It never ceases to amaze me how biased the coverage of this issue is, even by local media outlets. For example, Tom Wilbur, reporter for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, includes this short narrative in a story reporting on the extension of the comment period (Debate on drilling rules extended by DEC):

The 800-plus page technical document is simply too big for many stakeholders, including municipal officials, to process and respond to in a short period, said Stan Scobie, a Binghamton resident and industry watcher.

“It’s becoming extraordinarily clear that people – grass roots groups, landowners, lawyers, municipal officials, just about everybody – needs time to come to grips with this issue,” he said.

And that’s all we know about good old Stan. You might think from the description that he’s just a local bumpkin from Binghamton who keeps a sharp eye on this issue. An “everyman” if you will, only interested in the common good for all citizens. What Mr. Wilbur doesn’t tell you (even though he knows it), is that Stanley Scobie, Ph.D., is a retired professor of psychology at Binghamton University and a hard core leftist Democrat. Prof. Scobie contributed $8,950 to Democrats in 2008, including money for Obama, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Kirsten Gillibrand (New York Senator), Michael Arcuri (New York Congressman), and Al Franken–the comedian/writer of pornography who became a U.S. Senator from Minnesota (via voter fraud). All of them far, far left. (Check out Prof. Scobie’s 2008 contributions here.)

In fact, Prof. Scobie wrote an anti-drilling article in the spring issue of the Sierra Atlantic, the Sierra Club’s regional magazine. In other words, he’s as anti-drilling as they come. But not a peep about that from Mr. Wilbur, the so-called “impartial reporter” who writes about the Marcellus drilling issue for the P&SB. Perhaps a little honesty by the media about their own personal biases and prejudices would be nice for change?

Technorati Tags: Marcellus Shale, shale gas, Stanley Scobie, Tom Wilbur, Press & Sun-Bulletin, leftists, drilling regulations

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has finally released its Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for drilling in the Marcellus Shale. Instead of making drilling companies do an environmental impact statement for each well they drill, the DEC decided to do one “generic” environmental impact statement that will apply to all drilling sites throughout the state. You can read the document for yourself here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58440.html.

I have not yet had a chance to fully digest the 500+ page document. I have reviewed some of it (a lot of it is technical). An article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin purports to cover some of the highlights. Read the P&SB article here: NY regulators propose pre-emptive checks of gas wells in Marcellus Shale. But let me warn you that Tom Wilber, the P&SB writer, shades all of his Marcellus drilling articles with anti-drilling sentiment. For example, he says:

The DEC’s regulatory overhaul began after Southern Tier residents crowded into school auditoriums and town halls to attend public information sessions hosted by the agency in the summer of 2008. Those sessions often became heated, as regulators were unable to satisfactorily answer questions about water consumption, waste disposal, chemical handling and other aspects of large scale Marcellus drilling.

Perhaps so Mr. Wilber. Maybe that’s why New York decided to do a complete review in the first place. But in the interests of being fair and balanced, why didn’t you also mention the rally held just recently (this past summer) in Afton, where thousands of landowners showed up to support drilling? There were more people in one location at one time to support drilling than there ever have been in any location who oppose it.

He also asserts in the article:

DEC officials have watched and learned from developments in Dimock Township, Pa., where Cabot Oil & Gas recently had to shut down some operations after repeated spills and environmental problems. Explosive levels of methane contaminated some drinking water supplies earlier this year. More recently, an 8,000 gallon spill of chemicals used to stimulate well production polluted a creek and wetland.

Yes, Cabot has had problems and they are being appropriately spanked for it by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA’s version of our DEC). The situation is being carefully monitored and handled. But again, the lingering sentiment from the paragraph seems to be that all drilling is unsafe and all drilling companies are out to screw the populace. What about the hundreds (thousands?) of other natural gas wells in PA that are doing just fine with their operations? No spills or contamination of anything. No mention of that.

