WELCOME to The Capitol Pressroom

Where do you go to find the most balanced and scientifically accurate information about horizontal, high water pressure hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale? How do you determine which science is the most sound? Well, today we spoke with Bob Williams of Barnes-Williams Environmental Services BWES and Tony R. Ingraffea, Ph.D to figure that out. If you didn’t hear what Bob and Tony had to say, then please checkout our podcast of today’s show.

Also, you can check out this list of helpful websites Bob and Tony recommended to us.

1. NYC SGEIS (Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement) comments:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/natural_gas_drilling/nycdep_comments_final_12-22-09.pdf

2. EPA SGEIS Comments:
http://www.epa.gov/region02/spmm/pdf/Marcellus_dSGEIS_Comment_Letter_plus_Enclosure.pdf

3. NY draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for High
Volume Horizontal Hydrofracturing in Marcellus and similar shales:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58440.html

4. http://www.chec.pitt.edu/ Excellent site for scientific info on
public health effects of shale gas development.

5. Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection

http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/oil___gas/6003

6. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/205.html

And

http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/46288.html

7. Environmental Protection Agency

http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/class2/hydraulicfracturing/index.cfm

I hope I didn’t make your head exploded with this overwhelming amount of information! If you have any questions about Marcellus Shale or hydrofracking, feel free to write Susan at susan@thecapitolpressroom.org. Maybe you’re question will be asked on the next edition of The Capitol Pressroom.

On today’s edition of “The Capitol Pressroom,” we had Stephen Acquario, head of  NYSAC, and Maggie Brooks, Monroe County Executive, to talk about the movement of Medicaid control from a local to a state level. Medicaid spending for New York State alone is $52-billion a year. Every county in New York State is mandated to contribute $7-billion a year to Medicaid. This money comes from those who pay property taxes. There are many concerns that have come out of this shift from a local to a state operation. There are many counties who do more than just provide Medicaid. There are people, according to Maggie Brooks, who have jobs like Medicaid Fraud Investigators and Attorneys for the County who are associated with Medicaid, for example, that could loose their job because of this shift. Brooks hopes that the NYSDOH (New York State Department of Health) realizes that you can improve quality and reduce costs. Stephen said that this proposal is to help realign a very important program to the state. That what was spoke about is merely a conversation about the administrative side of Medicaid – a plan to phase out one jurisdiction for another. Be sure to tune in today!

(*posted by: Jennifer Kelley, producer)

The EPA Hearing that was postponed until further notice was to be centered around the discussion of Water Quality and Safety in respects to Hydrofracking. Today’s edition of “The Capitol Pressroom,” we had Brian Nearing, Science and Environment Reporter from the Albany Times Union, and David Wethe, Energy Reporter for Bloomberg Business News from Houston, Texas, to talk about the financial aspect of Hydrofracking.

Brian gave a great website for listeners to check out, http://wri.eas.cornell.edu/gas_wells_waste.html. This particular link to the WRI (The New York State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University), breaks down how the waste management of Hydrofracking is conducted. Where does all the flowback water, cuttings and drilling muds get contained? What are the NYS regulations for the containment pits that need to be created? What is in hydrofracking fluid? This particular link looks into these questions and provides information pertaining to issues of managing water resources in New York State. Below is the website’s mission statement taken from their site:

The Mission of the New York State Water Resources Institute (WRI) is to improve the management of water resources in New York State and the nation. As a federally and state mandated institution located at Cornell University, we are uniquely situated to access scientific and technical resources that are relevant to New York State’s and the nation’s water management needs. We collaborate with regional, state, and national partners to increase awareness of emerging water resources issues and to develop and assess new water management technologies and policies. WRI connects the water research and water management communities.

