May 2023 - News - lists.frackcheckwv.net

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: ‘Mountain Valley Pipeline’ is in Congress
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 31 May '23

31 May '23

# [LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: ‘Mountain Valley Pipeline’ is in Congress](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/31/let-your-voice-be- heard-%e2%80%98mountain-valley-pipeline%e2%80%99-in-congress/) **[WILD VIRGINIA SEEKS TO PRESERVE& PROTECT OUR WILD PLACES](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/)** [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/9BC46CEB-3221-4EA7-BF1E-A02E91694F8E-300x300.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/9BC46CEB-3221-4EA7-BF1E-A02E91694F8E.png) The environmental & public safety risks are huge and increasing with the age of the pipe **Thank you for your continued action**. _Updates and urgent calls to action are below! The calls to action are time sensitive - #1 is before 2pm._ [Please check in on the toolkit for updates, calls to action and (very long) call lists!](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/) **Update: The bill passed through the House Rules comm with NO amendments, and will go to the House floor for a vote today/tonight.** [This is the house schedule for today:](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/) 2pm ET: Convene 2:30pm: Debate rule for Fiscal Responsibility Act 3:30pm: VOTE: PQ, Rule and 1 suspension 4:10pm: Recess 7:15pm: Debate Fiscal Responsibility Act 8:30pm: VOTE MTR, passage of Fiscal Responsibility Act and 1 suspension [Call to Action #1 HOUSE PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS - Make some calls!](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/) [Call your House Rep 888-997-5380 and ask for a CLEAN debt ceiling!](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/) Then, call members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus before 2pm TODAY and ask for a CLEAN debt ceiling: [MORE CALL LISTS ARE IN THE TOOLKIT](https://wildvirginiainfo.salsalabs.org/mvpcalltoaction/) #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **Fossil Fuel ADVOCATES Manchin, Biden and Schumer Tell West Virginians to ‘Rest in Peace’** [Note: This is the first in a series about Mountaintop Removal in WV.] RICHWOOD, W.Va. – As I write this, Congress is poised to pass the so-called “Fiscal Responsibility Act.” If passed as written, it will make impotent the nation’s environmental laws, people and courts. In short, democracy will be flattened like strip-mined mountaintops. It will also lead to new, aggressive Mountaintop Removal (MTR) endeavors in West Virginia. A poem by a new contributor to the Appalachian Chronicle and some photographs I took at the Blue Knob Surface Mine in Greenbrier County, W.Va. last week warn of the dangers and grief caused by MTR. Read the full article here. As always thanks for reading and feel free to share. - MMB Michael M. Barrick, The Appalachian Chronicle URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/31/let-your-voice-be- heard-%e2%80%98mountain-valley-pipeline%e2%80%99-in-congress/>

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ACTION ALERT ~ The Mountain Valley Pipeline “Dirty Deal” is Back in Spades!
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 29 May '23

29 May '23

# [ACTION ALERT ~ The Mountain Valley Pipeline “Dirty Deal” is Back in Spades!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/29/action-alert-the-mountain- valley-pipeline-%e2%80%9cdirty-deal%e2%80%9d-is-back-in-spades/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/AF21BAD1-B8CB-4084-9BF8-A1D5C75EE175.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/AF21BAD1-B8CB-4084-9BF8-A1D5C75EE175.jpeg) The environmental science is clear, MVP is a dirty deal for the climate & the land **Time to push back really hard and stop this Dirty Deal in the US Congress.** >> From [Maury W. Johnson, Affected Resident & POWHR Member in Monroe County, WV](https://powhr.org/), May 28, 2023 **According to an email I received from Grace Tuttle, POWHR Coalition Advocacy Director, the “Dirty Deal” was included into the “Debit Ceiling Deal.”** **It orders all permits to be granted within 21 days and mandates NO judicial review for permits. This text, full of many other cruel and destructive provisions, still has to pass the House and the Senate, but every further delay now is closer to risking default making it extremely hard to vote against by design.** **We are working to draft calls to action ASAP. We will be URGING Members of Congress to reject this horrific (on many levels) deal and to pass a clean debt ceiling.** **The MVP portion of the text** i **s Section 324 in the** [full text is available here](https://t.co/8IvlQu4isH): <https://t.co/8IvlQu4isH> >> _Thanks, Maury Johnson, Monroe County, West Virginia. Protect our Water, Heritage, Rights [POWHR]_ #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **NOTE: My urgent recommendation and request is as follows. Regardless of where you live, please Google one or more Senators from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware or Virginia and get their contact information.** Tell them the **MOUNTAIN VALLEY PIPELINE** must be rejected. It is too large in diameter for the terrain @ 42 in., it is too long for Appalachia disturbing 300 miles of farms & forests & rivers & streams. The metals pipe is subject to excess stresses due to bending & changing temperatures. There will be chemical corrosion from contact with soil & water because the coating has been exposed to sunlight beyond its safety limit. Failures at the welded joints can result in leaks that become explosions and forest fires. **(The MVP natural gas is not needed & excess greenhouse gases would be generated if installed. The pipeline project should not be decided by a back room deal in Congress.) DGN ** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/29/action-alert-the-mountain- valley-pipeline-%e2%80%9cdirty-deal%e2%80%9d-is-back-in-spades/>

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Remembering the Dunkard Creek Fish Kill of August & September 2009
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 28 May '23

28 May '23

# [Remembering the Dunkard Creek Fish Kill of August & September 2009](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/28/remembering-the-dunkard-creek- fish-kill-of-august-september-2009/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/5C8B41B5-AF5E-4820-9D86-87B4BB6F330C.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/5C8B41B5-AF5E-4820-9D86-87B4BB6F330C.jpeg) Over 40,000 fish killed over essentially the entire length of Dunkard Creek **Remembering the 40 Mile Dunkard Creek Fish Kill of August 2009 in WV & PA** From the [Blog of Betsy J. Lawson, Monongalia County, WV](https://betsyjaeger.com/f/dunkard-creek-fish-kill), May 31, 2019 **Dunkard Creek wanders above and below the Pennsylvania-West Virginia state line for much of its forty-three miles, seeming to taunt the rigidity of man- made boundaries. It was one of the most ecologically diverse streams in either state. But in August of 2009, people who lived along the stream witnessed an unimaginable sight: thousands of fish were trying to leap out of the water.** During the next month, about 22,000 fish washed ashore, many bleeding from the gills and covered in mucous. Some estimates say as many as 65,000 died. Three- foot long muskies washed up along the riverbanks. The die-off marked one of the worst ecological disasters in the region’s history. **Some 161 species of fish, mussels, salamanders, crayfish and aquatic insects were wiped out.** [Department of Natural Resources officials from both states arrived at the crime scene to find answers.](https://betsyjaeger.com/f/dunkard-creek-fish- kill) Golden algae bloom was the cause. The algae releases a toxin that ruptures the tissue cells in the mouths and gills of fish, depriving them of oxygen and suffocating them. Algae bloom only lives in very salty waters. The DNR found that Consol Energy had been discharging acid mine drainage directly into Dunkard Creek for decades. In the spring of 2010, one of Consol’s primary contractors, Allan’s Waste Water Service, a wastewater hauling company, was charged with multiple counts of illegally dumping toxic waste, including Marcellus Shale-produced wastewater into Dunkard Creek and its tributaries. Wastewater from fracking is ten to twenty times more saline than sea water. In more recent years, hydraulic fracturing wells had been removing huge quantities of fresh water from the stream and dumping the wastewater back into the stream. Low water levels, high salt content from fracking wastewater, and especially high sulfate levels, typical of AMD, led to the algae bloom. Such a bloom had never been seen north of Texas and Florida before. How did the golden algae get to the temperate freshwater of West Virginia and Pennsylvania? [Read a more detailed explanation of the fish kill HERE](https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/magazine/entry/what_kil…. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **See Also:** [A Case Study of a Prymnesium parvum Harmful Algae Bloom in the Ohio River Drainage: Impact, Recovery and Potential for Future Invasions/Range Expansion](https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/22/3233), November 15, 2021 Authors are Kyle J. Hartman, David I. Wellman, Jr., Joseph W. Kingsbury, Daniel A. Cincotta, Janet L. Clayton, Kevin M. Eliason, Frank A. Jernejcic, Nathaniel V. Owens, and Dustin M. Smith ~ School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University & Wildlife Resources Section, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources **Water 2021, 13(22), 3233;<https://doi.org/10.3390/w13223233>** Received: 24 August 2021 / Revised: 9 October 2021 / Accepted: 2 November 2021 / Published: 15 November 2021. (This article belongs to the Special Issue: “The Blue Economy: Evaluating the Human Benefits from and Pressures on Marine and Coastal Environments”) **Abstract** ~ Inland waters provide valuable ecosystem goods and services and are intrinsically linked to downstream coastal areas. Water quality impairments that lead to harmful algal blooms damage valuable commercial and recreational fishing economies, threaten food security, and damage already declining native species. Prymnesium parvum is a brackish water golden alga that can survive in salinities less than 1 ppm and when it blooms it can create toxins that kill aquatic life. Blooms have been documented globally including 23 U.S. states. We report a case study of an aquatic life kill associated with P. parvum in Dunkard Creek (WV-PA, USA), in the Ohio River Drainage. We document the immediate impact to aquatic life and responses of the aquatic community ten years post-kill. Most fish species returned within a year. Excellent connectivity to unimpacted tributaries and a river downstream likely aided the reestablishment of most species, although some had not reached pre-kill abundances after ten years. Mussel taxa did not recover despite significant efforts to relocate adult mussels and stocking of host fish inoculated with glochidia; probably due to other water quality impairments. Given the potential for lateral transport of P. parvum via industry and natural vectors we conducted an ecological risk assessment mapping the spatial extent of U.S. waters that could be threatened by golden algae colonization and blooms using a national water quality database and a state database. Overall, about 4.5% of lotic systems appeared to have some level of risk of harboring P. parvum, making them at risk for potential golden algae blooms in the face of increasing salinization and eutrophication of freshwaters. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/28/remembering-the-dunkard-creek- fish-kill-of-august-september-2009/>

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Wind Powered Electrolysis Projects Have Been Slow to Materialize
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 27 May '23

27 May '23

# [Wind Powered Electrolysis Projects Have Been Slow to Materialize](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/27/wind-powered- electrolysis-projects-have-been-slow-to-materialize/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/15BF9606-DC25-4AF6-837C-EF3461778820-300x203.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/15BF9606-DC25-4AF6-837C-EF3461778820.jpeg) Green hydrogen: full of promise but not without risk | November 2022 (Allianz Speciality) **Green hydrogen faces ‘significant step-up challenge’ says report** . . From an [Article by Janet Wood, Wind Power Monthly,](https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1824050/green-hydrogen- faces-significant-step-up-challenge-report) 25 May 2023 . . **Electrolysis projects are taking longer to deliver than expected due to lack of government support.** More than 1,000 large-scale project proposals had been announced by the end of January 2023 for all types of low-carbon hydrogen, according to the Hydrogen Insights report, produced by McKinsey consultancy and the Hydrogen Council. It expected 795 projects to be fully or partially commissioned by the end of 2030, representing total investments of $320 billion and capacity of 38Mt per year. About 25Mt of that capacity is from renewables. The report said that of the 12Mt of projects added in the past eight months, about 10 Mt are renewable hydrogen. It pointed to the high growth in announcements in renewables-rich regions such as Africa and the Middle East. But projects are taking longer to deliver than expected, the report warned. Out of the 6GW of electrolysis projects due for deployment by the end of 2022, only 700MW have been delivered – largely in China. More than 200GW of electrolysis capacity is needed by 2030 to track net zero in 2050, according to the report – more than 200 times the capacity installed today. “The next three to five years represent a significant scale-up challenge,” it added. The report blamed slow deployment on lack of government support and slow permitting, supply chain and engineering, procurement and construction capacity constraints. It also lamented the high cost of deploying projects while offtakers would not pay a green premium. Some 120GW of electrolysis projects were undergoing feasibility studies, the report said, while only 9GW had achieved final investment decision (FID). Geographically, Europe is the largest market but has less than 1.5GW past the FID stage. “Momentum is strong, and the industry is planning investments into clean hydrogen, yet much more needs to be done,” the report concluded. >> Scottish port could become offshore wind-powered hydrogen hub — Offshore wind companies have increased their links with industry in Scotland’s Cromarty Firth region after it was named a ‘green freeport’ by the UK government, raising expectations for it to become a green hydrogen hub. >> Port of Rotterdam to tender for offshore-wind powered 1GW green hydrogen plant — The Port of Rotterdam is developing a tender for a 1GW electrolyser facility to be built in connection with the IJmuiden Ver Beta wind farm. Both projects are due for completion in 2028. The Port will reserve 11 hectares at Maasvlakte for the project. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **UPDATE INFORMATION** ~ HYDR: The DOE's H2 Hubs Spell A New Era For Hydrogen, Sean Daly, Seeking Alpha, May 26, 2023 Down 68% from its high, the Global X Hydrogen ETF looks washed out. Of the original 79 bids for DOE-subsidized hydrogen hubs, 22 were allowed to send full applications before April 7th, and the final “7 to 10” will be chosen this fall. The DOE will disburse $8 billion for the buildout, giving the hub's corporate partners -HYDR's primary holdings -- a much clearer glide path to profitability. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/27/wind-powered-electrolysis- projects-have-been-slow-to-materialize/>

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Power Plant Residue Ponds Need More Regulation, Whether Active or Inactive
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 26 May '23

26 May '23

# [Power Plant Residue Ponds Need More Regulation, Whether Active or Inactive](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/26/power-plant-residue-ponds- need-more-regulation-whether-active-or-inactive/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5BB732AA- BD32-419E-99AB-432750D4F379.jpeg)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/5BB732AA-BD32-419E-99AB-432750D4F379.jpeg) Little Blue Run Lake in Beaver County (PA) and Hancock County (WV) **Changes Proposed for Management of Legacy Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR)** >From the [Roux Group, Long Island, NY](https://info.rouxinc.com/usepa- proposed-changes-to-ccr-regulations/), May 25, 2023 The USEPA is proposing changes to the CCR regulations for inactive surface impoundments at inactive electric utilities, referred to as "legacy CCR surface impoundments." The USEPA is proposing that within tailored compliance deadlines, owners and operators of legacy CCR surface impoundments comply with all existing requirements applicable to inactive CCR surface impoundments at active facilities, except for the location restrictions and liner design criteria. These are ponds which were exempted from the original rule in 2015. This action is in response to the August 21, 2018 opinion by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Utility Solid Waste Activities Group, et al v. EPA), which voided the provision that exempted inactive impoundments at inactive facilities from the April 17, 2015 CCR rule. The notice for the proposed rule changes came out on May 18, 2023. Legacy CCR surface impoundments are more likely to be unlined and unmonitored, making them more prone to leaks and structural problems than units at utilities that are currently in service. Legacy CCR surface impoundment and CCR management units are currently not regulated at the federal level and pose risks to groundwater. Therefore, as part of this action, the USEPA is also proposing to establish groundwater monitoring, corrective action, closure, and post closure care requirements for all CCR management units (regardless of how or when that CCR was placed) at regulated CCR facilities. These additional requirements may result in substantial additional long-term costs for facilities with these types of impoundments, depending on how legacy CCR impoundments are currently managed at the state level. The USEPA will collect public comments on this proposal until July 17, 2023. The USEPA will host an in-person hearing in Chicago, IL on June 28, 2023 and an online public hearing on July 12, 2023. Once the rule is finalized, it is expected to impact as many as 400 CCR units nationwide. [For more information on legacy CCR surface impoundments and understanding the proposed changes, use the form provided.](https://info.rouxinc.com/usepa- proposed-changes-to-ccr-regulations/) >> Roux Group, 209 Shafter Street, Islandia, NY 11749, United States #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **See Also:** [Little Blue Run Lake or Little Blue Run is the largest coal ash impound in the United States.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Blue_Run_Lake) FirstEnergy owns the site, located in Western Pennsylvania and parts of the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, and has disposed of billions of gallons of coal waste into the body of water. Several court cases have been brought against the company as a result of the damage caused by the company's practices at the site. [From Wikipedia.] URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/26/power-plant-residue-ponds-need- more-regulation-whether-active-or-inactive/>

