels in soil pulled from the ground during natural gas exploration are well below Environmental Protection Agency standards. (April 11, 2010) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Energy in our area]
NYSERDA recognized with 2010 ENERGY STAR® Leadership in Housing Award ALBANY – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) received the 2010 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its work to promote energy-efficient construction and environmental protection through its New York ENERGY STAR Homes Program. (April 9, 2010)New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Groups protest Marcellus Shale waste at Chemung County Landfill | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette TOWN OF CHEMUNG -- Local and state environmental groups joined together Friday to protest the Marcellus Shale waste that is being disposed of at the Chemung County Landfill. (April 9, 2010) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Energy in our area]
N.Y. ranks second in energy efficiency | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information New York ranks as the fourth-largest consumer of energy among U.S. states and the second-most efficient energy consumer, the New York State Energy Research Development Authority states in a report released Tuesday. (April 7, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
NYISO ‘Power Trends’ identifies key issues for New York’s energy future RENSSELAER - The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has issued its annual update on the challenges facing New York State’s electricity supply and delivery system, “Power Trends 2010: New York’s Emerging Energy Crossroads.” “A series of energy crossroads are emerging,” NYISO President & CEO Stephen G. Whitley said. “To build a smarter, greener and more reliable grid, our state will need to work through an array of key issues.” (April 6, 2010) New York State News on the Net![more on Energy in our area]
Activist challenges DEC claim of few gas drilling problems | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca JournalThe state's assertion that natural gas production is a clean, well-regulated industry has been called into question by memos from a health official working in drilling communities in western New York. (April 4, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Arnett Branch Library to get solar panels with stimulus funds | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The Arnett Branch Library aims to cut its electrical bills and its greenhouse gas emissions by installing a photovoltaic energy system. A $215,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant will pay for the solar project at the branch, which is on Arnett Boulevard. (April 5, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
04/01/2010: EPA and State Investigating Equipment Failure at the Tonawanda Petroleum Coke Facility Near Buffalo (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is investigating equipment failure at the Tonawanda Coke Corporation facility outside Buffalo, N.Y. that yesterday triggered an emergency flare to prevent the release of potentially harmful gas. The coke oven gas, which is generated when coal is heated at high temperatures, contains benzene, ammonia and other hazardous pollutants. Excessive exposure to benzene is a known cause of cancer. (April 1, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus Shale: Is it safe to drill? | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal If there is a once-upon-a-time to this story, it would have been in the Town of Sanford in the fall of 2007. Residents there had been farming the land for generations without much thought to what lies beneath it. That all changed when landmen began showing up with unsettling frequency, urging residents to lease their mineral rights. (March 27, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Public officials, energy professionals to explore future of the grid RENSSELAER - The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has announced the moderators and panelists for its symposium, Planning the Sustainable Grid of the Future, being held Tuesday, April 27, 2010, at the Desmond Hotel & Conference Center in Albany, N.Y. The NYISO’s annual symposium will bring together policymakers and regulators, energy sector professionals, legal and financial advisors, economists, energy developers, large energy users, environmental managers and consultants, news media representatives and members of business organizations and nonprofit groups to discuss critical issues in electric energy and grid reliability. (March 29, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Earth Hour' Celebrated Worldwide - YNN, Your News Now Some parts of Downtown Rochester looked a little dark Saturday night. Businesses and communities in Rochester, across New York State, and around the world observed Earth Hour from 8:30 to 9:30 Saturday night. (March 28, 2010) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Energy in our area]
NYS solar industry slowdown needs immediate action, says association ALBANY - Immediate action is needed to reverse the dramatic slowdown in the New York Solar Industry since the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) implemented changes to NYSERDA’s PV program, according to New York Solar Energy Industries Association. Responding to information supplied by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority after a formal industry request, NYSEIA found that the solar industry’s robust 57 percent annual growth rate has been “slammed on the brakes” by the program changes. (March 17, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Aging Reactors Put Nuclear Power Plant 'Safety Cultures' in the Spotlight - NYTimes.com On Nov. 4, 2008, two divers were cleaning sludge and silt from an entry bay for water pumps that serve Constellation Energy Nuclear Group's Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant near Oswego, N.Y. (March 9, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
City of Rochester | City To Receive Stimulus Funds for Energy Conservation Mayor Robert J. Duffy announced today that the City of Rochester has received notification of the award of two energy conservation project grants from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Funding for these grants originated from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus program. (March 22, 2010)City of Rochester | News Room [more on Energy in our area]
