February 2023 - News - lists.frackcheckwv.net

WV Legislature ~ House Bill (HB-3110) To Add Oil & Gas Inspectors
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 28 Feb '23

28 Feb '23

# [WV Legislature ~ House Bill (HB-3110) To Add Oil & Gas Inspectors](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/28/wv-legislature-house-bi… hb-3110-to-add-oil-gas-inspectors/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/DF321E80-BB6F-4DFB-92BC-C21B309C099A.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/02/DF321E80-BB6F-4DFB-92BC-C21B309C099A.jpeg) Contact WV State Senators who can (might) do the right thing(s)? **WV Legislature HB-3110 for Oil & Gas Inspectors Passes House, Now in Senate Finance Committee** From an [Article by Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette](https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/legislative_session/wv-house- passes-bill-to-boost-funding-for-states-understaffed-financially-strained-oil- and-gas/article_c99c0b82-b975-514e-aba7-cbfd1f452b0d.html), February 23, 2023 **The West Virginia House of Delegates approved a bill that would increase funding for the state Office of Oil and Gas after rejecting an amendment from Delegate Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, that would have given the office a bigger financial boost.** The West Virginia House of Delegates passed the bill without opposition or debate Thursday that would bolster funding for the state’s understaffed, financially stressed gas and oil well inspection unit. **The House approved this HB-3110 in a 98-0 vote, sending it to the Senate.** **The state Department of Environmental Protection has estimated the bill would raise roughly $2 million annually to be allocated to the Office of Oil and Gas** , which is responsible for monitoring the exploration, drilling, storage and production of natural gas and oil in West Virginia. The office is in charge of monitoring 75,000 wells statewide. The bill would allocate 0.75% of oil and gas severance taxes and a tiered system of annual well oversight fees to benefit the Office of Oil and Gas. **HB 3110 would impose an annual $350 fee per well for an operator’s first 400 unplugged wells** that produce an average of 250,000 cubic feet of natural gas or more per day. The bill would impose an annual $75 fee per well for an operator’s first 400 unplugged wells that produce an average of between 60,000 and 250,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The legislation would impose a $25 fee for an operator’s first 4,000 wells that produce between 10,000 and 60,000 cubic feet of gas per day, with operators with 500 or fewer unplugged wells producing in that range of gas excluded from that fee. The House had rejected an amendment proposed by Delegate Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, that would have removed the 400- and 4,000-well caps on unplugged wells for which operators would have to pay oversight fees to support the Office of Oil and Gas. Hansen and environmental health proponents have argued that large producers can afford and should be required to pay more to support the state’s oil and gas regulators. **Stephanie Catarino Wissman, executive director of American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania** , Appalachia Region, showed a lack of support for any fee-driven approach to supporting West Virginia environmental regulators. Wissman said the industry backs supporting the DEP through the existing severance tax. “[W]e need policies that enable investment in drilling and energy infrastructure, not additional taxes and fees,” Wissman said. **The DEP reduced the size of the Office of Oil and Gas from about 45 to 25 staff members in 2020 over a lack of funding stemming from a decrease in revenue from the one-time permit fees the office relies on for support.** **DEP Deputy Secretary Scott Mandirola has said HB 3110’s tiered fee system followed discussions with industry.** Mandirola told the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee prior to its approval of HB 3110 the Office of Oil and Gas’ 10 well inspectors are dwarfed by Pennsylvania’s 66 and Ohio’s 38. (West Virginia is the nation’s fourth-largest gas producer. The WV DEP has planned to bring back 10 inspectors to get back to the 20 the Office of Oil and Gas had prior to the 2020 cutbacks.) **West Virginia Surface Owners’ Rights Organization co-founder Dave McMahon** has urged state lawmakers to support around 40 well inspectors instead of going back to the 2020 status quo. Before the Energy and Manufacturing Committee earlier this month, McMahon cited a 2018 study of West Virginia well sites by Princeton and McGill university researchers that found active conventional wells are a significant source of methane emitted into the atmosphere. **Environmental, royalty and surface owner advocates have urged the Legislature to shore up funding for the Office of Oil and Gas in recent years** , citing lost royalties and harmful methane emissions due to gas leaks thriving with limited monitoring stemming from an understaffed inspection unit. **The study estimated that each active conventional well loses roughly 9% of production. Researchers found that the emission factor used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to project methane emissions from conventional active wells underestimates those emissions by 7.5 times.** Methane is typically released alongside other air pollutants that can cause cancer, asthma, premature birth and other devastating health outcomes. Also, methane traps at least 80 times as much heat in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, accelerating climate change that is driving an increase in major floods and power outages — to which West Virginia is especially prone. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **HOUSE BILLS,** [HB-3110, “Relating to funding the Office of Oil and Gas in the Department of Environmental Protection”](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?IN…. West Virginia Legislature, February 28, 2023. HB-3110 assigned to Senate Finance Committee. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/28/wv-legislature-house-bill- hb-3110-to-add-oil-gas-inspectors/>