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New “Workforce Hubs” to Focus on Advanced Technology & Clean Energy
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 25 May '23

25 May '23

# [New “Workforce Hubs” to Focus on Advanced Technology & Clean Energy](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/25/new-%e2%80%9cworkforce- hubs%e2%80%9d-to-focus-on-advanced-technology-clean-energy/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/1B8CDC8F-AC49-44DE-8DF2-83074EF607F2.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/1B8CDC8F-AC49-44DE-8DF2-83074EF607F2.jpeg) American Clean Power Association promotes sustainable jobs & electricity **Pittsburgh named 'workforce hub' in White House initiative** From a [News Report of WTAE News 4, Pittsburgh](https://www.wtae.com/article/pittsburgh-workforce-hub-biden- administration/43910256), May 18, 2023 PITTSBURGH — The Biden administration is creating five workforce hubs around the U.S. to help bolster the economy, and Pittsburgh has been named as one of those hubs. Each hub will work to expand apprenticeship programs, develop career and technical education programs, and provide support services to help under- represented students and workers succeed. **A statement from the White House noted Pittsburgh 's growth in advanced manufacturing, including robotics and biomanufacturing, as well as clean energy.** **The initiative begins this summer. Other regions chosen as hubs were Columbus, Ohio; Baltimore; Phoenix; and Augusta, Georgia.** "The goal here is for the administration to work closely with the state, and particularly local partners, mayors, community groups, unions, to make sure that workers are getting access to the workforce skills and training that they need, and really making sure that the communities are ready for all of this new investment that's going to be coming in and that they're helping to prepare the workforce to take advantage of these opportunities," said Heather Boushey, chief economist with the president's Investing in America agenda. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **See Also:** [Appalachian solar developer and non-profit to bring 100 jobs to West Virginia](https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/02/20/appalachian-solar- developer-and-non-profit-to-bring-100-jobs-to-west-virginia/); Michael Schoek, PV Magazine, February 20, 2023 Following a recently announced award to the ACT (Appalachian Climate Technology) Now Coalition, two entities will collaborate on strategies to recruit, train and employ local workers in the growing renewable energy industry in West Virginia and around the Appalachian region. <https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/02/20/appalachian-solar-developer-and-non- profit-to-bring-100-jobs-to-west-virginia/> URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/25/new-%e2%80%9cworkforce- hubs%e2%80%9d-to-focus-on-advanced-technology-clean-energy/>

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All Fossil Energy Projects Need to Follow the Environmental Laws
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 24 May '23

24 May '23

# [All Fossil Energy Projects Need to Follow the Environmental Laws](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/24/all-fossil-energy-projects-ne… to-follow-the-environmental-laws/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/6C592943-9A14-4802-9698-772CCA63F5F1-300x186.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/6C592943-9A14-4802-9698-772CCA63F5F1.jpeg) Joe Manchin puts coal & gas projects ahead of the public health & welfare **U.S. Senators Should Not Grant Exceptions Just For Oil & Gas Projects** _To: Residents of Appalachia & Concerned Citizens of WV, PA, OH, VA & NC_ . . **Joe Manchin is the fossil fuel industry’s favorite senator, and it’s no surprise why. After we stopped Manchin’s dirty permitting deal three times at the end of 2022, Manchin is back and trying to do it again. He wants to lock us into decades of fracking and fossil fuel use, and force the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.** It’s time to speak out again and oppose the Dirty Permitting Deal. [Will you send a message to your Senators and demand that they reject fossil fuel handouts in any must-pass legislation?](https://secure.foodandwaterwatch.org/act/tell-your-senators-n… deals-big-oil-0) Manchin and his allies in the Senate want to gut our bedrock environmental laws to make it easier for oil and gas to frack, drill, build pipelines, and export fossil fuels. This would limit tribal sovereignty and community input, and weaken protections for our air, water, and planet. Their goal is to make the country more reliant on coal, oil and gas, and ensure more profits for their corporate cronies. Manchin knows that his pro-pollution agenda is deeply unpopular and could never pass on its own. So after failing last year, Manchin is trying to attach his dirty permitting deal to must-pass legislation and force Congress’ hand. We can’t allow them to jeopardize crucial public programs with this dirty permitting deal. **[Send a message to your Senators and tell them to reject this dirty permitting deal.](https://secure.foodandwaterwatch.org/act/tell-your-senators- no-deals-big-oil-0)** Last year, Food & Water Watch, our volunteers, and supporters along with a huge coalition of climate, environmental justice, civil rights, and progressive organizations stopped this deal with people power because we know what’s at stake. We showed up in Washington, D.C. and in Congressional offices across the country, made thousands of calls to representatives and senators, and even went to jail to protest this awful deal. **But we’re not out of the woods yet.** To protect our communities and climate, we can't allow Senator Manchin and his fossil fuel industry backers to lock us into decades of more emissions that harm the planet and endanger our food, water, and health. **Your senators need to hear from you** — will you take a minute to send a message and tell them to reject the dirty permitting deal? [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/A761DEE4-F770-4479-95A9-E99CD56BACE3.png)](https://… content/uploads/2023/05/A761DEE4-F770-4479-95A9-E99CD56BACE3.png) >> _**Onward together, Thomas Meyer,** Strategic Organizing Projects Director, Food & Water Watch, 1616 P Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036 _ URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/24/all-fossil-energy-projects-need- to-follow-the-environmental-laws/>

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Drilling & Fracking of Horizontal Gas Wells in Monongalia County, WV
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 23 May '23

23 May '23

# [Drilling & Fracking of Horizontal Gas Wells in Monongalia County, WV](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/23/drilling-fracking-of-horizontal- gas-wells-in-monongalia-county-wv/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/07148664-BEAD-4097-B407-3D49819C5B2E-174x300.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/07148664-BEAD-4097-B407-3D49819C5B2E.jpeg) Also in Monongalia County, this is another application for drilling & fracking, etc. (click to enlarge) **Horizontal Natural Gas Well Work Permit Application Notice By Publication** >> **NOTICE** : _23613 April 5, 12 in Dominion Post Newspaper, Morgantown, WV_ **Notice is hereby given:** Pursuant to West Virginia Code 22-6A-10(e) prior to filing an application for a permit for a horizontal well the applicant shall publish in the county in which the well is located or is proposed to be located a Class II legal advertisement. **The following applicant intends to apply for a horizontal natural well work permit which disturbs three acres or more of surface excluding pipelines, gathering lines and roads or utilizes more than two hundred ten thousand gallons of water in any thirty day period.** **Applicant: Northeast Natural Energy, LLC. Well Number: Dolls Run 3H, 5H, 7H, 9H Address: 707 Virginia St. E, Suite 1200, Charleston, WV 25301** Business Conducted: Natural gas production. Location – WV. County: Monongalia. District: Clay. Quadrangle: Osage. UTM Coordinate NAD83 Northing: 3H - 4388829.9; 5H - 4388835.9; 7H - 4388817.8; 9H - 4388841.9 UTM coordinate NAD83 Easting: 3H - 577809.8; 5H - 577810.7; 7H - 577808.2; 9H - 577811.5 Watershed: Dunkard Creek Coordinate Conversion: To convert the coordinates above into longitude and latitude, visit: http://tagis. dep.wv.gov/convert/llutm_conus.php Electronic notification: To receive an email when applications have been received or issued by the Office of Oil and Gas, visit http://www.dep.wv.gov/insidedep/Pages/DEPMailingLists.aspx to sign up. **Reviewing Applications** : Copies of the proposed permit application may be reviewed at the WV Department of Environmental Protection headquarters, located at 601 57th Street, SE Charleston, WV 25304(304-926-0450). Full copies or scans of the proposed permit application will cost $15, whether mailed or obtained at DEP headquarters. Copies may be requested by calling the office or by sending an email to DEP.comments(a)wv.gov. Submitting Comments: Comments may be submitted online at: https://apps.dep.wv.gov/oog/comments/comments.cfm or by letter to Permit Review, Office of Oil and Gas, 601 57th Street, SE Charleston, WV 25304. Please reference the county, well number, and operator when using this option. Regardless of format for comment submissions, they must be received no later than thirty days after the permit application is received by the Office of Oil and Gas. (deadline - May 25) NOTE: For information related to horizontal drilling visit: www.dep.wv.gov/oil-and-gas/pages/default.aspx URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/23/drilling-fracking-of-horizontal- gas-wells-in-monongalia-county-wv/>

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Damaging El Niño Weather Predicted Costing $ Trillions
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 22 May '23

22 May '23

# [Damaging El Niño Weather Predicted Costing $ Trillions](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/22/damaging-el-nino-weather- predicted-costing-trillions/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/AEADC8BA-3745-4F6A-9C9F-84BB7439B353-300x201.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/AEADC8BA-3745-4F6A-9C9F-84BB7439B353.png) El Niño weather predicted for northern hemisphere **Study Warns El Niño Could Cost Global Economy $84 Trillion by 2100** . . From the [Article by Jessica Corbett, Common Dreams](https://www.commondreams.org/news/el-nino-climate-global-economy), May 19, 2023 . . **With experts anticipating El Niño will return in the months ahead, a pair of Dartmouth College researchers warned this week that the long-term cost to the global economy could be as much as $3 trillion by 2029 — which could be largely felt by poorer countries.** **The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate pattern that affects sea surface temperatures across the tropical Pacific Ocean, has three phases: the cooler La Niña; neutral, which the world is now experiencing; and the warmer El Niño that is expected soon.** **" El Niño triggers far-reaching changes in weather that result in devastating floods, crop-killing droughts, plummeting fish populations, and an uptick in tropical diseases," explained a Dartmouth statement about the study, published in the journal Science.** Doctoral candidate Christopher Callahan and Justin Mankin, an assistant professor of geography at the college, examined economic conditions for several years after the 1982-83 and 1997-98 El Niño events. They connected those two warm phases to $4.1 trillion and $5.7 trillion in global income losses, respectively — far higher than previous estimates. "El Niño amplifies the wider inequities in climate change, disproportionately impacting the least resilient and prepared among us.mWe can say with certainty that societies and economies absolutely do not just take a hit and recover," said Callahan, the study's lead author, noting that their data suggest an El Niño-related downturn could last up to 14 years or longer. "In the tropics and places that experience the effects of El Niño, you get a persistent signature during which growth is delayed for at least five years," he continued. "The aggregate price tag on these events has not ever been fully quantified — you have to add up all the depressed growth moving forward, not just when the event is happening." The pair found that the gross domestic product of the United States was roughly 3% lower in 1988 and 2003 than it would have been without the preceding El Niño events— and, for the latter phase, GDPs in coastal tropical countries were more than 10% lower. "The global pattern of El Niño's effect on the climate and on the prosperity of different countries reflects the unequal distribution of wealth and climate risk — not to mention the responsibility for climate change — worldwide," said Mankin. "El Niño amplifies the wider inequities in climate change, disproportionately impacting the least resilient and prepared among us." "The duration and magnitude of the financial repercussions we uncovered suggests to me that we are maladapted to the climate we have," he added. "Our accounting dramatically raises the cost estimate of doing nothing. We need to both mitigate climate change and invest more in El Niño prediction and adaptation because these events will only amplify the future costs of global warming." **Callahan and Mankin 's study was released the same day as research published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment that found human-caused global heating has likely made El Niños and La Niñas "more frequent and more extreme."** Models for the latter research showed that sea surface temperature extremes were about 10% more intense for the six decades after 1960, compared with the previous 60 years. Co-author Mike McPhaden, a senior research scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said that "the big events pack the most punch, so even though 10% doesn't sound like much, it juices up the strongest and most societally relevant year-to-year climate fluctuation on the planet." **" In practical terms, this translates into more extreme and frequent droughts, floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and severe storms, just like we observed during the recent triple dip La Niña that ended in March," McPhaden told The Guardian.** Given that observed trend and expectations it will continue, the Dartmouth researchers project that even if countries pursue their pledges to cut planet- heating emissions, global economic losses related to El Niño could reach $84 trillion for the 21st century. "Our welfare is affected by our global economy, and our global economy is tied to the climate," he said. "When you ask how costly climate change is, you can start by asking how costly climate variation is. We're showing here that such variation, as embodied in El Niño, is incredibly costly and stagnates growth for years, which led us to cost estimates that are orders of magnitudes larger than previous ones." The Associated Press reported that "some — but not all — outside economists have issues with the new research out of Dartmouth College, saying its damage estimates are too big." However, McPhaden welcomed the findings, telling the AP that he has long believed previous estimates were far too low and the "big loser during El Niño is the Global South." **While the Dartmouth projections suggest 2023 ′s looming warm phase could cost trillions of dollars, the NOAA scientist stressed that "the economic impacts of the El Niño that is predicted for later this year will depend on how strong it is."** "Monster El Niños" like the 1997-98 event "can be hugely damaging with lingering effects that carry over into following years," he said. "On the other hand, if it turns out to be a garden variety El Niño, the consequences may be more muted and the recovery time shortened." #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **See Also:** [ENSO: Recent Evolution, Current Status and Predictions ~ Update prepared by: Climate Prediction Center](https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/e… status-fcsts-web.pdf) / NCEP, 22May2023 URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/22/damaging-el-nino-weather- predicted-costing-trillions/>

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Fracking Chemicals ~ 282 Million Pounds Used from 2014 to 2021 Not Regulated by Safe Drinking Water Act
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 20 May '23