03/19/2010: EPA, DOE Announce New Steps to Strengthen Energy Star WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today outlined a series of steps to further strengthen the trusted Energy Star program. This action comes at a critical time for American consumers, many of whom struggle to keep up with their monthly energy bills. In addition to third-party testing already underway, EPA and DOE have launched a new two-step process to expand testing of Energy Star qualified products. This week, DOE began testing of some of the most commonly used appliances, which account for more than 25 percent of a household’s energy bill, and both agencies are now developing a system to test all products that earn the Energy Star label. The steps are part of an overall effort by the Obama Administration to improve the energy efficiency of homes and appliances to save families money. (March 17, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
Most power plants still spewing toxic mercury, report says | McClatchy WASHINGTON — Many of America's coal-fired power plants lack widely available pollution controls for the highly toxic metal mercury, and mercury emissions recently increased at more than half of the country's 50 largest mercury-emitting power plants, according to a report Wednesday.(March 17, 2010) McClatchy | Homepage [more on Energy in our area]
03/18/2010: EPA Initiates Hydraulic Fracturing Study: Agency seeks input from Science Advisory Board WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will conduct a comprehensive research study to investigate the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on water quality and public health. Natural gas plays a key role in our nation’s clean energy future and the process known as hydraulic fracturing is one way of accessing that vital resource. There are concerns that hydraulic fracturing may impact ground water and surface water quality in ways that threaten human health and the environment. To address these concerns and strengthen our clean energy future and in response to language inserted into the fiscal year 2010 Appropriations Act, EPA is re-allocating $1.9 million for this comprehensive, peer-reviewed study for FY10 and requesting funding for FY11 in the president’s budget proposal. (March 18, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
EPA Launches National Study of Hydraulic Fracturing - ProPublica Responding to reports of environmental contamination [1] in gas drilling areas across the country, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will conduct a nationwide scientific study [2] to determine if the problems are caused by the practice of injecting chemicals and water underground [3] to fracture the gas-bearing rock. (March 18, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [more on Energy in our area]
Underwater Cable an Alternative to Electrical Towers - NYTimes.com Generating 20 percent of America’s electricity with wind, as recent studies proposed, would require building up to 22,000 miles of new high-voltage transmission lines. But the huge towers and unsightly tree-cutting that these projects require have provoked intense public opposition. (March 17, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
NYSERDA commits $100 million to improve energy efficiency of data centers and manufacturers ALBANY - Over the next two years, New York State will provide over $100 million through its Industrial and Process Efficiency program to help data centers and manufacturers control their energy costs and improve their competitiveness, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced today. Funding will support energy studies and capital improvements that will increase energy efficiency and productivity and reduce waste. While NYSERDA offers incentives for all business sectors to retrofit existing buildings or to incorporate energy efficiency measures into new buildings, the funding announced today is being targeted specifically for data centers and manufacturers, which are among the largest consumers of energy and have significant potential for efficient growth. (March 17, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
World Environment News - Obama Aide Urges Listing Of Gas-Drilling Chemicals - Planet Ark President Barack Obama's top environmental adviser urged the natural gas industry on Tuesday to disclose the chemicals it uses in drilling, warning that the development of massive U.S. shale gas reserves could be held back otherwise. Joseph Aldy, special assistant to the president for energy and the environment, said concerns about water contamination from drilling chemicals could lead to states requiring disclosure and that could deter additional investment. Planet Ark {more on Energy in our area]
Campus Times - Biodiesel wins national award The efforts of UR students to find a solution to a common environmental obstacle were rewarded when their project, UR Biodiesel, received the Excellence in Innovations for Sustainability Award by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). (March 4, 2010) Campus Times [more on Energy in our area]
ENERGY: The nuclear option - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The 1979 core meltdown at Three Mile Island, outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, so scared Americans that no new nuclear plants have been built since. It wasn't due to some official prohibition or anything like that. Instead, the plants just got too expensive to build. (March 3, 2010)Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Shale Rules Will Effect Rochester Rocks | ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - The State of New York is now working on adopting new rules for drilling natural gas, and could release them later this year. (March 2, 2010) WXXI | Go Public. [more on Energy in our area]
New Yorkers’ Drilling Comments Are In … Now What? - ProPublica When New York State's environmental agency came out with a draft environmental review of drilling [1] in the Marcellus Shale in September, it set off a flurry of action for environmentalists, industry advocates and the general public. (February 26, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [more on Energy in our area]