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VIRGINIA Should Stay in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative [RGGI]
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 27 Feb '23

27 Feb '23

# [VIRGINIA Should Stay in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative [RGGI]](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/27/virginia-should-stay-in-the- regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-rggi/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/0FBF55F3-4D77-4538-98AC-48E0BABEA96F-300x168.png)](… content/uploads/2023/02/0FBF55F3-4D77-4538-98AC-48E0BABEA96F.png) Most all the northeastern states are in the RGGI **ZOOM SESSION: Reminder ~ Join us Wednesday to save Virginia 's RGGI funding!** From the [Action Alert of Zander Pellegrino, Chesapeake Climate Action Network](https://actionnetwork.org/events/defend-rggi-public-comment-writin… party/), 2/25/23 **Bad news, Virginia! Governor Glenn Youngkin is moving forward on his extremely unpopular crusade to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).** A recent poll found that huge bipartisan majorities of Virginians, including a plurality of Republicans, want to stay in RGGI. Yet four appointees on the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board – all hand-picked by Governor Youngkin – voted to remove us from RGGI. **Virginia has already received over $523 million from RGGI.** But Governor Youngkin's scheme puts us at risk of losing vital funds to prevent flooding and would throw our state's carbon cap-and-trade market into chaos. **Now the decision to leave RGGI is up for public comment and we need YOUR voice! Join CCAN and fellow climate activists for a virtual comment-writing party on Wednesday March 1 at 6:30 PM.** [RSVP today!](https://actionnetwork.org/events/defend-rggi-public-comment-writing- party/) We’re hosting this comment-writing party to make sure Virginians like YOU are heard. The League of Conservation Voters, Appalachian Voices, Nature Forward, and Sierra Club will be joining us. **Our featured speakers – Megan Root and McKenzie Brocker – work for the city of Roanoke on climate adaptation and sustainability. They will share what RGGI funding can mean for their part of Virginia.** **Then we will go into breakout sessions** where organizers will coach you on how to craft a strong comment. By the end of the hour, your comment will be ready for submission on the online portal! We will even help you navigate the website to make sure yours gets in. Sign up today! Last fall, we submitted 838 comments and an overwhelming number were in favor of RGGI. Generating another immense outpouring of support for RGGI will not only build the case against the Air Board repeal, it will also bolster RGGI’s support with lawmakers in the VA state legislature – where RGGI’s fate is legally decided. **And we will keep fighting!** [So RSVP today to join us Wednesday March 1 at 6:30 PM for a public comment-writing party.](https://actionnetwork.org/events/defend-rggi-public-comment-writing- party/) _See you there, Zander Pellegrino, CCAN, 2/25/23_ <https://actionnetwork.org/events/defend-rggi-public-comment-writing-party/> URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/27/virginia-should-stay-in-the- regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-rggi/>

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Environment Day (E-Day) at the West Virginia Legislature is February 28th
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 26 Feb '23

26 Feb '23

# [Environment Day (E-Day) at the West Virginia Legislature is February 28th](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/26/environment-day-e-day-at-the- west-virginia-legislature-is-february-28th/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/CDE6A105-9438-48AC-9166-CE53C4B302F9-300x41.jpg)](h… content/uploads/2023/02/CDE6A105-9438-48AC-9166-CE53C4B302F9.jpeg)[![](http… content/uploads/2023/02/C7EB5141-EEA4-4D60-9803-57E2EF6FC09A-300x200.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/02/C7EB5141-EEA4-4D60-9803-57E2EF6FC09A.jpeg) **To the Residents of West Virginia’s 55 Counties, North South East & West!** From [Aileen Curfman, Conservation Chair, West Virginia Sierra Club](https://www.sierraclub.org/west-virginia) **[You’re invited to the annual Environmental Day at the West Virginia State Capital on February 28 from 9 AM to 2 PM.](https://wvecouncil.org/youre- invited-to-environmental-day/)** This event is organized each year by the West Virginia Environmental Council. It’s a great opportunity to connect with our legislators and to network with other environmentalists across the state. The Environmental Council has put together a short list of some legislation to address West Virginia’s long-standing environmental and economic woes. **Learn more here:** <https://wvecouncil.org/youre-invited-to-e-day-at-the-capitol-2/> If you would like to attend, or your group would like to have a table, please sign up here: <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLXTPELMQWdk63ZCrM7VjWrJWHQRGUuU4…> _The West Virginia Sierra Club is excited about attending. I hope to see you there!_ [Sign Up For E-Day!](https://wvecouncil.org/youre-invited-to-environmental- day/) #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **P.S. Mark the date! On June 10, 2023, the West Virginia Sierra Club will have a picnic at the Grandview area of the New River Gorge National Park. All members, family and friends are invited. Please join us for a fun day with your fellow Sierrans in our nation’s newest National Park. Mark your calendar! Details will be coming soon.** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/26/environment-day-e-day-at-the- west-virginia-legislature-is-february-28th/>

