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Draft Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990 – 2013 US Environmental Protection Agency, February 11 , 2015 An emissions inventory that identifies and quantifies a country’s primary anthropogenicsources and sinks of greenhouse gases is essential for addressing climate change. CBD production is considered to be eco-friendly as hemp plants are not harmful to the environment. CBD oil has various health benefits, making it a high-demand product. Check out the CBD-Öl blog to find out the best platforms to purchase this miracle oil. This inventory adheres to both a comprehensive and detailed set of methodologies for estimating sources and sinks of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, and a common and consistent mechanism that enables Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to compare the relative contribution of different emission sources and greenhouse gases to climate change. Evaluating a groundwater supply contamination incident attributed to Marcellus Shale gas development Study Abstract. Study by Garth T. Llewellyn, Frank Dorman. L. Westland. Yoxtheimer, Paul Grieve, Todd Sowers, E. Humston-Fulmer, and Susan L. Brantley. Published by National Academy of Sciences, April 2, 2015. Human exposure to unconventional natural gas development: A Public health demonstration of periodic high exposure to chemical mixtures in ambient air Written by David R. Brown, Celia Lewis & Beth I. Weinberger. Southwest Pennsylvania Environmenta Healt Project, McMurray, Pennsulvania, USA. Publishied online 03 Mar 2015 Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from the Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle on Drinking Water Resources in the United States EPA-600-R-16-236Fa, December 2016, www.epa.gov/hfstudy. Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460, The following combinations of activities and factors are more likely than others to result in more frequent or more severe impacts: • Water withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing in times or areas of low water availability, particularly in areas with limited or declining groundwater resources; • Spills during the management of hydraulic fracturing fluids and chemicals or produced water that result in large volumes or high concentrations of chemicals reaching groundwater resources; • Injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids into wells with inadequate mechanical integrity, allowing gases or liquids to move to groundwater resources; • Injection of hydraulic fracturing fluids directly into groundwater resources; • Discharge of inadequately treated hydraulic fracturing wastewater to surface water resources; and • Disposal or storage of hydraulic fracturing wastewater in unl Know Your Oil Creating a Global Oil-Climate Index Written by Deborah Gordon, Adam Brandt, Joule Bergerson and Jonathan Koomey for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, March 2015 License to Dump: New York Permits Pennsylvania to Dump Fracking Waste Despite Ban, New York Permits Pennsylvania to Dump Radioative Fracking Waste Inside Our Borders Elizabeth Moran for Environmental Advocates of NY, February 2015 RUNAWAY RISKS – Oil Trains and the Government’s Failure to Protect People, Wildlife and the Environment Written by Jared Margolis, Center for Biological Diversity, February 2015 The Natural Gas Gamble A Risky Bet on America’s Clean Energy Future Written by Jeff Deyette, Steven Clemmer, Rachel Cleetus, Sandra Sattler, Alison Bailie, Megan Rising for the Union of Concerned Scientists, March 2015 WASTING AWAY: Four states’ failure to manage gas and oil field wastefromtheMarcellus and Utica Shale Earthworks, April, 2015 AUTHORS: Nadia Steinzor and Bruce Baizel, Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project. Report available at: http://wastingaway.earthworksaction.org Well water contamination in a rural community in southwestern Pennsylvania near unconventional shale gas extraction Written by syama K. Alawattaegama, Tetiana Kondratyuk, Renee Krynock, Matthew Bricker, Jennifer K. Rutter, Daniel J. Bainc & John F. Stolzab Center for Environmental Research and Education, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Department of Geology and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Published online: 03 Mar 2015. Administration Takes Steps Forward on Climate Announcing Actions to Cut Methane Emissions White House Press Release, January 14, 2015. COMPENDIUM OF SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, AND MEDIA FINDINGS DEMONSTRATING RISKS AND HARMS OF FRACKING (UNCONVENTIONAL GAS AND OIL EXTRACTION) 2nd edition December 11, 2014. Developmental and reproductive effects of chemicals associated with unconventional oil and natural gas operations Written by Ellen Webb, Sheila Bushkin-Bedient, Amanda Cheng, Christopher D. Kassotis,Victoria Balise and Susan C. Nagel DeGruyter, December, 2014 Fracking Failures – Oil and Gas Industry Environmental Violations in Pennsylvania and What They Mean for the U.S. Written by: Jeff Inglis, Frontier Group, John Rumpler, Environment America Research & Policy Center, January 27, 2015 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Energy Extracted from Federal Lands and Waters: An Update Prepared for The Wilderness Society, Washington DC, Stratus Consulting, December 23 2014 Integrity Management of Gas Transmission Pipelines in High Consequence Areas NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Public Meeting of January 27, 2015 This is a synopsis from the NTSB’s Safety Study and does not include the Board’s rationale for the conclusions and safety recommendations. NTSB staff is currently making final revisions to the report from which the attached conclusions and safety recommendations have been extracted. Offshore Energy by the Numbers An Economic Analysis of Offshore Drilling and Wind Energy in the Atlantic. ANDREW MENAQUALE January 2015 for Oceana Potential Consumer Price Impacts of Efforts to Rapidly Expand Exports of Liquefied Natural Gas by Alison Cassady for Center for American Progress, January 27, 2015 A Public Health Review of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing For Shale Gas Development New York State Department of Health, December 17, 2014. Draft Guidelines for Energy Infrastructure Development Guidance on when and how to consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate change for all Federal actions. December 2014 Fracking Fumes: Air Pollution from Hydraulic Fracturing Threatens Public Health and Communities Published by NRDC, December, 2014. Predictors of Indoor Radon Concentrations in Pennsylvania, 1989-2013 Joan A. Casey, Elizabeth L. Ogburn, Sara G. Rasmussen, Jennifer K. Irving, Jonathan Pollak, Paul A. Locke, and Brian S. Schwartz For Environmental Health Perspectives Advance Publication April 9 2015 Towards an understanding of the environmental and public health impacts of shale gas development: an analysis of the peer-reviewed scientific literature, 2009-2014 December 10, 2014. Global Shale Gas & Drinking Ground Water Reserves & Earthquake Regions Sources: WVGISTC, WVU, WRI, UNESCO, USGS, NASA; posted December, 2014. Local Fracking Decisions Highlight Failures in New York’s Municipal Ethics Laws Published by NYPIRG, December 2014. Letter from Economist Jannette Barth to Governor Andrew Cuomo The true economic impact of fracking. December 4, 2014 Fracking Frenzy: How the Fracking Industry is Threatening the Planet Friends of the Earth Europe, December, 2014. Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (External Review Draft) Abstract Cover of the external review draft of the hydraulic fracturing drinking water research report This assessment provides a review and synthesis of available scientific literature and data to assess the potential for hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas to impact the quality or quantity of drinking water resources, and identifies factors affecting the frequency or severity of any potential impacts. Medina Conty Auditor on Impact of Nexus Pipeline on Property Values May 13, 2015, Medina, Ohio Bringing a Health Impact Assessment to the Question of Hydraulic Fracking in New York State—a talking points document By Sandra Steingraber, undated. INNOVATION: MANAGING RISK, NOT AVOIDING IT. Evidence and Case Studies Annual Report of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser 2014. The report project team was David Bennett, Graeme Collinson, Mike Edbury, Elizabeth Surkovic and Jack Wardle. Published November, 2014. Star Power The Growing Role of Solar Energy in America Written by: Judee Burr and Lindsey Hallock, Frontier Group and Rob Sargent, Environment America Research & Policy Center, November, 2014 NYS Supreme Court Decision: Gaebel vs Braunstein May 21, 2015 decision…”we conclude that their Lake Huntington residences are, in fact, legitimate ones for voting purposes. Accordingly, Supreme Court erred in declaring the Lake Huntington voters’ absentee ballots invalid and directing that their names be stricken from the registry of voters.” Allowing 2nd Home Owners to vote at their 2nd home. Regional air quality impacts of hydraulic fracturing and shale natural gas activity: Evidence from ambient VOC observations Authors: Timothy Vinciguerra, Simon Yao, Joseph Dadzie, Alexa Chittams, Thomas Deskins, Sheryl Ehrman, Russell R. Dickerson. Atmospheric Environment, March, 26, 2015. Ecosystem services lost to oil and gas in North America Net primary production reduced in crop and rangelands By Brady W. Allred, W. Kolby Smith, Dirac Twidwell, Julia H. Haggerty, Steven W. Running, David E. Naugle, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf. Science Magazine, April 24, 2015, VOL 348 ISSUE 6233 Letter: Scrutiny of the full lifecycle process of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing (HVHF) must also be applied to Spectra Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) pipeline expansion project Letter dated Feb 5, 2015 to Cuomo, Zucker and Martens signed by 47 organizations and invididuals. Frackademia in Depth An analysis of the oil and gas industry’s case for fracking Public Accountability initiative, Feb., 2015 Iodide, Bromide, and Ammonium in Hydraulic Fracturing and Oil and Gas Wastewaters: Environmental Implications Authors: Jennifer S. Harkness, Gary S. Dwyer, Nathaniel R. Warner, Kimberly M. Parker §, William A. Mitch, and Avner Vengosh, american Chemical Society, Jan 14, 2015. The geographical distribution of fossil fuels unusedwhen limiting global warming to 26C Letter: Christophe McGlade & Paul Ekins, Nature, Jan 2015 Pipelines Safety And Security: Is It No More Than A Pipe Dream? Methane leaks and explodes, Canadian tar sands crude sinks, and computerized control systems are being hacked. Is publicly-acceptable safety and security a realistic prospect?Author: Trudy E. Bell in The Bent of Tau Beta Pi, Winter 2015. The Facts about Kinder Morgan by Eric de Place, Dec, 2014. Sightline Institute Aquifer Exemptions: A first-ever look at the regulatory program that writes off drinking water resources for oil, gas and uranium profits Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund Report; Jan, 2015. Author: John Noel Regulating Oil & Gas Activities to Protect Drinking Water: The Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control Program — Overview and Concerns Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund Report, Jan, 2015. Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States — Draft US Department of Energy, November 2014 Direct measurements of methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania Study Authors: Mary Kanga, Cynthia M. Kannoa, Matthew C. Reida, Xin Zhangb, Denise L. Mauzeralla, Michael A. Celiaa, Yuheng Chenc, and Tullis C. Onstottc. National Academy of the Sciences, USA, Cross Mark, Nov., 2014. Methane Emissions from Process Equipment at Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States: Liquid Unloadings Study Authors: David T. Allen, David W. Sullivan, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Adam P. Pacsi, Matthew Harrison, Kindal Keen, Matthew P. Fraser, A. Daniel Hill, Brian K. Lamb, Robert F. Sawyer, and John H. Seinfeld. Environmental Science & Technology, Author Choice. Methane Emissions from Process Equipment at Natural Gas Production Sites in the United States: Pneumatic Controllers Study Authors: David T. Allen, Adam P. Pacsi, David W. Sullivan, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Matthew Harrison, Kindal Keen, Matthew P. Fraser, A. Daniel Hill, Robert F. Sawyer, and John H. Seinfeld. Environmental Science & Technology, Author Choice. Deep Drilling, Deep Pockets The Political Expenditures of the Natural Gas Industry In Pennsylvania – 2014 Update The Marcellus Money project has been tracking the natural gas (or “fracking”) industry’s campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures in Pennsylvania since 2009, when the Marcellus Shale natural gas boom was moving into high gear. This 2014 update to the project re-focuses the period of analysis to 2007 Cycle 1 – 2014 Cycle 5 (previous releases included data from 2001 forward). The data and more information can be viewed online at www.marcellusmoney.org BURNING MONEY Updating Rules for Oil and Gas Loss on Federal Lands Taxpayers for Common Sense, Making Government Work, November, 2014. IN THE PITS : Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal into Open Unlined Pits and the Threat to California’s Water and Air Clean Water Action, Clean Water Fund Report, November, 2014 NATURAL GAS EXPORTS: WASHINGTON’S REVOLVING DOOR FUELS CLIMATE THREAT Lee Fang from Republic Reports and Steve Horn from De Smog Blog, November, 2014 The fossil fuel bailout: G20 subsidies for oil, gas and coal exploration Written by Elizabeth Bast, Shakuntala Makhijani, Sam Pickard and Shelagh Whitley, Oil Change International and Overseas Development Institute November, 2014 A Human Rights Assessment of Hydraulic Fracturing and Other Unconventional Gas Development in the United Kingdom Environmental, Human Health and Climate Impacts Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Operations. Commissioned by The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. Written by Anna Grear, Evadne Grant, Dr. Tom Kerns, Professor Karen Morrow, Dr. Damien Short. Published October 30, 2014 Air concentrations of volatile compounds near oil and gas production: a community-based exploratory study Authors: Gregg P Macey, Ruth Breech, Mark Chernaik, Caroline Cox, Denny Larson, Deb Thomas and David O Carpenter for Environmental Health. Published October 30, 2014 DRILLING DEEPER A REALITY CHECK ON U.S. GOVERNMENT FORECASTS FOR A LASTING TIGHT OIL & SHALE GAS BOOM by J. David Hughes, Post Carbon Institute, October, 2014 Drilling in California: Who’s at Risk? Tanja Srebotnjak and Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, Natural Resources Defense Council, Posted October, 2014. FOOD, FOSSIL FUELS AND FILTHY FINANCE Oxfam Briefing Paper 191, October 17, 2014 FRACKING’S TOXIC LOOPHOLE Thanks to the “Halliburton Loophole,” Hydraulic Fracturing Companies Are Injecting Chemicals More Toxic than Diesel Environmental Integrity Project, October 22, 2014. This report was researched and written by Eric Schaeffer and Courtney Bernhardt. The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in