20 May '23

# [Fracking Chemicals ~ 282 Million Pounds Used from 2014 to 2021 Not Regulated by Safe Drinking Water Act](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/20/fracking-chemicals-282-million- pounds-used-from-2014-to-2021-not-regulated-by-safe-drinking-water-act/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/C87EDA79-587D-4D8D-9E48-E4E96E8C384B.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/C87EDA79-587D-4D8D-9E48-E4E96E8C384B.jpeg) Frack Focus is now at Version 3, with Version 4 promised this year **How the “Halliburton Loophole” lets fracking companies pollute water with no oversight** From the [Article by Kristina Marusic, Environmental Health News](https://www.ehn.org/halliburton-loophole-2659983182.html/), May 18, 2023 Fracking companies used more than 282 million pounds of hazardous chemicals from 2014 to 2021 with no federal oversight, according to a new study. The study, published in Environmental Pollution, is the first to examine the “Halliburton Loophole,” which exempts fracking from federal regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The provision, passed by Congress as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, was endorsed by then-Vice President Dick Cheney, who formerly served as the CEO of Halliburton. The company patented fracking technologies in the 1940s and is still one of the top suppliers of fracking fluids in the world. The study found that from 2014 through 2021, 62% to 73% of reported fracking jobs each year used at least one chemical that’s categorized as harmful to human health and the environment under the Safe Drinking Water Act. These chemicals include carcinogens like formaldehyde, arsenic and benzene; possible carcinogens like acrylamide and naphthalene; and ethylene glycol, which can damage the kidneys, nerves and respiratory system. According to the study, the fracking industry reported using at least 250 million pounds of ethylene glycol, 10 million pounds of naphthalene, 1.8 million pounds of formaldehyde, 4.6 million pounds of acrylamide, 7.5 million pounds of benzene and 590 pounds of arsenic from 2014 to 2021, in addition to more than a dozen other chemicals regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, extracts natural oil and gas from the Earth by drilling deep wells and injecting huge volumes of water and chemicals at high pressure. Previous research has shown that fracking chemicals can wind up in drinking water and impact human health. Only a handful of the toxic chemicals used by the industry are regulated in drinking water, and those that aren’t may not be filtered or monitored by public water utilities. The Environmental Working Group, a public health advocacy nonprofit, estimates that current levels of contamination in drinking water — most of which meet legal standards — could cause 100,000 cancer cases in the U.S. “Because of the Halliburton Loophole and gaps in reporting, the environmental health and justice impacts of fracking aren’t being properly assessed,” Vivian Underhill, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University, told Environmental Health News (EHN). Underhill said the quantities of these chemicals are likely an underestimate, since not all states require disclosure of fracking chemicals, and most states requiring disclosure allow companies to keep some chemicals secret if they say the mixtures are proprietary. During the same time period, fracking companies reported using about 7.2 billion pounds of proprietary chemicals – more than 25 times the total mass of chemicals listed under the Safe Drinking Water Act that they reported. There’s no way to know what proportion of those chemicals are hazardous. “We saw proprietary chemicals in 77% of disclosures in 2015, and that number was up to 88% in 2021,” said Underhill. “The use of trade secrets is steadily increasing, and that’s definitely concerning.” **A backroom deal with public consequences** ~ The Safe Drinking Water Act regulates both public drinking water contaminants and the injection of toxic chemicals underground. “It was Halliburton’s CEO who first and most strongly lobbied for this loophole, and that company is indeed benefiting most from this exemption today,” said Underhill. Other industries that inject hazardous chemicals underground where they could contaminate water supplies, like mining and hazardous waste disposal, are subject to federal regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The fracking industry is exempt from these regulations. “The oil and gas program under the Safe Drinking Water Act was already weak, but the Halliburton Loophole gouged it even bigger for fracking specifically,” Erik Olson, an attorney, Safe Drinking Water Act expert and senior strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told EHN. “Oil and gas wells are basically to be regulated by the states under a much more flexible oversight scheme, and those programs are very weak in many states with a big oil and gas presence.” Previous research has demonstrated public health harms from this lack of oversight in states like Pennsylvania and Colorado. **The fracking industry agreed to publicly disclose some chemicals it uses in response to public concern about threats to water. But Underhill and Olson say those disclosures aren’t useful because of the trade secrets provision.** “This study shows us that there are a lot of very toxic chemicals being injected underground by this industry,” Olson said. “But it’s hard to say there’s any kind of meaningful disclosure if we still don’t know what most of these chemicals are or how toxic they are.” **Stronger fracking regulations** **~ In light of their findings, Underhill and her coauthors are urging Congress to repeal the Halliburton Loophole and regulate the fracking industry under the Safe Drinking Water Act.** Olson is also in favor of closing the Halliburton Loophole. “This loophole was a backroom deal folded into legislation with no public debate, and they’ve never justified to the public why it’s needed,” he said. “That’s because it’s not needed. It was just raw political power that enabled them to get it enacted.” Underhill and her coauthors are also urging Congress to pass a law requiring full disclosure of all chemicals used in fracking, including proprietary chemicals, and housing it in a centralized database with federal oversight. The American Petroleum Institute, a trade association representing the oil and gas industry, opposes that idea. The organization’s “issue paper” on chemical disclosures for the fracking industry notes that fracking fluid producers have agreed to disclose details about proprietary chemicals to health care professionals, emergency responders and regulatory agency representatives “when it is appropriate.” The paper acknowledges that trade secrets have caused concern, but concludes, “the compromise of limited disclosure when need is justified is a sound response. Protection of [intellectual property] rights is fundamental to the free market economy in which we all work and thrive.” **Making data on fracking chemicals more accessible** Researchers are just starting to figure out the cumulative impacts of the Halliburton Loophole because, until recently, it was difficult to obtain nationwide data on fracking disclosures. **The industry uses a site called FracFocus for public disclosures.** While it’s possible to look at chemical disclosures for individual wells through the site, it’s virtually impossible to obtain data in a format that allows for large-scale analysis. [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/AA7F93B4-E6C6-4DC2-BC60-CDCC1276A486.png)](https://… content/uploads/2023/05/AA7F93B4-E6C6-4DC2-BC60-CDCC1276A486.png) Open-FF is now under development in the public interest **But a new, open-source program called Open-FF is changing that.** “I was trying to get information from FracFocus and I realized it’s not really a database,” Gary Allison, who developed Open-FF, told EHN. “It takes a lot of work to get the data to the point where you can actually use it.” One issue was that FracFocus uses non-standardized names for companies and chemicals. For example, Allison had to account for more than 80 variations of the word “Halliburton” including misspellings, typos and abbreviations to make it possible to search the database for all chemicals made by the company. “Before now, it was incredibly hard to download data from FracFocus that allows for systematic analysis or investigation,” Underhill said. “Now this data can finally be used effectively by researchers.” Allison noted that anyone can use the program — not just scientists and researchers. “Most people don’t have fluency in chemistry, so it can be really overwhelming to look at these data sheets and make sense of what’s happening,” he said. “I hope to get **Open-FF** to the point where members of the public can easily log into the site and find out what chemicals are being put into the ground near their homes.” #####++++++#####++++++###### [Information Released by Frack Focus on April 10, 2022](https://fracfocus.org/learn/about-fracfocus) August 2021 - FracFocus is used as the only national regulatory reporting system for 27 Oil and Gas States. It contains over 184,000 disclosures with over 5 million chemicals records coming from more than 1,600 registered companies. December 2021 - FracFocus design for the next version is ongoing with expected development of FracFocus 4.0 in 2022. 2023 - FracFocus 4.0 slated for release, enabling reporting of water used in hydraulic fracturing jobs by source and quality. **Note ~** “FracFocus is a victory for transparency and good governance, and an example of what is possible when the industry works with state regulators and environmental groups to solve urgent challenges in managing the local impacts of hydraulic fracturing. FracFocus remains one of the best national repositories of oil and gas data, and paves the way for a new era of open data in this field.” -– Adam Peltz, Environmental Defense Fund #####++++++##########+++++###### **Related** : [Fractured — The body burden of living near fracking](https://www.ehn.org/fractured-series-on-fracking- pollution-2650624600.html) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/20/fracking-chemicals-282-million- pounds-used-from-2014-to-2021-not-regulated-by-safe-drinking-water-act/>

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WVU Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research (WISER) ~ What a Name!
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 19 May '23

19 May '23

# [WVU Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research (WISER) ~ What a Name!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/19/wvu-institute-for- sustainability-and-energy-research-wiser-what-a-name/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/401AF379-E5AF-431B-BD58-584C93BDE66F-300x200.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/401AF379-E5AF-431B-BD58-584C93BDE66F.jpeg) Sustainability and Energy Research are related but distinct …. **WVU Energy Institute transforming to serve emerging energy trends** . . From an [Article posted by WVU Today](https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/stories/2023/05/17/wvu-energy-institute- transforming-to-serve-emerging-energy-trends), May 17, 2023 . . West Virginia University, a leader in energy research and innovation, is repositioning the institutes within its Research Office to best meet industry- wide transitions. **The Energy Institute will transform into the WVU Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research ( WISER), effective July 1, with Sam Taylor as its director. Taylor will build the new Institute on the foundation of the Energy Institute laid by James Wood.** Vice President for Research Fred King said the revamping of the Institute into WISER is more than just a name change. “This restructuring is part of the University’s transformation to stay ahead of trends in the real world,” King said. “It’ll better enable us to support and engage at an R1 level when it comes to sustainability and energy transition. While it appears we are evolving, we also still want to stay true to the history and tradition of energy in the state.” WISER will serve as the University’s coordinating institution for energy and sustainability research by collaborating with stakeholders across campus, the state and the globe to stimulate energy and environmental economic development in West Virginia and beyond. Taylor will assume his new leadership role after serving as assistant director of strategic partnerships and technology with the Energy Institute since 2017. As director of WISER, Taylor will also oversee the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium. In recent years, Taylor has worked with policymakers, government entities and environmental groups on pressing energy issues. “WISER will align the talents and efforts of the Energy Institute toward a vision of sustainability, including energy, while seeking to understand and respect what that means for residents of West Virginia and the larger region,” Taylor said. “As a West Virginia native, I understand that adaptation, resilience and independence are ‘core values’ of this region, and we need to structure our work, using the capabilities of West Virginia University, to support these values. To do this effectively, we must focus on relationships.” Taylor’s expertise covers energy development, energy geosciences including geothermal, hydrogen storage and carbon dioxide storage, transportation energy utilization, renewable and nonrenewable energy research, clean energy and advanced energy technologies. **In another restructuring move, the West Virginia Water Research Institute will shift from the Energy Institute and operate as its own entity reporting directly to the Research Office, also effective July 1.** For more than 30 years, WVWRI has focused on environmental restoration including mine land reclamation, brownfields redevelopment and watershed restoration. **WVWRI is led by Director Paul Ziemkiewicz, who has raised the profile of the group to an international level with its innovations in treating acid mine drainage and extracting rare earth elements.** Recently, a research team headed by Ziemkiewicz was awarded $8 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding to begin designing, constructing and operating a pre-commercial demonstration facility for separating and refining rare earth elements and critical minerals. Rare earth element technologies, which power everything from smartphones to the nation’s missile guidance system, could serve as a game changer for the environment and the domestic economy. “Since acid mine drainage is the principal pollutant in the state, we’ve devoted a lot of our attention toward making sure that agencies, citizen watershed associations and industry have the tools and policies in place to turn dead streams into recreational fisheries,” Ziemkiewicz said. “About seven years ago, with the help of the U.S. Department of Energy, we started developing a way to treat acid mine drainage while economically recovering rare earth elements and critical materials.” With DOE support and in collaboration with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, WVWRI has a full-scale demonstration facility near Mount Storm. Ziemkiewicz said he hopes to replicate that model across the country to eventually create a commercially viable rare earth supply chain that could provide the materials needed for advanced, green technologies and defense production. “The team at WVWRI is excited about this new organizational model which will streamline relationships with the WVU administration and the faculty,” he said. “We’ve built a successful organization and generate over $6 million in research funding each year. We look forward to developing new research lines for what, arguably, is one of the nation’s premier water research institutes.” -WVU- URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/19/wvu-institute-for- sustainability-and-energy-research-wiser-what-a-name/>

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Western Wildfires Resulting in Costly Damages & Widespread Air Pollution
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 18 May '23

18 May '23

# [Western Wildfires Resulting in Costly Damages & Widespread Air Pollution](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/18/western-wildfires- resulting-in-costly-damages-widespread-air-pollution/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/D58B4038-C032-473D-B47D-8EF8F6EA463C.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/D58B4038-C032-473D-B47D-8EF8F6EA463C.jpeg) Widespread fires do extensive local damages then regional disruption and long range pollution **A third of the West’s burned forests can be traced to fossil fuel companies** . . . From the [Article by Kate Yoder, The Grist Online Magazine](https://grist.org/accountability/study-a-third-of-the-wests-burne… forests-can-be-traced-to-fossil-fuel-companies/), May 16, 2023 . . . The American West has always had forest fires — just not like this. Blazes are spreading further and burning longer, incinerating towns and exposing millions of people to noxious smoke. While a century of fire suppression and other land management choices contribute to the severity, climate change is a key factor fueling these fires, roughly doubling the acreage burned over the last 40 years. A new study takes this connection one step further, making the case that a significant chunk of burned forests — nearly 20 million acres — can be traced back to major fossil fuel companies. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Letters on Tuesday, is the first to quantify how corporate emissions have made wildfires worse. Experts say the new research could help advance growing efforts to take polluters to court and hold polluters accountable for climate- fueled disasters. “These companies should be held accountable for their fair share of the damages that they’ve caused,” said Carly Phillips, a coauthor of the new study and a research scientist at the Science Hub for Climate Litigation at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “They lied and engaged in this orchestrated campaign of deception for years, and it didn’t have to be this way, right?” Researchers from the Union of Concerned Scientists and the University of California, Merced, found that 37 percent of forest burned across the western United States and southwestern Canada since 1986 can be linked to carbon pollution from 88 of the world’s largest oil, gas, and coal companies. That group includes Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell; state-owned oil producers like Saudi Aramco and Gazprom; and cement manufacturers. Researchers considered emissions directly emitted by these companies’ operations as well as the indirect emissions from the products they sold. Since 2017, cities and states have filed around 20 lawsuits against fossil fuel companies based on state laws that prohibit deceptive advertising, seeking money to adapt to the effects of climate change. The suits were set in motion by investigations showing that Exxon, Shell, and coal companies had known about the dangers of skyrocketing carbon emissions for decades, but publicly downplayed the threat. After years of delays, the Supreme Court declined to get involved in these cases last month, clearing the way for them to proceed — potentially to jury trials. The study comes as spring fires scorch western Canada during an unusually hot and dry spring, with about 1 million acres burning across the province of Alberta. An early heat wave pushed temperatures above 90 degrees in parts of the typically temperate Pacific Northwest over the weekend, with Seattle and Portland breaking heat records at least three days in a row. The same heat dome is expected to fan the flames of nearly 90 fires burning across Alberta. It’s hard to draw a direct line between global warming and wildfires. But recent advances in “attribution science,” the field that identifies climate change’s role in heat waves, droughts, rising seas, and other phenomena, have made it possible to quantify its effect on fires. The new study relies on a key risk factor called the “vapor pressure deficit,” a measure of how “thirsty” the atmosphere is. Hotter temperatures cause moisture to be pulled out of vegetation, turning forests into tinderboxes just waiting for a spark. To figure out how companies’ emissions contributed to fire-danger conditions in the West, researchers built on a previous study that linked emissions from 88 big fossil fuel producers to rising temperatures. Then they compared two models of how dry forests would be under different climate scenarios — one modeled on the real world, and the other excluding the emissions associated with the 88 companies. “The major contribution of this study is to connect all of the dots between specific sources of human-related carbon emissions and recent increases in forest fire activity,” said Philip Higuera, a professor of fire ecology at the University of Montana who was not involved in the study. “Most of the links have been well known for a long time, but this is the first study to connect the dots, quantitatively.” Exxon and BP did not respond to Grist’s request to comment in time for publication. Jessica Wentz, a fellow at Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, thought the findings could be used to support existing lawsuits, or provide the impetus for other local governments to file their own. Wentz said the research might be relevant to a case in Colorado, where the city and county of Boulder, along with San Miguel County, sued Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil, seeking millions of dollars to update their infrastructure to withstand climate change. “That’s the one lawsuit where wildfire-related damages are forefront and central,” Wentz said. Translating the research to a specific court case could prove thorny, though. The study looked at a large region, the whole North American West, and the aggregate of 88 companies’ emissions. It’s possible that attorneys could use the new research to calculate wildfire risk over a smaller area — say, Boulder County — but it would require some extrapolation. For calculating damages, a court might want to see a more fine-grained analysis, Wentz said. “It’s really a totally open question of how courts will look at the evidence, and just how granular will plaintiffs need to be in terms of providing scientific data to support their claims. We just don’t know yet.” In a way, the long delays in these climate court cases have actually given some ammunition to cities and states looking to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. The extra time has allowed the science of climate attribution to mature, so that if these cases end up going to trials, cities and states have more evidence to support their case. “It’s sort of a weird silver lining,” Wentz said. xxx URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/18/western-wildfires-resulting-in- costly-damages-widespread-air-pollution/>