My very preliminary take on the new DEC proposed regulations: Likely overbearing and restrictive, but at least we’re moving again. After a public comment period until Nov. 30, the DEC will hopefully sew this thing up and drilling can finally begin in New York.

Stay tuned as more will surely come out about the proposed new regulations as people have time to review them in detail.

Technorati Tags: Marcellus Shale Drilling, New York DEC, Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, shale gas, hydrofacturing, shale drilling

I live in New York where everything is taxed. So when there was a recent national outcry over the Federal government proposing cow-farting taxes on farmers because the eco-nuts have finally gone berserk…I was unfazed. In our state everything gets taxed sooner or later. Now it’s water. Hey, farting, water, maybe we’ll tax oxygen next, right?

Specifically, New Yorkers are about to be taxed on water in bottles, or if you will, on the bottles themselves. From the Press & Sun-Bulletin in a story titled, “Area stores bracing for flood of bottles“:

Local supermarkets and convenience stores say they’re preparing for a major increase in the number of plastic bottles redeemed when a new state law goes into effect adding a 5-cent deposit to bottled water.

[R]etailers in this region are getting ready for the most significant increase in the flow of redeemable products in years.

More than 3.2 billion water bottles are sold in New York each year, according to the Container Recycling Institute.

Bottled water constitutes about a third of the retail beverage market, though industry studies project huge growth over the next several years.

Some 20-odd years ago when New Yorkers collectively jumped off the cliff (forget slippery slopes) of putting a “deposit fee” on soda cans and bottles, it was supposedly to encourage the behavior of recycling. Guess what, everyone recycles today. No, we don’t always return the cans to the grocery store or redemption center to get our nickles back, but we’ll throw them in the yellow recycling bin on garbage day. That’s just what the politicians want! They want you to pay the deposit fee, and then never redeem it. Why? Because all 80% of the uncollected deposit fees go (where do you think?)… that’s right, to the New York State common treasury.

Politicians LOVE deposit fees–let’s call them what they really are, taxes–because it’s a magical source of new revenue for them to spend. And politicians derive and maintain their power by spending money.

Instead of expanding the bottle tax to 1/3 more of the bottles found in stores (bottles of water), the state should repeal the deposit tax on ALL bottles. Our behavior in recycling has changed–reward that change in behavior by giving people a break! But no…that revenue stream to our state politicians is like a fix for a heroin addict. No way they’re giving it up, man.

Two predictions: (1) After this tax goes into effect, sales of bottled water in New York will decrease. That 3.2 billion bottles of water sold in New York each year is going to go down, not up. Consumers will not appreciate paying an extra $1.20 per package of 24 water bottles you buy in Sam’s Club or Costco. (2) Now that state politicians have successfully expanded this insidious law from soda and flavored drinks to plain water, they will next eye cans and containers of all kinds. “Hey, how about a nickle fee on every can of soup, tin of beans, or box of cereal!” I can hear it already. Politicans will eye the grocery store as the new source of revenue to feed their insatiable appetites.

Word of advice: If you’re visiting New York, be sure to bring your own bottled water.

Technorati Tags: bottle deposit, New York bottle law, bottled water

The company that bought out our local electric & gas supplier New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) about a year ago (Iberdrola), agreed as part of the deal to not request a rate increase for a year. They lied. Their first request came in January, just four months after the purchase (Albany Times-Union story). The Public Service Commission told them to stuff it. Now it’s been a full year and they’re back, almost to the day, with their hands out. From the Press & Sun-Bulletin (NYSEG asks for double-digit rate increases):

When Iberdrola SA of Spain bought New York State Electric and Gas Corp. one year ago this month, it agreed to no rate increases for a year. That year is up, and the utility companies is asking for state approval for increases in electricity and natural gas rates that could cost area households $453 a year.

Under the proposals, the average NYSEG residential electric bill would go up $12.39, or 18.6 percent a month, while natural gas would go up $25.34, or 17.4 percent.