March of 2002 by former EPA enforcement attorneys to advocate for effective enforcement of environmental laws. Impact of Industrial Wind Turbines Impact of Industrial Wind Turbines on Residential Property Assessment In Ontario 2012 Assessment Base Year Study. Municipal Property Assessment Corp. MATERIAL RISKS: HOW PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY IS SLOWING TAR SANDS DEVELOPMENT This paper was conceived, written and researched collectively by Tom Sanzillo, Lorne Stockman, Deborah Rogers, Hannah McKinnon, Elizabeth Bast, and Steve Kretzmann with assistance and/or additional contributions from Adam Wolfensohn, and Amin Asadollahi for the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, October, 2014. Community: Earthworks Infrastructure Hub This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today: As the infrastructure build-out reaches more places, communities are standing up and taking action to protect their air, water, land, and quality of life. Even though each project has specific geographic, environmental, economic, and social aspects, there are also many common issues and concerns. Gas Processing: Earthworks Infrastructure Hub This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today:When first extracted, natural gas is a blend of methane; water; natural gas liquids (NGLs) such as ethane, butane, and propane; and condensate, a light hydrocarbon. Gas processing is the bridge between the extraction of gas and its delivery as a finished product—typically composed mostly of methane—for use in homes, businesses, and utilities. Gas Storage: Earthworks Infrastructure Hub This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today: Natural gas consumption changes based upon economic conditions, weather, and price. To ensure adequate supply, utilities keep reserves in Underground Natural Gas Storage (UNGS) facilities. Pipeline Stations: Earthworks Infrastructure Hub This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today:Changes in pressure and elevation can slow the speed at which oil and gas move through pipelines. Pipeline stations are designed to keep oil or gas moving, and to track how quickly it moves. Pipelines: Earthworks Infrastructure Hub This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today: Pipelines carry oil, gas, wastes and related products to and from drilling, processing, and distribution areas under high pressure. – See more at: Waste Management: Earthworks Infrastructure This information hub describes key types of oil and gas infrastructure being developed today:When wells are drilled and fracked, it’s not only oil and gas that are brought to the surface from deep underground—but also large volumes of waste. Estimates show that up to 1,200 gallons of wastewater can be created per day of production at shale gas wells, as well as at least 600 tons of solid waste per hole drilled. Unconventional Oil and Gas Spills: Risks, Mitigation Priorities, and State Reporting Requirements Authors:Lauren A. Patterso , Katherine E. Konschnik, Hannah Wiseman, Joseph Fargione, Kelly O. Maloney, Joseph Kiesecker, Jean-Philippe Nicot, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Sally Entrekin, Anne Trainor, and James E. Saiers. Rapid growth in unconventional oil and gas (UOG) has produced jobs, revenue, and energy, but also concerns over spills and environmental risks. We assessed spill data from 2005 to 2014 at 31?481 UOG wells in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. We found 2–16% of wells reported a spill each year. Median spill volumes ranged from 0.5 m3 in Pennsylvania to 4.9 m3 in New Mexico; the largest spills exceeded 100 m3. Seventy-five to 94% of spills occurred within the first three years of well life when wells were drilled, completed, and had their largest production volumes. Across all four states, 50% of spills were related to storage and moving fluids via flowlines. Reporting rates varied by state, affecting spill rates and requiring extensive time and effort getting data into a usable format. Enhanced and standardized regulatory requirements for reporting spills could improve the accuracy and speed of analyses to identify and prevent spill risks and mitigate potential environmental damage. Transparency for data sharing and analysis will be increasingly important as UOG development expands. We designed an interactive spills data visualization tool (http://snappartnership.net/groups/hydraulic-fracturing/webapp/spills.html) to illustrate the value of having standardized, public data. Analysis of local-scale background concentrations of methane and other gas-phase species in the Marcellus Shale Elementa, Science of the Anthropocene. Study authors:J . Douglas Goetz, Anita Avery, Ben Werden, Cody Floerchinger, Edward C. Fortner, Joda Wormhoudt, Paola Massoli, Scott C. Herndon, Charles E. Kolb, W. Berk Knighton, Jeff Peischl, Carsten Warneke, Joost A. de Gouw, Stephanie L. Shaw, Peter F. DeCarlo. Abstract:Local background CH4 mole fractions were 140 ppbv greater in Southwestern PA compared to Northeastern PA in 2012 and background CH4 increased 100 ppbv from 2012 to 2015. CH4 local background mole fractions were not found to have a detectable relationship between well density or production rates in either region. In Northeastern PA, CO was observed to decrease 75 ppbv over the three year period. Analysis of local-scale background concentrations of methane and other gas-phase species in the Marcellus Shale Elementa Study Authors:J. Douglas Goetz, Anita Avery, Ben Werden, Cody Floerchinger, Edward C. Fortner, Joda Wormhoudt, Paola Massoli, Scott C. Herndon, Charles E. Kolb, W. Berk Knighton, Je Peischl,?, Carsten Warneke,?, Joost A. de Gouw§,?, Stephanie L. Shaw and Peter F. DeCarlo. Methane was observed to be at higher concentra- tions in SW PA than NE PA in 2012, demonstrating that there is spatial variability in methane concentra- tions across the region. COMPENDIUM OF SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, AND MEDIA FINDINGS DEMONSTRATING RISKS AND HARMS OF FRACKING (UNCONVENTIONAL GAS AND OIL EXTRACTION) Concerned Health Professionals of NY, 4th Edition, Nov 17, 2016The Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking (the Compendium) is a fully referenced compilation of the evidence outlining the risks and harms of fracking. Bringing together findings from the scientific and medical literature, government and industry reports, and journalistic investigation, it is a public, open-access document that is housed on the websites of Concerned Health Professionals of New York (www.concernedhealthny.org) and Physicians for Social Responsibility (www.psr.org). Fault activation by hydraulic fracturing in western Canada Science Magazine. Authors: X. Bao, D.W. Eaton. 