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Special Report
Inhibiting an Oil and Gas Boom
The fossil fuel shale extraction industry is under attack.
The fossil fuel shale extraction industry, where technological advancements and discoveries of huge reserves of oil and natural gas hold great promise for the nation’s future energy needs, is under attack.
In June the New York Times ran a dubiously sourced series of stories that sought to show the bullishness on natural gas is overblown. The National Legal and Policy Center exposed how reporter Ian Urbina seemed to rely heavily on a Texas-based shale gas critic for his stories (others just called it “shoddy reporting”), and asked the Times’ ombudsman Arthur Brisbane to address the stories’ credibility. He did, writing, “My view is that such a pointed article needed more convincing substantiation, more space for a reasoned explanation of the other side and more clarity about its focus.”
Then there is the obsessed, Herb and Marion Sandler-funded ProPublica, which has published 120 stories almost entirely dedicated to alleged problems with the gas industry — mostly about hydraulic fracturing (called “fracking”), the process used to break open the shale to access the natural gas. Some environmentalists allege the practice harms drinking water, an unfounded claim. Former Rocky Mountain News columnist Dave Kopel discovered ProPublica reporter Abrahm Lustgarten’s prejudice in 2009. In an email, Wyoming groundwater regulator Mark Thiesse told Kopel, “I spent several hours on the phone and around a dozen follow up emails to try and help [Lustgarten] write a factual article. Unfortunately he seemed to have his own agenda.” ProPublica’s exuberance for attacking natural gas is highlighted in their music video titled, “The Fracking Song.”
But media distortions are less of a problem than excessive government regulation and panic by environmental extremists. Earthjustice, amidst hysteria over fracking and other normal activities that have been safely employed to access gas, recites from Reuters: “A widening shale gas revolution is killing the economics of renewable energy, even as falling costs allow wind and solar to overtake fossil fuels in niche areas.” They think this is bad and ignore the facts that wind and solar costs are artificially “low” (but still not low enough) thanks to taxpayer subsidies.
Tired of the beating, members of the oil and gas industry last week issued a report about the promising future of energy in the U.S. — if government and Earth perfectionists don’t successfully impede. The Western Energy Alliance’s “Blueprint for Western Energy Prosperity” cites projections by respected analysts ICF International, which assert:
• “The West is projected to generate 1.3 million barrels of domestic oil and condensate production a day by the year 2020, an amount that exceeds the current daily oil imports from Russia, Iraq and Kuwait combined.”
• “The West has the potential to produce 6.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas annually by 2020, an additional one Tcf from 2010 levels.”
• “Combined, western oil and natural gas is projected to produce more energy on a daily basis than the total U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Venezuela, Colombia, Algeria, Nigeria, and Russia.”
• “The number of direct, indirect and induced jobs in the oil and natural gas sector is projected to increase by 16 percent to 504,120 by 2020.”
Impressive, but there are many hitches and glitches — namely, litigation-happy environmental groups who thwart affordable fossil fuel energy that actually works, while instead promoting inefficient, expensive wind (dirty and unconstitutional, as revealed by my organization, American Tradition Institute) and solar (also unconstitutional, in certain states). Worse, EPA and other government agencies often go along with the extremist groups and invite litigation, and then (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) “settle” their “dispute” at the expense of taxpayers.
As solutions, the WEA Blueprint recommends comprehensive reform of federal leasing, permitting and environmental analysis processes. The group also calls for a moratorium on any new or expanded regulations, in favor of “a more efficient, predictable means than the current and ever expanding maze of haphazard federal regulation.” And they also seek relief from unreasonable litigation that only seeks to obstruct and delay, rather than constructively and cooperatively seek best solutions to protect people and the environment they live in.
WEA also seeks for states to amend their renewable energy standards to allow natural gas to compete to provide electricity on “fuel-neutral performance criteria” such as cost and emissions. I mildly disagree as the renewables mandates are anti-freedom, anti-consumer, extremely costly and as I mentioned earlier, unconstitutional. Open the electricity market to true competition for power generation and gas will do just fine.
It’s not a coincidence the unemployment rate in North Dakota is 3.2 percent, where most land is privately owned and the Bakken formation is producing oil, gas and jobs. Private equals liberty, and less meddling by government and outsiders, so there is where the energy and work flows more freely.
(Author disclosure: I spoke at the annual meeting of the Western Energy Alliance in Beaver Creek, Colo. in June. The group paid for one-night’s hotel stay and gave me (and all attendees) a golf shirt and a nice pen and pencil set (which all speakers received), while my organization, American Tradition Institute, paid for the rest of my travel expenses. There was no honorarium.)
About the Author
Paul Chesser is executive director for the American Tradition Institute and a senior fellow for the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives. The views he expresses do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (84) | Leave a comment
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Von Mises Jr.| 7.22.11 @ 7:26AM
The environmental fanatics and the government bureaucracy are both red herrings. The reasons we don't drill are twofold:
First, American energy production under a capitalist system would be good for the economy, business and investors. Liberals hate free market capitalism, so it is a target.
