What a difference a state makes.
Within several days of each other, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania reacted, respectively, to the controversial natural gas extraction technique of hydrofracturing (fracking) by:
1. banning it;
2. un-banning it, and
3. letting it proceed unabated and untaxed.
In New Jersey, lawmakers in both houses passed and sent to the governor legislation that would prohibit the use of fracking anywhere in New Jersey.
That's a bit less courageous than it might sound since God didn't see fit to locate the gas-rich Marcellus Shale underneath the state.
Bill sponsors argue, however, that other layers of shale do lie below NJ, and it's just a matter of time before the gas industry comes poking around.
In Pennsylvania, where legislation to ban fracking has never gotten even inches off the ground, and where drilling on private and public land is turning some sections of the state into swiss cheese, the GOP-controlled legislature dropped plans to vote on a bill to impose 'impact fees' on shale gas wells.
Lawmakers backed down immediately after Republican Gov. Tom Corbett huffed and puffed that he'd veto any such attempt.
What will be interesting to watch now is whether New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will veto the fracking ban bill that's been dropped on his desk.
Signing it will only further inflame environmentalists, already enraged by the governor's decision to pull the state out of RGGI, a regional compact set up to combat climate-altering carbon emissions.
With no drilling taking place, his signature would be an easy way to avoid an unneeded controversy. But controversy is Christie's middle name.
It's something to look forward to in July as news-making slides into its summer slumber.
Tell us what you think about hydrofracturing and the divergent approaches to regulation taken by New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Use the comment box below. If one isn't visible, click on the tiny 'comments' line to open it.
Try it free for 30 days! No obligation. Cancel anytime with one click.
Within several days of each other, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania reacted, respectively, to the controversial natural gas extraction technique of hydrofracturing (fracking) by:
1. banning it;
2. un-banning it, and
3. letting it proceed unabated and untaxed.
That's a bit less courageous than it might sound since God didn't see fit to locate the gas-rich Marcellus Shale underneath the state.
Bill sponsors argue, however, that other layers of shale do lie below NJ, and it's just a matter of time before the gas industry comes poking around.
In New York, the state DEC announced it would lift its current moratorium on natural gas drilling, as it released recommendations
for state regulations that call for:
for state regulations that call for:
- A fracking ban in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds
- No fracking within 500 feet of an aquifer
- A ban on surface drilling on state-owned land; and
- Strict regulation of fracturing on privately held lands.
In Pennsylvania, where legislation to ban fracking has never gotten even inches off the ground, and where drilling on private and public land is turning some sections of the state into swiss cheese, the GOP-controlled legislature dropped plans to vote on a bill to impose 'impact fees' on shale gas wells.
Lawmakers backed down immediately after Republican Gov. Tom Corbett huffed and puffed that he'd veto any such attempt.
Signing it will only further inflame environmentalists, already enraged by the governor's decision to pull the state out of RGGI, a regional compact set up to combat climate-altering carbon emissions.
With no drilling taking place, his signature would be an easy way to avoid an unneeded controversy. But controversy is Christie's middle name.
It's something to look forward to in July as news-making slides into its summer slumber.
Tell us what you think about hydrofracturing and the divergent approaches to regulation taken by New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Use the comment box below. If one isn't visible, click on the tiny 'comments' line to open it.
Related: [Updated on July 3, 2011 to add stories below]
New York, New Jersey moving in opposite directions on hydrofracking
New York should keep deliberate pace in gas drilling decision
Our most recent blog posts:
Corbett stares down PA lawmakers on gas-drilling fees
Winning hearts and minds of six-year-olds--for fracking
Marcellus Shale sites included in EPA fracking study
PA bill requires disclosure of chemicals in fracking fluid
Amended Marcellus gas tax in place for PA Senate vote
New York, New Jersey moving in opposite directions on hydrofracking
New York should keep deliberate pace in gas drilling decision
Opinion: The controversy around hydraulic fracturing
New Jersey Lawmakers Send Christie Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing
New Jersey Lawmakers Send Christie Ban on Hydraulic Fracturing
Our most recent blog posts:
Corbett stares down PA lawmakers on gas-drilling fees
Winning hearts and minds of six-year-olds--for fracking
Marcellus Shale sites included in EPA fracking study
PA bill requires disclosure of chemicals in fracking fluid
Amended Marcellus gas tax in place for PA Senate vote
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like this post? You'll love our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics
Fracking is going to be the undoing of this planet, wait and see; water on fire; poisoned wells. Pipelines stretched across deserts. See the film Gasland, and scratch your head over how anyone can "Un-ban" this disastrous practice. The fiery furnace of Hell is attacking from below as climate change gets us up on top. Greed greed greed, Mr. Corporatist. We are seeing the turn of the last Century all over again. In spades.
ReplyDeleteA very good job with the gas land film. Not bad for an armature Josh Fox, Wow! Water on fire! Don’t be so mislead by things. Actually I could take a video camera inside a nuclear plant and have everybody ready to hang them. Or in a coalmine. Fact is I drive all over the gas fields of Arkansas and am familiar with the areas they filmed. I can also take you right there to each spot and show you the facts. Everything about this film was misleading. For example where they were showing all the deforestation it was caused by logging not the gas industry. The water on fire? This has been common in places that has no oil or gas wells for miles. Actually I will tell you a little secret about his film at the end of this.
ReplyDeleteIf they started building a nuclear plant down the road from your house you would probably have a problem with it. If your neighbors started digging a coal mine you would have a problem with it. Nobody wants it when it is in sight of him or her but they sure enjoy using it. Our modern society cannot make it without hydrocarbons. If we all reverted back to riding horses the NJ would have major complains over the millions of tons of manure building up in the streets. The main thing that has made the gas industry boom is today’s very accurate horizontal drilling. Now the gas industry has become a major threat to the coal and nuclear industry. Coal and nuclear cannot compete with this cheaper energy. So in response they now spend millions to try to take down the gas industry and get energy prices up where nuclear and coal can be more profitable. Nuclear could compete with natural gas if they would just do away with a lot of the redundant safety regulations. Considering the jet stream just build them east of the Mississippi.
Some people have been to believe that you don’t have to fracture a well to get gas. This whole topic is a lie. Fact is very very few wells will produce without being fractured. So if you ban fracking then you ban hydrocarbons.
Being raised in the wheat country of Oklahoma I learned at a very young age “You don’t cuss the farmer with your mouth full”. This would be like the people out in Oklahoma all grouping up to protest and stop the wheat trucks from running up and down the road. Then going home and have bread with their supper. When people STOP using hydrocarbons THEN they can express disapproval of them. As for the northeast states I hope you can run all of them out and back to Arkansas. Read the news. Our state legislature will have their hands full the next few weeks figuring out what to spend all our budget surplus on. If you send them packing we can do even better next year.
As for Josh Fox’s little secret, he used hydrocarbons while making that film!
John Licht submitted this comment via LinkedIn:
ReplyDelete"Why is there a push to fix something that is not broken in New Jersey. We need to be focusing on fixing real problems, not worrying...
NJ interest in the fracking situation, is much like Utah' interest in the size of Atlantic Ocean lobster traps. Most state governments already have more on their plates, than they can pay for, and often times manage. Spending "very tight resources (money)" on programs that have no or little state impact, appears to be wasteful, counterproductive and costly.
JML
Gary Boyer submitted this comment via LinkedIn:
ReplyDeleteNot a problem for technologically astute companies. Both petro fracturing, already practiced in Dakota oil fields and liquid nitrogen...