10.1126/science.aag2583 (2016) Hydraulic fracturing has been inferred to trigger the majority of injection-induced earthquakes in western Canada, in contrast to the midwestern United States where massive saltwater disposal is the dominant triggering mechanism. A template-based earthquake catalog from a seismically active Canadian shale play, combined with comprehensive injection data during a 4-month interval, shows that earthquakes are tightly clustered in space and time near hydraulic fracturing sites. The largest event [moment magnitude (MW) 3.9] occurred several weeks after injection along a fault that appears to extend from the injection zone into crystalline basement. Patterns of seismicity indicate that stress changes during operations can activate fault slip to an offset distance of >1 km, whereas pressurization by hydraulic fracturing into a fault yields episodic seismicity that can persist for months. Assessing the Jobs-Environment Relationship with Matched Data from US EEOC and US EPA Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Authors: Michael Ash & James K. Boyce. March, 2016. Abstract Using matched facility-level data from the US EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEO-1 database, we assess (1) the trade-off between jobs and environmental quality and (2) the extent to which the distribution of the benefits of employment in industrial production mirrors the distribution of the costs of exposure to hazardous byproducts of industrial activity in the dimension of race and ethnicity. We find no evidence that facilities that create higher pollution risk for surrounding communities provide more jobs in aggregate. The share of pollution risk accruing to ethnic or racial minority groups typically exceeds the share of employment and substantially exceeds the share of good jobs held by members of those groups. Adverse Reproductive and Developmental Health Outcomes Following Prenatal Exposure to a Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Mixture in Female C57Bl/6 Mice – See more at: http://press.endocrine.org/doi/10.1210/en.2016-1242#sthash.Sew2SUUd.dpuf Abstract. Authors:Christopher D. Kassotis, John J. Bromfield, Kara C. Klemp, Chun-Xia Meng, Andrew Wolfe, R. Thomas Zoeller, Victoria D. Balise, Chiamaka J. Isiguzo, Donald E. Tillitt, and Susan C. Nagel. Published: Aug 25, 2016. This work suggests potential adverse developmental and reproductive health outcomes in humans and animals exposed to these oil and gas operation chemicals, with adverse outcomes observed even in the lowest dose group tested, equivalent to concentrations reported in drinking water sources. These endpoints suggest potential impacts on fertility, as previously observed in the male siblings, which require careful assessment in future studies. – Adverse Reproductive and Developmental Health Outcomes Following Prenatal Exposure to a Hydraulic Fracturing Chemical Mixture in Female C57Bl/6 Mice – See more at: http://press.endocrine.org/doi/10.1210/en.2016-1242#sthash.Sew2SUUd.dpuf Authors:Christopher D. Kassotis, John J. Bromfield, Kara C. Klemp, Chun-Xia Meng, Andrew Wolfe, R. Thomas Zoeller, Victoria D. Balise, Chiamaka J. Isiguzo, Donald E. Tillitt, and Susan C. Nagel. Published by Endocrine Society, first published July 5, 2016. Associations between Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Nasal and Sinus, Migraine Headache, and Fatigue Symptoms in Pennsylvania Environmental Health Perspectives. Authors:Aaron W. Tustin, Annemarie G. Hirsch, Sara G. Rasmussen, Joan A. Casey, Karen Bandeen-Roche, and Brian S. Schwartz. Published August 25, 2016. This is an advanced copy of the study that hasn’t be copyedited. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that UNGD is associated with nasal and sinus, migraine headache, and fatigue symptoms in a general population representative sample. A BRIDGE TOO FAR: JULY 2016 HOW APPALACHIAN BASIN GAS PIPELINE EXPANSION WILL UNDERMINE U.S. CLIMATE GOALS This report details the increasing threat to the climate from American natural gas production. We document the emergence of the Appalachian Basin as the key source of projected natural gas production growth in the coming decades. We also identify the proposed pipelines that would enable that growth, and how this gas production would undermine national and global climate goals. Health Consultation Brooklyn Township PM2.5 Brooklyn Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania April 22, 2016 Report,U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.Exposure to maximum levels of PM2.5 may be harmful to unusually sensitive populations, such as those with respiratory or heart disease, but are not at levels that are a concern to the general population. Health Consultation Exposure Investigation: Natural Gas Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Initiative BRIGICH COMPRESSOR STATION CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA January 29, 2016, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project Technical Reports Response to Governmental Action and Publication, April 3, 2016. ATSDR Releases Investigation of Pennsylvania Compressor Station In conducting an investigation of the Brigich compressor station in Chartiers Township, PA, the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) advanced the understanding of the community exposures and potential risks introduced by unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) infrastructure to those living, working, or going to school nearby. Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project Technical Reports April 3, 2016 ATSDR Releases Investigation of Pennsylvania Compressor Station In conducting an investigation of the Brigich compressor station in Chartiers Township, PA, the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) advanced the understanding of the community exposures and potential risks introduced by unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) infrastructure to those living, working, or going to school nearby. Potential hazards of air pollutant emissions from unconventional oil and natural gas operations on the respiratory health of children and infants Authors: Ellen Webb, Jake Hays, Larysa Dyrszka, Brian Rodriguez, Caroline Cox, Katie Huffling and Sheila Bushkin-Bedient, Rev Environ Health, 2016, accepted February 8, 2016. Abstract: Research on air pollutant emissions associated with unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development has grown significantly in recent years…Many data gaps remain, but existing data support precautionary measures to protect the health of infants and children. Brine Spills Associated with Unconventional Oil Development in North Dakota Authors: Nancy E. Lauer, Jennifer S. Harkness, and Avner Vengosh. Duke University ABSTRACT: The rapid rise of unconventional oil production during the past decade in the Bakken region of North Dakota raises concerns related to water contamination associated with the accidental release of oil and gas wastewater to the environment. . We observed thatinorganic contamination associated with brine spills in North Dakota is remarkably persistent, with elevated levels of contaminants observed in spills sites up to 4 years following the spill events. Fugitive emissions from the Bakken shale illustrate role of shale production in global ethane shift Authors: E. A. Kort, M. L. Smith, L. T. Murray, A. Gvakharia, A. R. Brandt, J. Peischl, T. B. Ryerson, C. Sweeney, K. Travis. Article accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1002/2016GL068703. American Geophysical Union, 2016.Key Points: ? The Bakken shale in North Dakota accounted for 1-3% total global ethane emissions in 2014 ? These findings highlight the importance of shale production in global atmospheric ethane shift ? These emissions impact air quality and influence interpretations of recent global methane changes The Science on Shale Gas Development PSE Healthy Energy paper published in peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE analyzes the body of scientific literature published from 2009-2015. It reports that the weight of the evidence indicates that hazards and elevated risks to human health, as well as possible adverse health outcomes are asssociated with unconventional natural gas development… Toward an Understanding of the Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Unconventional Natural Gas Development: A Categorical Assessment of the Peer-Reviewed Scientific Literature, 2009-2015 Authors: Jake Hays and Seth B.C. Shonkoff. Journal: PLOS/one. Abstract:The body of science