$40 million in stimulus funding announced for state energy program projects ALBANY – A total of $40 million federal stimulus funding has been awarded to New York municipalities, public schools, universities and colleges, hospitals and not-for-profit agencies to support 118 energy conservation projects. The energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean fleet projects will reduce energy and operating costs by $13.5 million annually and fully return the initial investment in just under 7 years. Region 6 – Rochester/Genesee $2,082,595 (March 2, 2010)New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
New York improves net metering for ‘45 by 15’ drive The state of New York has amended its net metering laws in a renewed bid to draw 45 percent of its electricity needs from energy efficiency and renewables by 2015. The new rule will allow electricity customers with eligible renewable energy systems to sell back their excess electricity to their local utility. (March 1, 2010) GREEN NEWS - ECOSEED's Global Green News Portal [more on Energy in our area]
Spills of drilling chemicals worry experts | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal DRYDEN -- Two chemists and an endocrinologist spoke Tuesday night about the science and potential health effects of unconventional natural gas drilling to roughly 100 people at Tompkins Cortland Community College. (February 23, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Marcellus drilling creates new world | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal Much has been written, and will continue to be written, about the Marcellus shale; on one side about how much money and jobs it will bring, and on the other, about how much environmental damage may result. But this battle of words, being waged by gas development's proponents and opponents, is mostly speculative. There is probably some truth as well as exaggeration coming from both sides, but the argument may be missing the point. Here in Susquehanna County we are beginning to experience the reality - and the reality is very disheartening. (February 23, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Naples family saves $600 switching to solar - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Last year, 24 solar panels installed on the roof of his wine building — near the two-story farmhouse he shares with his wife, Shirley — began producing electricity. While the entire system, which includes some cable and monitoring boxes, intrigued him, it was a bill he got in July that really tickled his fancy. “I got a got a credit of $180,” Bruan said. (February 23, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in this area]
Congress Launches Investigation Into Gas Drilling Practices - ProPublica Two of the largest companies involved in natural gas drilling have acknowledged pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in the process of hydraulic fracturing [1], raising further concerns that existing state and federal regulations don't adequately protect drinking water from drilling. (February 19, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [more on Energy in our area]
Energy company: Well wouldn’t have been threat | PULTENEY — Chesapeake Energy’s withdrawal of its permit application to store wastewater from natural gas drilling in a town of Pulteney well was not due to environmental concerns or vocal opposition to the project. William M. Fowler, the company’s environmental and regulatory affairs director, outlined the reasons for the withdrawal in Feb. 16 letters to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (February 21, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Gas drillers find welcome mat in New York state | Reuters BINGHAMTON, New York (Reuters) - New York landowners whose properties sit on the gas-rich Marcellus Shale are pushing back against calls for greater environmental regulation, saying it has halted the U.S. gas drilling boom at the New York border. Their concerns have opened a new front in the gas drilling wars, in which environmentalists and neighbors opposed to seeing gas wells in their back yards have put a drag on the exponential growth of onshore U.S. natural gas production (February 17, 2010) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Energy in our area]
Schumer: Biodiesel Plant At Risk | A Wayne County business is hoping for a federal tax incentive to be re-instated. Senator Charles Schumer stopped by Northern Biodiesel in Ontario on Thursday. It's the only biodiesel plant in New York. (February 19,2010) http://rochesterhomepage.net/ [more on Energy in our area]
Possible mass radiation exposure investigated - The Globe and Mail The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission says as many as 217 workers may have been exposed to radioactivity at the Bruce nuclear power station on the shores of Lake Huron while refurbishing a reactor in late November. It is believed to be one of the largest mass exposures to radiation at a Canadian nuclear site. The station operator, Bruce Power, said a preliminary review of the radiation exposure indicates no one received an excessive dose. The company is taking the incident "very seriously," said John Peevers, a Bruce spokesman, while cautioning that "all indications are that there is nothing there approaching the regulatory limit" for radiation. (February 17, 2010) News from Canada and the world - The Globe and Mail [more on Energy in our area]
Plan to send fracking wastewater near Keuka Lake is abandoned | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal Next Page 1 | 2 Previous Page A contentious plan to locate a wastewater disposal site in the Steuben County town of Pulteney is officially dead, although the company that proposed the project is leaving the door open for similar facilities in the future. (February 16, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
Pulteney officials, residents rally against waste plan | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette If Chesapeake Energy goes forward with plans to create a wastewater disposal facility in the town of Pulteney, it will face overwhelming public opposition. The big question, however, is if the plan is still viable. Chesapeake Energy indicated last week that it would not pursue plans to build the facility, in part because it has other ways to handle wastewater from the natural gas exploration process known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking. (February 14, 2010) http://www.stargazette.com/ [more on Energy in our area]