David Wethe, an energy reporter from Houston, Texas, talked about the Barnett Shale drilling. Wethe has a four year reporting history of covering issues surrounding the Barnett Shale region. The drilling of this particular shale has been going on since 2008 in Texas. According to wikipedia, experts suggested that the shale formation in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin that spans about 17 counties from the city of Fort Worth and underlies, 5,000 square miles; contains an estimated amount of 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas resources. Wikipedia also went into details saying that the Barnett Shale territory, suggested by experts, possibly having the “largest producible reserves of any onshore natural gas field in the United States.”

With every drilling that takes place – there are pros and cons. David mentioned a positive and that was the boost of revenue for the area. There was job creation and a increase of commerce because of the influx of workers coming in. The downside factors to be considered were noise coming from the drilling site, issues of trucks going back and forth, the issues of lights being used during late night drilling – to name a few. The walls that were created to provide some sort of a noise reduction were 20 feet high and covered only so much of the drilling site. These walls are really thick and very expensive to produce.

Wethe left listeners with some advice – know your rules and rights especially if drilling will be taking place in an area that will affect your neighborhood/community. Having a good rapport with elected officials and the companies that are coming into to do the drillings is extremely important!

The drilling series is an on-going effort to better educate those who are taking a strong interest in Hydrofracking. Our next topic of discussion will be how gas drilling will affect municipalities.

(*posted by Jennifer Kelley, Producer)

On Thursday’s program, EPA Region 2 Director, Judith Enck, spoke about the issues that surrounded the EPA Hearings that were suppose to take place at SUNY Binghamton then at the OnCenter in Syracuse and then the postponing of the event until September. She apologized for the inconveniences that this caused for all those who have taken a strong interest on this topic. With that being said, she told listeners that the EPA does care about what everyone has to say and she provided an email address to contact them with questions, comments or concerns. Judith mentioned to our listeners that you do not have to wait for the September hearings to have your voices heard! Since this [September Hearing] is the last one on the EPA tour, they’re extending what is called a “Comment Period” up to 15 days after the scheduled event takes place. This is your chance to take what was said from the hearings and help the EPA to gain more insight before they go off and begin research. Judith mentioned that all the research will be compiled and put onto the website once finished.

• For those who want to express any sort of concerns or insight, this is the email you should use: hydraulic.fracturing@epa.gov
• For for information on the EPA and the hearings that have already taken place: www.epa.gov

-Jennifer Kelley (Producer – The Capitol Pressroom)

Here’s a statement from Jim Smith of Corning Place Consulting, the firm that lobbies for IOGA, the Independent Oil and Gas Association:

IOGA looks forward to an open and honest conversation about our industry’s work and history in New York State, whenever and wherever possible.  We hope that over the next few weeks, those who have questions about the development of the Marcellus Shale will come to understand that natural gas is a clean, environmentally friendly fuel that can provide opportunities for an economic resurgence in New York.
 

EPA POSTPONES SYRACUSE MEETING ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING STUDY, NEW DATES COMING SOON

NEW YORK, NY – After months of work organizing the New York Hydraulic Fracturing public meetings, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Syracuse meeting, originally scheduled for this Thursday, August 12th at the Oncenter Complex Convention Center, has been cancelled. The Agency now intends to hold a new public meeting on the study in upstate New York in September and will announce the location as soon as it is confirmed.

EPA was forced to cancel this meeting following a conversation this morning with the Onondaga County Executive’s office, during which they expressed concerns about the ability to complete preparations for the meeting on such short notice. The last minute change to Syracuse was caused by Binghamton University taking several actions to dissuade EPA from holding the meetings at their campus including increasing the cost from $6,000 to almost $40,000. The Agency also reached out to Broome County officials in Binghamton to hold the meeting at the Arena and they pulled out of negotiations with EPA. The Agency searched a 40 mile radius from Corning to Ithaca to Courtland to Oneonta but no options were available for Thursday. Onondaga County officials did not feel they could arrange the necessary security for the potential protests and rallies outside the meeting itself, and EPA respects and understands their decision.