Second is that the federal government wants the resources and profits for themselves. Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Venezuela all finance their regimes with oil revenues.
Is it reasonable to beleive we have the only statist that hate oil?
Patrick| 7.24.11 @ 2:29AM
Yes, actually, it is. The purpose of the Left is to make you and I starve in the dark while they bemoan the plight of "the poor" from within the safe confines of their ivory towers.
Jack in Wi.| 7.27.11 @ 12:44AM
The left hates the fact that Oil and Gas are huge resourses that can last for many centuries if used properly. That stops their fantasy agenda of making people the problem. They think that the world can only sustain a few people instead of the billions it really can do. They are luddites who haven't been right about anything for decades.
Melvin| 7.22.11 @ 7:28AM
I guess we should further add, when isn't the fossil fuels industry under attack.
One need to look no further than the money. Who stands to gain if fossil fuels in our own backyard are not exploited, who is resource poor, and who is willing to spend millions if not billions of dollars to support economic environmental terrorism that prevents us from exploring, extracting and refining fossil fuels?
All we need to do is look to China. China covertly is supplying money to environmental groups that use our own judicial system to drain money from oil and gas exploration companies by hounding these companies with lawsuit after lawsuit, after lawsuit, and finally the company says, "The hell with it and sell off the drilling rights to Chinese & Russian front companies.
After mainly the Chinese front companies thinly disguised as an old US Company, take over the oil and gas wells because we have already paid for the exploration, the lawsuits mysteriously disappear along with the environmental group.
Canada wants to build a pipeline to our refinerays and is a heartbeat away from telling us, "We're selling out to China." Because NIMBYS and environmental economic terrorist groups are lawsuiting the Canadian oil sands to death.
This would provide us a almost unlimited supply of crude oil to be cheaply imported into the US and would get us off Middle Eastern Oil but again the environmental economic terrorist groups are preventing our companies from seeking alternative sources.
Also this is just is my opinion on the below, but if closer sources of crude oil and gas were found, who would also stand to loose if these commodities were brought cheaply into this Country? Wall Street Hedge Funds.
Closer sources of oil and gas wouldn't be effected by political instability overseas so therefore it would be unprofitable for Hedge Funds to bet on political instability. But then again this is just my opinion because I'm bigoted towards Hedge Funds Managers.
Edward Hara| 7.22.11 @ 11:58AM
And your proof for this bullshit is?????
Edward Hara| 7.22.11 @ 12:00PM
Allegations with out dates, names, companies, and other factual information is nothing more than you trying to brainwash people into your Conservative and pro-Big Oil position.
It is not at all persuasive to those of us who have learned to THINK!!!
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 1:45PM
Edward: Let me be possibly the first to inform you that YOU'RE FULL OF EXCREMENT! Anyone with a fifth grade education has enough common sense [that no doubt leaves you out] to understand that this historical eco-terrorism is the cause and effect of our currently $4/gallon of gas. If you're too stupid to understand the economics/politics/finances of Melvin's correct position, then don't expenct anyone hear to waste their time trying to 'SPAIN IT TO YA. Melvin is only partially incorrect in blamning the Chinese for our oil/energy problem, as the true source of same are Democrats within this country [whose control of government today has recently resulted in thousands of US/taxpayer funded government reseearch dollars going to Chinese business-entities to study GREEN TECHNOLOGY. This whole eco-terrorism, Al Gorism, Hollywood geen environmentalism is one big pile of cow manure and the stupids like Edward are sadly buying it hook, line and sinker. This country should be dropping/drilling oil wells every 500 feet offshore in all three of our bordering oceans, but instead these enviromorons are brainwashing the public into believing this garbage about 'green' [well if you've eve been around cow pastures and witnessed the fresh piles of manure abundant throughout, you've seen GREEN up close and personal, and that's about all its worth relatively speaking]!!!!!!!!!!
Edward Hara| 7.25.11 @ 11:51PM
Didn't answer my question. I need links, names, or other proof of the Chinese connection.
Occam's Tool| 7.25.11 @ 4:26AM
Edward: I live two hours East of the North Dakota border. Thanks to their oil boom, they have a wonderful economy. I would much rather buy my oil from North Dakota than Saudi Arabia, which uses that oil money to sponsor terroristic doctrine spreading. ND also has a minimal population.
Canada also has shale oil that can be exported in relatively unpopulated areas.
Why not use it?
Dan| 7.23.11 @ 7:43PM
My dad worked in the oil industry his working life. He told me a few years ago that several of the biggest American oil companies were in talks with the interior minister of Algeria to negotiate mineral rights. At one point the minister, speaking candidly, said that the companies, combined, can't afford the mineral right as the Chinese made a significantly larger bid than any of the American companies combined were offering.
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 8:29AM
Locking up this country's conventional resources is true lunacy. Between the jobs, and the cash to the federal government from leases and royalties, it truly makes no sense.