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§ Shale Gas Drilling & Fracking Quite Active But Moderating ~ $-Natural Gas Much Cheaper
by Frack Check WV: admin 25 Feb '23

25 Feb '23

# [§ Shale Gas Drilling & Fracking Quite Active But Moderating ~ $-Natural Gas Much Cheaper](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/25/%c2%a7-shale-gas- drilling-fracking-quite-active-but-moderating-natural-gas-much-cheaper/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/4B5B7645-8E2F-42B0-97F6-7B0B52F2A982-300x147.png)](… content/uploads/2023/02/4B5B7645-8E2F-42B0-97F6-7B0B52F2A982.png) Natural gas forecast doesn’t reflect the current volatility! **Chesapeake Energy to reduce drilling amid natgas price slump** From an [Article by Reuters, Business & Industry Connection](https://www.bicmagazine.com/industry/drilling- exploration/chesapeake-energy-to-reduce-drilling-amid-natgas-slump/), February 23, 2023 **(Reuters) U.S. natural gas producer Chesapeake Energy Corp said it would pull back on drilling and completing wells this year as natural gas prices have crashed to a quarter of what they were last summer.** **Chesapeake** said it will drop two rigs in the Haynesville region that covers parts of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana this year, and one rig in Marcellus shale of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. "We certainly see that it's prudent to pull back capital, and we think we're seeing others do the same," Chief Executive Nick Dell'Osso said of energy firms pulling back in a shale gas play in Louisiana and east Texas. "We're making money on the capital that we are investing but the margins are not nearly on a full cycle basis what they were historically," he added. Other operators, primarily private firms, were also pulling back activity in that region, he said. Earlier this month, **Comstock Resources** Inc said it would cut drilling rigs to seven from nine this year. **Henry Hub natural gas futures on Wednesday briefly dipped below $2 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) for the first time since September 2020, and were down from last year 's $8 peak.** Shares of Chesapeake were up 2.3% to $79.77 in midday trading. Chesapeake, which previously announced plans to sell its oil position to focus on gas production, on Tuesday said it would sell oil assets in South Texas to chemical maker **INEOS** for $1.4 billion. That deal comes a month after it agreed to sell a separate part of its assets there to **Wildfire Energy** for $1.43 billion. Chesapeake expects to receive $1.7 billion in after-tax proceeds from those sales. Rival shale oil producer **Diamondback Energy** on Wednesday said it was increasing its non-core asset sale target to at least $1 billion by the end of this year, up from $500 million previously. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **Natural Gas Price Volatility ‘Simply Noise’ for Heavily Hedged CNX, Says CEO** From an [Article by Andrew Baker, NGI Shale Daily](https://www.naturalgasintel.com/natural-gas-price-volatility-simply- noise-for-heavily-hedged-cnx-says-ceo/), January 27, 2023 **CEO Nicholas Deluliis hosted a conference call to discuss fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 results for Canonsburg, PA-based CNX, formerly part of CONSOL Energy of Pittsburgh.** Appalachian Basin pure-play **CNX Resources Corp.** is aiming to lock in elevated natural gas prices and protect itself from market swings through an aggressive hedging strategy. Also, “from a macro perspective, we expect the recent pricing volatility to continue in 2023 as the US domestic markets continue to fluctuate with shifting weather expectations, uncertain domestic production levels,” and growing liquefied natural gas demand from around the world. “How gas prices unfold in 2023 will depend on a difficult to predict combination of those three core elements.” The CEO said “while the extreme volatility in the natural gas markets will significantly impact near term results, prices along the strip are still materially higher than in recent years and as such, the rates of returns on previous capital investments remain not just high, but improved in this environment…” As a result, “the future business plan not only remains intact, but even stronger,” he added. CNX is forecasting capital expenditures (capex) of $575-675 million in 2023, including $430-475 million for drilling and completions. Total capex in 2022 was $566 million. Plans are to run one to two drilling rigs and one continuous, all electric hydraulic fracturing crew throughout the year, Deluliis said. **‘Modestly Lower’ Output** ~ CNX is expecting “modestly lower” production in 2023 versus 2022, he said. Management expects production levels to be at their lowest during the first quarter, then to accelerate as the year progresses. Production “is a result for us, not an objective within our strategy and business model,” he told analysts. “Most importantly, we’re expecting to return to our 2022 production level run rate around mid-year 2023 plus or minus, and from there return to more elevated annual levels in 2024 and beyond,” the CEO said. Also, “this annual capital budget assumes a full year of the increased inflationary cost environment that we experienced during the latter part of 2022 and reflects our desire to use the highest quality crews and products and to make the best long-term focused decisions to help derisk our plan.” The company expects to bring online 30 wells for the year, including 27 in Southwest Pennsylvania (SWPA) and three in Central Pennsylvania. The SWPA wells would comprise 23 in the Marcellus Shale and four in the Utica Shale, with average lateral lengths of 14,500 feet and 13,600 feet, respectively. **Deluliis noted that “today’s higher capital costs are more than offset by the increased pricing outlook that we continue to hedge into.” The company has hedged 82% of its expected natural gas volumes for full-year 2023.** The company “will continue to add higher priced hedges in what is an elevated natural gas price environment compared to when a lot of the hedges were originally put on,” Deluliis said. He added, “Locking in these increased pricing levels translates to significant future margin expansion that will add material free cash flow compared to the original seven-year plan that we put out in 2020.” **In other words, “we believe that the volatility that we’re seeing in the commodity markets [is] simply noise as it relates to our sustainable business model and long-term plan,” said Deluliis.** “Despite the uncertainty in the gas markets we are currently seeing in 2023 along with the uncertainty around the broader economy, we are confident in the sustainable business model that we have created.” As to the potential for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), Deluliis said, “I think the kind of bolt-on opportunities are fairly reduced at this point. There’s not a lot of private equity operators left and we always compare any potential M&A opportunity to the opportunity of doing M&A on ourselves through our buybacks, so it’s a pretty high hurdle when you come at it from that perspective. There’s currently nothing kind of on our radar from that perspective given where our share prices are trading.” CNX generated a company record $707 million of free cash flow in 2022, Deluliis highlighted. The company fetched an average realized gas price after hedging off $2.76/Mcf during 4Q2022, versus $2.54 in 4Q2021. The full-year average price was $2.92/Mcf in 2022, up from $2.57 in 2021. **Realized hedging losses totaled $360 million during the fourth quarter, compared to losses of $400 million in the corresponding 2021 period.** Production averaged 1.53 Bcfe/d in 4Q2022, down from 1.72 Bcfe/d in 4Q2021. Full-year 2022 production averaged 1.59 Bcfe/d, compared to 1.62 Bcfe/d in 2021. CNX reported net income of $1.17 billion ($6.64/share) for the fourth quarter of 2022, up from $630 million ($3.02) in 4Q2021. For full-year 2022, CNX posted a net loss of $142 million (minus 75 cents/share), versus a loss of $499 million (minus $2.31) in 2021. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/25/%c2%a7-shale-gas-drilling- fracking-quite-active-but-moderating-natural-gas-much-cheaper/>