evaluating the potential impacts of unconventional natural gas development (UNGD) has grown significantly in recent years, although many data gaps remain. Still, a broad empirical understanding of the impacts is beginning to emerge amidst a swell of research. The present categorical assessment provides an overview of the peer-reviewed scientific literature from 2009–2015 as it relates to the potential impacts of UNGD on public health, water quality, and air quality. We have categorized all available original research during this time period in an attempt to understand the weight and direction of the scientific literature. Fracking by the Numbers The Damage to Our Water, Land and Climate from a Decade of Dirty Drilling Written by: Elizabeth Ridlington and Kim Norman, Frontier Group Rachel Richardson, Environment America Research & Policy Center April 2016 Toxic Secrets Companies Exploit Weak US Chemical Rules To Hide Fracking Risks Dusty Horwitt, Partnership for Policy Integrity, April 7, 2016. Toxic Secrets is based on a first-ever review of EPA’s health assessments and regulatory determinations for 105 fracking and drilling chemicals reviewed under TSCA’s New Chemicals program between 2009 and 2014. Aerial surveys of elevated hydrocarbon emissions from oil and gas production sites Abstract. Authors: David R. Lyon, Ramon A. Alvarez, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Adam R. Brandt, Robert B. Jackson, and Steven P. Hamburg. Envioronmental Science & Technology, april 5, 2016. 2016 One-Year Seismic Hazard Forecast for the Central and Eastern United States from Induced and Natural Earthquakes USGS study byBy Mark D. Petersen, Charles S. Mueller, Morgan P. Moschetti, Susan M. Hoover, Andrea L. Llenos, William L. Ellsworth, Andrew J. Michael, Justin L. Rubinstein, Arthur F. McGarr, and Kenneth S. Rukstales. Open File report 2016-1035. Investigating the traffic-related environmental impacts of hydraulic-fracturing (fracking) operations Authors: Paul S. Goodman, Fabio Galatioto, Neil Thorpe, Anil K. Namdeo, Richard J. Davies, and Roger N. Bird in ScienceDirect, Enviironment International, Feb. 24, 2016. Highlights • Traffic-related environmental impacts of fracking studied using a novel Traffic Impact Model. • Model estimates greenhouse gas, local air quality, noise and axle loading impacts on roads. • Single well pad creates substantial increases in local air quality pollutants during peak activity. • Short-duration/large-magnitude events may adversely affect local ambient air quality and noise. • Daily NOx emissions may increase by over 30% and hourly noise levels can double (+ 3.4 dBA) Investigating the traffic-related environmental impacts of hydraulic-fracturing (fracking) operations–full length article Authors:Paul S. Goodman, Fabio Galatioto, Neil Thorpe ?, Anil K. Namdeo, Richard J. Davies, Roger N. Bird from School of Civil Engineering and Geoscience, Newcastle University. February, 2016. Natural gas infrastructure lobby ramps up spending in New York State Authors: Gin Armstrong, Aaron Cantu, Kevin Connor, & robert Galbraith. Public Accountability Initiative, March, 2016 Key findings The companies behind major natural gas infrastructure projects spent $1.3 million on lobbying in New York State government in 2015, a nearly 119% increase from the $578,454 spent in 2011. Lobbying expenditures have increased nearly 18% from 2014 to 2015. Natural gas lobbying firms and their leadership have contributed at least $513,869 to Cuomo since 2006. Three top lobbyists at the firms hired by the natural gas industry have ties to Andrew Cuomo through his late father, Mario Cuomo. Another served as the Executive Director of Republicans for Cuomo, and two partners from the same lobbying firm previously served as assistant counsel to Cuomo. Pipeline Safety Oversight Public Service Commission Audit by Thomas P. DiNapoli, NYS Office of the State Comptroller, Division of State Government Accountability. Report 2015-S-31, March, 2016. Key Findings • DPS staff do not verify the accuracy of the information on employee/contractor qualifications maintained by individual Operators which DPS staff rely on during field audits. • DPS has not set up a process to identify instances where Operators failed to notify them as required. We determined that Operators did not notify DPS of six gas-related incidents in 2015 that should otherwise have been reported. These incidents involved evacuations, road closures, a business closure, and other situations that left businesses and residents without gas. • DPS does not perform analyses of all available data to better identify potential high-risk areas. Community Air Monitoring of Oil and Gas Pollution: a survey of issues and technologies March, 2016 from Earthworks Oil & Gas Accountability Project.This survey paper discusses many of the different air monitoring methods currently being used in community-based projects that are designed to increase understanding of oil and gas pollution. AFFIDAVIT OF J. DAVID HUGHES FOR NC WARN and The Climate Times Docket E-2 Sub 1089 February 9, 2016 Affidavit for J. David Hughes, scientist for the Geological Survey of Canada, as a witness for interveners NC WARN and The Climate Times in a docket at the North Carolina Utilities Commission (E-2 Sub 1089) re: new natural gas plants in Asheville NC. His assertion that US shale gas will peak in 2016-2017 time frame is shocking Economic Costs of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Effects on Property Value, Ecosystem Services, and Economic Development in Western and Central Virginia Prepared by: Spencer Phillips, PhD Cara Bottorff Sonia Wang for Key-Log Economics, LLC. for: Highlanders for Responsible Development, Augusta County Alliance, Friends of Nelson County, Friends of Buckingham, and Virginia Yogaville Environmental Solutions; Feb., 2016 Wastewater disposal and earthquake swarm activity at the southern end of the Central Valley, California Study authors: T. H. W. Goebel, S. M. Hosseini, F. Cappa, E. Hauksson, J. P. Ampuero, F. Aminzadeh, J. B. Saleeby. Geophysical Research Letters, An AGU Journal. Feb 4, 2016.Our results suggest that induced seismicity may remain undetected in California without detailed analysis of local geologic setting, seismicity, and fluid diffusion. Wastewater Disposal Wells, Fracking, and Environmental Injustice in Southern Texas. Am J Public Health. 2016 Jan 21:e1-e7. Author: Johnston JE, Werder E, Sebastian D. proportion of people of color living less than 5 kilometers from a disposal well was 1.3 times higher than was the proportion of non-Hispanic Whites. Adjusting for rurality, disposal wells were 2.04 times (95% confidence interval?