Get Connected With Your Coalition!

Great news! The Northern Wayne Property Owners Alliance (NWPOA) has our website and social media up and running in full swing. As we patiently await news from the Delaware River Basin Commission we have a mission to get the news out to our large group of landowners and supporters. naturalgasnow.org/nwpoa-ups-its-game/
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An anti-fracking rally in Albany yesterday was just more of the same as ideologues from areas without natural gas (including some from other states) tried to make some noise yet again but the real story may have been the guy in green who just happens to husband of EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck. Things going on in Washington these days are raising all sorts of questions of propriety, particularly at the EPA. FOIA requests have been routinely ignored. Lisa Jackson coordinated with others using a fake e-mail account under the name Richard Windsor. EPA also appears to have coordinated its decision to get involved in Dimock with Josh Fox, of all people. Fox was involved in the EPA’s Parker County fiasco as well. There is, too, evidence the Region 3 EPA office allied with EarthJustice to try and scotch the Marc-1 Pipeline. Now comes another outrage as Mark Dunlea, husband of Region 2 EPA Administrator Judith Enck, shows up at an anti-fracking rally in Albany. He’s right there in the thick of it, protesting science his wife’s agency is supposed to be studying. Continue reading → naturalgasnow.org/regional-epa-directors...-fracking-in-albany/
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Cabot Oil & Gas, has, in five short years, become the model of how to do business in our region, earning excellent profits for its stockholders, maintaining excellent relationships with the communities where it works and improving the lives of just about ever Susquehanna County resident. It’s no coincidence. I went on a natural gas well tour conducted by Cabot Oil & Gas the other day with a few guests. We were fortunate a friend of mine took us in his RV. On our way down Pennsylvania’s Route 29 the RV started to act as if the engine was skipping. We made it to Cabot Oil & Gas home office between Dimock and South Montrose and decided to send most of the group off in one of the Cabot’s CNG vehicles along with a guide. I stayed behind with the driver to help diagnose the issue. The engine is a diesel and I crawled under to see if I could get easy access to the fuel drain. naturalgasnow.org/cabot-oil-gas-getting-it-done/
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Jim Willis notes Willie Nelson has joined the anti-fracking brigade like the good celebrity he is. Nothing is so predictable as the political correctness of celebrities, but one has to wonder what Willie’s smoking this week as he suggests farmers would be better of without it. We guess we’ve always known that country music superstar Willie Nelson tilts to the liberal spectrum when it comes to politics (but dang, we like his music!). One of the things Willie has done over the years, to his credit, is promote family farms. He’s raised a boatload of money from his “Farm Aid” concerts to benefit family farms. Unfortunately, Willie has allowed his liberal buddies to convince him that fracking is bad, and now that misinformed philosophy has sadly co-opted the Farm Aid events. Read more here... naturalgasnow.org/willie-nelson-farm-aid...e-smoking-something/
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Governor Andrew Cuomo told everyone last month the poor job numbers in the Southern Tier of New York will not enter into his decision on natural gas development. This was a slap in the face to the landowners in the Southern Tier who are barely making ends meet but working nonstop to try to raise their families in the area. Read more at eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/natural...o-doesnt-care/20266/
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Bob Tiberio says New Yorkers are growing tired, very tired, of waiting on Governor Andrew Cuomo to finally act on proposed natural gas development regulations that were developed, analyzed and ready to go many months ago, as he does a “we’ll decide on science” routine that epitomizes “the lady doth protest too much” line. I’m so tired Tired of waiting Tired of waiting for you - The Kinks Supporters of natural gas in New York are tired of waiting for Governor Cuomo to act. And we’re tired of waiting for anti-gas obstructionists to accept the fact that shale gas development is low risk and is bringing significant benefits to communities fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of their game-changing resource. But you keep-a me waiting All of the time What can I do? Why are we still waiting? Although frustrated by nearly five years of delay, gas supporters can take some comfort from considering New York’s long-standing penchant for procrastination. Continue reading → naturalgasnow.org/tired-of-waiting-in-ne...-kinks-out/#more-273
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Delaware and Sullivan County landowner Inge Grafe-Kieklak rejoins Natural Gas Now to report on a lawsuit she and other Delaware County property owners have filed against the Town of Sidney, where the Town Board ignored state law to enact a natural gas moratorium prepared on David Slottje’s advice, without the required supermajority of members. I did not expect to be back on this blog commenting again so soon after yesterday’s post on WJFF, but events have intervened and I have news to report regarding a lawsuit I, together with other landowners in Delaware County, New York, have filed against the Town of Sidney. Our legal counsel, the Binghamton-based firm of Hinman, Howard & Kattell, filed legal papers on our behalf yesterday in Delaware County Court, challenging the Town for enacting a moratorium against the recommendations of the Delaware County Planning Board. The 1-year gas drilling moratorium was approved on February 14, 2013 by only three of the five-members of the Town of Sidney Town Board (one less than the required supermajority required under New York State law) and fails on several grounds. naturalgasnow.org/slottje-advice-to-town...arns-them-a-lawsuit/
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Governor Cuomo keeps saying his decision on allowing hydraulic fracturing in New York will be determined by science, but the data, which Governor Cuomo continues to ignore, shows that hydraulic fracturing can be conducted safely. So then Governor its time to either approve the process or admit science, in fact, has nothing to do with your decision at all. Read more at eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/new-yor...ehind-science/20256/
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This past weekend there was a FrackNation screening in Callicoon, New York. The movie was shown at the exact same time as Gasland Part II and was received with much acclaim due to its fact-based approach to discussing shale development. Read more at eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/frackna...-many-pleased/20244/