Why pander to the enviro-whackos....They Will Never Vote for Republicans Anyway.
Also, regarding wind farms, Chris Horner, a warmist slayer of first repute, posted this on the blog side yesterday. Watch this short video and weep as I did.
http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=svicELHAWyw
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 8:51AM
The extraction industry is under attack and properly so, at least here in Pennsylvania where they pay no extraction tax or fees to help maintain the infrastructure of the roads and bridges damaged by the water trucks used to transport the water needed for "fracking"the gas wells.
There are over 4000 wells in PA and each one requires 3,000,000 gallons of water to fracture the shale which contains the gas. Most of the water is transported to these wells by truck. It doesn't take much imagination to realize the damage this does to the local rural roads and bridges. These costs are still being paid by local and state taxpayers and they are tiring of it and if some solution is not found Pennsylvania will lose it's Republican majority in the legislature in the next election.
The problem is the extraction industry's
fault. Their public relations is non-existent. They have come into the state and paid off our politicians so that they could shit where we sleep and expected us to accept it happily. It won't work.
Environmental concerns are the red herring they throw out but the real problem is that they are pissing in their neighbors lawns here in PA.
The extraction industry has had it too easy. Every other energy industry has (wrongly) been taxed and regulated to death. The extraction industry hasn't and they are too stupid to realize it which is why they are getting this bad press. The industry deserves it.
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 10:48AM
I am not an expert in PA taxation, but I am familiar with other states, such as Indiana.
There are wheel taxes, commercial excises like license fees, license plate fees, common carrier fees, DOT registration fees, hazmat fees, and don't forget the hidden state taxes on gas and diesel, that ostensibly go for infrastructure maintenance and repairs.
I would also suspect there are corporate taxes and excises that funnel to PA coffers by virtue of income being produced there. I can't comment on lease or royalties, as I simply don't know.
The disregard for citizen's property rights may well be a problem. I don't know if there is a legal remedy now, but normally any development project, as well as zoning are subject to remonstrance by citizens. Often, this is where concessions are negotiated for compensation or restricted land use.
Maybe these remedies were overlooked by the citizens that are effected, or may have been overruled if proffered. If citizens are truly concerned, they have the power of the vote on city commissions and zoning boards. This requires citizen participation, which is often lacking.
WL| 7.22.11 @ 11:57AM
I agree with Bob K. Sir, PLEASE IGNORE these far right extremist environmental terrorist demogogic tree murderers...
Please do your part to shut down this awful and sinful industry...Mother earth with thank you and the roads you save...Pay no attention that the asphalt roads you are trying to protect are made possible by ugly extractors...
I think you should take it further than just the Frackers...I think you should run ALL INDUSTRY out of your state...all capitalist MONGERS should be EXCOMMUNIACATED...
Ken and Have you considered.... PLEASE STOP convincing these people differently...
SEE...here in Louisiana we are seeing MASSIVE BENEFIT right now from companies leaving the states full of BRAIN DEAD idiots like BOB...The Northeast and Upper Midwest is shipping BOATLOADS of jobs down here...ONLY SURPASSED BY the SUICIDAL CALIFORNIANS...I SAY let the MANIACS destroy destroy themselves...THEN when they are done...they will be so weak that we can fence them off and toss them out of the union....sometimes people just want Squalor...
AND BOB...you sweeet soul you can have all of it you want...we'll take the rest of it off your hands...I'll even send you a donation if you like....AS LONG AS YOU PROMISE to chain yourself to a tree and STOP THE MAD FRACKERS....
What a nincompoop...
Don't worry bob...that's a nice word.
WL| 7.22.11 @ 12:00PM
Ken and Have you Considered...hope you caught the irony in that large run on sentence of mine...I am not worried about bob seeing this post...because I am sure he is chaining himself to that tree...waitin on his check...
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 12:12PM
WL, I did catch it...great rant!
Edward Hara| 7.22.11 @ 12:05PM
There are thousands of jobs just waiting to be had in the solar energy industry. The only problem is that the politicians are owned by the oil companies, who don't want any infringement on their turf (and their profits).
I bet you might feel a little different if it was YOUR water well that was so polluted that you couldn't drink out of it!!!
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 12:28PM
Edward, please read this analysis of costs vs. benefit of solar power:
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=117592
I'm not so sure you are factually correct in your assertions, especially when you consider that much of this project was financed and/or the bonds were guaranteed by the taxpayers.
c. j. acworth| 7.22.11 @ 6:19PM
Please point to a water well that has been polluted by fracking. All the reading on the subject that I have done fails to give a single incontovertable example.
WL| 7.22.11 @ 12:48PM
You too Edward...RUN EM OUT!!! Run em out of your state Please...in case you missed it...I SUPPORT YOU....let us have their evil intentions....
Your water well isn't poisoned is it? Of course it isn't...somebody just told you that, but that's ok...because you are correct...SOlar and wind are the KEYS TO THE FUTURE...I propose you PROPOSE THAT....
