October 31, 2009
Nockamixon: "Water to be tested at homes"
By Amanda Cregan, PhillyBurbs.com, October 26, 2009: "State officials are in Nockamixon this week to check for elevated levels of the cancer-causing chemical TCE. . . ."
October 30, 2009
October 19, 2009
"How Safe Is Your Drinking Water?"
Fresh Air, NPR/WHYY, October 19, 2009:
An estimated one in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals, parasites, bacteria or viruses, or fails to meet federal health standards. Part of the problem, says journalist Charles Duhigg, is that water-pollution laws are not being enforced.
Duhigg reports on the "worsening pollution in American waters" — and regulators' responses to the problem — in his New York Times series, "Toxic Waters." In researching the series, he studied thousands of water pollution records, which he obtained via the Freedom of Information Act.
October 18, 2009
"Disaster for the environment"
Letter to the Editor of the Intelligencer, PhillyBurbs.com, October 16, 2009:
To the Editor:
Politicos may be upbeat about Pennsylvania's new budget, but a detailed look reveals devastating cuts to key environmental agencies and programs.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources funding was cut by 18.5 percent
The state parks budget will be reduced by 15.6 percent. Permanent closure of some state parks now appears inevitable. Goodbye Ralph Stover? Nockamixon? Tyler? Delaware Canal?
Perhaps most shocking is the $60 million loss to the Oil & Gas Fund, which was established in 1955 to fund land acquisition and other conservation priorities. The Legislature plans to replenish the fund by leasing more state forest land for gas drilling. All of which leads to more roads, forest fragmentation, noise, air and water pollution and groundwater contamination in our precious state forests.
These cuts seem huge and devastating, but they pale in comparison to the $58 million cut in the Department of Environmental Protection's funding. This reduction is so massive that the full implications are not yet clear, but it could mean layoffs for more than 300 DEP staff. With that many people gone, who would monitor all the new oil and gas drilling across the state? The combination of the huge budget cuts and massive expansion of oil and gas wells requiring permitting, inspections and enforcement appears to set the stage for the de facto deregulation of oil and gas drilling.
None of this was necessary.
Pennsylvania is the only gas-producing state without a severance tax on natural gas production. The tax is widely supported by environmental organizations, many legislators, local municipalities and sportsmen's groups. Even Gov. Rendell supported the tax until he flip-flopped in late August. The severance tax was expected to raise over $100 million for this budget year, far exceeding the $60 million to be looted from the Oil & Gas Fund.
Who do we have to thank for this? Our state senators who voted "yes" for this plunder of our natural resources and who refused to allow a severance tax on natural gas extraction. Keep this in mind the next time you wonder why our state parks are falling down and Pennsylvania's environment keeps degrading.
David Meiser
Pipersville
Bucks County Sierra Club
October 17, 2009
October 15, 2009
Marcellus shale natural gas extraction
Radio Times WHYY, October 15, 2009: "Hour 1: The Marcellus Shale formation lies beneath much of Pennsylvania, and it's where energy companies expect to find a motherlode of natural gas. But the process and politics of removing it also extracts a cascade of questions. Joining us to help understand the issues are Abrahm Lustgarten, investigative reporter with ProPublica.org; extraction industry spokesman Lee Fuller of EnergyInDepth.org; and David Masur of the advocacy group PennEnvironment."
October 14, 2009
October 12, 2009
Plumstead Supervisor Candidates' Forum Oct. 13
The League of Women Voters of Bucks County is sponsoring a forum for candidates seeking election to the Board of Supervisors, to be held in the Plumstead Township Building on Tuesday, October 13, 7:30-9 p.m. There are four candidates for two open seats: Jason Eskolsky (D), Daniel Hilferty (R), Helen Mitchell (D), and Wayne Stork (R). The term of office is six years. Housley Carr and Vince Formica are not seeking reelection.
Residents are invited to attend and learn more about the candidates. The League of Women Voters of Bucks County is "a non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government." The forum will begin with several questions directed to the candidates by the League, which will also collect written questions from the public. Note: Questions must be general--addressed to all of the candidates; each will respond in turn.
The candidates' websites are http://www.plumsteadfirst.com/ and http://www.helenandjasonforplumstead.org/.
Residents are invited to attend and learn more about the candidates. The League of Women Voters of Bucks County is "a non-partisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government." The forum will begin with several questions directed to the candidates by the League, which will also collect written questions from the public. Note: Questions must be general--addressed to all of the candidates; each will respond in turn.
The candidates' websites are http://www.plumsteadfirst.com/ and http://www.helenandjasonforplumstead.org/.
October 11, 2009
"Environmental groups worry about Pa. budget impact"
News, msnbc.com/phillyburbs.com, September 15, 2009:
Environmental advocates are opposing an evolving deal to end Pennsylvania's budget stalemate because of potential funding cuts for public-land protection and leasing of more state forest land for gas drilling. A deal supported by both parties in the Senate and House Democrats is on hold for now because Gov. Ed Rendell opposes some aspects of it. But conservation groups say the forests will suffer, as will recreational opportunities, if it passes, and gas-drilling companies that profit from the potentially lucrative Marcellus Shale gas formation will escape unscathed. "The integrity of our publicly owned state forests should not be sacrificed to fill a budget gap," more than 20 conservation groups, including PennEnvironment and the Sierra Club, wrote in a letter to legislators.
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