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Some Growing Threats from Chemical Pollution ~ Frac Sand Sentinel #431
by Frack Check WV: admin 24 Feb '23

24 Feb '23

# [Some Growing Threats from Chemical Pollution ~ Frac Sand Sentinel #431](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/24/some-growing-threats-from- chemical-pollution-frac-sand-sentinel-431/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/11A73B7B-186F-4BC4-9769-E3B738027F22-300x180.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/02/11A73B7B-186F-4BC4-9769-E3B738027F22.jpeg) Cool & clear & clean water is wonderful and necessary …! **Growing Threats of Land Disturances, Water Contamination & Air Pollution** From the [Article of Patricia Popple, Frac Sand Sentinel #431](https://wisair.wordpress.com/), February 23, 2023 **Chemical additives of all varieties have been added to the hydraulic fracturing process along with frack sand and water to crack open fissures in the earth 's layers to allow oil and gas to leave the formation. In addition, various chemicals are added to the cleaning process when frack sand is blasted, crushed, washed and processed at facilities located throughout the United States. The additives are not disclosed to the public. Should we be concerned about our water, our soil, and our air and what has been added to our environment just to allow the fossil fuel industry to function without concern for life on this planet?** Other industries are known chemical pollutors too, and they have been doing so for many decades. It is not that we haven't known about it. We have been made aware of the issues over many years. Finding "forever chemicals" in our drinking water only serves to highlight the severity of the issues we face currently but also in the future for generations to come. This past week, I received a YouTube video link from a friend in St. Paul. It involved a discussion between a scientist and Nate Hagens known for his interest in health and environmental issues. I urge you to watch it. It may be longer than you would like, but it will give you an understanding of the issues we face and a challenge to all of us to take action to end the use of chemicals known to cause damages to all living things. Plastic use is also a topic of discussion. [The link is HERE!](https://youtu.be/2wgcCd7TOyo) ………. OR the same link below: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wgcCd7TOyo](https://youtu.be/2wgcCd7TOyo) #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE** : wisair.wordpress.com and for additional information, click here for panoramic aerial views of frac sand mines, processing plants, and trans-load facilities. FracTracker.org is also an excellent source of information and a picture source. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/24/some-growing-threats-from- chemical-pollution-frac-sand-sentinel-431/>