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Advanced Plastic Recycling is Highly Suspect of “Greenwashing”
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 17 May '23

17 May '23

# [Advanced Plastic Recycling is Highly Suspect of “Greenwashing”](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/17/advanced-plastic- recycling-is-highly-suspect-of-%e2%80%9cgreenwashing%e2%80%9d/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/89DCC529-5B45-4289-84A8-7A8946645A72-300x156.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/89DCC529-5B45-4289-84A8-7A8946645A72.png) American Chemistry Council (ACC) promotes crazy stuff! **Stop chemical recycling, processes that can generate even more pollution** . . From the [Climate Reality Project](https://www.climaterealityproject.org/action/stop-chemical- recycling/), May 16, 2023 . . “Advanced recycling” and “chemical recycling” are the two new greenwashed terms in town. The process primarily involves converting plastic into fuel. A pretty expensive and roundabout way of burning fossil fuels, if you ask us. **The chemicals industry is lobbying hard to get two types of these plastic- to-fuel incinerators - pyrolysis and gasification - exempt from regulations under the Clean Air Act. And the American Chemistry Council (ACC) recently announced it would try to introduce legislation that would promote these false solutions to our plastic waste crisis.** This is incredibly dangerous, given that the US EPA reportedly found that pollution from an associated plastic-based fuel poses a one-in-four risk of cancer. Letting these incinerators escape the Clean Air Act would particularly harm the low-income communities and communities of color where most pyrolysis and gasification facilities exist, and where they are likely to be sited in the future. It would also set a terrible precedent, encouraging other polluting industries to pursue their own special exemptions. Take action now. Demand that your representatives call on the Biden Administration to reject these proposed exemptions under the Clean Air Act and vote NO on any such legislation that promotes these false solutions to our plastic waste crisis. >>>>>>>…………………>>>>>>>…………………>>>>>>> **See Also:** [RECYCLING LIES: “CHEMICAL RECYCLING” OF PLASTIC IS JUST GREENWASHING INCINERATION](https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/chemical- recycling-greenwashing-incineration-ib.pdf), Natural Resources Defense Council [NRDC], February 2022 <https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/chemical-recycling-greenwashing- incineration-ib.pdf> URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/17/advanced-plastic-recycling-is- highly-suspect-of-%e2%80%9cgreenwashing%e2%80%9d/>

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SPEAK UP NOW! ~ The Mountain Valley Pipeline is Dangerous & Unnecessary
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 16 May '23

16 May '23

# [SPEAK UP NOW! ~ The Mountain Valley Pipeline is Dangerous & Unnecessary](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/16/speak-up-now-the- mountain-valley-pipeline-is-dangerous-unnecessary/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/740FFEC0-875A-4660-B523-75515D6FDFDD-300x112.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/740FFEC0-875A-4660-B523-75515D6FDFDD.jpeg) At 42 inches in diameter, the MVP exceeds size of installed long distance gas pipelines **SUBMIT COMMENTS ON M.V.P. BECAUSE NOW IS THE CRITICAL TIME** From the [West Virginia Rivers Coalition](https://wvrivers.salsalabs.org/baesa/index.html?eType=EmailBlast…, May 16, 2023 Earlier this month, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin introduced The Building American Energy Security Act of 2023. This legislation changes how federal agencies handle energy projects and takes the dangerous and unprecedented step of requiring agencies to issue all permits within 30 days for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), without further public involvement and without judicial review. **Make no mistake: No project should be exempt from full protections afforded by cornerstone laws like the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, which the MVP has a long history of violating.** While there is much debate over the need for permitting reform to aid in our energy transition, this provision is reckless and unfair. Still, together, we can send a united message to our leaders to protect West Virginians and our right to fair and equal treatment under the law. **Today, we are calling on our supporters to contact President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to tell them that fast-tracking fossil fuel projects puts our communities and the planet at risk. Can we count on you to take action with us today?** [Tell our leaders in Washington: Reject the unjust approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.→](https://wvrivers.salsalabs.org/baesa/index.html?eType=EmailBlas… After you've signed your name and added your comments, could you forward the link to your family and friends to ask them to use their voices to stand with West Virginians’ rights to fair and equal protections? Together we have built a powerful coalition. With your continued support, we'll keep growing our numbers to protect access to clean water. [Thank you for taking action today. Add Your Voice!](https://wvrivers.salsalabs.org/baesa/index.html?eType=EmailBlastCon… >> _In Solidarity, WV Rivers Coalition_ [WEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION](https://wvrivers.org) 3501 MacCorkle Ave SE #129 | Charleston, West Virginia 25304 304-637-7201 | wvrivers(a)wvrivers.org URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/16/speak-up-now-the-mountain- valley-pipeline-is-dangerous-unnecessary/>

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WASHINGTON POST: “Climate, Technology and Sustainability”
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 15 May '23

15 May '23

# [WASHINGTON POST: “Climate, Technology and Sustainability”](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/15/washington- post-%e2%80%9cclimate-technology-and-sustainability%e2%80%9d/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/6E810319-1788-429B-904F-7377A9D6BA1C-300x168.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/6E810319-1788-429B-904F-7377A9D6BA1C.jpeg) Notice the time slot being 9:00 to 10:00 AM **UPCOMING EVENT ~ Washington Post Live ~ Tuesday, May 16 @ 9:00 to 10:00 AM** From “Coming Up This Week” in the Sunday Edition, May 14, 2023 Scientists, companies and governments worldwide are racing to find innovative solutions to limit carbon emissions. **On Tuesday, May 16 at 9:00 a.m. ET, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus, Evelyn Wang, director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and leading conservation experts join Washington Post Live for a series of conversations about the role of innovation, technology and federal policy in addressing climate change.** Watch Live: wapo.st/climatemay16virtual All Washington Post Live programs feature closed captioning. [BE SURE TO REGISTER HERE](https://washpostlive.splashthat.com/) (WaPo.st/wpl) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/15/washington- post-%e2%80%9cclimate-technology-and-sustainability%e2%80%9d/>

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MICRO-PLASTICS ~ Something Needs to be Done, Sooner not Later!
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 14 May '23

14 May '23

# [MICRO-PLASTICS ~ Something Needs to be Done, Sooner not Later!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/14/micro-plastics-something- needs-to-be-done-sooner-not-later/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/6BB43EAB-6386-4DEA-9488-7841635EF5D9.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/6BB43EAB-6386-4DEA-9488-7841635EF5D9.jpeg) Microplastics particles range in size to microns, literally invisible **70+ US Lawmakers Demand EPA Boost Regulation of Microplastic Pollution** From an [Article by Julia Conley, Common Dreams](https://www.commondreams.org/news/epa-regulation-on-microplastics), July 11, 2023 "As plastic pollution saturates our planet and our bodies, the Biden administration should take every reasonable step to protect our environment and public health," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett. Citing extensive research which has shown recently that microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, more than 70 U.S. House members on Friday wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency to demand stronger regulation of the microscopic particles that are used in everyday household items and have been linked to respiratory diseases and cancers. **Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) led lawmakers including Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) in writing the letter, which notes that under the Clean Water Act, the EPA can and should "use its existing statutory authorities to address the growing prevalence of microplastic pollution" across the country.** Currently, the lawmakers said, it is largely being left up to individual states to decide whether to regulate microplastics, leading to "troubling disparities… regarding basic protections." In Doggett's home state, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality last year "quickly abandoned" a proposal to require "chemical companies to have internal processes restricting accidental releases of plastic pollution," while California residents are benefiting from a statewide effort led by the California Ocean Protection Council to reduce microplastics in marine environments. "Federal action should encourage high standards to mitigate microplastics in natural environments, which can ultimately make their way into the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe," wrote the lawmakers. **The letter points to a 2020 study which found that scientists discovered microplastic pollution in some of the world 's most remote places, including Mount Everest, and research from 2021 which suggested the average adult ingests 320,000 microplastics each year.** **As Common Dreams reported last year, a team of researchers in the U.K. found tiny microplastic particles lodged in the lungs of 11 out of 13 patients at a hospital, with the most common microplastic found being polypropylene—commonly used in plastic packaging, textiles, and kitchen utensils.** A draft report on microfiber pollution from the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that microplastics "have the potential to impact human reproductive, respiratory, digestive, nervous, and urinary systems," noted Doggett and the other lawmakers on Friday. "Plastic pollution is not just affecting our oceans and marine life—it's flowing in our bloodstreams and lingering on nearly every object we touch," said Doggett in a statement. "Regulating microplastics as hazardous waste will protect our health and our environment." The lawmakers wrote that they are "encouraged" by the EPA and NOAA's draft report and accompanying federal plan for preventing microfiber pollution, but called on the agency to take steps under the Clean Water Act — whose "whole purpose is to eliminate the discharge of pollutants into our waters" — to mitigate microplastics in the environment. **The letter calls on EPA Administrator Michael Regan to:** >> Issue national drinking water regulations for microplastics modeled on proposed rules for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), using the Safe Drinking Water Act regulatory process to establish enforceable limits on the number of microplastics in water; >> Officially recognize microplastics as hazardous and toxic materials, rather than solid waste, so they can be regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; >> Establish effluent limitations for industrial and general stormwater runoff to contain zero microplastic; >> Publish the final version of the EPA/NOAA joint report on microfiber pollution and pursue the recommended actions with an urgent timeline; and >> Increase research and outreach within the EPA's Trash Free Waters program to improve our understanding of microplastics. "Plastics are riddled with toxic chemicals, but their tiny size allows microplastics to infiltrate our environment, our food chain, and our bodies unnoticed," said Anja Brandon, associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy. "Who doesn't wish we had taken action on lead, DDT, or PFAS earlier? We need to be treating microplastics the same way we treat other pollutants." "These are actions that the EPA can and must take now," said Brandon, "to address this growing threat." >>>>>>>……………………>>>>>>>…………………>>>>>>> **See Also:** [Microplastics Research, US EPA](https://www.epa.gov/water- research/microplastics-research), April 14, 2023 Plastics have become ubiquitous in natural and built environments which has caused concern regarding potential harms to human and aquatic life. Microplastics (plastic particles ranging in size from 5 mm to 1 nm) and nanoplastics (plastic particles smaller than 1 nm) have been found in every ecosystem on the planet from the Antarctic tundra to tropical coral reefs. The wide range of particle sizes, densities, and compositions pose a challenge for researchers because there is not a single method that can be used to characterize the wide variety of micro and nanoplastic particles. There is a pressing need to develop and standardize collection, extraction, quantification, and identification methods for micro/nanoplastics to improve reliability, consistency and comparability across studies. EPA research addresses plastic pollution in the aquatic environment by establishing reliable and reproducible approaches for sampling micro/nanoplastics, separating plastics from organic and inorganic interferences found in environmental samples, and extracting plastics without harsh chemicals or heat that further degrade plastic. Using state-of-art analytical chemistry instrumentation, researchers are working to determine appropriate analytical methods to characterize and quantify total microplastics in sediment and water samples, as well as the different types of plastic polymers. This research helps inform recommendations for best practices and standardized methodologies to characterize and assess the extent of micro and nanoplastics pollution in water. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/14/micro-plastics-something-needs- to-be-done-sooner-not-later/>

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The Ohio River is Actually West Virginia But Who Cares?
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 13 May '23

13 May '23

# [The Ohio River is Actually West Virginia But Who Cares?](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/13/the-ohio-river-is-actually- west-virginia-but-who-cares/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/44BCE0A7-41C1-4FFB-875E-604D261DF3D8.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/44BCE0A7-41C1-4FFB-875E-604D261DF3D8.jpeg) BEWARE ~ The Ohio River received over 16,000 tons of toxic chemicals last year! **Ohio River named Second Most Endangered River** From an Article by [Heather Sprouse, Ohio Rivers Coordinator at West Virginia Rivers Coalition](https://wvecouncil.org/ohio-river-named-second-most- endangered-river/), May 12, 2023 **The Ohio River has been designated as the second most endangered river in the country. Each year, American Rivers, a national nonprofit, releases a report of our nation’s most endangered rivers, naming those that stand before decisions that will determine their fate. The Ohio River stands before such a moment of great decision.** West Virginia Rivers worked to partner with organizations that share our values to amplify the need for urgent action: Three Rivers Waterkeeper, Ohio River Valley Institute and Ohio Environmental Council. We see an opportunity to use this designation as a springboard for the urgent action we need to protect human and ecosystem health. The upper Ohio River watershed in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and eastern Kentucky drains from areas affected by environmental pollution due to a legacy of heavy industrialization. This legacy includes coal mining, fracked gas development, chemical production, and durable goods manufacturing. These forms of industrialization have resulted in significant discharges of toxic chemicals, including both legacy chemicals (such as mercury and dioxins) and chemicals of emerging concern (especially PFAS and Gen-X chemicals) as well as acid mine drainage. The best science shows us that these toxic pollutants have harmful, serious health impacts both to humans and ecosystems. We believe that the people facing the worst impacts of pollution and climate change know the solutions that they need to thrive. Impacted communities have identified common priorities: a just transition to a low-carbon economy with abundant good paying family-supporting jobs, a clean and healthy environment, access to nature-based recreation on our waters and in our public lands, ecosystem restoration and affordable access to safe drinking water. Each year the federal government invests hundreds of millions of dollars to restore our nation’s great waters, including the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes. Currently, the Ohio River is not on the list of waters that receive this funding. In 2020 alone, the Great Lakes received more than $300 million dollars in federal restoration funds. This type of annual investment is needed to achieve goals in the Ohio River watershed that will prevent shared problems from getting worse and more expensive to fix. The Ohio River Basin Alliance (ORBA) has been working to develop an Ohio River Restoration Plan modeled after restoration successes in the Great Lakes. To inform the priorities of this plan, ORBA has partnered with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), of whom WV Rivers is the state affiliate. NWF has led listening sessions, virtually and in person, with community groups throughout the vast watershed- from New York to Alabama and onto the Mississippi River. In West Virginian, we have co-hosted 6 listening sessions: 2 virtually and 4 in-person (Wheeling, Parkersburg, Huntington and Williamson). ORBA intends to deliver a robust Ohio River Restoration Plan to Congress later this summer. The first draft is nearly complete. We are compiling the listening session data into a report that will be used to refine the priorities of the Restoration Plan. The Ohio River watershed is vast — it covers more than 200,000 square miles across 14 states and provides the primary source of drinking water for more than five million people. In addition to its cultural and historic importance, the river provides critical habitat for 150 species of fish and the watershed protects endangered species such as the candy and diamond darter, several species of mussels, and crayfish. The Ohio River is a vital, abundant resource for our communities and economies and yet, without federal investment, remains vulnerable. The recent chemical release resulting from the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio is a loud warning. The derailment resulted in harmful air pollution and hazardous butyl acrylate leaked into the Ohio River. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) led immediate monitoring efforts of the chemical plume as it made its way downriver, informing decisions by water utilities of how to respond. ORSANCO urgently needs additional federal funds to upgrade technical systems and increase staff capacity. Congress must act to protect human and ecosystem health by increasing funding for ORSANCO and adding the Ohio River to the list of our nation’s great waters that receive significant, sustained funding each year. These actions will provide communities with the resources they need to clean up and prevent pollution, increase tourism and small business development through nature- based recreation, rehabilitate ecosystems and safeguard clean, healthy drinking water for the millions who drink from the waters of the Ohio River watershed. [WHO CARES? Join the online Ohio Rivers listening session on May 24.](https://wvecouncil.org/events/on-line-ohio-river-listening-session/) URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/13/the-ohio-river-is-actually-west- virginia-but-who-cares/>