So which state are you determined to sink in? I'll make sure to make out Check Number 2 to your local chapter of environmental dumb(*$%*es...
AND HELP YOU....HELP US.
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 1:54PM
Gee wiz, let's see now, how much oil/gas does Pennsylvania produce? Answer---NONE. Next time you fill up your SUV etc and wonder where that stuff that goes in the car's tank and powers it down the road comes from, think Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma etc. Oh, try putting your favored water in that gas tank and see what it does to your SUV's engine. We need oil/gas from whatever area/source possible, since we're now totally dependent upon our middle eastern enemies supplying same to us [since the moronic Democrats have politically prevented substantial drilling in this country for my lifetime]. You GD yankees moaning/groaning about environmental issues make me want to puke. Maybe those drilling/producing states in the south should simply shut off the flow inside the oilgas pipelines to Pennsylvania and let you yankees eat youknowwhat!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michael Bergsma| 7.23.11 @ 2:03PM
Maybe I am misunderstanding irony but Pennsylvania has long been an oil and gas producing state. The new completion technology is revitalizing the industry and production will grow a lot.
Ken (Old Texican)| 7.22.11 @ 9:24AM
Gosh Bob,
Pennsylvania can protect ALL of its infrastructure... by simply going Amish and letting all your economic activity leave your State.
You can all just become 19th century farmers.
Hey dummy! every one of those nasty old trucks is taxed with every gallon of diesel they buy...just like any other truck that tresspasses to bring you stuff.
Certainly your State should APPROPRIATELY tax the profits of the extraction industry.
Hmmm! Who structures taxes in your State?
AllenTexas5| 7.22.11 @ 9:39AM
Ken,
Don't confuse Bob with logic. PA was lost a long time ago when the unions killed the steel industry. As a fellow Texas whose wife works in the oil and gas industry, I know the truth and if the idiots on the left got out of the way, the US would be on its way to energy independence then we could tell the Middle East, Russia, and all other third world despots we have to prop up to go pound sand.
PolishKnight| 7.22.11 @ 10:17AM
I grew up in PA and it's a stellar example of crony capitalism working with corrupt politicians. I'm sad to say that it won't matter who is elected to office: Republicans or Democrats alike, the system is designed to encourage graft and corruption. It's disheartening.
A similar thing happened with the coal industry: Lots of money for the oligarchs and low wage jobs for the Polish and German immigrants. The oligarchs didn't like to pay for silly stuff like safety equipment or even basic common sense procedures and wound up starting fires and collapsing streets and putting themselves out of business. They did get to go on some nice shopping trips to 5th avenue though.
It' s a problem humanity struggles with: How to get the powerful, politically and economically, to behave in a responsible, human manner.
Edward Hara| 7.22.11 @ 11:44AM
The problem is, of course, that you CAN'T get the powerful to behave in a responsible and humane manner.
This is precisely why Jesus warned us so much against the allurement of riches. They destroy your soul.
TrueBlue| 7.22.11 @ 3:39PM
That's why you severly limit the power they DO have. Which the U.S. Constitution (and most state constitutions if people read them) DOES do, unfortunately there's nobody upholding it, and that's the real problem.
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 10:35AM
Dream on Allen!
There are 49 other states that have 49 other ideas. Maybe you Texans can secede and handle your own illegal immigration problem and have your own foreign policy and close your borders to the north and invade Mexico.
It would be a big help to the rest of us, you can bet.
WL| 7.22.11 @ 12:04PM
Uh....I'm with Texas please...
Bob, what did I tell you about those Texans...ignore them...and throw them out...I agree...you folks in the Northeast SHOULD THROW THEM OUT!!!! YEAH YEAH YEAH...
Dear Texans...right before they get you thrown out...I'm coming with you so don't put the fence up until I get there....
We can call it OPERATION GET THROWN OUT....See these Rubes will never let us secede...because the need us...but if we convince them to THROW our EVIL carcusses OUT...
Just imagine the prosperity we could have without them....
WL| 7.22.11 @ 12:06PM
Just think of it.....
America without California, Illinois, and the Northeast.....
I am swimming in a sea of relief just at the THOUGHT.
Maddox| 7.24.11 @ 12:26AM
...perchance to dream!
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 10:28AM
Hey Ken,
I won't call you a name despite your silly Amish analogy.
Everybody is taxed on the gasoline they use! Just like in Texas. And nobody is trespassing on the roads here. The state and local governments maintain the roads from a variety of taxes.
Pennsylvania has more miles of roads than any other state in the USA. Even more than California. And it has weather year round that helps contributes to their deterioration. Maintaining them is one of the costliest items in the state budget, maybe the costliest.
And too much industry already avoids this state because of it's high corporate tax, which the new Republican majority is also not acting to alleviate. The gas exploration companies have all incorporated in Delaware so no tax monies come in from that source.