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The Climate Crisis Getting Worse ~ Faster & Faster, Dangerously So!
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 23 Feb '23

23 Feb '23

# [The Climate Crisis Getting Worse ~ Faster & Faster, Dangerously So!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/23/the-climate-crisis-getting-wor… faster-faster-dangerously-so/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/9CA30C01-3C92-4DCF-997D-071821B39B93.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/02/9CA30C01-3C92-4DCF-997D-071821B39B93.jpeg) Plastics accumulation in the oceans, in rivers & streams, and in landfills is getting worse! **Some 27 feedback loops could accelerate climate crisis, warn scientists** From an [Article by George Hughes, Environment Journal (UK)](https://environmentjournal.online/articles/27-feedback-loops-could- accelerate-climate-crisis-warn-scientists/), February 21, 2023 Scientists are advising governments to take urgent action, as they have identified 27 global feedback loops which could lock the world into irreversible climate change. An international collaboration of Oregon State University researchers shared their findings in the One Earth journal and implored policymakers to avert the worst of the climate crisis. Feedback loops are climate-caused alterations which can trigger a process which causes even warming. For example, a melting Arctic could result in further warming, as sea water absorbs rather than reflects solar radiation. OSU College of Forestry postdoctoral scholar Christopher Wolf explained: ‘Many of the feedback loops we examined significantly increase warming because of their connection to greenhouse gas emissions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most extensive list available of climate feedback loops, and not all of them are fully considered in climate models. What’s urgently needed is more research and modeling and an accelerated cutback of emissions.’ The scientists recommends ‘immediate and massive’ emission reductions to minimise short-term warming which is already causing disasters, such as wildfires and coastal flooding. This could then help to avoid climate tipping points which could result in unavoidable and self-perpetuating climate change. Both biological feedbacks, such as forest dieback and soil carbon loss, and physical feedbacks, like reduced snow cover and increased Antarctic rainfall, were considered. Professor William Ripple who also led the study said: ‘Transformative, socially just changes in global energy and transportation, short-lived air pollution, food production, nature preservation and the international economy, together with population policies based on education and equality, are needed to meet these challenges in both the short and long term. It’s too late to fully prevent the pain of climate change, but if we take meaningful steps soon while prioritizing human basic needs and social justice, it could still be possible to limit the harm.’ Ripple and Wolf worked with co-authors from the University of Exeter, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Woodwell Climate Research Center and Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates on the research. They say that even modest warming will heighten the likelihood that the Earth will cross over tipping points which could fundamentally alter the climate system. ‘In the worst case, if amplifying feedbacks are strong enough, the result is likely tragic climate change that’s moved beyond anything humans can control,’ Ripple added. ‘We need a rapid transition toward integrated Earth system science because the climate can only be fully understood by considering the functioning and state of all Earth systems together. This will require large- scale collaboration, and the result would provide better information for policymakers.’ The scientists also identified seven dampening climate feedbacks which act to stabilize the climate system, such as carbon dioxide fertilization where rising CO2 leads to increasing carbon uptake by vegetation. However, the full effects of these seven feedbacks are still unknown. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/23/the-climate-crisis-getting- worse-faster-faster-dangerously-so/>

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13th National Monitoring Conference @ Virginia Beach on April 24 – 28
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 22 Feb '23

