State Sen. To Introduce Fracking Chemical Disclosure Bill
As we noted last March, Pennsylvania’s then-new shale gas law, Act 13, includes an oft-overlooked provision that would allow the state’s doctors to request information on fracking health hazards but would not allow them to share that information with anyone — including, as far as the language of the law makes clear, their patients. Within a month of...
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From Creators of Pro-Fracking ‘Truth Land’ Comes Pro-Fracking ‘The Real Promised Land’
Because making one online video response to an anti-fracking movie is never enough, the Independent Petroleum Association of America’s public relations firm has released a series of pro-hydraulic fracturing and natural gas vignettes they’re calling “The Real Promised Land.” The videos, whose titles play on the new Matt Damon movie Promised Land, which...
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DAILY GRINDER: 7 Northeast States—but not Pennsylvania—Sue EPA Over Methane
Seven states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency, saying it is “failing to address methane emissions from oil and gas drilling,” according to the Associated Press. And, not surprisingly, Pennsylvania is not one of the suing states. (OK, so: methane good; health care bad. Got it.) After all, the American Petroleum Institute says the suit “makes...
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DAILY GRINDER: Ed Rendell Urges More Fracking—In New York!
Former Governor Ed Rendell is attempting to peer-pressure New York Governor Andrew Cuomo into overturning that state’s fracking ban—because “it’s a good thing to do.” That’s at least what he’s telling the New York Post, which, unsurprisingly, has published a pretty not-so-flattering picture of the former guv, because that’s their thing (not...
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DAILY GRINDER: Read this Account of Fracking in North-Central PA
A farmer in Bradford County, Pennsylvania has written an essay about what it has meant to “sacrifice” for the public good, and allow her land to be fracked. Then she sent it into the Public Herald. You should read it. It’s devastating. Here’s a piece: “My water changed March 15, 2011. It now turns white, with a green moss settling on top of sand....
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And Now They Want to Frack Your College
Scene from Gasland Governor Tom Corbett signed Senate Bill 367, the Mineral Resource Development Act, last week. The new law will allow the “mining or removal of coal, oil, natural gas, coal bed methane and limestone found in or beneath land owned by the state or state system of higher education.” Or, in laymen’s terms: Your college campus can now...
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DAILY GRINDER: Nutter Speaking at Shale Gas Insight Meeting This Morning [UPDATED w/Remarks]
According to his public schedule, Mayor Nutter “will give welcoming remarks at the Marcellus Shale Coalition’s second annual conference in Philadelphia” at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. (By the time you’re reading this, he’s probably done.) Yesterday, several hundred anti-fracking activists marched against the conference, because that’s...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Twitter Analysis Shows Philadelphians Rudest in Country
An online project monitored places in which people say “Fuck you,” and places in which people say “Good morning” for 10 days and found—surprise!—Philadelphia is the rudest place in the country. We are always saying fuck you, apparently. You know where they don’t say “fuck you” on Twitter very much? Montana. Check out the state map here. Philadelphia’s...
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DAILY GRINDER: Bill Would Encourage Natural Gas Frack Cars
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey has introduced a bill called the STATE Natural Gas Act. His bill would “encourage the use of natural gas as transportation fuel and encourage private investment in natural gas vehicles and transportation infrastructure.” The legislation would do so by providing grants through the Department of Energy, awarded based on competitive...
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DAILY GRINDER: $1.6 Million Settlement in Contaminated Water Fracking Case
So you're saying this isn't Perrier? Coulda fooled me. Three northeastern Pennsylvania families have reached a $1.6 million settlement with Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy over contaminating their water wells and forcing them to go somewhere else. It’s a good chunk of change, but one of the families say it’s not much considering they have to leave...
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