From the beginning, EPA has been committed to ensuring that the public has an opportunity to express their opinions on the study. There are serious concerns about whether the process of hydraulic fracturing impacts drinking water, human health and the environment. To address those concerns and strengthen our clean energy future, EPA announced in March that it will study the potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on drinking water and would be seeking input from people across the country. EPA has held had three successful meetings in Fort Worth, Texas, Denver, Colorado and Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, where more than 1200 participants attended, and the Agency is committed to holding a similar meeting in upstate New York.

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According to Nicole, the tech person we have been working with at the OnCenter, the EPA hearing (which was yesterday moved from Binghamton to Syracuse) will be postponed until September. No date has been set. The OnCenter is still working with the EPA  – as well as an outside agency – to host an event in the future.

The AP had reported a crowd of 8000 was expected to attend. Security issues for a crowd of that size was one of the factors in the decision to postpone the meeting.

What does this mean?

A few things.  It’s a strong indication of how successful both advocates for and opponents of gas-drilling have been in getting the word out about drilling.   It shows just how intimately involved New Yorkers are in the decisions surrounding this process.  It’s clear that upstaters are vigorously determined to protect their ground water from anything that might affect it.  It means the lessons learned from wells drilled in Pennsylvania are being absorbed & considered.  It means that  changes in the regulatory system,  as well as in the drilling process itself, will be demanded, debated and meticulously vetted before any high pressure wells are drilled in upstate New York. 
We will keep you posted.

Remember the days of being scolded for playing videos games when you should be doing homework? People like Robert Vitello, Deputy Labor Commissioner for Planning and Technology for the NYS Department of Labor and Tobi Saulnier, CEO of 1st Playable Productions, talked about the future of educational gaming in New York State and how gaming can be used for good. They provided a lengthy list of resources to help people understand this topic!

For people who are teachers that are looking to incorporate gaming into the the classroom: www.educationarcade.org

Here is a link for those who create video games and want to improve their craft or network with other individuals: http://www.igda.org/

For those who are in the educational circuit who want to go to the Symposium that is being held August 16th-17th at Tech Valley High School: http://www.gamesineducation.org/

To learn more about 1st Playable Productions: http://www.1stplayable.com/

To learn more about NYS Department of Labor’s strategic technology agenda: http:// www.labor.ny.gov/cioshares.

Just got this from the PIO at Binghamton University.  The EPA may be moving the hearing to Syracuse.

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Hi there – venue has changed……our President and VP for Administration has issued the following:

³As a public institution of higher education dedicated to robust debate on public issues, Binghamton University was pleased to have been considered as a site for the meetings on gas drilling. However, the EPA informed us today that another venue has been selected.

The gas drilling public forum sponsored by the EPA is estimated to involved 1,200 direct participants. However, the University was also made aware by special interest groups, law enforcement and governmental agencies, and other interested parties, that an estimated 8,000 people could potentially also be on the Binghamton University campus for these meetings.

Binghamton University has held many events on campus over the years and is always honored to be considered as a venue for the discussion of key national issues. In planning for these events, the University always works closely with the sponsors to ensure that activities are carried out in a safe and orderly manner. Because we are a public University and responsible to the taxpayer, and as we do for all contracted events, a price was developed to ensure that the campus would remain cost neutral.
These costs were based upon the full breadth of this event with the primary emphasis being on the safety of all attendees as well as the continued operations of the campus, including its academic programs, research activities, construction, ongoing new student orientation and the day-to-day activities of a public institution of higher education

All questions regarding the new site and schedule for the public forum should be directed to the EPA which made the decision to go elsewhere.²

- C. Peter Magrath, interim president, Binghamton University
- James Van Voorst, vice president for administration, Binghamton University

Here are some helpful links given by Dr. James Fossett, PhD, Associate Professor,  Department of Public Administration & Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, University at Albany and Erika Martin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration & Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, University at Albany from Thursday’s program on Healthcare.

Kaiser Family Foundation: www.kff.org

New England Journal of Medicine: www.nejm.org

www.healthcare.gov

Rockefeller Institution of Government: www.rockinst.org