Every other state has an extraction tax. I think even Texas does. PA doesn't. What do you think an appropriate extraction tax would be? Maybe you could go to the industry and suggest that they volunteer paying this amount. That might help Pennsylvania remain Republican in the next election. Or don't you care if Obama is re-elected?
Democrat registration exceeds Republican by 1,000,000. Republicans don't win here unless the voters in the Northern Tier and down through the center of the state come out to vote. And that is where the problems caused by the gas industry are. If these people stay home on election day the Democrats win.
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 10:53AM
And Ken,
That brings up another thought.
Do you think that the Gas Extraction Industry cares who wins this election?
After all, all the other energy industries have been taxed and regulated to death. Why hasn't this industry? Who, after all, is in Who's pocket?
JP| 7.22.11 @ 11:13AM
If your pols are so easily bought, it doesn't say much about your state. Where I live semi trailers are taxed 3 ways from Monday. And about half the counties here also have "wheel taxes" which are levied on top of what the state charges.
Pennsylvania's lawmakers are some of the wealthiest state legislators in the nation. But the voters tolerate it. Ditto for the "extraction companies" you cite. If it is so bad, the people can over-ride coperate interest; it happens all the time. But, if what you say comes from talking point memos issued by Progressive activist groups, you may just end up chasing more businesses from your state for no other reason than to satisfy the pyschosis of George Soros. Where I live plenty of small towns and counties voted against ethanol corporations setting up shop because of the drain on local water sources. Despite missing out on hundreds of well paying jobs during a recession, these towns held out and refused the permits.
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 5:15PM
I don't need talking points from anybody. Nobody here in PA does. We live with this.
Did any of you people think that the reason for this big push on gas is because the ruling class doesn't want any more pressure brought on the politicians to free up the Oil, Coal and Nuclear industries from their shackles? They are selling you all a bill of goods and you suckers are falling for it like you did for T. Boone Pickens Wind and Solar magic answers to the energy crisis. We begin to address our energy needs with Natural Gas!
This country is going nowhere without Oil, Coal and Nuclear power.
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 5:17PM
The last sentence in the first paragraph should read: We can't begin to address our energy needs with Natural Gas!
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 11:16AM
I will note that the state in which you file a charter to incorporate, such as Delaware, does Not relieve a corporation of state taxation by other states. Most states, like Indiana, have special taxation for out of state business' with a physical presence in the state. Indiana levies Indiana Gross Income Taxes (IGIT) on out of state business', which actually taxes gross sales, verses net profits. Somewhat punitive IMO.
I believe the big advantage of incorporation in DE, is the opaqueness of the corporate veil. This insulates corporate officers from personal liability, and offers some additional asset protections. The advent of LLCs can provide the same type of insulation now.
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 1:56PM
Ken, I've screamed for years that Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma etc should simply stop the flow of oil/gas north of the mason-dixon line and let em FREEZE TO DEATH UP THERE!!!
Kingofthenet| 7.22.11 @ 9:40AM
Keep this in the Red States, that way they can enjoy the Earthquakes and Water Contamination.
Dustoff| 7.22.11 @ 9:49AM
While the Blue states go broke. (CALIF)
Yeah that makes a ton of sense.
Michael Bergsma| 7.23.11 @ 2:09PM
So far in Texas, there is no case of water contamination from fracking. Now there are problems with old wells, some dating back to the 1920's and the Railroad Commision (the Texas Oil and Gas regulatory agency) spends a lot of time and effort in dealing with these old wells. I have been involved with companies that took over old wells after reaching cleanup agreements with the State. Fracking is not involved at all.
alex hamilton| 7.22.11 @ 9:47AM
I drove through Upstate NY last week. Some lovely towns but it's no secret that the economy up there is DOA and has been for two decades. Lots of signs on front lawns that were anti-fracking. (Pro-fracking people tend to not pollute their front lawns).
Maybe these genuises can get jobs with Eastman Kodak, IBM, or GE lightbulbs. Oh, that's right, those jobs are gone. Well then maybe they become fur traders, that's where John Jacob Astor made his money.
Redstateboy| 7.22.11 @ 11:57AM
alex.. I'm an escapee from the People's Republic of New York (Buffalo) and I can say as an eye witness - the incredible stupidity of the people up there.. they've watched for 50 years! as the Unions systematically destroyed all their industry yet like trained Circus Seals.. they call themselves Union people and Democrats and vote accordingly. Of course... there are no jobs and the young people are leaving to go where??? Why those Eeeville Red States! Where they can atleast find a job. "Stupid is as stupid does."
Kingofthenet| 7.22.11 @ 10:07AM
http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/trailer/
Hillel| 7.22.11 @ 10:33AM
As many of my friends are environmentalists I can state that we're dealng with a New Religion. I suggest you read Green Building (available on line) They finally say that ideally we'd live in Igloos or Yurts as they have a small carbon footprint. I think they're going to a three dog night. If only they were more like Cistercians and would maintain a vow of silence.