22 Feb '23

# [13th National Monitoring Conference @ Virginia Beach on April 24 – 28](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/22/13th-national-monitoring- conference-virginia-beach-on-april-24-28/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/AA8EB8AC-F13E-45B1-8316-FF30B17BAAC1-300x33.png)](h… content/uploads/2023/02/AA8EB8AC-F13E-45B1-8316-FF30B17BAAC1.png) Conference cosponsors are NOAA, US EPA, USGS, & NALMS **The National Water Quality Monitoring Council will host its 13th National Monitoring Conference during the week of April 24–28, 2023, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.** Monitoring for water quality/quantity and public and ecological health in all water resources will be represented, including lakes and wetlands, rivers and streams, coastal waters and estuaries, and groundwater. All federal, state, tribal and local water professionals, nonprofits, academia, water consultants and industry, and volunteer scientists are welcome at this important national forum. The conference will be offered in a hybrid format primarily in person, including a limited virtual format. Networking and opportunities to create new relationships will abound for attendees. Whether you seek to develop new skills, learn about the latest technologies, or simply exchange information on a wide variety of topics relevant to water resources, the National Monitoring Conference is for you. The conference attracts the highest quality professional papers and posters and is a destination conference for many in the field. Please look for the Call for Session Proposals and Call for Abstracts in Spring and Summer of 2022. **§§§ ~~~ 2023 Conference Themes Include:** **50 Years After the Clean Water Act and Similar Efforts** — a retrospective & prospective; lessons learned in water quality condition, assessment, justice & equity and long-term trend monitoring **Effectiveness Monitoring** — Are management actions working? Restoration results, best management practices, monitoring and education/outreach successes, inform priorities and track progress in protecting and restoring the condition of our nation’s waters **Protecting High Quality Waters** — monitoring to identify and evaluate waters; inform/implement protection strategies **Monitoring Collaboration** — national, tribal, regional, state and local initiatives, partnerships, and councils; inclusive stakeholder identification and engagement; Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion **Volunteer and Community-Based Monitoring** — volunteer monitoring, school & community groups and watershed associations, data to action, stewardship, increasing diversity & inclusion **Aggregating, Analyzing,Visualizing & Disseminating Data and Information** — Open data science tools and tool development; data portals; data equity; R-Shiny applications, story maps, and dashboards; communicating assessment, condition, and trends to decision makers and public **Hot Topics in Monitoring and Analysis** ~ Climate Change (impacts on quantity, quality, and biota), Harmful Algal Blooms (freshwater & marine), Persistent Toxic Contaminants (emerging and bioaccumulative contaminants, including PFAS), Nutrients (dynamics, impacts, monitoring, modeling, and analysis), Source Identification (nonpoint source, point source, stormwater, atmospheric deposition), New and Emerging Technologies (in situ and continuous monitoring, remote sensing, analytical methods, eDNA), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning **[FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION SELECT HERE](https://nalms.wildapricot.org/event-5071822?utm_source=Master+List&ut… URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/22/13th-national-monitoring- conference-virginia-beach-on-april-24-28/>

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HYDROGEN HAS TAKEN A ‘BOLD ROLE’ FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 21 Feb '23

21 Feb '23

# [HYDROGEN HAS TAKEN A ‘BOLD ROLE’ FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/21/hydrogen-has- taken-a-%e2%80%98bold-role%e2%80%99-for-future-development/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/6122058A-3639-4FD0-9857-CF2E974BC3E4-300x190.png)](… content/uploads/2023/02/6122058A-3639-4FD0-9857-CF2E974BC3E4.png) Blue hydrogen involves the capture of carbon dioxide and its usage or storage **Hydrogen: The time has come for the simplest chemical substance, H2** From an [Article by Ropa Mugadza, Independent Community Intelligence Service](https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/hydrogen-the-time-has-come/) (ICIS) News Hydrogen has recently gained traction in government strategies, business plans and the media as a potential silver bullet for reaching net zero. But in reality, hydrogen has been considered as a potential aid to mitigating climate change for over 50 years. **So, why now?** What makes the attention given to hydrogen in the 2020s different from the 1970s? Firstly, political, environmental and economic landscapes have shifted. In the 1970s, there was a lack of policy and regulation to drive the hydrogen market forward. As well as this, the technology to bring low-carbon and renewable hydrogen would have required additional investment and research. All of this meant that there was no concrete economic benefit for decarbonised energy. However, the market has moved forward. Governments have set targets, regulators are establishing conditions for market participants and businesses are under pressure from investors, consumers and stakeholders to commit to net zero emissions. This shift can be seen across many developments that solidify the prospect of the hydrogen transition across the value chain. On July 15, the European Commission revealed funding for 41 hydrogen projects totalling €5.4 billion. The Indian government is currently holding consultations with stakeholders and is anticipated to launch a comprehensive renewable hydrogen mission that may announce purchase obligations for different industries. On the back of anticipated increased demand, the chemical company Johnson Matthey (JM) has announced a plan to build a manufacturing facility to produce hydrogen fuel cell components. The hydrogen movement is gaining momentum on a global scale, but where is this heading? **Navigating the hydrogen transition** As a means of reaching net zero by 2050, policymakers have set multiple targets for hydrogen market participants over the course of this decade. All over the world, countries have created roadmaps and policies to ensure that steps are continuously taken towards a decarbonised society. Many countries have issued official hydrogen strategies and roadmaps in order to increase their hydrogen consumption and develop the necessary infrastructure. The targets in these strategies indicate that they are on track to increase hydrogen production capacity to 400 times that of 2020 by the end of this decade. As of the end of May 2022, the industry had announced 680 large-scale hydrogen project proposals worldwide. Most recently, the UK government published a policy paper highlighting investment opportunity across the entire hydrogen value chain and providing information on the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, which was established to support hydrogen deployment as well as hydrogen business models that provide revenue support to pioneer hydrogen projects. All of this indicates that hydrogen is becoming a more appealing investment. For the first time since hydrogen was coined as the energy of the future, market participants are facing concrete implementation plans at a scale hitherto unseen. **The roadblocks to hydrogen are substantial** Hydrogen is rarely found on its own, it needs to be manufactured. The production process usually requires purchasing electricity or natural gas, and the final cost of producing hydrogen can vary substantially depending on the type and environmental impact. In other words, producing hydrogen comes with a price tag. Alongside this, although hydrogen appears to offer numerous opportunities for future investment, demand for the commodity is not set in stone. It can be used in transport, industry, power and for heating – but governments are yet to finalise the targets for using certain volumes within these different areas. This means that market sizing is difficult for new entrants to understand. **Conclusion** ~ A strong government commitment to deep decarbonisation, supported by financial investment, regulation and clear hydrogen strategies and targets, has sparked unprecedented momentum in the hydrogen industry. If the initial goals set out by policymakers and legislators are to be fulfilled, momentum must now be maintained, and a long-term regulatory framework must be established. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/21/hydrogen-has- taken-a-%e2%80%98bold-role%e2%80%99-for-future-development/>