To be fair, it seems that NYSEG has not raised rates (although they’ve repeatedly tried) since the mid-1990s. At least according to the P&SB story. Funny thing though, my electric and gas bills have been steadily climbing over that period of time. I’ve been a NYSEG customer since the mid-1990s and before. I can’t categorically prove it, but I heavily suspect rates have gone up during that time–which wouldn’t surprise me…that the P&SB gets it wrong again and does not fact check a story.

The main reason our esteemed governor, David Paterson, and the New York State legislature approved the sale to Iberdrola is because Iberdrola is supposed to invest $2 billion in wind farms in New York. Yeah right. When pigs fly. Aren’t you glad in our day and age that empty platitudes are an acceptable substitute for keeping one’s word? Here’s an idea: Forget spending $2B on wind farms and give the rate payers a rate CUT for the next 25 years!

Of course, if Congress passes the cap & tax climate change legislation as they so deeply desire to do, these kinds of increases will seem like chump change because your gas & electric rates will go up 100% (see the excellent analysis of the proposed climate change legislation by the Heritage Foundation). But it won’t happen all at once. The sleezes in Congress will push the full effects of this insidious legislation out so the biggest bite won’t happen until starting around 2025–and then, watch out (see chart for what happens to rates in New York; and here for other states). In New York, electric rates will nearly double by the time we hit 2035.

Technorati Tags: Iberdrola, NYSEG, gas & electric rates, New York Public Service Commission, Waxman-Markey, climate change, Gov. David Paterson, New York State legislature

The above is the sum total of what’s happened over the past several months with regard to drilling natural gas in Broome County and surrounding regions. There is a (surprisingly) somewhat accurate story in today’s Press & Sun-Bulletin: N.Y. environmental wrangling driving gas firms to Pa. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out if you slap steep regulatory hurdles on business, and if you tax business to death, business goes someplace else to do business. Which is what has happened with the northeast versus the south for the past 20 years. History is now repeating itself with Marcellus Shale formation drilling. New York politicians just do not get it.

Yes! I hear the bleating now. “We have to be sure it’s SAFE to drill! We can’t contaminate our water supply!” Of course. No one wants Love Canal 2 in Broome County and surrounding areas. I personally take comfort that a full review is now taking place to ensure that our water supply, and the environment in general, will be protected. My point is, review your guidelines, ensure the processes that will be used are safe, and GET ON WITH IT. Energy prices are going down–there’s less incentive to drill now than several months ago. But, energy companies have spent a lot of money to lease land, and they know sooner or later energy prices will go up again. So they’re in the mood to drill right now, even with the dip in energy prices. Too much timidity and downright antagonism on the part of some in New York is driving energy companies across the border into Pennsylvania to do their drilling.

Let’s face it, many so-called environmentalists are only interested in stopping drilling period. And they will use every excuse in the book to do it, including scary stories of people’s water being poisoned and fish dying and birds falling out of the sky. Recognize the tactics for what they are: tactics. There’s no legitimate reason why the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) can’t wrap up their review and start granting permits to drill within a month or two–certainly by spring. It is now rumored the review process will go well into next year–possibly fall. How unfortunate. Meanwhile, energy companies are saying “forget New York” and they’re busy drilling, and hitting it big, in PA. Good for PA! They have some common sense south of the border and that common sense will profit them.

It’s time for the DEC and Governor Patterson to stop dittling and start doing–before yet another golden opportunity passes New York by.

Technorati Tags: Marcellus Shale formation, natural gas drilling, natural gas fracing, Broome County, DEC, Governor David Patterson

The 120 year-old O’Neil/Ross building was torn down earlier this year after pieces of it started falling on the sidewalk. The site where the building once stood is in the very center of Binghamton, a great location. The article is supposed to explain why there has been zero interest on the part of developers in this prime downtown real estate. The article starts, instead, by praising Ryan for an unrelated bit of news–the mayor “might have” sold the city-owned Regency Hotel. The only things the Regency and the O’Neil/Ross site have in common is that they’re city-owned and real estate. Mr. Hill has to start out on the positive spin-cycle to build up ole Matt with that pesky upcoming election in November–especially after Ryan raised everyone’s taxes by more than 15% and their water rates by more than 43%.