Redstateboy| 7.22.11 @ 11:14AM
Has anyone read that environmental (emphasis on the "mental") wacko's are suing Wind and Solar farms because of the traversing course of the Bloody Transmission Lines!!! So Liberal environmentalists Suing Liberal "Environmentally friendly" industries over environmental issues! And that Wind-farm in CA..??? the one so often featured in Movies?? it's descimating migratory bird populations..!! Liber-uls... they'd be funny if they weren't so dangerous.
Have you considered| 7.22.11 @ 11:41AM
Hi RSB, I have read a couple things that I thought illustrated the complete insanity of these enviro-whackos. Truly the apex of irony.
There was a HUGE solar farm scheduled to be built in the Mojave Desert which was to be funded in part by stimulus funds. This project was championed by the Sierra Club, et al. Once the project was designed, and I believe the permits were on the verge of being issued, the Sierra Club sued to stop the project because of the Desert Tortoise. The project actually partitioned off (if I recall) 57k acres for this tortoise, but that did not stop the law suit.
Then I have read that 3 of the major wind farms in CA are actually shut down due to bird kills. They allow the blades to float freely to make them look like they are in operation, but they are not. They also were also not economically viable insofar as the maintenance costs outstripped the profits.
Then there is this article regarding the staggering costs vs. the actual benefits of the DeSoto Solar Power plant in Fl. which is well worth a read.
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=117592
Redstateboy| 7.22.11 @ 12:01PM
thanks !! in Buffalo.. at the now descimated Bethlehem Steel plant in Lackawanna (just S of downtown Buff.) they build these Massive F'n Windmills - of course there's zero ROI but to Liber-uls?? They're ............ pretty.
Edward Hara| 7.22.11 @ 11:49AM
I love how Capitalists are always making excuses for the oil and gas industry as long as it isn't THEIR property that has water you can set on fire:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01EK76Sy4A
I live in PA. My daugher is largely involved in the ant-fracking movement here. She has met the people whose wells have been polluted.
What is it about you Capitalists that money is more important than people? When did you decide that you didn't need a heart or conscience?
John II| 7.22.11 @ 12:12PM
Rather, what is it about you socialists that political correctness is more important than people?
When did you decide that you don't need a brain or a sense of proportion?
And while we're at it, who put the APE in "apricot"?
And now back to "The Day the Earth Stood Still" --the cheesy 2008 remake more or less anticipated by the old-fashioned liberal 1951 version. In the latter, Drew Pearson has a cameo role instructing earthlings not to be peaceful, and the visiting alien tells earthlings to be peaceful if they don't want his robot to destroy them.
In the former, the updated version, an alien stimulates a group of environmentalists to have a wet dream involving the destruction of evil human vermin.
Ken (Old Texican)| 7.22.11 @ 12:17PM
Edward,
you are simply a liar.
Bob K.| 7.22.11 @ 5:29PM
No, Edward is not a liar. This has happened in various places in Northeastern Pennsylvania!
In fact, it happened in the home town of the previous congressman from the 10th Congressional District. Dimmock, Pa. Over a dozen of his neighbors could not drink their water. During this period of time he did not say one word about their plight and this silence was noticed. He was a Democrat who had received contributions from the Gas Industry. The electorate noticed his silence on this matter and threw him out of office despite the fact that he had the support of all the news media. He was defeated by a Republican who the liberal media we have here did their best to smear with accusations that he was mob connected. He won 55% to 45%.
Michael Bergsma| 7.23.11 @ 2:14PM
If this is the situation I am familiar with, the leakage was from old wells and not from fracking. Pennsylvania has some reealllllly old wells, like from the 1880's old. These need to be dealt with but has nothing to do with new activity.
Bob K.| 7.23.11 @ 7:38PM
Sorry, no it wasn't. In fact the gas exploration company admitted as much when they agreed to supply water to the homes.
Bob K.| 7.23.11 @ 9:09PM
Mr. Bergsma,
You have indicated you have a "familiarity" with the problem above. I suspect, after a 2 minute google, that you have more than a familiarity with the entire Marcellus Shale gas exploration that is going on in Pennsylvania's northern tier counties.
With that in mind, perhaps you could comment on some rumors making the rounds and comment on some other questions about the industry's dealings with the legislature.
The first rumor is that Royal Dutch Shell, a foreign corporation, has purchased all the gas that will be produced from this gas field. Where will they sell it?
The second rumor is that the successful wells which produce gas will be capped for use at a later date. How will that affect royaltys?
The third rumor is that the new pipeline being laid from northeastern Pennsylvania to northern New Jersey means that the gas will ultimately be sold there and not available to Pennsylvania.
The next rumor is that now that this Marcellus Shale Gas Field is close to being fully developed that the Liquified Gas Industry is going to start selling United States Produced gas to the Near East, India, and the Far East. Cheniere LNG in Louisiana is already planning to do so and is issuing new stock.
http://www.cheniere.com/default.shtml
And so the question here is how much benefit from this gas boom is really going to come back to the US consumer?
