Anda di halaman 1dari 8

SHALE

JUSTICE

NOW

Shale Justice Coalition Newsletter

March 2015

Pipeline Special Edition


Boom and Bust
Treading Shale Water

In 2008 the US economy entered the Great Recession. At the


root was the housing market and the term underwater entered
our lexicon. Underwater in reference to homes means the
market value of the home was less than what was still owed
on the home.

The shale industry is in a similar situation. Oil and Natural gas


prices have steadily declined over the past 2 years, and have
taken a big drop in the past 6 months, yet the cost of extraction has remained the same or slightly increased.
The shale boom began with a rush for dry gas, gas that was
80% or more pure methane. By the end of 2012, this market
was in a glut, and the fossil fuel corporations moved operations to reap the benefits of wet gas and natural gas liquids.
Within a short time, this market was also in a glut and prices
dropped. Next it was on to extraction of oil from shale, but
choice shale areas proved to be too gassy with insufficient oil to meet the hype.
With the US domestic supplies of natural gas remaining in the state of glut the market prices continue
a steady decline the fosssil fuel corporations were losing money.
The Problem: All this natural gas and no where for it to go. The Solution: Export it as Liquid Natural
Gas (LNG). As of December 2014, the market price of LNG was at $15.66 per thousand cubic feet,
compared to domestic prices at the city gate of $5.69 per thousand cubic feet for the same time period.
Exportation has become the next magic bullet for the fossil fuel industry, along with it it means pipelines and export facilites. Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia and New England states are seeing an explosion of natural gas transmission pipeline expansion projects. These
pipelines are headed for export facilities along the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
Exportation of Natural Gas is contrary to the industry hype of Securing Americas Energy Future.

Shale Justice Coalition


PO Box 1, Lewisburg, PA 17837

shalejustice.org
shalejustice@gmail.

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

NO PIPELINE LEFT UNOPPOSED


With the glut of natural gas and natural gas liquids the transmission pipeline building boom in on and
with it opposition is rising.
At a National Press Club Luncheon in January 2015, Cheryl LaFleur, Chair of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) remarked that opposition to pipelines is unprecedented and we have
a situation.
Reasons for opposing pipelines range from environmental concerns, property rights, eminent domain,
and questioning the the definition of public need and convenience when there is no direct benefit to
communities. The industry touts reports of economic benefits and job creation as an upside.
There is no UPSIDE to a pipeline on Your Property. Below is a partial list of projects being opposed.

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

GROUP UPDATES
Schuylkill Pipeline Awareness (SPA):
Email: schuylkillconcernedresidents@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/758856534157741/
Pine Grove Township and Eldred Township went on record to FERC opposing the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
after persistent voices of concerned residents showed up to township meetings month after month.
SPA is also working on outreach to people in the hazard zones (PIR) of the pipeline in Schuylkill County.
There are about 100 properties that are in the hazard zone not counting the landowners who live directly on
the pipeline path. We are working to outreach and empower landowners so they are not bullied to sign anything and encourage them to go to eminent domain.
SPA also continues to hold community education forums and is looking forward to the Mar 29th all day organizing session in Bloomsburg, PA
Lancaster Against Pipelines
Website: http://lancasteragainstpipelines.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LancasterAgainstPipeline/
Lancaster Against Pipelines has been working hard since April of 2014 to strategize and act powerfully in
opposing the Atlantic Sunrise Project. Williams Partners has proposed to install a 42 inch transmission line as
a short cut from the Marcellus Shale region to export facilities along the east coast. We have established nonprofit groups in a number of our municipalities, with the goal of passing ordinances that would help to protect
our communities from unwanted activities like pipelines, from fracturing our communities and our environment.
Our supervisors have refused to pass these ordinances, so two of our communities, Conestoga and Martic
Townships, have decided to pursue Home Rule to allow the people to vote on this issue, rather than the 3 or
5 supervisors who are supposed to be representing the people. From 2/3-3/4 of the registered voters in each
township have signed their name in support of the ordinance, and still none of the supervisors have voted yes
on it. We see this an an example where the present second class township status has failed the people, and
the democracy on which we claim our country was founded, does not have the freedom to rule. Home Rule
will give the people the power to vote on what happens in their communities, rather than a few individuals.
In addition, we are pursing non-violent direct action training for supporter throughout the county. We believe
that non-violent direct action is the only way to oppose the transmission line proposal, and we are finding that
there are many outside of the directly affected landowners and townships, who agree with us and are willing to
stand with us.
We continue to offer educational town hall meetings, and more personal home meetings to share what we
have learned, and to talk with individuals about our next steps.
Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition of Luzerne County (GDAC)
Website: http://www.gdacoalition.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GDACoalition
Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition (GDAC) is active in Luzerne County with 4 proposed pipelines converging in
Dallas, PA. These pipelines include the Atlantic Sunrise, PennEast, Diamond East and the Marc-II.
We have worked with Dallas Township, Harveys Lake, Plains Township, and West Wyoming Borough to pass
resolutions opposing the Atlantic Sunrise and PennEast Pipelines. We continue to work with other municipalities in Luzerne County and with County Commissioners to pass similar resolutions.

