This is more fun to watch than a 3DHD sci-fi flick. Ever since the news hit that the Susquehanna was #1 on American Rivers' annual "Most Endangered" list today because of natural gas drilling, both the Marcellus Shale Coalition and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission have been trying to discredit two of the most well-known and widely-respected conservation groups in the country.
Shame on them.
The ripple effect of this designation has just begun to spread. If Tom Ridge is still acting as their consultant, perhaps he should advise them to shut up for a few days and let the waters calm a bit. Otherwise; the more they bark, the more attention they will draw to themselves and the issue.
Kudos to American Rivers and its partners. B.A.D. fully supports their call for a complete moratorium. Period.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Marcellus Shale Coalition - Where Art Thou?
I find it interesting that in the wake of what is arguably one of the biggest frack-ups by the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania to date - the Chesapeake BlowOut in Bradford County - that the Marcellus Shale Coalition is eerily silent.
I just checked out their website a few minutes ago. I could find no mention of Chesapeake's Massive Miscue. Nada. Zippo. Zilch.
Just so they don't go in and backdate a news release, here's a screenshot from ~7:32 a.m. on 4/23/2011.
If you've ever competed in one-on-one sports, or studied the works of Sun Tzu, you already know all you'll ever need to know about the true makeup of the Marcellus Shale Coalition. When the going gets tough they run and hide, and deep down inside, their true colors are green in more ways than one.
They are burnt toast, they just don't know it yet.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Walker's Wevenge: Frack PA into Oblivion
My blogging brothers and sisters, please put down the tea or coffee before you read this article. You may react violently. Here's a snippet for consideration:
In 2002, three of Walker’s coal companies notified Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection that they had run out of money and were going to stop treating the 173 million gallons of polluted water they produced each year and released into tributaries of the Susquehanna River. The state eventually got a court injunction to force them to continue treating the wastewater as required by state and federal law.
Now think about it; A man who ran three coal companies so successfully that they RAN OUT OF MONEY has been chosen by Governor Tom Corbett to run the Department of Community and Economic Development??? He's the best candidate for that job? WTF is going on here?
When you're done mentally masticating that morsel, put a finishing touch on your building rage with this offering.
Tom Corbett's plan for Penn's Woods & Waters must be stopped. C. Alan Walker must be stopped.
By the way; Is looking like Leslie Nielsen (RIP) a prerequisite for earning a spot on Toxic Tommy's Team?
Above: The Late Leslie Nielsen
Below: C. Alan Walker
More to follow.
Friday, March 4, 2011
A.O.H. - We Are One
Peter,
Dear Friends and Allies,
As I wrote to some of you before, I will be riding my bike ~110 miles to Harrisburg from my house in Pine Grove Mills to do my own small part to stand up to Corbett and the gas companies. It just seems like the right thing to do.
I will be joining an existing event on Wednesday, March 9th that PennEnvironment has organized. It is a protest of Corbett's budget and its utter lack of accountability around natural gas in general and about the severance tax in particular. Several organizations active on the issue will be there. It is at 1:30 pm (see and circulate attached flier). I should note that what I am doing is not intended to supercede that event in any way. Nor is what I plan to do after the event in any way sponsored by PennEnvironment or any organization. But it is a good place to meet other concerned citizens who might want to go with me one small step further.
The Corbett administration's actions for the gas industry are out of control. Two recent decisions pushed me to this point. The first was to yank DCNR's ability to assess potential impacts on state forest and park land and the second was gutting DEP's ability to monitor air quality from drilling sites. For me this is very personal because I love the forest. Every year I spend hundreds of hours in Rothrock, Bald Eagle, Moshannon, Tioga, Forbes, and Sprowl on my mountain bike, on hikes, and camping. Many of you have your own stories with our state forests.
It is also about the quality of our water and air and my hopes and fears as a father. Who wants to wake up and have your child bleeding from their noses because of toxic chemicals in their water. Who wants their neighbors sick from gas in the water. Who wants to breathe evaporating benzene? Not me.
I am riding my bike there because because it is better for the forest, for the person, for water, for air, for noise, for the climate, and for all of us than gas trucks, well-pads, natural gas, and frack water are. I am riding my bike because it means something better and brings me in touch with life and living. As a citizen of this commonwealth, the commonwealth's government should help me and my fellow common people to reach the common good.
So today I called the governor's office and asked to speak with Corbett. The staffer with whom I spoke was polite and listened to my grievances about shale drilling. I told her about the perception (some might say...fact) that Governor Corbett is governing for gas industry profiteers instead of for Pennsylvanians, their communities, their water, and our commonwealth's forests. She told me that all requests to meet with the governor have to be submitted in writing. I could not talk to him on the phone or just arrange a meeting no matter my concerns. I understand. You can't let just any yahoo in.
Okay. It will be delivered in writing.
After the budget protest I plan to go to the governor's office and request a meeting with the governor. Because I seriously doubt that they will just let me in to see the him, even if 5, 20, or 200 people went in with me, I will bring a letter requesting a meeting and submit it to the office. I will do this in person, with some insistence, instead of through the faceless email system or fax system. It will also be something of a prepared statement though i don't know that I will be able to read it.
The point, I suppose, is to put another real face to this. I am tired of this. I am worried. I am afraid. I am seeing and hearing too many angry and unheard people. I am also very motivated and believe that we must demand a better way for us, for water, for the forests. Letters aren't working. Protests keep failing. I write to my representative, Scott Conklin, and I get very short replies back and no solid action. My state senator, Jake Corman, is doing the gas industry's bidding. As I told the staff worker today, "We don't have the hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy access to governors or future governors. He HAS to talk with us. He is OUR governor."