There are more questions: Good ones, like who in hell hired your public relations people in Pennsylvania to sell this to the public? What a bunch of amateurs you have there!
Look here at the damage your industry is causing to our roads and bridges:
http://www.marcellus-shale.us/road_damage.htm
Over 100,000 hits on this website in the last year. Do you really think that Pennsylvania can remain a Republican State in the next election with this going on? I thought it might interest you because there is a man with your name who ran for Republican Chairman of Neuces County Texas.
And how did the industry manage to convince so many of the members of the Legislature that Pennsylvania could handle all these costly problems without a fair extraction tax?
It would be good for your industry and the Republican party if the populace here could see your industry as a good neighbor rather than the 21st century equivalent of the old Coal Robber Barons.
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 2:02PM
Let's just cut off Pennsylvania from our domestic oil/gas supplies produced and see what the Edwards types think about their having to walk instead of vehicle driving. That would certainly pump up their HEART and renew their CONSCIENCE, huh??????
Al Adab| 7.22.11 @ 11:54AM
Of course this industry is under attack by the administration and its environmentalist allies. It is a tenent of their Faith that any and all fossil fuels are harmful and must not be extracted. In their world view America must learn to get along with less- he said it during the campaign- rather than find new ways to provide our needs. Given the regulatory power and the public information system as we know it, there is little wonder that our economy continues it's long slow slide into the abyss.
Jennifer Hara| 7.22.11 @ 12:33PM
I have worked as an activist inside the effected communities. I have researched scholored papers on economics, industry, energy ect. I say this not to toot my horn but to explain that unlike many people on here who are talking off the top of their heads and the comfort of there well to do pockets....I know what I am talking about. The use of environmental resources is not what anti-frackers are fighting agianst. We are fighting for it to be done safely. And if it can't be done saftly, don't do it!!! Your smart ass remarks about where our roads come from.....when have you heard of someone gettign sick from that? You haven't...so keep it to the point "bob". This is about safty. When is the last time you heard of a mother telling her child she can play in traffic as long as "mom" is watching? never? why? cause it still isn't safe!
This isn't about simple living, being a hippy or a tree hugger. It's about respect for our neighbors, our home planet (which is the only one we have dare I remind you) and when these resources are gone....they are gone. They don't renew. Is that to much for you too understand? Or is it just a lot easier to side with what will benefit you, right now....and screw the rest of the world or future generations.
We DO need energy, we DO need economics, but why do it this way - at the sacrifice of so many people and other resources - when we have ways to do it without such an awful outcome? My father mentioned solar paneling and there are many other forms of energy producers that don't cause such degredation to people and the environment.
They are required by law to use the most advance equipment they can to make it safe in many instances and it still isn't safe!
Let me remind you too........water is a resource. quality drinking water in the world stands at 1% if I remember correctly and is a global concern. http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/quality.html ..........WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT GAS, BUT WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT WATER. If concern for my own life and my children is being a terrorist...then so be it.
Al Adab| 7.22.11 @ 12:50PM
The minute you wrote "activist" any legitimacy your argument may have had went out the window. The word does not imbue you with any virtue or wisdom. A community organizer by any other name. At the same time, I'll wager you dislike the Tea Party Activists.
Kingofthenet| 7.22.11 @ 12:57PM
Jennifer, good points, Don't forget Dirty Energy are the ones that want a free pass, (not to mention tax breaks and special EPA exemptions) on the TOXIC effects of their industry and MASSIVE 'Global Warming' and Human Health Pollution. Sure Solar and Wind are more expensive to produce per Kilowatt hour, but when you factor in all that pollution and Greenhouse Gas production and Human Health issues it gets alot closer. Look at it this way, you have two restaurants, the First is making Hamburgers FRESH with Ground Round and charging $10, the second is using 'pre-made' low quality frozen beef patties and selling their hamburgers for $5, these Conservatives will tell you they are the SAME thing, WE know better.
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 2:08PM
Hey Kingfish, go tell Andy your bullexcrement. It won't wash here!!!!!!!!!
Ken (Old Texican)| 7.22.11 @ 1:35PM
Jennifer,
go play in the traffic.
You are too dumb to continue living.
Without oil and gas...you freeze in the dark...until we get our nuke plants cranked up in VOLUME.
jUST REALITY, FLAKE.
Oldefarte| 7.22.11 @ 2:06PM
No we cannot LIVE WITHOUT OIL/GAS, moron. Everything that we eat, wear, consume, transport etc is powered by oil/gas, stupid. Our factories, office buildings, our electricity, our modes of transportation etc are all run by oil/gas dimwit. Grow a GD brain and take your ecofriendly stupidisism somewhere else!!!!!
Clint| 7.23.11 @ 2:31PM
Apparently, Jennifer's " scholored" , but not scholarly.
Just sayin'.
Marc Jeric| 7.22.11 @ 6:53PM
We all need more clarity in understanding of our present situation. Let me translate certain terms:
1) When you hear the word "environmentalist" think "communist";
2) When you hear the word "ecologist" think nazi;
3) When you hear the word "protecting rare species" think mass murderer.
