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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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