Factories and power plants discharged more than 2 million pounds of toxic chemicals into Maryland waterways, according to a new report by Environment Maryland. And three-fourths of that wound up in Baltimore's Curtis Bay, ranking it among the top 50 waterways nationally for toxic discharges.
Drawing on toxic chemical releases reported by industries for 2007, the most recent year available, the environmental group argues that government has not done enough to minimize the health and environmental threats posed by allowing such discharges into the nation's waters.
In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the group notes, the Susquehanna River ranked in the top 20 nationally for receiving toxic discharges, with industries reporting more than 2.6 million pounds released into the water body that supplies half the bay's fresh water. And at the other end of the bay, Virginia's James River received the 6th largest amount of toxic chemicals linked with developmental problems in children.
Toxic discharges are far higher in other parts of the country, the group's report reveals, with the Ohio, New and Mississippi rivers on the receiving end of the most pollution. And the amounts industry reports discharging have been greatly reduced overall, since they first began reporting such releases two decades ago.
But there's still plenty that could be done in Maryland and the rest of the bay region to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, argues Environment Maryland's Tommy Landers. He urged state and federal leaders not to skip over toxic pollution as they draw up plans for ramping up the bay restoration effort. To see the full report, go here.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wheeling Approves Oil, Gas Drilling in City Parks
October 21, 2009 · Wheeling City Council approved a resolution Tuesday night that will allow Chesapeake Appalachia to drill for natural gas on city property near Oglebay and Wheeling parks.
Some residents are worried however about the environmental impacts drilling could have on the parks and their community.
Earlier this month, Wheeling City Council tabled a similar motion to give the Wheeling Park Commission approval to move forward with allowing Chesapeake to drill in the parks.
Wheeling mayor Andy McKenzie says he voted for the proposal, but with reservations.
“It is a very emotional issue because it is Oglebay Park and if we had not moved forward, the drilling still would have moved forward without any control by the city of Wheeling or the Wheeling Park Commission,” McKenzie said.
One council member, Robert “Herk” Henry, voted to table the issue for another week.
He says he’s getting calls from residents concerned about how the drilling will affect their drinking water.
“My concern is whether it is going to pollute their wells, because I imagine some people have well water up there,” Henry said.
One of those residents concerned about the environmental impacts of Marcellus shale drilling in the parks is Wheeling resident Bruce Edinger. He is a former biology professor at West Liberty University and Glenville State College, and has studied the impacts of acid mine drainage in Harrison County.
Full article
Some residents are worried however about the environmental impacts drilling could have on the parks and their community.
Earlier this month, Wheeling City Council tabled a similar motion to give the Wheeling Park Commission approval to move forward with allowing Chesapeake to drill in the parks.
Wheeling mayor Andy McKenzie says he voted for the proposal, but with reservations.
“It is a very emotional issue because it is Oglebay Park and if we had not moved forward, the drilling still would have moved forward without any control by the city of Wheeling or the Wheeling Park Commission,” McKenzie said.
One council member, Robert “Herk” Henry, voted to table the issue for another week.
He says he’s getting calls from residents concerned about how the drilling will affect their drinking water.
“My concern is whether it is going to pollute their wells, because I imagine some people have well water up there,” Henry said.
One of those residents concerned about the environmental impacts of Marcellus shale drilling in the parks is Wheeling resident Bruce Edinger. He is a former biology professor at West Liberty University and Glenville State College, and has studied the impacts of acid mine drainage in Harrison County.
Full article
Blasting Begins on Coal River Mountain
We have been told, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has confirmed, that blasting has begun at Coal River Mountain. Coal River Mountain is the tallest mountain ever slated for mountaintop removal, and remains the very last mountain in the Coal River Valley that is still in tact. This is Coal River Mountain (intact) as viewed from Kayford Mountain, one of the largest mountaintop removal sites in Appalachia.
Enormous and intensive blasting will take place directly adjacent to the Brushy Fork impoundment, the largest of its kind in the world, which holds 8.2 billion gallons of toxic sludge. The dam holding back the contents of the Brushy Fork impoundment is a Level C dam, which places it on Standby Alert, and means the "dam has specific problems that could lead to failure." Residents of Pettus, WV - the nearest town - if timely notified, will have only 12 minutes to evacuate in the event of a catastrophic failure.
Mountaintop removal has already buried and polluted nearly 2000 miles of America's headwater streams according to government data. EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and scores of stream ecologists have acknowledged the immense and irreversible damage which comes from destroying these headwater streams and filling them with arsenic, selenium, mercury, and other heavy metals and chemicals.
Full article
Enormous and intensive blasting will take place directly adjacent to the Brushy Fork impoundment, the largest of its kind in the world, which holds 8.2 billion gallons of toxic sludge. The dam holding back the contents of the Brushy Fork impoundment is a Level C dam, which places it on Standby Alert, and means the "dam has specific problems that could lead to failure." Residents of Pettus, WV - the nearest town - if timely notified, will have only 12 minutes to evacuate in the event of a catastrophic failure.