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‘Real Clean Energy’ Needed, Not Climate Crisis Causing Coal
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 20 Feb '23

20 Feb '23

# [‘Real Clean Energy’ Needed, Not Climate Crisis Causing Coal](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/20/%e2%80%98real-clean- energy%e2%80%99-needed-not-climate-crisis-causing-coal/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/A6515E27-416B-473C-B156-2A5BCD3DE205-300x150.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/02/A6515E27-416B-473C-B156-2A5BCD3DE205.jpeg) Carbon dioxide and methane are accumulating in the Earth’s atmosphere exponentially! **End taxpayer rip-offs; invest in real clean energy** From the [Letter to the Editor by Jim Kotcon, Morgantown Dominion Post](https://wvecouncil.org/), February 19, 2023 [West Virginia legislators are adopting one taxpayer rip-off after another.](https://wvecouncil.org/) For example, bills to subsidize uncompetitive coal companies or power plants are moving quickly (e.g., HB 3133). Nuclear power, the most expensive way to generate electricity, seems to be targeted for West Virginia. (HB 2896 allows radioactive waste dumps in West Virginia.) Bills to encourage a hydrogen hub are also being adopted. Building carbon capture and sequestration may make sense for biofuels, but it only throws good money after bad when trying to prolong fossil fuels (SB 162). If any of these had a legitimate role in combating climate change, I might be more supportive, but there is simply no way they will make a meaningful impact. There are better options. A report last month from Energy Innovation and University of California, Berkeley shows that building renewable energy such as wind or solar will generate electricity more cheaply than operating any existing power plant in West Virginia. Instead of gouging ratepayers or ripping off taxpayers, our political leaders should invest in the cheapest, cleanest, safest and fastest alternatives first. Why should we continue to subsidize the dirtiest and most expensive alternatives? If the free market has spoken, why are our political leaders so intent on subsidizing dinosaurs and ripping off the taxpayers? #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **NOTE** : _You are invited to E-Day at the West Virginia State Capitol Building on February 28th from 9 am to 2 pm._ [WV Environmental Council](https://wvecouncil.org/). URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/20/%e2%80%98real-clean- energy%e2%80%99-needed-not-climate-crisis-causing-coal/>

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Weekly Report for “Living on Earth” on Important News
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 19 Feb '23

