But there’s only one drilling operation in the county and the operator doesn’t use fracking techniques and has no plans to do so. The board has built a sturdy wall against no looming threat. San Francisco Chronicle, California. Jul 26 2016
Month: July 2016
Alameda County, California, bans fracking
Alameda County on Tuesday became the first Bay Area county to ban fracking. A coalition of environmental groups had worked for more than two years to persuade county leaders to ban fracking. San Jose Mercury News, California. Jul 20 2016
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_30145302/alameda-county-set-vote-fracking-ban
Study: Increased asthma attacks tied to exposure to natural gas production
This article discusses a study in the heart of Pennsylvania’s fracking region that shows an increase in severity of asthma among residents exposed to most active fracking wells. InsideClimate News. Jul 19 2016
The study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association, didn’t examine the exact cause of the trend. But lead author Sara Rasmussen, a Ph.D. candidate in environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said air pollution and stress are both plausible explanations.
Elida Tamez finds lessons in patience and humility, from cancer to frack fight
Nothing about the shiny surface of Elida Tamez’s life suggests she would have been an environmental activist. Even after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1999, she got a second lease on life that turned out to be a long and happy one. Denton Record-Chronicle, Texas. Jul 18 2016
Study: Fracking may worsen asthma for nearby residents
Fracking may worsen asthma in children and adults who live near sites where the oil and gas drilling method is used, according to an 8-year study in Pennsylvania.
The study found that asthma treatments were as much as four times more common in patients living closer to areas with more or bigger active wells than those living far away.
Alameda poised to become next California county to ban fracking.
While there is no immediate local threat, activists view county ban as part of broad strategy leading to statewide prohibition. East Bay Express, California. Jul 14 2016
Houston company Targa withdraws plans to ship crude oil through Baltimore
Environmental and neighborhood groups opposed the project because they feared it could lead to oil spills, like those that have occurred after train derailments in Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia and Oregon in recent years. Baltimore Sun, Maryland. Jul 12 2016
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/green/blog/bs-md-targa-withdraws-20160711-story.html
Flammable tapwater often not because of industry gas leaks, CU study finds
95 percent of methane gas came from naturally occurring microbial processes near underground coal seams, not oil and gas industry. Denver Post, Colorado. Jul 12 2016
https://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/11/flammable-water-not-gas-leaks-colorado/
Future of natural gas hinges on stanching methane leaks
Southwestern Energy is leading an industry group that aims to cut methane leakage to less than 1 percent of national gas production. New York Times. Jul 12 2016
In fracking turf war, Utes ‘don’t pick fights to lose
Tribal governments around the country are growing stronger, and the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation is leading the charge, at least on the oil and gas front. EnergyWire. Jul 12 2016