=?2.02, 2.06) as common in areas with 80% people of color or more than in majority White areas. Disposal wells are also disproportionately sited in high-poverty areas. : The impact of methane leakage on achieving Clean Power Plan emission goals Physicians Scientists & Engineers Healthy Energy. Authors:Zeke Hausfather | UC Berkeley/Berkeley Earth Elena Krieger, PhD | PSE Healthy Energy January 27, 2016 The EPA’s Clean Power Plan aims to cut 32% of power sector greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, for the first time regulating climate pollutants from the sector responsible for the largest portion of these emissions. However, if upstream methane emissions are not taken into consideration, these efforts may fall far short of achieving real reductions of this magnitude across the lifecycle of electricity generation. The The Housing Market Impacts of Shale Gas Development† By Lucija Muehlenbachs, Elisheba Spiller, and Christopher Timmins, American Economic Review 2015. Using data from Pennsylvania and an array of empirical techniques to control for confounding factors, we recover hedonic estimates of property value impacts from nearby shale gas development that vary with water source, well productivity, and visibility. Results indicate large negative impacts on nearby groundwater-dependent homes, while piped-water-dependent homes exhibit smaller positive impacts, suggesting benefits from lease payments. Results have implications for the debate over regulation of shale gas development. UP IN FLAMES: Taxpayers Left Out in the Cold as Publicly Owned Natural Gas is Carelessly Wasted Western Values Project: A Voice for Western Values, May, 2014. Due to a combination of wasteful industry practices and lax federal policies, last year between 111.8 and 133.1 million mcf1 of natural gas produced energy market. Long-term PM2.5 Exposure and Neurological Hospital Admissions in the Northeastern United States Study Authors: Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Joel D. Schwartz, Marc G. Weisskopf, Steven J. Melly, Yun Wang, Francesca Dominici, and Antonella Zanobetti. Environmental Health Perspectives, January, 2016. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and time to first hospitalization for common neurodegenerative diseases. We found strong evidence of association for all three outcomes. Our findings provide the basis for further studies, as the implications of such exposures could be crucial to public health. Low-Concentration PM2.5 and Mortality: Estimating Acute and Chronic Effects in a Population-Based Study Study authors: Liuhua Shi, Antonella Zanobetti, Itai Kloog, Brent A. Coull, Petros Koutrakis, Steven J. Melly, and Joel D. Schwartz Environmental Health Perspectives, January 2016. Conclusions: Using a mutually adjusted model, we estimated significant acute and chronic effects of PM2.5 exposure below the current U.S. EPA standards. These findings suggest that improving air quality with even lower PM2.5 than currently allowed by U.S. EPA standards may benefit public health. Review of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactivity Materials (TENORM) Study Report December 2015 report By Marvin Resnikoff, Ph.D. for Delaware Riverkeeper Network Bristol, Pennsylvania The Housing Market Impacts of Shale Gas Development† Report By Lucija Muehlenbachs, Elisheba Spiller, and Christopher Timmins in american Economic Review 2015, 105(12):3633-3659 COMPENDIUM OF SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, AND MEDIA FINDINGS DEMONSTRATING RISKS AND HARMS OF FRACKING (UNCONVENTIONAL GAS AND OIL EXTRACTION) Concerned Health Professions of NY, PHysicians for Social Responsibility, 3rd edition, Oct, 2015 Evidence from two shale regions that a riparian songbird accumulates metals associated with hydraulic fracturing Read More: http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/ES14-00406.1 authors: Steven C. Latta, Leesia C. Marshall, Mack W. Frantz, and Judith D. Toms for Ecological Society of America, Sept, 2015. Study: Fracking Industry Wells Associated with Premature Birth –New research suggests increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes closer to active unconventional natural gas wells Newswise — Expectant mothers who live near active natural gas wells operated by the fracking industry in Pennsylvania are at an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and for having high-risk pregnancies, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests. Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Birth Outcomes in Pennsylvania, USA. (Abstract) Authors: Casey JA, Savitz DA, Rasmussen SG, Ogburn EL, Pollak J, Mercer DG, Schwartz BS. Prenatal residential exposure to unconventional natural gas development activity was associated with two pregnancy outcomes, adding to evidence that unconventional natural gas development may impact health. A Flaring Shame: North Dakota & the Hidden Fracking Subsidy Report authored by Lukas Ross, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Friends of the Earth and peer reviewed by Thomas O. Singer, PhD, Senior Policy Advisor at the Western Environmental Law Center. Sept, 2015 The Economic Impact of Shale Gas Development: A Natural Experiment along the New York / Pennsylvania Border Authors: Brendan M. Cosgrove, Daniel R. LaFave, Sahan T. M. Dissanayake, and Michael R. Donihue for Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 44/2 (August 2015). Study Uses Internet and Social Media to Show How Fracking Documentary Influenced Public Perception and Political Change American Sociological Association Study published Sept 2, 2015 online and in October print issue of American Sociological Review. ” …a University of Iowa (UI) sociologist and his co-researchers are the first to use the Internet and social media to systematically show how a documentary film reshaped public perception and ultimately led to municipal bans on hydraulic fracking.” EPA’s Air Rules for the Oil & Natural Gas Industry SUMMARY OF KEY CHANGES TO THE NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS On April 17, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued cost-effective regulations, required by the Clean Air Act, to reduce harmful air pollution from the oil and natural gas industry while allowing continued, responsible growth in U.S. oil and natural gas production. Oil and Natural Gas Sector: New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Reviews Federal Register/ Vol. 77, No. 159, August 16, 2012 NVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Parts 60 and 63 [EPA–HQ–OAR–2010–0505; FRL–9665–1] RIN 2060–AP76 Proposed measures to cut methane and VOC emissions from the oil and natural gas industry and clarify permitting requirements August 18, 2015 – EPA has proposed a suite of commonsense requirements that together will help combat climate change, reduce air pollution that harms public health, and provide greater certainty about Clean Air Act permitting requirements for the oil and natural gas industry. How Fracking And Earthquakes Could Open Fissures In Credit Quality S & P Capital, August 2015 Overview Increased fracking and rising natural gas and oil supply in the U.S. will continue altering the U.S. economy, with broad economic implications. The practice of fracking is clearly controversial. Environmentalists and local residents have raised a number of concerns, and many within and outside of the energy industry continue to study these issues. We believe increased earthquakes near fracking sites represent a risk that could harm investors across various sectors. While the scientific and legal debates concerning fracking as the cause of increased earthquakes continue, the increased frequency and intensity of earthquakes in certain areas is clear. The risks these earthquakes pose could lead to various credit and economic changes. CALIFORNIA’S FRACKING FLUIDS: THE CHEMICAL RECIPE Environmental Working Group Authors: Tasha Stoiber, EWG Senior Scientist; Bill Walker, EWG Consultant; Bill Allayaud, EWG California Director of Government Affairs. Published August, 2015. The Potential Environmental Impact from Fracking in the Delaware River Basin Authors: Steven Habicht, Lars Hanson and Paul Faeth. August, 2015. Study published by CNA Analysis & Solutions Measurements of methane emissions at natural gas production sites in the United States Page 3 begins the study article: Authors: David T. Allena, Vincent M. Torresa, James Thomasa, David W. Sullivana, Matthew Harrisonb, Al Hendlerb, Scott C. Herndonc, Charles E. Kolbc, Matthew P. Fraserd, A. Daniel Hille, Brian K. Lambf, Jennifer Miskiminsg, Robert F. Sawyerh, and John H. Seinfeldi Edited by Susan L. Brantley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, and