Mountaintop removal has already buried and polluted nearly 2000 miles of America's headwater streams according to government data. EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and scores of stream ecologists have acknowledged the immense and irreversible damage which comes from destroying these headwater streams and filling them with arsenic, selenium, mercury, and other heavy metals and chemicals.
Full article
DEP Revokes Erosion and Sedimentation Control Permits for Two Gas Companies
Williamsport – The Department of Environmental Protection has revoked three erosion and sedimentation control general permits previously issued to Ultra Resources Inc. and Fortuna Energy Inc. due to technical deficiencies, and has sent notice of violation letters to the three licensed professionals who prepared the applications.
“DEP took this action because of numerous technical deficiencies discovered after our approval of the permits,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.
The erosion and sedimentation control general permits are required whenever more than five acres of earth will be disturbed during construction of natural gas well drilling pads or natural gas pipelines.
As part of an expedited permit review process that DEP announced earlier this year, a licensed professional engineer, surveyor, geologist or landscape architect must submit a notice of intent and supporting documentation to DEP, including a certification that the information submitted meets the permit requirements.
DEP staff performs an administrative completeness review, but relies on the professional’s certification that the application is technically correct and meets all the permit requirements.
The technical deficiencies in both permits included inaccurate calculations, failure to provide best management practices where required, and lack of proper technical detail.
The permit revocations mean that Ultra Resources and Fortuna Energy must immediately halt all earth disturbance activities at the sites except those necessary to install or maintain erosion and sediment control or post-construction and site restoration best management practices.
The Ultra Resources permit was for sites in Gaines and Elk townships, Tioga County, and Pike and Abbott townships, Potter County. The Fortuna permit covered sites in Ward and Jackson townships, Tioga County.
Neither company is eligible to re-submit notices of intent requesting the expedited permit process for those locations.
The three permits were appealed to the state Environmental Hearing Board by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in August and September, prompting DEP officials to re-examine the permits to determine if they met the regulatory requirements.
In its letter to the three licensed professionals, DEP warns that additional enforcement action may be taken against them, including possible referral to the Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs for disciplinary action.
The licensed professionals receiving the letters include James Gensel of Fagan Engineers in Elmira, N.Y.; Karl Matz of Larson Design Group Inc. in Williamsport; and K. Robert Cunningham of Cunningham Surveyors in Wellsboro.
For more information, call 570-327-3659 or visit www.depweb.state.pa.us keyword: Oil and gas.
“DEP took this action because of numerous technical deficiencies discovered after our approval of the permits,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell.
The erosion and sedimentation control general permits are required whenever more than five acres of earth will be disturbed during construction of natural gas well drilling pads or natural gas pipelines.
As part of an expedited permit review process that DEP announced earlier this year, a licensed professional engineer, surveyor, geologist or landscape architect must submit a notice of intent and supporting documentation to DEP, including a certification that the information submitted meets the permit requirements.
DEP staff performs an administrative completeness review, but relies on the professional’s certification that the application is technically correct and meets all the permit requirements.
The technical deficiencies in both permits included inaccurate calculations, failure to provide best management practices where required, and lack of proper technical detail.
The permit revocations mean that Ultra Resources and Fortuna Energy must immediately halt all earth disturbance activities at the sites except those necessary to install or maintain erosion and sediment control or post-construction and site restoration best management practices.
The Ultra Resources permit was for sites in Gaines and Elk townships, Tioga County, and Pike and Abbott townships, Potter County. The Fortuna permit covered sites in Ward and Jackson townships, Tioga County.
Neither company is eligible to re-submit notices of intent requesting the expedited permit process for those locations.
The three permits were appealed to the state Environmental Hearing Board by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in August and September, prompting DEP officials to re-examine the permits to determine if they met the regulatory requirements.
In its letter to the three licensed professionals, DEP warns that additional enforcement action may be taken against them, including possible referral to the Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs for disciplinary action.
The licensed professionals receiving the letters include James Gensel of Fagan Engineers in Elmira, N.Y.; Karl Matz of Larson Design Group Inc. in Williamsport; and K. Robert Cunningham of Cunningham Surveyors in Wellsboro.
For more information, call 570-327-3659 or visit www.depweb.state.pa.us keyword: Oil and gas.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Obama Task Force public hearing for Healthy Oceans and Great Lakes - Cleveland/Midwest
WHEN: Oct. 29, 4 - 7 pm
WHERE: Downtown Marriott, Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH
WHY: This is a chance for Ohioans to say why a strong national policy for healthy Great Lakes and oceans would be good for Ohio and the nation as a whole. Specifically we can speak up on how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative can help form a better National Policy.
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143762935967
BACKGROUND: On June 12, President Obama announced the creation of a federal Ocean Policy Task Force to develop a unifying national policy and framework to effectively manage the increasing amount of industrial pressure on our oceans and Great Lakes. The June 12 Presidential Memorandum establishing the Task Force is attached. More information can also be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/.