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WJJF Radio Catskill, a public radio station located in Jeffersonville, New York, exhibited its heavy-handed bias when it took umbrage at even mentioning the good deeds of natural gas companies. Some attitude for a public community radio station! Several months ago, I had a talk with the station manager of WJFF radio in Jeffersonville, New York, near where I reside. I wanted to know why there was not a more balanced approach to the gas drilling issue. It all started with a little seven minute discussion, on one of their Saturday Farms and Country shows. The discussion was about Cabot Oil and Gas and the $1 million dollar matching grant money that gas company gave to help build a new hospital for the Endless Mountains Health Care System, in Montrose, Pennsylvania hospital. It was part of larger discussion that had nothing to do with natural gas or hydraulic fracturing, and involved only a casual mention of the donation. This was enough, however, to generate a not so friendly email from the natural gas opposition and a little tempest in a teapot over whether or not it was permissible to say anything positive at all regarding natural gas on WJFF. I was deeply disappointed with the manner the station manager handled the matter. He suggested the fill-in host (well known farm radio personality Dave Williams) shouldn’t have said anything about natural gas because “it wasn’t in his contract.” Williams, though didn’t have a contract, and it became quite apparent the manager was more concerned about his board’s reaction than any contract, the station being in a state of turmoil at the time. Continue reading → naturalgasnow.org/balance-this-public-ra...atural-gas/#more-247
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Frank Chernega tells Natural Gas NOW readers Josh Fox uses Gasland Part II to push renewable energy, but fails to take advantage of his home's southern roof exposure for a solar array that would heat his water and his home, demonstrating the double-standard so typical of the natural gas opposition. "I attended a premier showing of Gasland Part II at the West Middle School in Binghamton, New York, on June 5 to see what Josh Fox had concocted this time around. At the beginning of the movie, he shows a low altitude view of the top of his home (actually his father's home) and surrounding lawn in Milanville, Pennsylvania and towards the end of the movie he does it again. It is an interesting shot apparently intended to reinforce the idea he's just a good old Pennsylvania boy, although Fox actually grew up in Manhattan. What was interesting to me, however, is what I didn't see. Towards the latter part of the movie, Fox has a “professor” from Stanford University make the absurd claim that we could supply all of our energy needs (electricity AND heat…LOL!) with wind, hydro, and solar. He then makes mention of climate change and again alludes to wind, solar, and hydro being able satisfy our needs, stating that fossil fuel use should be eliminated. This suggested to me Fox would maximize his own use of renewables, putting a solar array on that southern facing roof his father's house has. Here's what it looks like on Bing Maps. Just like the shot in the movie, it shows no solar array." Read more here: naturalgasnow.org/gasland-solar-mystery-wheres-the-array/
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Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas has most often been framed as an environmental issue, but Grace Wildermuth says people stand to lose much more than our natural resources do. Real stakeholders don’t speak of “the” environment; rather, they focus on their environment, their interests and their rights. It’s personal for them, not some abstract concept. A quick look at some of the headlines in our local newspapers would make one think northeastern Pennsylvania is turning into a wasteland and swimming in a local stream requires a hazmat suit. Headlines such as “Drilling Killing Water” and “Tracking Fracking Foul-ups” would have readers believe science has proven fracking causes water contamination, while the the stories themselves reveal a majority of contamination claims have been false. Fortunately, scientific research has made it possible to more accurately identify pollution sources and dispense with these false claims but that hasn’t stopped headline writers from using incendiary language to convey messages counter to the facts of the stories they hype. Nonetheless, following a stream of such anti-gas headlines in the Scranton Times-Tribune recently, an encouraging article appeared on the front page of that same paper this past Sunday. Titled “Wealth Denied,” Steve McConnell’s article “got it.” Read more here... naturalgasnow.org/squeaky-opposition-to-...e-denied-for-locals/
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Betty Sutliff, retired school teacher and landowner contrasts Gasland Part II with FrackNation, finding the former brought out the usual suspects, while the latter brought a more serious mix of individuals simply interested in the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A journalistic duel played out on the streets of Callicoon on June 8th. Academy award nominee and HBO backed Manhattanite, Josh Fox, vs. people funded Kickstarter backed Irishman, Phelim McAleer – a regular David (McAleer) vs. Goliath (Fox) scenario. The theater where Gasland Part II was being shown appeared to be filled to capacity. As I observed that crowd, however, it appeared to me that, for the most part, Josh was preaching to his choir while strumming his banjo. With few exceptions, the participants had “the look” of aging Woodstockers and/or their offspring, the Occupiers. Not much diversity and not many locals, just a lot of designer clad folks from the city attempting to look poor/countryish. naturalgasnow.org/fracknation-gasland-sh...ury-in-callicoon-ny/
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And, because Santa does not have a click, he made a special trip to sign the petition in person. I know because I witnessed it myself. The only thing is, I did not check his ID because of his red suit it is a given he is Santa. Oh ain't this fun, let's do another petition, maybe Santa will come and sign ours also. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Merry Blitzmas to all and to all a good ...... cold beer?
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Freelance journalist Josh Wengler investigates the “largest ever public outcry” against fracking in the Commonwealth and finds it looks more like a cheap stunt than anything else, with all too little credibility. In a press release circulated by the activist group PennEnvironment recently and echoed by Food and Water Watch, a consortium of anti-fracking groups proclaimed a powerful achievement: Delivery of a petition bearing more than 100,000 signatures to the Pennsylvania legislature and the Corbett administration calling for a moratorium on all gas drilling in the state “until our environment and public health can be protected.” “This is believed to be the largest public outcry on fracking in state history,” reads the release. Really? naturalgasnow.org/pa-fracking-petition-l...st-ever-or-pr-stunt/
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