approved August 19, 2013 (received for review March 20, 2013) Drivers of the US CO2 emissions 1997–2013 Kuishuang Feng, Steven J. Davis, Laixiang Sun, & Klaus Hubacek. Published July 21, 2015, Nature Communications Fossil fuel CO2 emissions in the United States decreased by B11% between 2007 and 2013, from 6,023 to 5,377 Mt. This decline has been widely attributed to a shift from the use of coal to natural gas in US electricity production. However, the factors driving the decline have not been quantitatively evaluated; the role of natural gas in the decline therefore remains speculative. Drivers of the US CO2 emissions 1997–2013: Abstract Authors: Kuishuang Feng, Steven J. Davis, Laixiang Sun & Klaus Hubacek. Published July 21, 2015. Nature Communications Unconventional Gas and Oil Drilling Is Associated with Increased Hospital Utilization Rates Authors: Thomas Jemielita , George L. Gerton , Matthew Neidell, Steven Chillrud, Beizhan Yan, Martin Stute, Marilyn Howarth, Pouné Saberi, Nicholas Fausti, Trevor M. Penning, Jason Roy, Kathleen J. Propert, Reynold A. Panettieri Jr. Published July 15, 2015 Funded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Using Multi-Scale Measurements to Improve Methane Emission Estimates from Oil and Gas Operations in the Barnett Shale Region, Texas Environmental Defense Fund Study, July, 2015. Authors: Robert Harriss, Ramon A. Alvarez, David Lyon, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Drew Nelson, and Steven P. Hamburg. Published in Environmental Science & Technology. SHINING REWARDS The Value of Rooftop Solar Power for Consumers and Society Lindsey Hallock, Frontier Group & Rob Sargent, Environment America Research & Policy Center, Summer 2015. Onshore Petroleum and Natural Gas Operations on Federal and Tribal Lands in the United States Analysis of Emissions and Abatement Opportunities ICF International Report, June 22, 2015. Project Scope and Objective 1. Characterize natural gas and methane emissions from federal and tribal lands • By state • By segment (Production, Gathering, Processing, Transmission, and Storage) • By emission source (e.g., pneumatics, compressors, flaring) 2. Determine the value of gas lost due to venting, flaring, and fugitives from federal and tribal lands 3. Determine the potential for mitigation on federal and tribal lands • Estimate any differences in cost efficiency of reduction options between National and federal/ tribal lands NEW ENERGY OUTLOOK 2015 POWERING A CHANGING WORLD New Energy Outlook (NEO) is Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s annual long-term view of how the world’s power markets will evolve in the future. Lead Author: Seb Henbest, Elena Giannakopoulou, June, 2015 FRACKING POLLUTION: HOW TOXIC CHEMICALS FROM FRACKING COULD AFFECT WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE IN THE UK AND EU CHEM Trust Protecting humans and wildlife from harmful chemicals. Report authors: Dr. Michael Warhust, Gwen Buck and Phillip Lightowlers. A Comprehensive Analysis of Groundwater Quality in The Barnett Shale Region Report by Environmental Science & Technology, June 7, 2015. Authors: Zacariah Louis Hildenbrand, Doug D Carlton, Brian Fontenot, Jesse M. Meik, Jayme Walton, Josh Taylor, Jonathan Thacker, Stephanie Korlie, C. Phillip Shelor, Drew Henderson, Akinde Florence Kadjo, Corey Roelke, Paul F. Hudak, Taylour Burton, Hanadi S. Rifai, and Kevin A. Schug An Evaluation of Water Quality in Private Drinking Water Wells Near Natural Gas Extraction Sites in the Barnett Shale Formation Abstract. Study authors: Brian E. Fontenot, Laura R. Hunt, Zacariah L. Hildenbrand, Doug D. Carlton Jr., Hyppolite Oka, Jayme L. Walton, Dan Hopkins, Alexandra Osorio, Bryan Bjorndal, Qinhong H. Hu, and Kevin A. Schug. July 25, 20134 NEW TRACERS CAN IDENTIFY FRACKING FLUIDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Authors: Avner Vengosh and Robert Jackson, Duke University. Scientists have developed new geochemical tracers that can identify hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids that have been spilled or released into the environment. Published October 20, 2014 Warning Sign: Toxic air Pollution Identified at Oil and Gas Development Sites Results from Community Air Monitoring Reveal Chemicals Linked to Health Hazards. Published by Coming Clean and Global Community Monitor. Published October, 2014 Safety Advisory Bulletin – Guidance for Pipeline Flow Reversals, Product Changes and Conversion to Service Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration September, 2014 A Public Health Review of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing for Shale Gas Development NYS Department of Health report, Dec 2014 Drilling Down: Local Fracking Decisions Highlight Failures in New York’s Municipal Ethics Laws New York Public Interest Research Group December 2014; authors Russ Haven & Cathleen Breen. Fracking Fumes: Air Pollution from Hydraulic Fracturing Threatens Public Health and Communities NRDC Issue Brief; Tanja Srebotnjak and Miriam Rotkin-Ellman. Public Perceptions of the Health Consequences of Global Warming George Mason University, Center for Climate Change Communication, Oct., 2014 COMPENDIUM OF SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL, AND MEDIA FINDINGS DEMONSTRATING RISKS AND HARMS OF FRACKING (UNCONVENTIONAL GAS AND OIL EXTRACTION) Report by Concerned Health Professionals of NY, 2nd Edition, Dec 11, 2014 Managing the Risks of Hydraulic Fracturing ? Fraser Institute Report by Kenneth P. Green, posted Dec, 2014. 2014 DISCLOSING THE FACTS: TRANSPARENCY AND RISK IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AUTHORS Richard Liroff, Investor Environmental Health Network Danielle Fugere, As You Sow Lucia von Reusner, Green Century Capital Management, Inc. Steven Heim, Boston Common Asset Management, LLC, posted Dec, 2014 Environmental Funding in New York State Report by Thomas P. DiNapoli New York State Comptroller, Prepared by the Office of Budget and Policy Analysis Unsafe & Unsustainable: Experts Review the Center for Sustainable Shale Development’s Performance Standards for Shale Gas Development prepared for The Delaware Riverkeeper Network, 2014 Waste Not: Common Sense Ways to Reduce Methane Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Clean Air Task Force Report Summary. The full report will be available in Dec, 2014. Earthjustice, Earthworks, and Environmental Defense Fund have reviewed this report. The full text of the report will be available online at http://catf.us/resources/publications/view/205 Climate Solutions for a Stronger America: A Guide for Engaging and Winning on Climage Change & Clean Energy 2nd Edition, 2014; Authors Betsy Taylor and Kathy Washienko, Breakthrough Strategies & Solutions, Inc. Crispin Pierce, Kristin Walters, Jeron Jacobson and Zachary Kroening University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire; Accepted for publication in the Journal of Environmental Health (Nov. 2015, in press). Abstract: The rapid growth of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas extraction in the U.S. has led to more than 140 permitted “frac” sand mines and processing plants in Wisconsin. PM2.5 Airborne Particulates near Frac Sand Operations–Acceptance Letter Accepted for publication in the Journal of Environmental Health (Nov. 2015, in press). Video: FRACK US: the dangers of gas fracking. RT Documentary–53 minutes. Published on Oct 10, 2014 All across the USA people are rising up against fracking. They don’t believe the process is safe and think it causes wide-scale land contamination. Ever more extraction sites are being approved and developed with new plant being built