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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