Upcoming events (date and location to be announced) include the Josh Fox Solutions Tour, and Dr.
Anthony Ingraffea presentation on Pipelines.
3

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline (ASP) FERC Docket: PF14-8


The Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline is a proposed project by Williams Partners. It is a 42 diameter pipeline
expected to carry 1.7 billion cubic feet/day, and cover approximately 178 miles through the Pennsylvania counties of Clinton, Columbia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Northumberland,
Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wyoming.
The Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline will connect to the existing Williams Transco
in Lancaster County.
Williams Partners has stated the
Atlantic Sunrise Project is designed
to add 1,700,000 dekatherms per day
of pipeline capacity to the Transco
system. Thats enough natural gas to
meet the daily needs of more than 7
million American homes.
Will it really serve 7 million American
Homes?
No. According to Alan Armstrong,
CEO of Williams Partners The
Atlantic Sunrise and Gulf Trace
projects will serve as important infrastructure for future LNG export
facilities at Cove Point and Sabine
Pass.
The municipalities of Annville, Conestoga, Dallas Township, Eldred Township, Harveys Lake, Lancaster, Martic, Pine Grove Township, and South Londonderry have passed Resolutions opposing the
Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline.
Williams Partners is expecteed to officially file an application with FERC in March 2015. At that time
a new docket number with the prefix of CP will be assigned. You will have 20 days from that date
to register as an intervenor.
An intervention grants you the right to receive copies of filings and to appeal a decision in
court. As an intervener, you become participants in proceedings and have the right to request
rehearing of Commission orders and seek relief of final agency actions in the U.S. Circuit
Courts of Appeal.
Local Groups: Columbia County Pipeline Awareness, Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition (Luzerne
County), Lebanon Pipeline Awareness, Lancaster Against Pipelines, and Schuylkill Pipeline Awareness (Facebook).
4

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

PennEast FERC Docket: PF15-1


The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) concluded the Environmental Impact
Scoping public meetings on Feb. 27, 2015. Over
1,000 people attended the six hearings held in
Pennsyvania and New Jersey to oppose the
PennEast Pipeline. Resolutions opposing the
PennEast Pipeline have been passed in 27
municpalities.
Issues raised about the route include river crossing Luzerne County with regards to abandondoned
coal mines, flood control systems, and sanitary
sewage systems.
PennEast continues to promote jobs as a reason
to build the pipeline and contends over 12,000 will
be created. Of this large number, approx 2,500
will be actual construction jobs with the majority of
workers brought in from states other than Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The remaining 9,500 jobs are included as ancillary or support jobs. For instance, if the operator of
a taco truck pulled up to a construction area to feed hungry workers at lunchtime, that operator would
be counted as one of the 9,500 jobs supported by the a pipeline, under the formula employed by the
Drexel study paid for by PennEast.
TetraTech has been hired to prepare the Environmental Impact study. Tetra Tech is an out ot state
corporation based in Pasadena, California and a member of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (an industry lobbying organization).
The PennEast Pipeline will end in Trenton, NJ where connections to the Williams Transco, and Spectras Algonquin Pipelines are located. This has raised concerns regarding the exporation of natural
gas to the recently FERC approved Cove Point facility in Maryland, south to the Gulf of Mexico export
facilities, or north via pipelines to Canada. PennEast claims it will not be exporting.....for now.
PennEast also claims the pipeline will provide natural gas to aproximately 4.7 million homes, none
of which are in Pennsylvania. However, according to PennEast spokesperson, Patricia Kornick, the
pipeline will only be going to utility companies in Pennsylvania and New Jesery.
Although the FERC scoping comment period has ended for the PennEast Pipeline, comments and
concerns are still being accepted and people are encouraged to keep sending them in to FERC.
Instructions for How to Comment-Subscribe to FERC Projects and Register-Subscribe to FERC projects are found at Shale Justice website in the Pipeline Library.
5