Mr. Hill goes on to explain that the city’s economic development director, Merry Harris (who happens to be the regional director of the leftist Citizen Action of New York, and who is receiver of her job via political patronage and payback from Matt Ryan for helping him win his seat 3 1/2 years ago), was originally hopeful that the site would be quickly redeveloped because two “prominent local developers” had expressed interest. So she sent out RFPs (Request for Proposals) that invited developers near and far to submit plans for what they would do with the site. Sadly, the two local developers didn’t bite, ostensibly because they had other projects to work on, as the subhead explains.

But that’s not the real reason why they, nor anyone else (not one, single developer) has submitted a proposal. Somehow journalistic ethics must have crept back into Mr. Hill’s writing (or perhaps he just wanted to keep his job), because the last two paragraphs contain the REAL reason why no one has offered to develop that very prime piece of real estate. He tries to put it in the best light possible, but the truth still shines through:

The original proposal, which garnered no offers, called for street-level retail with upper levels of retail, office or residential space. It also asked for, but didn’t require, building design and construction that adheres to “green” environmental building standards; commitment to use local labor and services; and payment of a living or prevailing wage.

Because the city used state funds to knock down the historic building, any new construction would have to incorporate architectural elements from the original building, either salvaged or reproduced. (Press & Sun-Bulletin, Nov. 28)

Yes indeed. When you put the lefties in charge, they govern from the (surprise!) left. You want to develop that prime real estate with Matt Ryan and gang in charge? You use local workers, pay them more than they’re worth, build it “green” (translation “big bucks”), and oh, by the way, they’ll tell you how it will look and just what you can and can’t put on each floor of it. Welcome to the socialist paradise of Binghamton (and of New York, and now I fear, of the United States). Welcome to the inept failures of the left, and the real reason why anyone with a brain won’t touch that prime piece of real estate in downtown Binghamton.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Mayor Matt Ryan, Merry Harris, Citizen Action, Citizen Action of New York, O’Neil/Ross Building, leftists, socialists, green development

You may recall earlier posts I’ve made about local farmers and other landowners suddenly becoming millionaires by selling drilling rights to energy companies for the natural gas that sits under their land. The Marcellus Shale Formation, as it’s called, is an underground region stretching across a number of northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, including much of New York. In particular, it is thought that Broome and surrounding counties sit over top some of the richest deposits of natural gas known to exist in the United States!

But there are concerns about the process to drill and extract the gas. In particular, people are concerned about groundwater contamination. It takes up to 2 million gallons of water to drill a single well. The kind of drilling they do is called frac’ing, short for fracturing. Drillers force water under pressure along with chemicals like hydrochloric acid down into the ground vertically, and then horizontally for many hundreds (even thousands) of feet. It splits the rock apart to release natural gas.

The problem is, you have to be sure where you take the water from (local lakes, rivers, wells) doesn’t deplete the water supply, and then the water you pump into the ground must come out and must carefully be handled and disposed of because it contains heavy metals from the rock along with leftover chemicals that were used. In the process of pumping all that water (and chemicals) into the ground, and then pulling it out again, you want to be sure you don’t contaminate groundwater supplies. It is a legitimate concern.

