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Permalink Reply by David Perotto on November 20, 2012 at 1:16pm

The NY Joint Landowner Coailition has sent a letter to Gov. Cuomo's & DEC Commissioner Martens. The letter is a good read and might be helpful to other groups as the NIMBYS continue their witchunt in the Marcellus/Utica Shale region. Have a look.
http://www.jlcny.org/site/index.php/news-articles/32-frontpage/1397...

Dave

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Permalink Reply by Schnoozie on November 21, 2012 at 4:30am

Don't forget Cuomo is a viable Presidential candidate for the Dems. They would rather have the New York State Votes than put a dime in the landowners pockets. It's about the votes not about what rightfully belongs to the landowner.

If a politician in New York embraces the industry he/she is toast in that state.

New York landowners will never see a dime from this for the above reason. Sorry fellas.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Hart on November 21, 2012 at 4:53am

Folks are always scared about things they don't know. I don't trust any Oil Company anymore than I trust govt., especially companies like Cheasapeak. However in having a BS degree in engr, I find it difficult to just write off fracing. On the flip side any technology has it's risks and the hazard mitigations employed via established good and generally recognized practices can be ignored for cost/time savings.

We need a balance of rules and voluntary safe practices. The key to preserving the water table is distancing the well bore some 2000 ft from water souces (springs, wells) and other well bores (old, not maintained, known spoilage). The other key is casing and concreting practices in the vertical bore where it passes thru the water table. When these are not respected, additional risk prevail and bad things happen (ie BP Gulf Spill). Unfortunately companies ignore practices the public and govt isn't able to track, be made aware, or punish such companies unitl the damage is already done. Companies either need to voluntarily step up and take action to enforce good practices and prevent abuse, or govt will. It would be best if companies do this, but most won't and the ones that do often fall short of a full committment. So we end up needing both govt and companies to play a role in this efffort.

Banning fracing is a knee jerk reaction, it's too restrictive. We need something more toward the middle. Appointing a bunch f public health champions to lead the investigation of health risks is an addmittance that water tables will always be spoiled, which is not the case. It seems to me that the team should also be comprised of leading experts in well designs and the best of the good practices being applied successfully. Establishing the best good practices will dramatically reduce risks, and understanding the health risk will establish detection and water use restrictions, and lastly what remedies are possible to reestablish water supplies when spoiled.

 

My suggestion is that the state simply establish minimum setback distances and set of rules to force companies to apply certain practices and record keeping and remedies if water supplies are spoiled and how the responsible are identified and held accountable. If the govt drives up the cost for spoiling water supplies, the companies will voluntarily start following stricter practices and tracking measures, the risk will go down, and the spoilage will be avoided.

Next time you hear of someone's water being spoiled, ask one question: how close was the vertical well bore? The state appointed team needs to ask these and other questions to help identify the root cause of water spoilage and establish rules around preventing the root causes, not just ban the fracing altogether.

 

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Permalink Reply by Schnoozie on November 21, 2012 at 6:03am

What do you mean by its "difficult to write off fracking" when almost every single well drilled since the 1930's was "fracked" in some sort of way. This is the thinking that Boggles my mind. What is it that you know, about it's long term safety, that they do not????

It's...not...new...technology. I am in a service business now related to drilling, this was a market that we were unable to get into in the past, now we have local customers in PA and Ohio who use our products, are friendly, easy to deal with and I will say this slowly. 

PAY THEIR INVOICES ON TIME !!!! New accounts, more sales, 7 new full time employees in two years is a big deal for us.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Hart on November 21, 2012 at 9:41am

I mean banning fracing isn't the answer, more effort is needed to identify a more reasonable solution. The industry needs to realize it either stops damaging water supplies and acts responsibly or be chained down with govt regulations. We're past the industrial revolution of the 1900's, creating jobs and income streams isn't the issue. The risk to human life must be mitigated. We can't ignore this is a real issue, the root cause needs identified and addressed so solutions can be identified so the resources can be developed safely and with acceptable risks.

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