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

Other Pipelines
Two other pipelines are in the works but have not prefiled with FERC. These are the Williams Diamond East and the Crestwood Marc-II.
DIAMOND EAST Pipeline will follow a parallel path to the
existing Transco and proposed PennEast pipelines from
Luzerne County, PA to Mercer County, NJ. It will have additional compressor stations and loop segments along the
existing Transco corridor.
Diamond East is subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies.
The project comes in addition to the $3.3 billion in capital expenditures planned through 2017 on Transco growth projects designed to serve markets in the
Northeast, according to Williams.
MARC-II Pipline will connect a pipeline in Sullivan county, PA
to new interconnect on Transcos Leidy Line, and Transcos
proposed Atlantic Sunrise Expansion project in Dallas, Luzerne
County, PA.
The MARC-II is being proposed through Crestwoods subsidiary
the Central New York Oil & Gas Co. LLC (CNYOG).
MARC-II is subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies.
Crestwood anticipates a MARC-II Pipeline in-service date in the fourth quarter of 2017.
SUNBURY Pipeline is being proposed by UGI Energy Servvices, LLC. It is a 35-mile interstate transmission line. The
pipeline will also serve Hummel's Warf, with plans
to construct a natural gas-fueled power plant at the existing
site of the coal-fired Sunbury Generation facility near Shamokin Dam in Snyder County.
Permitting, planning and outreach starts in 2015 with expected construction to begin in 2016,
UGI Energy Servies, LLC prefiled with FERC in December
2014 and has been assigned FERC Docket No. PF15-9000.
6

Shale Justice Now

ipeline Edition March 2015

Marcellus Shale Players


Explore the Marcellus Shale Players
Instructions for using Google Fusion with the
Marcellus Shale Players
The Marcellus Shale Players is a 5-year and on-going project by
Dory Hippauf. It began with the simple question of WHO IS....
Too often players are overlooked or simply dismissed as industry
shills, yet these players are actively working hand in hand with politicians to write regulations, create laws and exemptions to benefit
themselves. They craft and control the message you see often
repeated in advertising and echoed through their connections.
We must consider the source, and to do that we need to know the
source! The Marcellus Shale Players gives you those sources and
connections.
The Marcellus Shale Players is a spreadsheet listing corporations, subsidiaries, lobbyists, trade
groups, industry organizations, politicians and more who have their fingers in shale gas and oil.
The Marcellus Shale Players contains nearly 10,000 entries (and growing) of the whos who in shale
and now its available to the public through Shale Justice.
Combining the Marcellus Shale Player spreadsheet with Google Fusion, you will be able to filter and
search for specific players and create a diagram showing the connections of a corporation to a lobbyist to a politician.
Each entry has a clickable weblink to the information source, and dont forget to check out the
NOTES column for more information on some of the listings.
Find out who has gone through the revolving door from government offices to corporate positions and
back again.
Ever wonder what a hockey team owner has to do with shale? Look up Terry Pegula on the Marcellus Shale Players to find out.
Who is the blonde spokeswoman in the Energy Tomorrow ads? Its Brooke Alexander. What other
connections does Energy Tomorrow have? Who is behind the ads? Who is running their public relations campaign, and what other connections are there?
Explore the Marcellus Shale Players, follow the money and connect the dots.
7

Shale Justice Now

Pipeline Edition March 2015

CALENDAR: VISIT SHALEJUSTIC.ORG


FOR UPCOMING EVENTS
FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN
YOUR AREA TODAY
Shale Justice is a coalition of organizations whose aim is to coordinate our
efforts, our regionally specific issues, our visions, our talents, and our hard
work to end extreme forms of industrialized which poses serious threats to
our air, our land and our water.
If you or your organization is interested in becoming part of a growing and
active coalition, contact us TODAY! Visit our website and click the BECOME A MEMBER button

DONATE TO SHALE JUSTICE COALITION


Name:____________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________
Email address: _____________________________________________
PhoneNumber:______________________________________________
Here is my tax deductible donation! I appreciate all the hard work Shale Justice is doing to keep my
environment safe for me, my children, and generations yet to come!
$10 _____ $20 _____ $25 _____ $30 _____ $50 _____ Other _____
_____ I would like to help any way I can at a Shale Justice activity or event.
Shale Justice, P.O. Box 1, Lewisburg, PA 17837
OR CLICK THE DONATE BUTTON at shalejustice.org to make a secure on-line donation
Shale Justice Coalition

shalejustice.org

PO Box 1, Lewisburg, PA 17837 shalejustice@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter and any information contained herein is intended for informational purposes only and
should not be construed as legal advice. The publisher goes to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this newsletter. However, we will not be responsible for errors or omissions or any damages, howsoever caused,
which result from its use. Any commentary contained in this newsletter is opinion only, and should be considered as such.
We respect each persons right to personal privacy. To that end, we do not under any circumstance, rent, sell or exchange
your email address. We have collected and stored your name and email address for the sole purpose of sending you this
newsletter. Should your email address change, we invite you to let us know so you can continue to receive the newsletter.

Anda mungkin juga menyukai