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“It Isn’t Easy Being Green!” ~ Blue Ammonia Isn’t Clean Ammonia!
by Frack Check WV: admin 12 May '23

12 May '23

# [“It Isn’t Easy Being Green!” ~ Blue Ammonia Isn’t Clean Ammonia!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/12/%e2%80%9cit- isn%e2%80%99t-easy-being-green%e2%80%9d-blue-ammonia-isn%e2%80%99t-clean- ammonia/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/05E9D3ED-0D26-4DD2-A29A-E6684BF19767.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/05E9D3ED-0D26-4DD2-A29A-E6684BF19767.jpeg) Gray, blue or green? Ammonia is being studied to reduce GHG as well as with hydrogen, methanol, wind and sunshine! **Clean ammonia sets sail into an ocean of fossil fuels** From an [Article by Ari Phillips, Oil & Gas Watch](https://news.oilandgaswatch.org/post/clean-ammonia-sets-sail-into-an- ocean-of-fossil-fuels), May 3, 2023 Ammonia is generally associated with a technological breakthrough of the past. As the key building block of nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers, it played a critical role in feeding a rapidly growing global population over the twentieth century. Now, some see ammonia as having the potential to make a sizeable impact in the transition away from carbon-intensive fossil fuels. For that to happen, the current production process will have to change, as the overwhelming majority of ammonia is produced from natural gas. The world currently produces about 175 million tons per year of fossil-fuel based ammonia mostly for use as fertilizer, and this releases vast quantities of greenhouse gases. As the demand for low-carbon energy sources grows, clean ammonia – referred to by advocates as either green or blue ammonia, depending on how it is produced – is expected to dramatically increase in production. Developers in the U.S. have proposed the construction of 15 new ammonia plants, mostly in Texas and Louisiana, to produce ammonia for fuel, according to public records and data available in the Oil & Gas Watch database as of May 1, 2023. “Green ammonia” is created from water, nitrogen from the air, and renewable energy like solar or wind to produce the ammonia molecule, NH₃, and is thus virtually carbon free. However, this process requires vast amounts of very pure water and large, albeit renewable, energy inputs. So-called “blue ammonia” is ammonia produced with natural gas and nitrogen from the air, but with the carbon footprint allegedly reduced through the capture and storage of the carbon dioxide emissions. Because carbon capture and sequestration technology is largely untested and unproven on a large scale, “blue ammonia” produced with natural gas is less climate-friendly than “green ammonia” made entirely with solar or wind power. The focus for many clean ammonia advocates is to use the hydrogen in ammonia to help produce clean hydrogen fuel, which burns without releasing any greenhouse gases. Ammonia is easier to ship in liquid form than hydrogen, which must be supercooled to form a liquid (an energy-intensive process). So the idea is to transport liquid ammonia on ships or via rail to manufacturing plants or other end users, and then convert ammonia to hydrogen fuel. Clean ammonia advocates also argue that ammonia can also be used as a fuel itself. Power companies in Asia are proposing to burn ammonia along with coal in power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The shipping industry is also interested in using it as a lower-carbon fuel to burn at sea. No matter the color, ammonia production and use comes with environmental tradeoffs. “There’s no silver bullet here,” said Trevor Brown, Executive Director of the Ammonia Energy Association. “We’re looking at solutions for fuel molecules that don’t cause climate change.” **Ammonia fuel project announcements** ~ An estimated 88 percent of the ammonia produced at 30 industrial facilities in the U.S. in 2021 was used as fertilizer or to make nitrogen-based fertilizer. And the fertilizer industry is growingly rapidly in the U.S., with companies planning to build nine new ammonia plants and expand three more to produce nitrogen fertilizer, according to a new EIP report, “The Fertilizer Boom.” The growth of the US fertilizer industry can be attributed, in part, to the availability of inexpensive natural gas extracted through hydraulic fracturing. Additionally, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has resulted in higher costs for nitrogen fertilizers produced in Europe and Russia, further driving demand for domestically-produced fertilizers in the U.S. Incentives made available through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act have spurred several companies to take steps to build “clean” ammonia plants that would make fuel, not fertilizer. To date, 15 new plants have been proposed. If just 8 of the 15 projects are built, ammonia energy production capacity could reach 27 million metric tons per year by 2030. Total ammonia production capacity in the US could reach 58.4 million metric tons per year—nearly tripling today’s production—if all the ammonia energy and fertilizer projects come to fruition. A table in the Article shows the locations and status of the proposed ammonia fuel projects. **Ammonia as a shipping fuel** ~ Some of these proposed projects would use ammonia as a fuel to be burned directly in ships, as an alternative to petroleum-based “bunker fuel” to drive their engines. The term “bunker fuel” as ship fuel dates back to the days when steam-powered ships were powered by coal, which was stored inside coal “bunkers” onboard the ships. “While I think ammonia will play a very significant role as a bunker fuel, we need to be careful with it,” said Brown of the Ammonia Energy Association. “What’s appealing are things like better energy efficiency and electrification. But those solutions can’t decarbonize shipping by themselves.” Paul Wolfram with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, who's been researching ammonia as a fuel source, said ammonia has about one third of the energy density of diesel fuel, so ships will sit lower in the water and require larger fuel tanks. He also said there’s significant potential for pollutant releases including ammonia (itself an air pollutant) and nitrogen oxides. He also worries about the leakage of ammonia from production facilities and during distribution, storage, and handling. “Powering all ships with ammonia, all else equal, would entail a quintupling of global ammonia production, and if even a small portion of this nitrogen escapes from the fuel production and use cycle, it could more than offset the global impacts of any agricultural nitrogen mitigation efforts,” he said. “Understanding the future for ammonia-energy will need dialogue between the various research communities to examine the relative importance of nitrogen vs. carbon mitigation, actual observed nitrogen releases in ammonia demonstrations and deployments, and other real-world data on costs and risks that will reduce some of the uncertainties we have today.” The shipping industry currently accounts for around three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The U.N.’s International Maritime Organization has called for curbing annual shipping-related emissions by at least 50 percent compared to 2008 levels by 2050. Ammonia advocates see ammonia bunker fuel as critical in lowering the industry’s carbon footprint because it is relatively energy-dense, does not require cryogenic temperatures to freeze (like hydrogen), and the global infrastructure already exists to produce, store, and transport ammonia. In the U.S., a Brooklyn-based startup company called Amogy is working to launch an ammonia-powered ship in New York that would be the first of its kind. The company recently secured $139 million in private venture capital funds to help work towards the commercialization of the company's ammonia-to- power technology, which cracks ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen and puts the hydrogen through a fuel cell where the chemical energy is converted into electricity. Amogy has used this technology to power a 300-kilowatt semitruck and is in the process of designing a 1-megawatt version to power a retrofitted tugboat that formerly ran on diesel. Seonghoon Woo, CEO and cofounder of Amogy, said the maritime industry has shown great interest in ammonia. But he said a lot still needs to be done to educate policymakers and the general public about how the safe and efficient use of ammonia can support energy security and decarbonization efforts. He said with the shipping sector emitting about 1,000 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, or 13 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from global transport, it is important to utilize solutions such as green ammonia. “While there are always risks in any industry, there are over 100 years of experience in the making, transporting, and storing of ammonia,” said Woo. “Plus, as one of the most widely used commodities on the planet, regulations are in place to ensure it’s used safely. For us, safety is our number one priority.” **Photo in Article. A tanker ship refuels at sea. Ammonia could replace heavy oil, also known as bunker oil, as a fuel for ships.** Safety is very important when it comes to ammonia. Ammonia is highly flammable and corrosive, making it potentially risky as a source of bunker fuel for ships. Ammonia, itself a toxic form of nitrogen pollution that can be harmful to aquatic life if released into waterways. An Environmental Integrity Project analysis recently found that in 2021, 22 U.S. ammonia plants that manufacture nitrogen fertilizer discharged an estimated 3.9 million pounds of ammonia from their wastewater outfalls. Eighty-six percent of this ammonia was discharged into waterways that are near communities where more than 30 percent of people are considered low income or more than 40 percent are people of color. Planned ammonia manufacturing plants could add a considerable amount of this pollution to waterways, especially if EPA fails to update and strengthen outdated pollution control standards for the industry. Ammonia also contributes to nitrogen-fed algae blooms and low-oxygen dead zones, like the one that has persisted in the Gulf of Mexico. Spills of ammonia at sea or at port could also harm aquatic ecosystems. **“Ammonia is toxic and there are still many gaps in knowledge that need to be filled in order to enable its safe use as a shipping fuel,” said Marie Cabbia Hubatova, Director of Global Shipping for the Environmental Defense Fund Europe.** “Much more research needs to be done to better understand the implications ammonia can have on the environment as well as human health. Moreover, ammonia engines are likely to produce NOx and nitrous oxide. A better understanding of the extent and technological options for its mitigation are imperative for its safe use.” She continued: “I think ammonia will play an important role in decarbonizing the shipping sector, but we need to fill the current gaps in knowledge in order to use it in a safe way.” **As this research plays out, new clean ammonia projects continue to pop up regularly. In early April, a blue ammonia project was announced for development on a reclaimed coal mining site in Mingo County, West Virginia. The proposed Adams Fork clean ammonia project will serve as the anchor for an Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, and could produce up to 2.16 million metric tons per year of ammonia while controlling its carbon dioxide emissions with carbon capture and storage.** **West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin praised the announcement** , saying it will ensure the “Mountain State continues to be a leader in American energy innovation and support good paying, West Virginia energy jobs.” Manchin thanked the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, both passed during the previous session of Congress under Democratic leadership, for making the ammonia project possible. The Inflation Reduction Act combines an array of clean energy tax incentives, totaling an estimated $369 billion, meant to address energy security and climate change over the next decade, including generous tax credits for carbon capture and storage projects. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/12/%e2%80%9cit-isn%e2%80%99t-easy- being-green%e2%80%9d-blue-ammonia-isn%e2%80%99t-clean-ammonia/>

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Growing LNG Awareness in Congress ~ Risks of Growth in Liquified Natural Gas
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 11 May '23

11 May '23

# [Growing LNG Awareness in Congress ~ Risks of Growth in Liquified Natural Gas](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/11/growing-lng-awareness-in- congress-risks-of-growth-in-liquified-natural-gas/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/FE3816E4-BA5C-43E2-B921-A426A90181A8.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/FE3816E4-BA5C-43E2-B921-A426A90181A8.jpeg) Join in with POWHR to limit dangerous pipelines in rugged terrain and thru rivers & streams **Some 44 Lawmakers 'Sound the Alarm' on Threat of LNG Expansion** . . From an [Article by Olivia Rosane, Common Dreams](https://www.commondreams.org/news/lawmakers-sound-alarm-on-lng- expansion), May 8, 2023 . . Senators and representatives have signed a letter calling on the Biden administration's Council on Environmental Quality to give "greater scrutiny" to the LNG supply chain from wellhead to shipping overseas. More than 40 U.S. lawmakers signed a letter Monday to "sound the alarm" on the recent expansion of liquefied natural gas infrastructure and capacity and call on the Biden administration to give "greater scrutiny" to the LNG supply chain from wellhead to shipping overseas. The legislators letter to the **Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory** comes amidst an uptick in LNG exports from the U.S. to Europe in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Climate campaigners have warned that fossil fuel companies have used the war and subsequent energy crisis as an excuse to lock in more LNG infrastructure that could push the 1.5°C temperature goal out of reach and hasten more extreme climate impacts. "Our ability to combat the worst impacts of the climate crisis depends, to a significant degree, on whether the United States approves proposed LNG pipeline and export terminal projects on top of the already-substantial LNG infrastructure," the lawmakers wrote in the letter. "Even without including upstream leaks, the continued buildout of LNG infrastructure is at odds with the Paris climate goals and U.S. climate commitments." The CEQ is currently finalizing its **National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Climate Change** , which would advise federal agencies on how to assess proposed infrastructure projects' contribution to the climate crisis, The Washington Post explained. The administration of former President Donald Trump issued a rollback in 2020 mandating that federal agencies considering projects under NEPA should not take their "indirect" climate impacts into account. While the Biden administration has already reversed this rule, it is now working on more detailed instructions. The lawmakers want to make sure these updated instructions consider LNG's true impact both on the climate and on frontline communities. "Existing LNG infrastructure already has a disproportionate impact on Black, Brown, Indigenous, and poor communities; this will only be exacerbated with the addition of the proposed projects. That's why it is important that frontline communities are meaningfully and proactively engaged throughout environmental reviews for LNG infrastructure," the letter writers continued. The effort was spearheaded by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) along with U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.). The lawmakers were joined by 40 of their colleagues from both houses, all Democrats except for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Merkley tweeted Monday that he was joining with Huffman, Grijalva, and Barragán "to sound the alarm on the great threat that continued expansion of liquefied fossil gas (LNG) infrastructure poses to our climate and future." **One major concern raised by the lawmakers is methane.** Federal agencies are still approving projects based on a Trump administration public-interest determination that compares LNG to coal-fired electricity without considering methane leaks from LNG infrastructure, the lawmakers noted. However, since methane traps around 80 times more heat than carbon dioxide during its first 20 years in the atmosphere, these leaks could make LNG even more damaging for the climate than coal. "Even without including upstream leaks, the continued buildout of LNG infrastructure is at odds with the Paris climate goals and U.S. climate commitments," the lawmakers wrote. A recent Greenpeace investigation found that LNG projects approved in the U.S. could emit more than the 2030 carbon budget allocated by the International Energy Agency to the entire LNG trade if policymakers are to limit warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. "An expansion of U.S. liquified natural gas infrastructure threatens more damage to our climate and communities," Rep. Barragán tweeted. \u201cAn expansion of U.S. Liquified Natural Gas infrastructure threatens more damage to our climate & communities.\n\u00a0\nI co-led a letter w/ @RepHuffman & @SenJeffMerkley asking the Biden Admin to ensure LNG environmental reviews fully account for its impact in our neighborhoods.\u201d — Nanette D. Barrag\u00e1n (@Nanette D. Barrag\u00e1n) _The lawmakers called on CEQ to develop a review process just for LNG, with participation from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, the Department of State, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and others. This process should consider cradle-to-grave LNG impacts on both the climate and frontline communities._ In addition, they argued CEQ should make sure that agencies actually consider lifecycle emissions from LNG and set fair prices if it and the State Department decide to increase exports for emergency scenarios like the war in Ukraine. "We urge that the price of natural gas sold to our allies is sufficient to cover production and delivery costs, but no higher, so as to remove any potential for war-time profiteering and to remove the incentives to continue exports after the short-term foreign policy needs have expired," the lawmakers wrote. >>>>>…………………>>>>>>>………………>>>>> **See Also:** [POWHR ~ Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights ~ Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights (POWHR)](https://powhr.org/) is an interstate coalition representing individuals and groups from Virginia and West Virginia dedicated to protecting water, land, and communities from harms caused by the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). <https://powhr.org/> URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/11/growing-lng-awareness-in- congress-risks-of-growth-in-liquified-natural-gas/>