WHERE: Downtown Marriott, Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH
WHY: This is a chance for Ohioans to say why a strong national policy for healthy Great Lakes and oceans would be good for Ohio and the nation as a whole. Specifically we can speak up on how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative can help form a better National Policy.
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143762935967
BACKGROUND: On June 12, President Obama announced the creation of a federal Ocean Policy Task Force to develop a unifying national policy and framework to effectively manage the increasing amount of industrial pressure on our oceans and Great Lakes. The June 12 Presidential Memorandum establishing the Task Force is attached. More information can also be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/.
Budget Dramatically Shifts Resources From Environmental Protection, Natural Resource Conservation
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cuts and diversions in the budget just adopted by the state have dramatically reduced spending for environmental and natural resource programs in Pennsylvania by $347 million in just one year according to Donald S. Welsh, President & CEO of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
"The unprecedented 26 percent cut in the Department of Environmental Protection and 18 percent cut in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources budgets raise significant doubts about the capacity of both agencies to fulfill their missions," said Welsh. "Environmental programs for some reason seem to have been singled out for cuts that go way beyond the average 9 percent suffered by other agencies."
The General Fund budget of DEP was cut $58 million, or 26.7 percent, with most of the cuts coming in line items used to fund staff positions. Over 300 positions are at risk of being eliminated as a result of these cuts.
DCNR's General Fund budget was cut $21 million, or 18.5 percent, with again many of the cuts coming in personnel line items. There are about 160 positions at risk of being eliminated at DCNR.
"Of great concern is the diversion of $234 million from the Oil and Gas Fund to the General Fund that was earmarked for improving recreation and access to our State Parks and Forests," said Welsh. "Taking the proceeds from mineral rights sales away from conservation programs erases 55 years of precedent in Pennsylvania."
$174 million was transferred from the Oil and Gas Fund to balance to 2008-09 budget, and $60 million is to be transferred to balance the 2009-10 budget. Another $180 million is set to be used from the Fund to balance the 2010-11 budget, as well.
"Adding to these diversions is the requirement in the budget to lease thousands of acres of State Forest land for Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling to raise the money needed for the diversions," said Welsh. "It is a sad day for the Commonwealth when we are selling off our natural resources to balance the budget."
For full article, click here.
"The unprecedented 26 percent cut in the Department of Environmental Protection and 18 percent cut in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources budgets raise significant doubts about the capacity of both agencies to fulfill their missions," said Welsh. "Environmental programs for some reason seem to have been singled out for cuts that go way beyond the average 9 percent suffered by other agencies."
The General Fund budget of DEP was cut $58 million, or 26.7 percent, with most of the cuts coming in line items used to fund staff positions. Over 300 positions are at risk of being eliminated as a result of these cuts.
DCNR's General Fund budget was cut $21 million, or 18.5 percent, with again many of the cuts coming in personnel line items. There are about 160 positions at risk of being eliminated at DCNR.
"Of great concern is the diversion of $234 million from the Oil and Gas Fund to the General Fund that was earmarked for improving recreation and access to our State Parks and Forests," said Welsh. "Taking the proceeds from mineral rights sales away from conservation programs erases 55 years of precedent in Pennsylvania."
$174 million was transferred from the Oil and Gas Fund to balance to 2008-09 budget, and $60 million is to be transferred to balance the 2009-10 budget. Another $180 million is set to be used from the Fund to balance the 2010-11 budget, as well.
"Adding to these diversions is the requirement in the budget to lease thousands of acres of State Forest land for Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling to raise the money needed for the diversions," said Welsh. "It is a sad day for the Commonwealth when we are selling off our natural resources to balance the budget."
For full article, click here.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Successful Clean Up Event
At ECRR, we are always pleased to share news of successful events by watershed groups throughout the region. Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor had a cleanup of invasive plants and weeds from in and around Lock 4 of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. Some two dozen volunteers participated in the effort to beautify an area that includes a memorial observation deck that overlooks the Lehigh River.
By bringing together members of the Delaware & Lehigh Trail Tenders, some local foster care youth, and Lehighton Boy Scout Troop 82 we were able to put a huge dent into a neglected portion of the Weissport Canal Trail. In the space of five hours the two dozen or so participants at this community activity accomplished the first phase of an ongoing project to restore and maintain the landscape around Lock 4. Lock 4 is located approximately 2 1/2 mile north of the Weissport Trailhead in Lehighton.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
EPA Puts Brakes on Permits
The Obama administration put the brakes on 79 applications for surface coal mining permits in four states Wednesday, saying they would violate the Clean Water Act.
Twenty-three of the pending permits are in West Virginia, all in the southern coalfields.
The action is the administration’s latest attempt to curb environmental damage from a highly efficient but damaging mining practice known as mountaintop removal. Each permit likely would cause significant damage to water quality and the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement.
Full article here.
Twenty-three of the pending permits are in West Virginia, all in the southern coalfields.
The action is the administration’s latest attempt to curb environmental damage from a highly efficient but damaging mining practice known as mountaintop removal. Each permit likely would cause significant damage to water quality and the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement.
Full article here.
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