Hydraulic Fracturing Going On In New York During Moratorium with NY DEP PERMISSION

Whoever says we have a Moratorium on Natural Gas Exploration deploying FRACKING within the Marsellus Shale here in NY, on some level, are not stating a completely accurate case.  The NY DEP has approved some limited fracking....specifically in Oswego County at the Ross 1 well.  You can read a very interesting and disturbing Power Point presentation here (downloadable PDF file).  The company involved is Gastem USA, and one's eyebrows raise from the start with the title of the document which is "Environmental Concerns and Mitigating Actions, Oswego NY".  The company DEFACTO makes a tacit admission that their drilling/fracking activities will do harm to the environment that will require mitigation efforts, and the NY DEP, even though the rules have not been fully written and approved (Final Draft GEIS) went ahead On October 25,2010 gave this company permission to FRACK.

First question one has to ask themselves, "Has the NY DEP been doing nothing more than giving concerned citizens and environmental groups LIP SERVICE, while working behind the scenes with the Natural Gas industry to give them JUST WHAT THEY WANT?"  Their approval of Gastem's proposal to Hydraulically FRACTURE the Marcellus Shale formation in Oswego County would suggest this is the case.  This would not be the first time that NY DEP is talking out of both sides of its mouth...all one has to do is look at the unlicensed/permitted water discharge canal at the problem plagued Indian Point nuclear reactor, look at NY DEP's refusal to use their enforcement abilities to shut down the reactors, and you have proof positive that NY DEP too often tells the public one thing, while behind the scenes they are cooperating with law breaking polluters.  

Secondly, what about those environmental concerns...well, we could talk about the almost 39,000 gallons of contaminated backflow that was disposed of at the local Watertown disposal facility...fact is, that facility was not built and designed to handle Fracturing Contaminated Waste Waters.    Additionally, are some of the things they were testing for PRE-DRILLING, as it gives one a eye into just what kinds of contaminants property owners and neighbors can expect as full drilling of the Marcellus Shale moves forward...the first one this writer noticed as an anti-nuclear grassroots activist was strontium...a cancer causing radionuclide  carcinogen that collects in the bones that many believe has contributed to the increase in childhood cases of leukemia.  Other carcinogens of concern include chromium, lead and mercury...talk about a lethal cocktail meant to kill almost any living creature or thing over time...no wonder FRACKED lands are coming up with three legged blind cows, and citizens who are getting sick.

Would love to have NY DEP come to this blog and explain themselves, explain why Gastem's proposal was approved during a time where we are supposed to have a Moratorium on Fracking in New York's Marcellus Shale.

Other examples of this company being ALLOWED TO FRACK with NY DEP approval.  Maybe a peaceful mass protest should be organized at the well site...let me know your opinions.

Companies Like Chesapeake Energy Spend MILLIONS on Propanganda

If you go visit some of Chesapeake Energy's propaganda sites, read their so called FACT SHEETS you soon realize how easily those within the Nature Gas industry come to lying...or who knows, maybe they are so blinded by their quests for huge profits that they are truly blind to the damage FRACKING has done and will do to our environment.  Sure Chesapeake Energy wants to race forward in mock outrage at such an allegation, but some simple Google Searches quickly prove the point that they hold the environment, and average citizens in high disdain.

Google Chesapeake Energy Environmental Violations, and you find FIFTEEN THOUSAND hits...that number in and of itself should give every American cause for concern, should see us doubting any study, any fact sheet bearing their company name.  In the past three years the Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Dept. has cited 47 well operators more than 900 times for "environmental health and safety" violations with Chesapeake Energy LEADING THE PACK...even worse, in some cases, they just simply IGNORED THE REGULATIONS, did what they wanted to do.

After a routine site inspection March 8 and a March 10 meeting with Chesapeake, DEP issued a notice of violation for several infractions of the Clean Streams Law and Oil and Gas Act. The company did not respond to the notice. During follow-up inspections March 21 and 22, staff discovered the additional violations and impacts that resulted in the March 22 order.

It is sorely tempting in the case of Chesapeake Energy and its various subsidiary holdings to use the word thugs...in part because they seem fond of using fear, intimidation and  law suits to get their way...one such case they filed was against a county clerk FOR DOING HER JOB.  When the recorders office protocols did not allow Chesapeake Energy to file gas drilling leases fast enough (this clerk's office has approved over 5,000 of their leases, the company MARCHED INTO COURT asking a judge to have her policies deemed unlawful.  This blogs guess...for Chesapeake Energy, it is not a matter of right or wrong, it is about bleeding a county's treasury down to force them to give into Chesapeake's preferred means of doing business...which one could suggest is unethical, if not unlawful...any one looked into a RICO case?

Apparently, a part of Chesapeake Energy's business model seems to be violate laws, regulations and contracts down, and negotiate out a fine later.  One such example of this, is their violation of a water agreement in Pennsylvania wherein they violated the agreed upon contract FORTY SEVEN TIMES in just a one year period, withdrawing more water from local water supplies than their maximum allowed daily amount.  Sure their paltry $20,000 fine for FORTY SEVEN VIOLATIONS was a bargain for them, and it makes you wonder just how many local politicians they own.

Chesapeake Energy, and other companies in the natural gas mix in a big way all seem to follow this same business model, and one would be well served to take their supposed FACT SHEETS and view them for what they are...not worth the paper they are printed on.