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WV Legislature of No Help ~ Toxic PFAS in Our Drinking Water
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 10 May '23

10 May '23

# [WV Legislature of No Help ~ Toxic PFAS in Our Drinking Water](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/10/wv-legislature-of-no-help- toxic-pfas-in-our-drinking-water/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/0C5B97A0-F6A3-404E-A3CF-E6FBBAC684BE.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/0C5B97A0-F6A3-404E-A3CF-E6FBBAC684BE.jpeg) Latency periods vary for PFAS compounds and type of cancer **Even with new legislation, it could be years before drinking water in West Virginia is free of toxic ‘forever chemicals’** From the [Article by Allen Siegler, Mountain State Spotlight](https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2023/05/02/pfas-west-virginia- water-contamination/), May 2, 2023 State lawmakers passed the PFAS Protection Act to start controlling pollution in drinking water. While a step in the right direction, many are concerned that it prolongs health hazards for West Virginians. In the 1990s, when **Chuck Crookshanks worked as a teacher at Parkersburg South High** , a student told him about her family’s farm and how dozens of their animals had grown physical deformities. “Not only the livestock, but also other animals near it,” Crookshanks recalled. “Deer, frogs and anything else that was around it. It was pretty remarkable.” He said she was one of the first people he remembers raising concerns with the Washington Works plant in Parkersburg; a few years later, these concerns led to a mid-2000s high-profile lawsuit against chemical company DuPont, a lawsuit which linked the factory’s hazardous chemical pollution to diseases like kidney and testicular cancer. Those chemicals are now often grouped with a broader group of cancerous, man- made concoctions called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. And PFAS, from both past and present polluters, continue to concern Crookshanks. His house, between Ravenswood and the unincorporated town of Murraysville, is about 25 miles down the Ohio River from Washington Works. Crookshanks said his wife, Tammy, worries often about what invisible chemicals are present in the water from their well. “She brought it up probably in the last couple of weeks, wanting to get the water tested,” Crookshanks said. Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it had reached a deal under the Clean Water Act for the plant, now owned by the Chemours Company, to address PFAS pollution. But the so-called “forever chemicals” have already been found in drinking water systems around the state. While state lawmakers passed a bill in March to take steps toward identifying and contemplating action for affected public water systems, the bill does not require the state’s Department of Environmental Protection or any other group to remove the chemicals from drinking water yet. As a consequence, experts believe it could be years before many West Virginians can drink tap water and be assured that it won’t increase their risk of diseases like cancer. “Why do you need another year or two years to figure that out when that’s been known for 22 years?” said **Robert Bilott, an attorney with Taft Stettinius & Hollister** who has led many lawsuits related to the chemicals. **Some monitoring, and some prolonged unknowns** ~ Although there is scientific consensus that they increase health risks, PFAS are still used ubiquitously by manufacturing companies. The chemicals are effective at keeping liquids from seeping through material, and they are commonly used in products like candy bar wrappers and waterproof clothes. When manufacturing plants use PFAS in their products, they can release them into the soil, water and air. All three methods risk contaminating people’s drinking sources, as chemicals released into the air can be absorbed by rain clouds and solid waste can seep into groundwater. While the amount of PFAS in water is often highest at sites near polluting factories, it’s not uncommon for the chemicals to contaminate places far from the original source, meaning even West Virginians who live away from factories could still have the chemicals in their water. “The thing about these forever chemicals is that they don’t break down,” said **Angie Rosser, the executive director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition**. “They accumulate in our bodies and accumulate in the food chain.” The state’s new PFAS Protection Act intends to focus on contamination identified by a 2022 U.S. Geological Survey study of the state’s water treatment facilities. That study found nearly half of the facilities, many along the Ohio River or in the Eastern Panhandle, had at least one hazardous chemical above the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s recently-proposed regulations in their untreated water. For the sites with documented contamination, the bill tasks the DEP with coming up with action plans that identify the source of the pollution and propose ways to limit West Virginians’ exposure. It also lays out plans for the government agency to test the sites’ water after treatment. To combat future pollution, the bill requires West Virginia factories that discharge any PFAS into surface water to report that action to the DEP. It will limit the factories’ amount of pollution to the standards set by the federal government, and no more stringent, once they’re proposed and finalized. While the Legislature did not designate money for the effort, **DEP Deputy Director for External Affairs Scott Mandirola** said the department is applying for federal grants, like funds from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to develop the action plans. “Our focus is on doing what the Legislature is telling us to do,” Mandirola said. In the present, the bill doesn’t mandate any cleanup of PFAS in public drinking water. Some of that will likely come in the next two years, after the federal government finalizes its first-ever standards for the chemical under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Rosser worries about whether the action plans will prepare the WV-DEP to enforce the EPA’s future PFAS limits, but she thinks the bill will generate crucial data. “I would characterize it as a measured step,” she said. Others are concerned the step is too measured, missing key information about the ways in which PFAS can endanger West Virginians’ drinking water. While the bill will provide more information about public water sources, it won’t monitor private wells that many, like Crookshanks, depend on. In an email, bill lead sponsor Clay Riley, R-Harrison, said if the state was to test private water, it would have required an additional bill that involved the Department of Health and Human Resources. For Dr. Alan Ducatman, a WVU professor emeritus who has spent decades studying PFAS, that’s a big omission, as it’s how hundreds of thousands of West Virginians access water in their homes. “It’s hard to be confident that you know what’s going on if you’re worried about your personal water supply and can’t find that information,” Ducatman said. Aileen Curfman lives in Berkeley County and also uses well water in her home. As the co-chair of the Sierra Club’s Eastern Panhandle group, she’s aware of the impacts PFAS can have and of the high levels recorded near her. As such, Curfman recently paid hundreds of dollars to test her water for the poisons. “There would be a lot of folks who could not afford it,” Curfman said. It came back free from the hazardous chemicals. But if it hadn’t, she thinks she would have had to pay around $5,000 for a filter — something she thinks would have been necessary to ensure her water was safe to drink. **‘Getting the stuff out of the water’** ~ From Rosser’s understanding, the earliest that maximum PFAS drinking water contaminant levels would be enforced is 2025, meaning many West Virginians’ water will likely continue to be hazardous for the time being. Bilott, the attorney who has litigated many PFAS-related cases, believes West Virginia’s continued-prolonging of any chemical cleanup to be unnecessary and inhumane. “DEP was notified that these chemicals were getting into drinking water supplies 22 years ago,” he said. “They should already have been doing this.” Harry Deitzler, another attorney who has represented West Virginians harmed by PFAS, was dismayed that the state’s new oversight is limited to PFAS discharged directly into rivers and streams. From his experience in lawsuits he’s litigated, a major way the chemicals enter people’s drinking water is when they’re released into the air and enter the water cycle. Riley didn’t answer why the PFAS Protection Act didn’t address airborne pollution, instead responding that most air regulation comes from the federal government. When asked what state residents should do until enforcement takes effect, he said the “EPA is still trying to understand the science and impact related to PFAS. I recommend people educate themselves about the topic.” Bilott rejected the premise that the EPA is still trying to figure out the health impact of the chemicals, and he pointed to their health guidelines released last summer as evidence. He thinks rather than calling for West Virginians to educate themselves, the onus should be on the companies that caused the health hazards. “It shouldn’t be the burden of the impacted community to address that contamination,” Bilott said. To Ducatman, the professor emeritus with the WVU School of Public Health, there are many more steps both the WV-DEP and the state Legislature could take to protect residents’ health. Those include creating a robust effort to test private wells, prohibiting factories in the state from using PFAS unless the chemicals are essential and monitoring industrial pollution beyond self- reporting. Ducatman realizes that this type of effort could be costly, time-consuming and resource-intensive. But, from a public health standpoint, he sees it as crucial for West Virginians. “People’s health will improve,” Ducatman said. “Have no doubt about that. Getting the stuff out of the water is good for people.” **Support Mountain State Spotlight** ~ We are a nonprofit investigative newsroom that exists to give West Virginians the information they need to make our state a better place. As a nonprofit, we rely on your help to power our journalism. We are committed to lifting up voices that aren’t always heard and spotlighting solutions that are making a difference. >>>>>>>#######>>>>>>>#######>>>>>>>> **See Also:** [US EPA Takes Unprecedented Action to Tackle PFAS Water Pollution](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/06/us-epa-pfas- drinking-water-pollution-ohio-river), Tom Perkins, The Guardian, May 6, 2023 EPA has ordered chemical company Chemours to stop discharging high levels of toxic PFAS into the Ohio River at Parkersburg URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/10/wv-legislature-of-no-help-toxic- pfas-in-our-drinking-water/>

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Fraudulent Certification of Fracked Gas Pipeline Welding Results in Two Arrests in Western Penna.
by Frack Check WV: admin 09 May '23

09 May '23

# [Fraudulent Certification of Fracked Gas Pipeline Welding Results in Two Arrests in Western Penna.](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/09/fraudulent- certification-of-fracked-gas-pipeline-welding-results-in-two-arrests-in- western-penna/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/2FD65212-91C7-4470-A0F1-570A8B6B121A1.jpeg)](https:… content/uploads/2023/05/2FD65212-91C7-4470-A0F1-570A8B6B121A1.jpeg) SEPARATE INCIDENT IN LAWRENCE COUNTY ~ Pipe falls off truck killing worker in March 2019 **Two arrested in pipeline fraud in Lawrence County** From the [Article by Debbie Wachter, New Castle News](https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/two-arrested-in-pipeline- fraud-in-lawrence-county/article_7abfdfa2-eb72-11ed-b850-f3a033834ba1.html), May 5, 2023 The state Office of the Attorney General filed criminal charges in Lawrence County against two men accused of falsifying paperwork and endangering others while working on a natural gas pipeline. Joseph Berkich, 45, of Daisytown, Washington County, is charged with falsifying industrial radiologist certification documents to obtain X-ray examination work on a natural gas pipeline project for EnTech Energy of New Castle, then conspiring with Welton Darl Shipe to cover-up his deception. Shipe, 61, of Baker, West Virginia, a quality assurance manager on the project, is charged with providing false statements to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection about the pipe’s condition and repairs that he commissioned surreptitiously. The men are related by marriage and knew each other when they conspired to commit the crimes charged this week, according to information from the attorney general’s office. The pipeline involved was a 34-mile stretch of the Mark West Liberty Pipeline that transports natural gas liquids such as propane, normal butane, isobutane and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons from natural gas processing plants that are located in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, to fractionation facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the court papers and information from a news release from the attorney general’s office. EnTech Energy, located at 105 Mahoning Ave., manufactures components used in natural gas pipelines. A company principal informed state agents Berkich was the lowest bidder on a Mark West Energy Project. He and Steel City Gamma, his former company, began working for EnTech around Aug. 16, 2019, and were fired as a subcontractor around Nov. 1 that year. Berkich’s company performed six jobs for EnTech, the report said. Those jobs were to have been part of a Mark West pipeline located in West Virginia. A certified welding inspector had notified the agents that September he found a total of five bad welds Berkich deemed acceptable. Two were at the EnTech facility in New Castle, one was at a staging area before being placed in a field and two were on a job site right of way, awaiting installation, the report said. A sixth weld had to be shot in the field after installation, the report said. Berkich is charged with six counts of forgery, two counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, tampering with public records, five counts of tampering with records or identification and one of conspiracy to commit tampering and risking a catastrophe. Shipe is charged with conspiracy to commit tampering with public records, tampering with public records or identification, risking catastrophe, and unsworn falsification to authorities and statement under penalty. They were taken into custody and arraigned Thursday afternoon by District Judge Melissa A. Amodie, who released them on unsecured bonds of $15,000 each, meaning if they fail to show for their court proceedings, warrants will be issued for their arrests and they will be liable for the entire bond amount. This case was investigated by the Office of Attorney General with support from the US Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. All charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Criminal complaints against both men detail their alleged offenses. While employed as a quality assurance manager at EnTech Energy, Shipe hired Berkich as an industrial radiographer to X-ray and interpret the welds on sections of the pipeline to evaluate their integrity and Berkich failed to provide the necessary certifications prior to starting the work, according to the paperwork. After EnTech repeatedly asked for the paperwork, Berkich provided certifications with multiple forged signatures. It was later discovered Berkich was neither trained nor certified to perform that type of work. As a result of Berkich’s lack of certification, EnTech was forced to hire another firm to re-examine all of the welds that Berkich had previously evaluated. That firm determined that some of the materials used by Berkich were not up to industry code and that Berkich signed off on a total of seven bad welds that threatened the integrity of the project and endangered the public, the state agency contends. Further investigation revealed Shipe later directed a welder and Berkich to come in on a weekend — when the project inspector was not on site — to cut out bad welds and repair them without reporting the repairs. Reporting repairs is critical because the applied heat can cause the metal to become brittle leading to increased risk of leaks and the potential for the weld to become an ignition source, the paperwork states. The investigation into the allegations began in April of 2020. The paperwork states that in addition to X-ray costs, a total of six bad welds were found that Berkich had deemed satisfactory. Repair costs for EnTech energy resulted in $20,000 in losses to repair the bad welds, the complaints state. As a result, the customer, Mark West Energy, severed all ties with EnTech and canceled six or seven upcoming jobs with that company, the court papers state. “These men allegedly put lives at risk by carelessly ignoring certifications and safety assurance requirements in an effort to profit from pipeline work,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a news release issued Friday. “Unfortunately, we have seen recently the devastating environmental impacts of such carelessness, and my office is committed to holding accountable those who put the environment and our citizen’s health and lives at risk. Thanks to the hard work of the Office of Attorney General’s environmental crime section and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, these men will now need to answer for their actions in a court of law.” URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/09/fraudulent-certification-of- fracked-gas-pipeline-welding-results-in-two-arrests-in-western-penna/>