The DEC is creating a generic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that all drillers must use for each permit filed–for each well that is drilled. A generic “everyone uses the same one” EIS means drillers don’t have to incur the extreme time and expense of performing a study for each and every drill site. Yesterday’s “Draft Scope” issued by the DEC is the first step along the way in preparing the requirements everyone must use. I’ve read some of the 45-page document. On page 10, I found a discussion of groundwater contamination. I found it very enlightening. This is an excerpt:

Department regulations presently require, and will continue to require, that freshwater aquifers be sealed behind cemented steel pipe before a well is drilled to the depth where hydraulic fracturing will occur, which is typically thousands of feet below the aquifers. Therefore, the injected fluid does not come into contact with groundwater; it is, in fact, injected into and recovered through a wellbore that has been specifically constructed to safely convey hydrocarbons under pressure to the surface without negatively impacting fresh water aquifers. The Department has no record of any documented instance of groundwater contamination caused by hydraulic fracturing for gas well development in New York, despite the use of this technology in thousands of wells across the state during the past 50 or more years. Division of Mineral Resources staff responsible for permitting and oversight of gas well drilling since 1980 also do not recall any such instance. (Emphasis mine)

Did you catch that? In more than 50 years of this type of drilling used in New York State, there has never been a single instance of groundwater being contaminated. Yes, we must be vigilant with regard to disposing of the waste water. But when done right, horizontal drilling, or frac’ing, is safe.

Let’s hope the DEC finishes its review and issues the generic EIS on time early next year, and let’s hope we get drilling quickly so we can finally get on the road to energy independence.

Technorati Tags: Marcellus Shale Formation, natural gas drilling, groundwater contamination, horizontal drilling, New York State, Broome County

My latest rant has to do with kool aide drinkers who believe man is causing global warming. May I point out a few FACTS about this issue? (1) For the past 10 years, the average temperature globally has either gone down or held constant. Although you don’t hear this in the mainstream media, it is an established fact. (2) The sun is the largest producer of energy in our corner of the galaxy, and is responsible for heating the earth. The sun’s energy ebbs and flows in cycles, resulting in warmer years and cooler years on earth. (3) Man cannot reliably predict temperatures and weather beyond two weeks, let alone 20 or 30 years in the future.

The whole issue of “warming” of the planet is really quite easy to understand. It takes a willing suspension of disbelief in order to support the claim that man is causing the earth to warm to unnaturally high levels, consequently leading to ocean levels rising, crops burning, etc. In other words, just to be clear, man-caused global warming is a COMPLETE FICTION.

I have no problem with people who want to believe the fiction. I do have a problem if those people inhabit positions of power that force me to pay money for their tomfoolery.

There is an unelected group of 16 people who belong to the New York State Environmental Board (part of the NYS Environmental Conservation Department) who have just voted to adopt regulations put forth by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This initiative is a group of 10 northeastern states, like New York, who want to “cure” global warming. How do they plan to do it? By taxing citizens! Yes, you read that correctly. It seems the solution to a warming planet is to take money out of my pocket as a taxpayer. Which, of course, is not a solution at all and points out the rank hypocrisy of the left.

The regulations just adopted by this group of 16 unelected people will force energy producers in New York to pay for permits to emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. You know, CO2–the gas that you emit EVERY TIME YOU BREATHE OUT. That carbon dioxide. The naturally-occurring-in-nature carbon dioxide. We used to joke that one day Albany would put a tax on breathing. Now…they actually have!

Independent Power Producers of New York (IPPNY), a trade group trying to stop this nuttiness, has estimated the new regulation by the Environmental Board will cost $8 per ton of CO2 emitted, meaning our power bills will go up 9%–tacked on to the insanely high rates we pay now. And for what? So the state will have more money to give away to welfare slugs. This has NOTHING to do with “saving the planet” and everything to do with political power and figuring out more ways to shake down hard working citizens.

Sixteen unelected people, with the raise of a hand and stroke of a pen, have just taxed every citizen in New York State. It’s unfair, it’s unethical, and I believe it’s illegal. Who are these 16 people? Wish I knew. Search the web and you’ll find it is the head of 10 state agencies (appointed by the governor) and six citizens, also appointed by the governor. But no names are published–or I would list them here. Perhaps they have something to be ashamed of?

Bottom line: The nut-jobs who believe in the global warming fairy tale are costing you money. It MATTERS whom you elect to state and local office. Vote conservative and keep your money (and your sanity).