PSC approves energy efforts | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Tariff filings from six utilities participating in a net metering initiative—including Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. and New York State Electric & Gas Corp.—were approved Thursday by the state Public Service Commission. (February 11, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Cutting-edge clean power technologies now eligible for net metering ALBANY – The State Public Service Commission Thursday approved tariff filings of the six investor-owned utilities in New York to encourage the installation of residential micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) and fuel cell electric generating systems that will enable homeowners to sell excess power to the utility. The utilities participating in this net metering initiative include Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., National Grid, New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation. (February 12, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
EPA launches Marcellus Shale watchdog program | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal Uncle Sam's chief environmental agency is launching a citizens' watchdog program to help track water pollution and waste disposal related to natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale. The number: (877) 919-4372. Information about the program (February 11, 2010) http://www.theithacajournal.com/ [more on Energy in our area]
Hess prepping massive gas-drilling operation in Wayne and Susquehanna, Pa. counties | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal Hess Corp., once a major prospect for natural gas development in Broome County, has set its sights south of the New York and Pennsylvania border. (February 10, 2010) http://www.theithacajournal.com/ [more on Energy in our area]
New Gas Drilling Rules, More Staff for Pennsylvania’s Environmental Agency - ProPublica For months, the gas drilling industry and environmentalists alike have been fixated on New York, waiting for its environmental agency to hash out final drilling regulations so companies can take advantage of the vast gas reserves buried there. (February 9, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [more on Energy in our area]
Hundreds turn out to oppose wastewater facility - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader The estimated population of Pulteney is about 1,300. At times Sunday it looked like every one of them was crowded into the Pulteney Fire Hall to discuss the proposed plan to deposit contaminated wastewater in a former natural gas well. More than 300 people came to hear a panel discuss the plan. Chesapeake Energy approached Pulteney officials last fall about the plan to dump the wastewater, which is generated from the hydrofracking process, into a well about a mile west of Keuka Lake. (February 8, 2010) Homepage - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader [more on Energy in our area]
Gillibrand's goal: 10 million solar systems in New York - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation this week to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade. (February 06, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Pure waters: Well for gas waste poses 'very high risk' to watershed Letter urges stringent regulations | GENEVA — The Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association is expressing “deep concerns” about a proposal to inject the wastewater resulting from proposed hydraulic fracturing drilling for natural gas into a well in the Finger Lakes area. (February 5, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
02/03/2010: Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels, Clean Coal WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama today announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and millions of jobs. At a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors from around the country, the President laid out three measures that will work in concert to boost biofuels production and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. (February 3, 2010)U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy]
Suffolk to experiment with solar carports HAUPPAUGE - Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced legislative approval of an agreement with a California-based wind and solar project developer for the installation of solar carports in as many as seven major county parking lots. (February 2, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Historic” solar energy project announced ALBANY – Governor David Paterson announced a new clean energy project that will more than quintuple the amount of solar energy currently produced in New York State, and will foster the development of solar technologies, support public sustainability efforts and stimulate the economy with new clean energy jobs throughout the State. (February 1, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
02/02/2010: EPA and DOE Join States to Speed Energy Efficiency Progress in the United States WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to increasing energy efficiency and reducing costs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today the creation of the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network. This network is meant to help states achieve maximum cost effective energy efficiency improvements in homes, offices, buildings and industry by 2020. Strengthening energy efficiency initiatives across the country helps to save money and protect the environment at the same time. (February 2, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Energy in our area]
President Obama Sets Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Target for Federal Operations | The White House Target to Drive Energy Cost Reductions in Federal Operations, Creating Clean Energy Jobs WASHINGTON, DC – President Barack Obama today announced that the Federal Government will reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by 28 percent by 2020. Reducing and reporting GHG pollution, as called for in Executive Order 13514 on Federal Sustainability, will ensure that the Federal Government leads by example in building the clean energy economy. Actions taken under this Executive Order will spur clean energy investments that create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build local market capacity, and foster innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy industries. (January 29, 2010) The White House [more on Climate Change in our area]
Methane pipeline proposed After initial cost, Seneca Meadows project would bring free gas to schools SENECA FALLS — Seneca Meadows District Manager Don Gentilcore publicly introduced plans Monday for a methane gas pipeline that could potentially deliver free energy to the school district. (February 2, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Vermont nuke plant: 27th of 104 US reactors with known leaks of radioactive tritium - chicagotribune.com MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Radioactive tritium, a carcinogen discovered in potentially dangerous levels in groundwater at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, has now tainted at least 27 of the nation's 104 nuclear reactors — raising concerns about how it is escaping from the aging nuclear plants. (February 1, 2010) Chicago Tribune breaking news, sports, weather and traffic in Chicago - chicagotribune.com [more on Energy in our area]
Clean-diesel buses added to RGRTA fleet as a result of stimulus money | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The Rochester region will be getting clean-diesel buses, thanks to a $12.2 million grant via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority took shipment of 50 buses in late 2009, and $1.34 million of those stimulus funds will go to the 2009 bill, according to Jacqueline Halldow, spokeswoman for the RGRTA. The buses, made by Gillig Corp. of California, burn diesel in a cleaner manner than older models. They arrive as ridership is up. (February 1, 2010) [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania’s Gas Wells Booming—But So Are Spills - ProPublica As more gas wells are drilled in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale, more cases of toxic spills are being reported. Earlier this month, Pennsylvania's environmental officials fined Pennsylvania-based Atlas Resources after a series of violations at 13 wells, including spills of fracturing fluids and other contaminants onto the ground around the sites. And just last week the agency fined M.R. Dirt, a company that removes waste from drilling sites, $6,000 for spilling more than seven tons of drilling dirt along a public road. (January 27, 2010) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest [More on Energy in our area}
ENVIRONMENT: Plan to boost drilling monitors may not go far enough - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Governor David Paterson's 2010-11 proposed budget has some good news for the local environment, and some distressing news for state environmentalists. (January 27, 2010) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
State seeks proposals for solar technology | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information A request for proposals was issued Wednesday for developers of solar technologies to install up to 100 megawatts of photovoltaic systems that would convert solar energy into electricity, state officials said. (January 28, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Energy in our area]
Research Team Helps to Create the Next Generation of Solar Cells Professor Seth Hubbard earns Early Career Award from National Science Foundation | Solar cells are currently used in a host of high-grade applications and power numerous satellites and the space shuttle. Now, new advancements in nanotechnology are improving the efficiency of these power generators, which could ultimately increase their commercial use throughout society. (January 25, 2010) RIT - University News [more on Energy in our area]
Tompkins gas drilling concerns featured at Albany session ALBANY - Speaking on behalf of the Tompkins County Legislature, Chair Martha Robertson, as part of an Albany event, Monday, urged that Governor David Paterson withdraw the proposed document that would regulate natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale. Last month, the Legislature, approving its official comments to the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) without dissent, urged that the State reevaluate its review process and permit no drilling using the hydraulic fracturing technique until an adequate environmental review is completed. (January 26, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Crowds sound off on Southern Tier gas drilling | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — It was the environment versus the economy in Albany Monday as hundreds of people for and against drilling in the Marcellus shale in the Southern Tier, Catskills and central New York brought their messages to the Capitol. (January 26, 2010) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
Drilling opponents head to Albany for rally | GENEVA — Members of area environmental groups are invited to participate in a rally Monday in Albany with the goal of delaying natural gas drilling in upstate New York. The rally is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. in the West Capitol Park on the west side of the State Capitol Building. (January 24, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
In Syracuse, dozens rally against hydrofracking at Thornden Park's water tower | News from The Post-Standard - Syracuse, NY -- More than 60 people rallied against hydrofracking Tuesday night at Syracuse’s Thornden Park. With the park’s water tower as a background, participants at the “Rally for Water” sang, chanted, read aloud articles that criticized the technology meant to harvest natural gas from deposits such as those found in much of Upstate New York (January 19. 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Rep. Massa On Green Energy Grant For Rochester Institute Of Technology | All American Patriots: Politics, economy, health, environment, energy and technology 01/15/10 -- CORNING, NY - Today, Congressman Eric Massa announced a $454,810 National Science Foundation grant for the Rochester Institute of Technology to advance research into solar photovoltaics. All American Patriots: Politics, economy, health, environment, energy and technology | Dispatches from the depths of U.S. government (January 15, 2010) [more on Energy for our area]
National Grid renews Syracuse smart grid proposal | News from The Post-Standard - SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- National Grid is back with a $123 million proposal to install new high-tech electric meters at 39,400 homes and businesses in the Syracuse area in an effort to demonstrate the value of a next-generation “smart grid.” (January 19, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
Funding provided for renewable technologies ALBANY - The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today approved approximately $20.9 million in interim funding for the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) program for the period January 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010. The money will fund incentives for solar photovoltaic (solar PV), anaerobic digester, fuel cell and small wind installations under the Customer-Sited Tier (CST) of the RPS program. Funding authorization for eligible new projects under the CST expired on December 31, 2009. (January 20, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Energy in our area]
Interest runs high in gas-drilling plans - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch The state Department of Environmental Conservation is one step closer to updating its guidelines for natural gas drilling in the region, and 12,000 people have something to say about that. In December 2009, the DEC closed its comment period on a natural gas drilling regulations draft, including a controversial practice that would be used to develop the Marcellus Shale located in an area just to the south of the Mohawk Valley. (January 16, 2010) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch [more Energy in our area]
Syracuse urges state DEC to ban hydrofracking in the Skaneateles Lake watershed | News from The Post-Standard - Syracuse, NY - Syracuse homeowners have spent at least $13 million over the past 16 years to keep Skaneateles Lake’s drinking water clean. (January 12, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Energy in our area]
DEC commissioner: Gas spill reports misleading | stargazette.com | Star-Gazette The commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation has asserted that reports of accidents related to natural gas drilling in New York have been overblown and taken out of context. In a letter to Assemblyman William Parment, D-150th, a member of the Environmental Conservation committee, DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said that of the 270 incidents highlighted by an Ithaca researcher, more than half have nothing to do with natural gas drilling -- and they occurred while the DEC was overseeing 10,400 wells. ( January 11, 2010) stargazette.com | Star-Gazette | Elmira news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Elmira, New York [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Debate Continues Over Shale Plan (2010-01-12) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - The massive plan to issue drilling permits in New York's Marcellus Shale is about the size of a phone book. It's the Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) attempt to lay the ground rules for drilling, and to figure out what effect horizontal drilling techniques will have on the environment. And just as the document has ballooned, so has the conversation around drilling. (January 12, 2010)WXXI | Go Public. [more on Energy in our area]
Zero Waste group: Gasification plant denied in Massachusetts - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — Geneva-based Finger Lakes Zero Waste Coalition announced that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will not allow that state's city of Taunton, south of Boston, to construct a proposed gasification plant. (January 12, 2010) - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES | Going Green: Solar power When we talk about using solar power, we tend to think big, like large photovoltaic arrays producing electricity but, how about using the sun directly, a solar hot water heater. In this case, a flat plate solar hot water heating system. (January 10. 2010) Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES [more on Energy in our area]
Massa, Reed clash on drilling - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — Amid fears over potential natural gas drilling in the Finger Lakes region, Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning, said Tuesday he supports “burning domestically produced natural gas” as an alternative to burning foreign oil. But first, he wants the state Department of Environmental Conservation to “start over again” on its regulations for such drilling using a controversial method called hydrofracking, which involves using huge amounts of water and chemicals to fracture the rock to release gas. (January 7, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
Nozzolio calls for hydrofracking impact study | GENEVA — State Sen. Michael F. Nozzolio, R-54, of Fayette, has asked the Finger Lakes Institute to study hydraulic fracturing drilling for natural gas and its possible impact on the Finger Lakes. Energy companies are anxious to use the drilling process, called “hydrofracking,” to obtain natural gas from a gas-rich area called the Marcellus Shale. (January 6, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Energy in our area]
Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES | Ginna Powers Up After Mechanical Failure The Ginna Nuclear Power Plant was back up and running Tuesday after a mechanical failure last week. (January 5, 2010) Rochester | 24 Hour Local News | TOP STORIES [more on Energy in our area]
WXXI: Environmentalists Threaten Shale Suit (2010-01-04) MANHATTAN, NY (WXXI) - A lawsuit could be in the cards if the state doesn't drastically change its approach to natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale. That's according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Monday. (January 4, 10) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]

Website Name

RochesterEnvironment.com

Fracking Newslinks - 2011 and before- Rochester, NY area

RochesterEnvironment.com

2011

2010

For Energy Newslinks before 2010 go to Energy Newslinks Archives