Etc. The same bunch of criminals agitated years ago for our unilateral disarmament, especially nuclear.
sophia| 7.22.11 @ 9:48PM
When is the last time you heard of a mother telling her child she can play in traffic as long as "mom" is watching? never? why? cause it still isn't safe!Great.
http://www.summer-products.com
scorfield| 7.22.11 @ 9:50PM
We begin to address our energy needs with Natural Gas!
http://www.ainibag.com
Ore Gone| 7.23.11 @ 1:00AM
The comments from the warm and fuzzy crowd is typical from the think with the heart and not with the brain. "Look is that Grandma going over the cliff?" They humanize the planet and everything on it. They are totally confused when their dogs don't act like children. I am so sick of these people and university towns are full of these idiots. Living in the Willamette valley you don't see the sun for 8 months out of the year but yet they are behind solar energy in a big way. When you drive around the area you don't see any solar panels because it is not feasible no matter how much you want it to work. We eminent domain for the good of the many but fracking for the good of the nation to the detriment of a handful of people is a horrible crime... Please! What a crock.
Bob K.| 7.23.11 @ 10:39PM
I agree with your last sentence. I hope they find gas soon in the Willamette Valley so you and your neighbors there can experience the detriment it causes and, like the good liberals all you Oregonians are, you can feel good about how the rest of the nation benefits from it.
POST American| 7.23.11 @ 1:17AM
---Interesting piece.
BTW --everyone catching, just days after the
phoney Fabian pillow fight between capstone
servant Murdoch and the establishment ----FOX
'News', the 'REAL American' media, undercuts
the awesomely on target Tea Party?
HUAC meets NUREMBERG -----the second chapter is coming.
--------------------------------------STAY TUNED
john dubose| 7.23.11 @ 10:20AM
The same technology that opened up all the new gas and oil here can be applied all over the world. And it will be because some of their governments are not STUPID like ours.
dallas personanl injury lawyer | 7.23.11 @ 3:47PM
The price of gas is really effecting the whole economy. I sure hope they do something about it quickly
Long Ben| 7.23.11 @ 7:25PM
Potential good news on the fracking front . There are a couple of Canadian companies that are starting to frack with nitrogen and or propane neither of which pose any pollution threat to our ground water at all .
bluecollarbytes| 7.23.11 @ 10:30PM
Ultimately the 'big oil position' is to the benefit of consumers- who have a consistently-reliable source at the lowest possible price at any given moment.
How govt could ever make it cheaper, even through force, is a 'mystery' considering their 'green energy' policies throw away billions on what is in the end-politiks.
David| 7.23.11 @ 11:27PM
Sorry, but it's not all BS, Mr. Chesser.
If you had one shred of honesty you would tell of the countless people who live in areas where the water has taken on a smell, a taste, and has become undrinkable. They're looking for someone with the balls to stand up to the lies and propaganda by oil and gas companies. Won't be you will it, Mr. Chesser?
While we need more drilling in America, we also need safer drilling. Safer for those who live nearby. The amounts of money being thrown at generating counter-science disclaimers is staggering. And all anyone has to do is go find out for themselves. We don't need you lying to us by citing the lies of others as facts.
TAS is becoming less informative and more 'mainstream media' as time goes on. I guess if the left has their lie machine, we need one too. It's disappointing.
Bob K.| 7.24.11 @ 9:22AM
David,
Your points are well taken if a bit strongly worded. The Republican Party is in danger of, once again, losing the Reagan Democrats to this problem in PA.
Mr. Chesser has failed to mention that the Gas Industry is now in the process of expanding it's ability to export Natural Gas to the rest of the world. Cheniere Energy Partners of Louisiana, the World's largest Liquid Natural Gas Processor is now undergoing preparations to to this. The prospect of profits outside the USA must be greater than they are in the USA.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/ph.....ighlight;=
Bob K.| 7.24.11 @ 9:24AM
You can read about it here by perusing Cheniere's website.
http://www.cheniere.com/default.shtml
David| 7.24.11 @ 11:20AM
Oh, I know. And it is very disheartening to see so much that could be utilized here go overseas in search of the almighty dollar.
Too many corporations relocate in order to escape taxes or turn more profit. A few adjustments to our policies might do what several adjustments to our bureaucracy could not.
المصطبة | 7.24.11 @ 3:20AM
Thank You veru much
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Intercom-System | 7.24.11 @ 3:07PM
"If US were on its way to energy independence then we could tell the Middle East, Russia, and all other third world despots we have to prop up to go pound sand." Sums it up!
D Roamer | 7.25.11 @ 12:22AM
Any new technology in improvement of fracking will always be met by Obama and EPA with some new way to either stop it or slow its development. Such an exciting prospect for United States when the industry is finally cut loose in 2012. Such purposeful "footdragging" by the administration might be found to be criminal when the opportunity comes to investigate and punish after 2012.