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CENTER for COALFIELD JUSTICE ~ Public Health Report Needed Urgently
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 08 May '23

08 May '23

# [CENTER for COALFIELD JUSTICE ~ Public Health Report Needed Urgently](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/08/center-for-coalfield- justice-public-health-report-needed-urgently/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/81A57AE4-AF0C-4CB2-9EF2-6275D919FD98-300x168.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/81A57AE4-AF0C-4CB2-9EF2-6275D919FD98.png) Report overdue on Pitt PA Health & Environment Studies **Report on Public Health Issues Related to Drilling, Fracking, Pipelining is Way Overdue** From the [Request by Heaven Sensky, Center for Coalfield Justice](https://secure.everyaction.com/xK30mw82EkmKtD7LaE2p_A2?ms=email&=&… ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&emdi=fc96020e-b2ea- ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&ceid=2589511), 5/4/23 **It’s been almost four years since Governor Tom Wolf committed $3 million on a pair of studies to explore the potential health impacts of oil and gas development in our communities.** **The Department of Health chose the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health to conduct the studies, and data collection concluded in September 2022.** **Families who have been impacted by rare childhood cancers demanded these studies, taxpayers funded the studies, but the public has not heard directly from the Department of Health since the studies began. ** **Residents of the eight-county region included in the studies deserve a status update.** (These counties border Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel and Monongalia Counties in West Virginia.) **We believe this update is an important step for community inclusion in the research process and that it will strengthen relations with the public, making it easier for researchers to communicate and conduct outreach around the studies ' results. Every day that our trusted health institutions do not provide information, residents and health providers are left in the dark.** **It is urgent that the Department issue an update as soon as possible. The timeliness of this status update is imperative, considering that more young people are being diagnosed with rare cancers in the studied communities, all the while the state continues to grant permits for pollution-emitting fossil fuel projects.** **We’ve worked with partners to draft an open letter to the Department asking for an update.** [Sign your name to be included in this open letter!](https://secure.everyaction.com/xK30mw82EkmKtD7LaE2p_A2?ms=email&=&… ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&emdi=fc96020e-b2ea-ed11-8e8b-00224832eb73&ceid=2589511) In November 2019, Governor Tom Wolf committed to spending $3 million on a pair of studies to explore the potential health impacts of oil and gas development after families impacted by rare childhood cancers demanded that the state investigate the cause of an apparent increase in rare childhood cancers in communities experiencing shale gas development. The Pennsylvania Department of Health chose the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health to undertake the studies, which became known as the PITT PA HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT STUDIES. The data collection for these studies concluded in September 2022. The University of Pittsburgh's public-facing website for the studies has not been updated since then. In early October 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the University of Pittsburgh publicly backed out of a public forum to discuss the progress and process of the studies. Unfortunately, the Department of Health has failed to provide any update on the status of the studies since it declined to participate in the forum. Meanwhile, residents had been led to believe that study results would be made available at the conclusion of the Wolf Administration, which never happened. Thus, we implore you to provide an update on the status of the studies to the public as soon as possible. Community members have yet to hear directly from either the University of Pittsburgh or the Department of Health since the studies were announced. [Given the importance of and the public interest in the results of these studies, the Department of Health must be transparent about their current status. Transparency is necessary to protect the credibility of the studies' results and taxpayers' investment.](https://news.yale.edu/2022/08/17/proximity-fracking-sites- associated-risk-childhood-cancer) The residents of the eight-county region included in the study deserve a status update regarding these taxpayer-funded studies designed to examine potential health impacts of human exposure to environmental risk factors, such as oil and gas development. We believe this update is an important step for community inclusion in the research process and that it will strengthen relations with the public, making it easier for researchers to communicate and conduct outreach around the studies' results. Every day that our trusted health institutions do not provide information, residents and health providers are left in the dark. It is urgent that the Department issue an update as soon as possible. The timeliness of this status update is imperative, considering that more young people are being diagnosed with rare cancers in the studied communities, all the while the state continues to grant permits for pollution-emitting fossil fuel projects. _[Heaven Sensky, Organizing Director, CCJ](https://centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/) heaven(a)centerforcoalfieldjustice.org 724-229-3550_ **[SUPPORT OUR WORK BY BECOMING A MEMBER TODAY!](https://centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/)** ~ We could not do this work without the continued support of our members and supporters. Please help us to continue our work to fight for environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania by becoming a member of CCJ. Recurring monthly donations help to best support our work. Any gift made to the Center for Coalfield Justice is 100% tax-deductible. **[BECOME A MEMBER TODAY](https://centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/)** ~ [Center for Coalfield Justice](https://centerforcoalfieldjustice.org/), PO BOX 4023, Washington , PA 15301 URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/08/center-for-coalfield-justice- public-health-report-needed-urgently/>

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Environmentalism is Not Just a Word Because We Only Have One Earth
by Frack Check WV: admin 07 May '23

07 May '23

# [Environmentalism is Not Just a Word Because We Only Have One Earth](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/07/environmentalism-is-not-just… word-because-we-only-have-one-earth/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/57ACD5A0-2510-436E-AD60-001FFFC988DC.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/57ACD5A0-2510-436E-AD60-001FFFC988DC.jpeg) Political changes and life-style changes are our future! **Radical conservative environmentalism?** From the [Letter to Editor by Wes Bergen, Morgantown Dominion Post](https://www.dominionpost.com/2023/04/29/april-30-letters-to-the- editor/), April 30, 2023 **Something new has to happen. In order to alter our current course, which has led and is leading to environmental devastation, we need nearly everyone to be involved. We need all hands on deck. This means that, in addition to a growing radical progressive environmental movement, we need a radical conservative environmental movement.** **There is nothing impossible about radical conservative environmentalism. Yes, much of current conservative leadership is heading full speed toward further destruction, but there is no reason that this has to be so.** **Our current governor and U.S. senators are not going to lead a radical environmental movement, because they are all living off the sale of fossil fuels. Their motivation appears to be mostly greed. And greed is not a conservative value. Traditionally, greed is a vice that needs to be discouraged or even punished. So they are not good leaders for conservatism in any case.** **Other leaders in the current conservative world are climate deniers and make all sorts of unscientific claims. This is not conservative either — this is just stupid. And stupidity is not a conservative value. There is an intelligent conservative position that needs to be part of the discussion, however unlikely it currently seems.** **So we need new leaders. We need leaders who understand the need to conserve what is of value in our heritage and our traditions. And we need those leaders to be guided by the best of our traditions, not the worst of them. We need these leaders to articulate a radical conservative environmentalism, because it will be impossible to conserve our society in the midst of environmental devastation.** [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/270C1E38-19EC-4D65-ABB3-1B98786890D4-150x150.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/270C1E38-19EC-4D65-ABB3-1B98786890D4.jpeg) The lessons for Earth also apply in West Virginia … >> Wes Bergen is a pastor of the Church of the Brethren and author of “You Are NOT Going to Heaven.” URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/07/environmentalism-is-not-just-a- word-because-we-only-have-one-earth/>

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New UK King Charles III May Resolve “Rosebank North Sea Oil” Question?
by Frack Check WV: admin 06 May '23

06 May '23

# [New UK King Charles III May Resolve “Rosebank North Sea Oil” Question?](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/06/new-uk-king-charles-iii- may-resolve-%e2%80%9crosebank-north-sea-oil%e2%80%9d-question/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/42F19E0D-84AF-48AF- ACE4-EB53D2DEDE96.jpeg)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/42F19E0D-84AF-48AF-ACE4-EB53D2DEDE96.jpeg) Some 40 Members of the European Union Congress say Foul! **Tory former net zero tsar calls for halt to Rosebank North Sea oil project** From the [Article by Fiona Harvey, The Guardian UK](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/25/tory-former-net-zer… tsar-chris-skidmore-calls-for-halt-to-rosebank-north-sea-oil-project), April 25, 2023 The UK government’s former “net zero tsar” has urged ministers to halt the development of the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, or risk destroying the UK’s credibility on the climate crisis. Chris Skidmore, the influential Conservative MP who led the review of the UK’s climate goals, writes in the Guardian on Tuesday of his concern that the development could derail net zero. Skidmore told the Guardian: “There is no such thing as a new net zero oilfield. Approving Rosebank would undermine UK claims to climate leadership on the world stage, undermine what the climate science tells us and undermine our efforts to achieve a net zero Britain by mid-century. To enhance our energy security, the government must say no to Rosebank, and instead give the green light to energy efficiency, rooftop solar, onshore wind and other forms of clean energy supply.” Skidmore, a former energy and science minister, is the first Tory MP to openly oppose the Rosebank project. Rosebank is a massive potential North Sea development, three times bigger than the controversial Cambo field that was put on hold more than a year ago. It has the potential to produce 500m barrels of oil, which when burned would emit as much carbon dioxide as running 56 coal-fired power stations for a year. The Observer reported earlier this month that Rosebank would effectively blow the UK’s carbon budget in the next decade, as greenhouse gas emissions from its operations alone – not counting emissions from any oil produced – would exceed the guideline amounts for the oil and gas sector. Skidmore warned that going ahead with Rosebank could therefore be a problem for many UK industries beyond the North Sea, and inhibit the growth of green energy. “Other sectors of the economy, which are already playing their part to reach net zero, would have to cut their emissions further and faster to enable the UK to stay within its carbon budgets. Further, fields such as Rosebank may inhibit the UK’s transition away from fossil fuels due to competition for critical and limited supply chains that both industries share, including ports, vessels and the skilled workforce,” he wrote. A decision on whether Rosebank can go ahead is believed to be imminent, and the government could stop it, though the energy secretary, Grant Shapps, has repeatedly said the decision is not up to him. Equinor, the state-owned Norwegian company behind Rosebank, could receive an estimated £3.75bn of tax breaks and tax-funded incentives towards the estimated £4.1bn cost of the development, owing to loopholes in the government’s windfall tax on North Sea fossil fuels, according to estimates from the campaign group Uplift. About 80% of the fossil fuels produced by Rosebank are likely to be exploited, and the development could turn into a net loss of £100m to the UK taxpayer. A spokesperson from Equinor told the Guardian: “Rosebank is a project that can help counteract the decline in domestic UK oil and gas production. As long as there is a need for oil and gas, we think it is important that we continue to invest in fields that can contribute to energy security with a low carbon footprint, while creating jobs and value for society. In this time of energy crisis, we don’t think it is helpful if western democracies stop developing their resources.” He added that it is estimated by some that the Rosebank project will bring £26.8 billion to the UK through tax payments and investments into the UK economy. Tessa Khan, the founder and executive director of Uplift, said: “Approving Rosebank would be a disaster for Britain. UK taxpayers wouldn’t be any warmer or more secure, but Norway would be a lot richer. Every minute spent talking about Rosebank is a minute not spent scaling up renewables, insulating people’s homes and delivering economic opportunity in green industries for communities across the country.” Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green party are also opposed to Rosebank. Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, said: “When developing Rosebank would mean producing more emissions than 28 low-income countries combined, government approval would be morally obscene. The cross-party message from parliamentarians is clear: we must stop Rosebank.” Last month, before the government’s “energy security day” announcements, which included a massive investment in carbon capture and storage under the North Sea, a group of about 700 scientists wrote to ministers asking them to halt new oil and gas developments. The International Energy Agency warned before the UK-hosted Cop26 climate summit in 2021 that no new oil and gas exploration should take place, if the world was to limit global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures. This year, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, called on governments to halt new licences for oil and gas exploration and development. Khan said: “The government should heed the advice of leading scientists, the head of the UN, and the chair of their own net zero review, by saying no to Rosebank and yes to what people want: affordable clean energy.” A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “No decision has yet been made regarding the proposed Rosebank field. Development proposals for oil fields under existing licences are a matter for the regulators, who consider the impact on the environment when making their judgment.” =============================== **EU Lawmakers Call on UK to Scrap Rosebank Oil Field Plan** From an [Article by John Ainger, Bloomberg News Service](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-19/eu-lawmakers-ca… on-uk-s-sunak-to-scrap-rosebank-oil-field-plan#xj4y7vzkg), April 19, 2023 A group of 40 European Union lawmakers have called on UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to scrap plans to develop the Rosebank oil and gas field ahead of an energy summit next week. This project is in breach of global climate agreements says the MEPs. Members of the European Parliament, led by Michael Bloss from the Green party, said in a letter seen by Bloomberg that development of the project operated by Equinor ASA threatens globally agreed climate targets. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/06/new-uk-king-charles-iii-may- resolve-%e2%80%9crosebank-north-sea-oil%e2%80%9d-question/>

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Introduction to the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2)
by Frack Check WV: admin 05 May '23

05 May '23

# [Introduction to the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/05/introduction-to-the- appalachian-regional-clean-hydrogen-hub-arch2/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/8F242A68-69CE-49BC-828F-02011D22A04A.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2023/05/8F242A68-69CE-49BC-828F-02011D22A04A.jpeg) Don’t be color blind! ARCH2 is gray, or blue, or ……. green? **NETL Director Outlines Lab’s Role in Transition to the Hydrogen Economy** From the [Address by Brian Anderson, National Energy Technology Laboratory](https://netl.doe.gov/node/12512), May 4, 2023 NETL Director Brian Anderson highlighted the expertise of the Lab’s researchers to advance innovations and scientific discoveries that support the development of regional clean hydrogen hubs across America, including a project planned through a partnership with the State of West Virginia, EQT Corp., the nation’s largest natural gas producer, and others. Speaking Tuesday, May 2, at the West Virginia Manufacturing Energy Growth Summit at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, Anderson explained that hydrogen energy has the potential to decarbonize multiple economic sectors, including heavy-duty transportation and steel manufacturing, create good-paying jobs and pave the way toward a grid powered by clean energy resources. “West Virginia could serve as an ideal location for a clean hydrogen hub due to its unique access to ample low-cost natural gas feedstock as well as its outstanding workforce and technology capabilities and carbon sequestration potential,” Anderson said during a panel discussion that focused on plans to establish ARCH2 — the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub. A network of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers and connective infrastructure located in close proximity, a hydrogen hub “can reduce emissions from multiple carbon-intensive sectors and open a world of economic opportunity to create clean energy businesses and jobs,” Anderson said. NETL has served as a participating entity in ARCH2 since it was established in September 2022. The ARCH2 team is composed of entities with operations across the Appalachian region spanning the hydrogen value chain as well as energy technology organizations, including NETL, that will provide commercial, technical and programmatic leadership for the development and buildout of the hub. Concentrated in Appalachian counties across West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, ARCH2 will leverage diverse regional resources to build a sustainable clean hydrogen hub that can scale and integrate into a national clean hydrogen network. In January, the ARCH2 team received notification from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations that it was among applicants encouraged to submit a full application for regional hydrogen hub funding. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established an $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs. Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces only water, electricity and heat. However, most of the hydrogen produced in the United States comes from natural gas through steam methane reforming. Therefore, virtually all hydrogen currently used now is considered “gray,” meaning it’s extracted from natural gas. Turning it “blue” requires infrastructure to capture the greenhouse gas emitted in that process and store it in deep underground reservoirs or convert it into value-added products, which are areas of NETL expertise. “When paired with carbon capture projects, hydrogen power — sourced from our country’s vast fuel resources — presents exciting opportunities to decarbonize power plants and industrial facilities,” Anderson said. Clean hydrogen hubs are also a critical component to achieve DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal of reducing the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kg in one decade (1-1-1) while supporting the Biden Administration’s vision for a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers technological solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By leveraging its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/05/introduction-to-the-appalachian- regional-clean-hydrogen-hub-arch2/>

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The Financial Initiative of the United Nations Environment Program Adopts the 1.5°C Limit
by Frack Check WV: admin 04 May '23

04 May '23

# [The Financial Initiative of the United Nations Environment Program Adopts the 1.5°C Limit](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/04/the-financial- initiative-of-the-united-nations-environment-program-adopts- the-1-5%c2%b0c-limit/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/067E7866-AC36-4BA7-A44E-8CB3AD3FFE1B-300x168.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/067E7866-AC36-4BA7-A44E-8CB3AD3FFE1B.jpeg) Our transitions can be facilitated even if they involve many small steps **Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance sets expectations for oil and gas investments and calls on companies and policymakers to align with 1.5C pathways** From the [United Nations Environment Program Financial Initiative](https://www.unepfi.org/industries/net-zero-asset-owner-alliance- outlines-new-guidance-for-oil-and-gas-investments-while-calling-on-companies- policymakers-and-investors-to-align-with-1-5c-pathways/), March 29, 2023 1\. US$11 trillion Alliance expects members to develop and align individual oil and gas policies with this position and cover portfolio allocation, stewardship programmes, and policy engagement 2\. Oil and gas producers and their customers expected to set science-based, absolute- and intensity-oriented emissions targets covering Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions that are aligned with 1.5°C no or limited overshoot scenarios 3\. The Alliance calls for increased policy ambition to rapidly reduce oil and gas demand and increase the supply and availability of renewable alternatives **GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance today outlines new guidance for members regarding their approach to the oil and gas sector, calling on consumers and suppliers of oil and gas to set Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets while aligning their operations activities, including capital expenditure, with established 1.5°C pathways.** This Position on the Oil and Gas Sector underscores the Alliance’s recognition that unabated climate change poses significant economic and investment risks. Members are committed to mitigating these systemic risks on behalf of their clients and beneficiaries and, as such, should consider how economies can transition away from dependency on activities that contribute to climate change, including the combustion of oil and gas. **The Alliance’s view on this essential transition away from oil and gas dependency is guided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) 1.5°C no or limited overshoot scenarios, as well as on the One Earth Climate Model (OECM) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 Roadmap (NZE 2050).** The numerous challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon economy are best mitigated by a position that considers all available options for concurrently reducing the supply and demand of oil and gas and in overall economic systems. Thus, the Alliance’s Position on the Oil and Gas Sector is expressed in the form of expectations for producers, consumers, policymakers, and investors. **Günther Thallinger, Allianz SE Board Member and Chair UN convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, says:** _“The world must achieve a net-zero economy by 2050, with a maximum 1.5°C of temperature rise. This is necessary to avoid the most extreme effects of climate change. How energy is provided and consumed must therefore dramatically change. This includes the need to phase out non-renewable sources like oil and gas in many, if not most, of its current uses. This challenge must be tackled while balancing the supply of oil and gas on the one hand, and society’s demand for affordable and reliable energy on the other. Investors want to support this transition and the Alliance Position on the Oil and Gas Sector describes how our members wil do that.”_ **Expectations of investors** ~ On private asset investment in new unabated oil and gas infrastructure, investors, including Alliance members, shall align with credible 1.5°C net zero scenarios. This cannot be achieved if there are new upstream insfrastructure investments in new oil and gas fields. Alliance members are expected to adopt policies that align with these positions on infrastructure investments, or show how existing policies already align. The Alliance does recognise that some net-zero committed investors have already put in place policies to cease financing of all oil and gas infrastructure. Others may choose to continue to invest in new oil and gas infrastructure in exceptional circumstances, where alternatives for affordable and reliable alternatives are not yet viable or where government-issued regional/national 1.5°C pathways and/other regional specificities may influence portfolio decisions. In all cases, the Alliance strongly advises against investment in long-lived assets that are likely to be stranded in a 1.5°C -aligned transition. Other specific guidelines for investors listed in the paper focus on direct stewardship for action—aligning science-based portfolio allocation and stewardship decisions with individual climate ambitions—as well as indirect options like supporting policy and regulatory efforts that address climate change. For asset owners in particular, the Alliance emphasises the need for engagement with the asset manager community so that climate action is recognised as supporting the best interests of managers’ clients. **Expectations of oil and gas companies** ~ According to the Alliance’s position, oil and gas producers and companies in intensive fossil fuel-using sectors are expected to set science-based, absolute- and intensity-based emissions targets that cover Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, in line with science-based, no- or limited-overshoot, 1.5°C-aligned pathways established by IPCC, OECM or IEA NZE 2050 roadmaps. As these scenarios make clear, a rapid scaling of zero-carbon energy, as well as the development of enabling technologies and policies, is needed to deliver a significant reduction in oil and gas demand. These scenarios also note that no new oil and gas fields must be developed to meet this declining demand. When engaging and setting expectations for these companies, the majority of Alliance members will take into consideration that the current oil and gas demand level is not yet in line with these scenarios, while other members will expect more immediate action, including no new oil and gas fields. Therefore, Alliance members should continue to set clearer expectations for them to set targets in line with the 1.5°C pathways, aligning their strategies and activities to be congruent with these targets. Alliance members should also pursue their own engagement strategies and other corporate activities to support reduced demand of oil and gas and increased supply of zero-carbon alternatives. **Expectations of policymakers and regulators** ~ For policymakers, the Alliance focuses on systemic interventions that can facilitate oil and gas demand reductions and increase alternative energy supply through economy-wide actions, such as implementing well designed and just carbon-pricing mechanisms and funding innovative technologies. These actions can help to incentivise decarbonisation, to unlock much-needed innovation, and to effectively harness the power of the capital markets by pricing externalities into the system and facilitating a transition to net zero. **About the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance** ~ The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is a member-led initiative of 85 institutional investors, with over US$11 trillion in assets under management, committed to transitioning their investment portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Alliance members were the first in financial industry to set intermediate targets (aligned with the Paris Agreement schedule) and they report on their progress annually. The Alliance is convened by UNEP FI and PRI and is supported by WWF and Global Optimism. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/04/the-financial-initiative-of-the- united-nations-environment-program-adopts-the-1-5%c2%b0c-limit/>

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THURSDAY NIGHT ~ “Inflation Reduction Act Roadshow” (5/4/23)
by Frack Check WV: admin 03 May '23

03 May '23

# [THURSDAY NIGHT ~ “Inflation Reduction Act Roadshow” (5/4/23)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/03/thursday- night-%e2%80%9cinflation-reduction-act-roadshow%e2%80%9d-5423/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/2EA1E671-E925-4FED-A462-F363F19F7723-300x300.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/2EA1E671-E925-4FED-A462-F363F19F7723.png) Learn about this important legislation that affects all of us …. **Inflation Reduction Act Roadshow set for Thursday, May 4th @ 6 PM** [Dear Friends and Concerned Citizens ~ Calling all folks near Morgantown!](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ira-roadshow-morgantown- tickets-590271246187) This Thursday, May 4th at 6:00PM, come visit us at the IRA Roadshow! Join this free informational event to learn about how individuals, municipalities, and organizations in West Virginia can benefit from millions of dollars of investments contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. Last summer, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act which includes historic investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and community development initiatives. At these events, community members and elected officials will have the opportunity to learn from experts from around the state about how to put these investments to use in homes and communities. WHAT: FREE informational event WHEN: Thursday, May 4th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm WHERE: Sincerest United Methodist, 479 Van Voorhis Rd, Morgantown WV 26505 [RSVP now to engage in this opportunity in northern West Virginia](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ira-roadshow-morgantown- tickets-590271246187). **WV New Jobs Coalition is a coalition advocating for stronger communities for a brighter future here in West Virginia. Join us as we work to move state and federal policies to improve climate, healthcare, jobs and justice for all in West Virginia.** [Join our Mailing List - Donate - Volunteer - Share Your Vision for WV](https://www.newjobswv.org/) _WV New Jobs Coalition is a growing campaign made up of:_ American Friends Service Committee of WV, Common Defense of WV, WV Working Families Party, Sierra Club of WV, SEIU District 1199, West Virginia Citizen Action Group and more! URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/03/thursday- night-%e2%80%9cinflation-reduction-act-roadshow%e2%80%9d-5423/>

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The Climate Commitment Act in the Washington State Shows Great Promise
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 02 May '23

02 May '23

# [The Climate Commitment Act in the Washington State Shows Great Promise](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/02/the-climate-commitment-act- in-the-washington-state-shows-great-promise/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/4E8EEB32-07FD-4A67-9B0D-238AE1E7479D-300x150.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/4E8EEB32-07FD-4A67-9B0D-238AE1E7479D.png) State of Washington: outstanding record of climate crisis programs (Click to expand image) **The “Cap and Invest” Plan to Limit Greenhouse Gases Approved Under Gov. Inslee** Program [Summary from the Department of Ecology, State of Washington](https://ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Climate-Commitment- Act#:~:text=The%20Climate%20Commitment%20Act%20\(CCA,path%20to%20lower%20carbon%20emissions.), 2021 & 2022 The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) caps and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Washington’s largest emitting sources and industries, allowing businesses to find the most efficient path to lower carbon emissions. This powerful program works alongside other critical climate policies to help Washington achieve its commitment to reducing GHG emissions by 95% by 2050. The CCA also puts environmental justice and equity at the center of climate policy, making sure communities that bear the greatest burdens from air pollution today see cleaner, healthier air as the state cuts greenhouse gases. Finally, funds from the auction of emission allowances will support new investments in climate-resiliency programs, clean transportation, and addressing health disparities across the state. **A market-based solution** ~ In the CCA, the Legislature directed us to design and implement a cap-and-invest program to reduce statewide GHG emissions. This program works by setting an emissions limit, or cap, and then lowering that cap over time to ensure Washington meets the GHG reduction commitments set in state law. Only the second such program in the U.S., cap-and-invest uses the powers of supply and demand to incentivize businesses to cut their emissions, using whatever strategy they think is best. **Building a sustainable market** ~ The Legislature also tasked Ecology with designing the program so that it could, potentially, be linked with similar programs in California and Québec, which already share a combined carbon market. Based on an independent economic analysis commissioned as part of our current rulemaking for Chapter 173-446 WAC, Ecology will begin a public process to explore the possibility of linking in early 2023. **Cleaner air for overburdened communities** ~ The CCA aligns with the requirements of the Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act and includes provisions to ensure communities in Washington that are disproportionately impacted by climate change and air pollution benefit from cleaner air. In addition to the GHG reductions that will result from the cap-and-invest program, the CCA also directs us to reduce "criteria" air pollutants — such as ozone and particulate matter — in overburdened communities highly impacted by air pollution. **Funding allocation and accountability** ~ The CCA also directs the Environmental Justice Council to make recommendations to the Legislature on how auction revenue should be used and requires agencies using funding from CCA accounts to report their progress toward environmental justice goals to the Council. **Investing in the future** ~ Under the law, proceeds from the CCA allowance auctions must be invested in critical climate projects focused on improving clean transportation options — increasing climate resilience in ecosystems and communities — and addressing issues of environmental justice and health inequity in Washington. [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/673B1E47-E77A-471E-9F19-D26757FDCD0B-150x150.png)](… content/uploads/2023/05/673B1E47-E77A-471E-9F19-D26757FDCD0B.png) **Importantly, the CCA requires that at least 35% of funds be invested in projects that benefit overburdened communities, and a minimum of 10% go to projects with tribal support.** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/02/the-climate-commitment-act-in- the-washington-state-shows-great-promise/>

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Full Disclosure of Fracking Chemicals is Long Overdue ~ Legislation Needed
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 01 May '23

01 May '23

# [Full Disclosure of Fracking Chemicals is Long Overdue ~ Legislation Needed](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/01/full-disclosure-of-fracking- chemicals-is-long-overdue-legislation-needed/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2023/05/5D93D41D-80EE-4776-B194-6D696D13D56B-300x224.jpg)](… content/uploads/2023/05/5D93D41D-80EE-4776-B194-6D696D13D56B.jpeg) These challenges exist in PA, OH, WV, CO, CA, ND, NM & TX (click to enlarge this image) **EDITORIAL: Implement reforms for drilling & fracking in Pennsylvania** . . From the [Republican & Herald Newspaper, Pottsville, PA](https://www.republicanherald.com/opinion/editorial/implement-reforms-fo… drilling-fracking/article_52934037-28d5-5ddf-b503-324be4a4dd44.html), on April 29, 2023 . . **Lawmakers were so eager to accommodate the natural gas industry nearly two decades ago that they opened the rich Marcellus Shale gas field without an adequate regulatory regime. Now, the state continues to play catch-up. It still does not require drillers to disclose all of the chemicals that they use to drill and hydraulically fracture gas wells, for example.** **Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has raised the question of long-term fracking-waste disposal, three years after a statewide grand jury identified major regulatory failures and recommended significant reforms to better inform and protect the public.** **That grand jury was convened by Attorney General Josh Shapiro. It followed up its findings of criminal wrongdoing against two drillers with a report on which the Governor — the very same Josh Shapiro — and the Legislature now should act.** **According to the EPA, the industry nationally produces about 1 trillion gallons of contaminated wastewater each year, about 2.6 billion gallons of which comes from deep wells in Pennsylvania.** To the industry's credit, it reuses most of the wastewater. But according to the PA Department of Environmental Protection, the industry still permanently disposed about 234 million gallons of the wastewater in deep injection wells in 2022. The industry also holds about 90 million gallons above ground at any given time, pending its reuse. **Because Pennsylvania has just 12 deep disposal wells, drillers ship most of the contaminated water by truck to Ohio, which has more than 200 such wells.Those wells themselves are controversial, partly because earthquakes have been attributed to them, including in Ohio. A consultant for a PA-DEP advisory board recently told the agency that the state would need between 17 and 34 more injection wells to handle the current wastewater volume.** Democratic state Sen. Katie Muth of Montgomery County has introduced a bill to implement the grand jury's recommendations, including full disclosure of fracking chemicals individually and in combination and labeling fracking waste as what it is rather than "residual waste" for transport purposes. **Because of its massive environmental and potential health impacts, all aspects of drilling and fracking should be an open book. Gov. Shapiro should push for reforms and the Legislature should adopt them.** ===================================== **SEE ALSO:** [Hydraulic Fracturing & Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)](https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/fracking/index.cfm), November 15, 2022 ===================================== **SEE ALSO:** [List of additives used for fracking - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_used_for_frackin… In the United States, about 750 compounds have been listed as additives for hydraulic fracturing, also known as ingredients of pressurized fracking fluid, in an industry report to the US Congress in 2011 after originally being kept secret for "commercial reasons". The following is a partial list of the chemical constituents in additives that are used or have been used in fracturing operations, as based on the report of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, some are known to be carcinogenic. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/05/01/full-disclosure-of-fracking- chemicals-is-long-overdue-legislation-needed/>

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