19 Feb '23

# [Weekly Report for “Living on Earth” on Important News](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/19/weekly-report- for-%e2%80%9cliving-on-earth%e2%80%9d-on-important-news/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/AB6403B0-C4B4-4D47-8CBD-32DB983C9B95-300x200.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/02/AB6403B0-C4B4-4D47-8CBD-32DB983C9B95.jpeg) In February 1969, polar explorer and flier Bernt Balchen predicted that the Arctic pack ice is thinning and that the summertime ocean at the North Pole would become open water within a decade or two, something that actually happened by about the year 2000. (Photo: Kevin Lockwood, Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0) **LIVING ON EARTH** ~ [Beyond the Headlines: Air Date: Week of February 17, 2023](https://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=23-P13-00007&segmen… Journalist Peter Dykstra joins Host Steve Curwood this week to discuss the recent Ohio train derailment, which sent 50 cars carrying toxic chemicals including vinyl chloride careening off their tracks. They also discuss the proposed more efficient energy standards for washing machines, refrigerators, and freezers. For a history lesson, they dive into a prescient 1969 paper warning that the Arctic pack ice is thinning and the summertime ocean at the North Pole would soon become open water. **CURWOOD** : It’s Living on Earth, I’m Steve Curwood. It's time now to take a look beyond the headlines with living on Earth commentator, Peter Dykstra. You there Peter, you got something for us today. DYKSTRA: Major story that got in my opinion minor treatment in the national news, I'm talking about the train derailment in Ohio on the Ohio Pennsylvania border. On February 7, 2023, members of the Ohio National Guard’s 52nd Civil Support Team started to assess hazards from the Feb. 3 derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals near East Palestine, Ohio. Tanker car after tanker car contained toxic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen. Local residents were evacuated, there were no immediate injuries among the train crew or local residents, but possible health impacts are something that are still a mystery. Some local residents have taken it to court, including asking for the responsible parties to pay for testing of all local residents in this incident that forced people to leave town that started a huge fire that got very little notice. **CURWOOD** : Yeah, I mean, it was a really big deal. The governor of Ohio Mike DeWine asked the police to arrest people who refuse to evacuate they were so concerned how dangerous these chemicals are. And more and more of the petrochemical industry is interested in shipping chemicals around to make more and more plastic. DYKSTRA: Right, they view plastic, the petrochemical industry as their safety valve no pun intended for the days when oil and natural gas are in decline over climate change concerns if they begin to disappear as a vehicle fuel, all of those petrochemical products can help keep the oil and gas industry alive. And in the case of this train another concern is that the right to know laws that used to be so common on the state and local and federal level have been eroded. That's happened ever since 911, when it was viewed, that giving the public and local fire departments and local safety people all the information about what toxic chemicals were involved in factories or trains or ships would be an open door for terrorists to take that information and make some pretty bad things with it. So right to know, is something that isn't widespread anymore. So it took a long time for those people in East Palestine, Ohio and towns across the state line in Pennsylvania to know what they were exposed to. **CURWOOD** : Hey, what else do you have for us Peter? DYKSTRA: There's been a proposal by the Department of Energy to make washing machines and refrigerators much cheaper to power and much more efficient by the year 2027. Right now, it's estimated that the greenhouse gas emissions in the US from washers and refrigerators are equal to the entire greenhouse output of the nation of Argentina. This would help a lot toward meeting climate change goals in just a few years. **CURWOOD** : Talk to me about the numbers here, Peter. I'm sure the appliance manufacturers are saying wait, wait, wait, this is going to cost us a lot of money. DYKSTRA: It may cost a lot of money at first. It's estimated it could cost $2 billion for appliance makers to retrofit that's opposed to consumer savings of over $3 billion. Not one time, but every year. And those reduced energy bills also mean reduced climate risk. **CURWOOD** : And Peter at one point we unplugged an old freezer that we had and the thing was costing us maybe a buck or two a day to run, it was crazy. DYKSTRA: We had the same thing in our house. There was an old refrigerator that we used as a backup when the kids grew up and moved out. We didn't need two refrigerators. We got rid of the old one, and our electric bills suddenly declined by about 25%. **CURWOOD** : Hey, let's take a look back in history now, Peter. DYKSTRA: Last week you and I talked about how Lyndon Baines Johnson back in 1965 was the first American President to mention the potential risks of co2 and climate change. But just four years later, on February 20 1969, there's a Norwegian born Arctic explorer named Bert Balkan, who warned that the Arctic ice pack is thinning. And he said the North Pole could be open ocean, quote within a decade or two **CURWOOD** : Well, he was right and he was wrong. That took about 30 years before people like Jim McCarthy were in boats at the North Pole and open water. But he was right about the trend. Certainly, huh. DYKSTRA: He was right about it at the time. Someone else that was paying very close attention to the thickness of ice in the Arctic were the naval fleets of the United States of America and the Soviet Union. They kept very diligent measures of how thick the ice As was in case they ever needed to break through that ice with their submarines to fight a nuclear war, those numbers weren't revealed until after the fall of the Soviet Union. But they revealed something very alarming from all those tree huggers in the US Navy and the Russian Navy. **CURWOOD** : And just these last 40 years, apparently, we've lost three quarters of the volume of the Arctic sea ice. We are changing things on this planet rapidly. Well, thanks, Peter. Peter Dykstra is a commentator with Living on Earth. We'll talk to you again real soon. DYKSTRA: All right, Steve, thanks a lot. Talk to you soon. **CURWOOD** : And there's more on the stories on the Living on Earth webpage. That's LOE dot ORG. **Links to Further Reading ~** 1\. Grist | “The Ohio train derailment underscores the dangers of the plastics boom” 2\. Washington Post | “Washing machines and fridges could be much cheaper to power by 2027.” 3\. New York Times archives | “Expert Says Arctic Ocean Will Soon Be an Open Sea; Catastrophic Shifts in Climate Feared if Change Occurs Other Specialists See No Thinning of Polar Ice Cap” URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/02/19/weekly-report- for-%e2%80%9cliving-on-earth%e2%80%9d-on-important-news/>

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