Audio Recordings of EPA/Public Hearings about Fracking

If you were not able to attend the recent EPA meetings, or if you went but want to hear it again, you can still be "in the know" as to what was covered at the meetings. The EPA has released audio recordings of the September, 27, 28, & 29 meetings about "public hearings on the proposed standards to reduce air pollution from the oil and natural gas industry."

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Oil & Gas Development Briefings

OFBF will be holding meetings across Ohio over thenext few days, to provide information about emerging oil and gas issues in Ohio, how the issues will impact them and their communities and how they can potentially benefit from it.

Meeting Dates and Locations

DATE:
Sep. 26, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
Maplewood Career Center
7075 SR 88
Ravenna, OH

DATEL
Sep. 27, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
West Holmes High School Theater
10909 SR 39
Millersburg, OH

DATE:
Sep. 28, 2011 | 07:00 pm - 09:00 pm
LOCATION:
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, OH

For more information about these meetings, contact the Ohio Farm Bureau or visit their website.

Public Hearings About the USEPA's Proposed Regulations to Reduce Air Pollution From Fracking

This week, September 27, 28, & 29, 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is holding public hearings about their proposed air rules for reducing air pollution from fracking.

The hearings will be held in Pittsburgh, PA on the 27th, Denver, CO on the 28th, and in Arlington, Texas on the 29th.

Addresses for the hearings, and phone numbers are included in this document .

According to the EPA's document, this is a chance to be heard and have your input considered if you are able to attand one of these meetings.

This is a direct quote from the document,
"The three public hearings will convene at 9:00 a.m. and wille until 8:00 p.m. (local time). The EPA will make everyl speakers that arrive and register before8:00p.m."

continu

effort to accommodate al

New Links to Fracking Information Sites in Side-Bar

I just want to point out a couple of new links in the sidebar (I'll put them here in this post, too).

The first one goes to a site called Earth Justice. It has a video clip about a couple who noticed signs of fracking surveyors in a park, fought it, and won - along with a handy list of tips for citizens in similar situations.

The second link is to the Center for Health, Environment and Justice's No Fracking Page. 


I apologize for the brevity of this post, I just wanted to get this updated since I found these two informative sites this evening.

The Fracking Song: The Water's On Fire Tonight

A little musical break - "The Water's On Fire Tonight" was written using the details of Propublica's investigation on hydraulic fracturing gas drilling.

Things for Landowners to Consider When Signing Over Mineral Rights to Gas Companies

The gentleman in this video talks about things landowners need to consider, in detail, before signing land rights over to gas companies. He does not profess to offer legal or financial advice, and he does not declare a positive or negative stance in regards to fracking, he simply points out things most people would not think about and asks viewers to weigh the options before signing anything - like - if you sign over all mineral rights you cannot always later refinance or sell your property because a lien can be put against your property's mineral rights. That's not all, if you have about 20 minutes and 23 seconds to spare, this information is well worth learning, and could even be vital to your financial future.


Landowner Considerations in Unconventional Gas Drilling from Paul Feezel on Vimeo.

If you cannot open this embedded video, this is the link to the Vimeo page.

Could Ohio Colleges Be Slated as Fracking Sites?

With public lands in the park system on the table as potential hydraulic fracturing drilling sites, it starts to seem as if nothing is off the table.

Imagine sending your college-age children off to learn in an environment where potential carcinogenic and radioactive toxins float around in the air from a fracking rig (or several) operating on the campus - not to mention the noise and grime.

How many of us would really choose that environment for our children? Think they'll learn much?

Some western states (yeah, Texas is one of them) already have drilling sites set up on college campuses.

In response to extreme budget cuts, some Pennsylvania colleges are getting ready to roll out the rigs and jump on the frac truck, too. (The article the link goes to also mentions the use of prison lands being used as drilling sites.)

So my question, could Ohio college campuses be in the line of fire also?

Even though it hasn't made the local news yet, it seems logical that, just like western students and (soon-to-be Pennsylvania) students; students attending one of colleges located above the Marcellus or Utica shale reserves could end up seeing rigs go up on the campuses they attend.