in once idyllic landscapes. Department of the Army Letter: Permit Application by Constitution Pipeline Co., LLC Letter dated Oct 8, 2014 regarding construction of a new 124-mile-long natural gas pipeline. Strengthening the EPA’s Clean Power Plan Increasing renewable energy use will achieve greater emissions reductions Union of Concerned Scientists Policy Brief, Oct. 2014. Document also available at: www.ucsusa.org/renewablesandcleanpowerplan Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Energy Extracted from Federal Lands and Waters: An Update Wilderness Society Report by Stratus Consulting, Sept, 2014 Limited impact on decadal-scale climate change from increased use of natural gas Nature, Oct, 2014. Authors: Haewon McJeon, Jae Edmonds, Nico Bauer, Leon Clarke, Brian Fisher, Brian P. Flannery, Jérôme Hilaire, Volker Krey, Giacomo Marangoni, Raymond Mi, Keywan Riahi, Holger Rogner & Massimo Tavoni “Our results show that although market penetration of globally abundant gas may substantially change the future energy system, it is not necessarily an effective substitute for climate change mitigation policy9, 10.: Upper Delaware River Basin: One of 10 Special Places As natural gas extraction expands across the Central Appalachian region, that industrial-scale energy development is encroaching on public lands that are critically important for fishing and hunting. In this report, Trout Unlimited takes a deeper look into those public places, outlining the potential risks posed by gas drilling operations and providing recommendations from sportsmen and women that promote responsible energy development. The 2001–Present Induced Earthquake Sequence in the Raton Basin of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado Authors: Justin L. Rubinstein, William L. Ellsworth, Arthur McGarr, and Harley M. Benz, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, October 2014, The URGENT Case for a Ban on Fracking Food & Water Watch, Sept 2014 DEP PA Water Supply Determination Letters The following list identifies cases where DEP determined that a private water supply was impacted by oil and gas activities in Pennsylvania The State Clean Energy Cookbook: A Dozen Recipes for State Action on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Standord Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance and Hoover Institutiion’s Shultz-Stephenson Task Force on Energy Policy, posted September, 2014. Organic compounds in produced waters from shale gas wells by Samuel J. Maguire-Boyle and Andrew R. Barron, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts (Formerly the Journal of Environmental Monitoring), August13, 2014; abstract. Climate Impacts of Natural Gas Production and LNG Export: A Synopsis of Current Science August 2014., Creative Commons, Oregon Sierra Club. TOXIC WORKPLACE: Fracking Hazards on the Job Food & Water Watch, August 2014. Blackout in the Gas Patch How Pennsylvania Residents are Left in the Dark on Health and Enforcement How Pennsylvania Residents are Left in the Dark on Health and Enforcement Published: August 7, 2014 by Earthworks By: Nadia Steinzor – FEMA Mitigation Policy: Limits on Subsurface Uses of Hazard Mitigation Assistance Acquired Lands Policy Number: FP 302-405-146-1, May 5, 2014 Up in Flames: U.S. Shale Oil Boom Comes at Expense of Wasted Natural Gas, Increased CO2 AUGUST 2014 EARTHWORKST OIL & GAS ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT Climate Impacts of Natural Gas Production and LNG Export: A Synopsis of Current Science Oregon Sierra Club, Ted Gleichman, editor. August, 2014 Potential Public Health Impacts of Natural Gas Development and Production in the Marcellus Shale in Western Maryland July 2014 Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health School of Public Health University of Maryland, College Park Open Letter from members of Congress to Obama “To enhance our nations’ energy security and reliability and to protect our environment, methane emissions must be reduced. Letter signed by 49 members of Congress. May 14, 2014 Anatomy of an Industry Front Group How the oil and gas industry runs the show at the Center for Sustainable Shale Development Public Accountability Initiative, August, 2014 report Executive Summary GLOBAL SHALE GAS DEVELOPMENT Water Availability and Business Risks Authors: PAUL REIG, TIANYI LUO, AND JONATHAN N. PROCTOR; World resources Institute Posted Sept, 2014. GLOBAL SHALE GAS DEVELOPMENT Water Availability and Business Risks (Exec Summary) Authors: PAUL REIG, TIANYI LUO, AND JONATHAN N. PROCTOR; World Resources Institute, Posted Sept, 2014. UP IN FLAMES: Taxpayers Left Out in the Cold as Publicly Owned Natural Gas is Carelessly Wasted Western Values Project, May, 2014. Fracking Brussels: A Who’s Who of the EU Shale Gas Lobby Friends of the Earth Europe; author Rachel Tansey, published july, 2014 A Summary Report of Perceptions of the Politics and Regulation of Unconventional Shale Development in Texas Authors: Sam Gallaher, Doctoral Candidate Jonathan Pierce, Post-Doctoral Scholar Chris Weible, Associate Professor Jennifer Kagan, Graduate Assistant Tanya Heikkila, Associate Professor Benjamin Blair, Research Associate School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado, Denver, July, 2014  Please donate to WE ARE ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
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URGENT! BLOCK TRUMP’S FRACKED GAS PIPELINES
President Donald Trump has already made it clear that he intends to trash climate change agreements and give the fossil fuel industry exactly what it wants.
But the pipeline projects being pushed by the Trump Administration cannot move forward unless they are first approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission—and FERC can’t operate without a quorum. The five-member
commission has been operating with only three members, and today it lost another one. With just two members left, it won’t be able to approve any more infrastructure projects until at least one new commissioner is seated—and
the Senate has the ability to block Trump’s FERC appointments.
Tell your Senators to hold off on confirming any new appointments to FERC!
The inability of FERC to do business actually counts as a step forward because for years the commission has been little more than a captive agency of the oil and gas industry, routinely greenlighting infrastructure projects with little regard for public safety. Tell your Senators to hold off on confirming any new appointments to FERC until there has been an investigation into the commission’s failure to put the public interest ahead of the corporate interests—and until Donald Trump promises to abide by our commitment to international climate change agreements. Phone calls can be an effective way to contact elected officials. You can find your senator’s phone number here. |
Mar 10, 2017
The environment: Fracking ban a small step in right direction
The Age
Letter: Dr. Liz Bashford
Congratulations to the Victorian Parliament for finally passing the legislation to ban fracking in the state. Fracking is bad for our health, and an increasing number of reports from the United States show that there are adverse impacts on the health of nearby residents. Importantly, the burning of … [Full Story]
Mar 9, 2017
Scientists link fracking and water well explosion in Palo Pinto County
WFAA 8 ABC
Brett Shipp
New information has surfaced in the water well explosion in the summer of 2014 injuring three members of a Palo Pinto County family.
According to new scientific studies commissioned by the family, and included in newly filed court papers, the explosion was the direct result of fracking operations… [Full Story]