So, I have to do what I have to do. If you would like to join the rally and then join me afterward to deliver my request for a meeting (and perhaps your own as well?), as individuals, I would love you to do so. It would be an honor to be joined by good people who deserve better. I suggest you bring letters requesting meetings too. Even if we have to walk away at the end of the day in Limbo, waiting for replies to our requests, at least we will have tried and started something new. Perhaps it will become something more. Maybe I'll end up looking like a complete fool.
I don't know. I just know that something must be done differently.
It is a modest goal. Please join me if you can.
Please forward this message to other concerned people and sympathetic press if you know any. People can RSVP to me here at peter.evolves@gmail.com
With great hope,
Peter Buckland
p.s. I will ride in rain or snow also. The only way I won't is if it's icy.
The baddest of the B.A.D. have come together to support you.
One by one, our ranks are coming together.
o + o=o = B.A.D.
Dear Friends and Allies,
As I wrote to some of you before, I will be riding my bike ~110 miles to Harrisburg from my house in Pine Grove Mills to do my own small part to stand up to Corbett and the gas companies. It just seems like the right thing to do.
I will be joining an existing event on Wednesday, March 9th that PennEnvironment has organized. It is a protest of Corbett's budget and its utter lack of accountability around natural gas in general and about the severance tax in particular. Several organizations active on the issue will be there. It is at 1:30 pm (see and circulate attached flier). I should note that what I am doing is not intended to supercede that event in any way. Nor is what I plan to do after the event in any way sponsored by PennEnvironment or any organization. But it is a good place to meet other concerned citizens who might want to go with me one small step further.
The Corbett administration's actions for the gas industry are out of control. Two recent decisions pushed me to this point. The first was to yank DCNR's ability to assess potential impacts on state forest and park land and the second was gutting DEP's ability to monitor air quality from drilling sites. For me this is very personal because I love the forest. Every year I spend hundreds of hours in Rothrock, Bald Eagle, Moshannon, Tioga, Forbes, and Sprowl on my mountain bike, on hikes, and camping. Many of you have your own stories with our state forests.
It is also about the quality of our water and air and my hopes and fears as a father. Who wants to wake up and have your child bleeding from their noses because of toxic chemicals in their water. Who wants their neighbors sick from gas in the water. Who wants to breathe evaporating benzene? Not me.
I am riding my bike there because because it is better for the forest, for the person, for water, for air, for noise, for the climate, and for all of us than gas trucks, well-pads, natural gas, and frack water are. I am riding my bike because it means something better and brings me in touch with life and living. As a citizen of this commonwealth, the commonwealth's government should help me and my fellow common people to reach the common good.
So today I called the governor's office and asked to speak with Corbett. The staffer with whom I spoke was polite and listened to my grievances about shale drilling. I told her about the perception (some might say...fact) that Governor Corbett is governing for gas industry profiteers instead of for Pennsylvanians, their communities, their water, and our commonwealth's forests. She told me that all requests to meet with the governor have to be submitted in writing. I could not talk to him on the phone or just arrange a meeting no matter my concerns. I understand. You can't let just any yahoo in.
Okay. It will be delivered in writing.
After the budget protest I plan to go to the governor's office and request a meeting with the governor. Because I seriously doubt that they will just let me in to see the him, even if 5, 20, or 200 people went in with me, I will bring a letter requesting a meeting and submit it to the office. I will do this in person, with some insistence, instead of through the faceless email system or fax system. It will also be something of a prepared statement though i don't know that I will be able to read it.
The point, I suppose, is to put another real face to this. I am tired of this. I am worried. I am afraid. I am seeing and hearing too many angry and unheard people. I am also very motivated and believe that we must demand a better way for us, for water, for the forests. Letters aren't working. Protests keep failing. I write to my representative, Scott Conklin, and I get very short replies back and no solid action. My state senator, Jake Corman, is doing the gas industry's bidding. As I told the staff worker today, "We don't have the hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy access to governors or future governors. He HAS to talk with us. He is OUR governor."
So, I have to do what I have to do. If you would like to join the rally and then join me afterward to deliver my request for a meeting (and perhaps your own as well?), as individuals, I would love you to do so. It would be an honor to be joined by good people who deserve better. I suggest you bring letters requesting meetings too. Even if we have to walk away at the end of the day in Limbo, waiting for replies to our requests, at least we will have tried and started something new. Perhaps it will become something more. Maybe I'll end up looking like a complete fool.
I don't know. I just know that something must be done differently.
It is a modest goal. Please join me if you can.
Please forward this message to other concerned people and sympathetic press if you know any. People can RSVP to me here at peter.evolves@gmail.com
With great hope,
Peter Buckland
p.s. I will ride in rain or snow also. The only way I won't is if it's icy.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
W.T.F.???
And that would be - Why Tolerate Fracking?
This blog may be new, but I'm far from it. Been doing this for a long time, and just decided to come out of the closet. Figuratively, of course.
I know it, and you should too. Using a sports analogy, we've gained a few first downs here and there, but so far, the overall battle between the Pro-Marcellus Muggers and the Anti-Fracking Egos is approaching a whitewash. Our wells are being contaminated, and our rivers are bubbling.
As weak as they truly are at the top, the Marcellus Shale Coalition has it right: Band together and act as one.
To my B.A.D. brothers and sisters: if you understand we need to do the same, send me an e-mail and a link to your blog or whatever it is you're doing. I'll take it from there.
Time's a wasting.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
B.A.D. to the BONE
It's time. We're all out here doing our own thing. We can accomplish far more if we come together.
Think about it.
Bloggers Against Drilling.
B.A.D.
Seriously...let's have some fun!
I'll be back...
I'll be back...
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