Technorati Tags: New York State, global warming, global warming hoax, New York Environmental Board, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Independent Power Producers of New York

http://rssbinghamton.com/natural-gas-leases/

A hat-tip of thanks to the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin for information on landowners’ groups (see this page), and to Al Czervic who writes The Catskill Commentator blog for a list of energy companies (see this page).

I concur with Al’s views on this: Keep your powder dry. No need to rush and sign a lease right now. Get plugged in with a group and see how it all develops, then make a decision. Right now the “going rate” seems to be around $2,500 per acre as a one-time fee to explore and drill on your property, and if any natural gas is found and extracted, a 15% royalty of all production. A few years back this happened in Texas–only the prices there shot up to $15,000-$20,000 per acre.

We also need to see how New York State handles the issue of water supply and disposal. Drillers need lots of water to drill, and when the water comes back out of the ground it’s contaminated and needs to be properly disposed of. Having said that, I believe we’ll get this figured out and move forward–so be prepared!

Full disclosure: I do not own a significant amount of land that can be drilled, nor do I own any interest in any of the energy companies. I am merely an interested American citizen observer who hopes we can find and use this home-grown energy source. I’m also a cheerleader for my fellow Greater Binghamtonians–hoping landowners can put some serious money in their pockets. After being taxed near to death for years, they deserve a break!

If you have any recommendations or revisions for the Natural Gas Leases page, please email them to: jim@rssbinghamton.com.

Technorati Tags: Binghamton, Broome County, Central New York, gas leasing, Marcellus Shale Formation, landowners groups, natural gas drilling, energy companies

Never mind that $43 million is a small portion of a single school district’s budget in Upstate, let alone all of them combined. It sounds like a big number and most people only read headlines anyway, right?

So what does the good Senator propose to do about high energy prices for schools (because like all good libs, gov’ment is the answer to every problem)? Why, Chucky has concocted legislation that would allow the Secretary of Energy to identify the “hardest hit” districts and give them money–to buy high-priced hybrid buses! Why? Because those buses supposedly get better gas mileage than plain old yellow buses do. Maybe it’s the color.

The name of Chucky’s brilliant plan is the “School Energy Crisis Relief Act of 2008.” Everything with libs is a crisis. If it weren’t a crisis, you wouldn’t fall for their lies and willingly give up your freedoms. Here’s a portion of the natural gas that escaped from Schumer’s oral cavity on the subject:

“No school should have to make a choice between books and transporting kids. Diesel fuel costs are slamming school districts and placing too heavy of a burden on our schools’ budgets,” Schumer said. “An enhanced hybrid school bus tax credit will ease some of that burden so that schools can put resources where it matters: towards our kids’ education.” (WBNG 12 Action News)

There you have it. Buy hybrid buses and it will make our kids smarter. Wow, I wish I were as smart as ole Chucky.

My take: The quickest way to lower energy prices requires NO MONEY. If Congress, including Chucky Schumer, would sign legislation allowing off-shore drilling for oil, that fact alone would help deflate oil speculation and lower the price per barrel by perhaps 25% or more, making fuel more affordable not only for schools, but for you and me too. We need more energy supply, and oil (and natural gas) are the quickest ways to get it.

The reason Congress hasn’t signed the legislation allowing off-shore drilling? The Democrats. They closed down Congress last week and literally shut the lights off so such a vote could not be taken. Why? Because the enviro-wacko lobby has the Dems in their hip pocket. These hard-left socialist wackos (people like Al Gore) think man is an infestation on the planet and want us all to ride bicycles everywhere. Except for important people like Al, and Chucky, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They’ll still get to take jets. You and me? Stick us on a hybrid bus or ride a bike.

Wake up America. Vote against Democrats in the next election and take your country back!

Technorati Tags: Chuck Schumer, Hybrid Tax Credit, School Energy Crisis Relief Act of 2008, school energy, Congressional shut-down, Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi