NEOGAP Newsletter Issue # 41
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NEW DRILLING

**Started today on Hopkins Rd in Mentor at the Garfield Elementary School site less than 200 feet from homes, play grounds and school buildings**



IN THE NEWS

 

LATEST EXPLOSION - A half dozen homes were evacuated after a natural gas well owned by Bass Energy Company exploded on the 1000 block of County Road 500 in Nova in northern Ashland County. http://www.wmfd.com/newsboard/single.asp?Story=36706

Mayfield Bass Energy Gas Well Leak
Attached incident report from ODNR
 
Stow Joins The Fight Against Residential Gas Wells
 
 
UPDATES & THANKS ON EFFORTS AROUND THE STATE
 
THANKS Ralph Birnbaum for organizing Munroe Falls efforts: We have been fighting a lonely and expensive battle against a proposed/permitted well to be drilled upstream of the water well field in Cuyahoga Falls that supplies drinking water for MF, Cuyahoga Falls, and Silver Lake. Here's a link with details:
And history:
 
THANKS Terri Velliky for working with the Chesterland community to educate neighbors and nearby church on the realities of residential gas wells - leading the church to table the topic until 2010 and possibly remove the proposed drilling altogether!
 
THANKS Denise Tonelli for organizing efforts in Stow and obtaining Stow Mayor & Council support for NEOGAPs Six Steps to Public Safety in the proposed law and sending their approval and support to the Governor and other state law makers!
 
THANKS to the following for securing support from their Mayors as well:
Mayfield Village, Pat McGreevy
Gates Mills, Sandra Turner 
 
Please look to www.neogap.orgfor a sample letter and please ask that your council and/or trustees/mayors sign on to support the citizen request for reform also. Please reply to this email if you need help or have questions.
 
RESEARCH SUBMITTED
 
This is an excellent "fact sheet" by USGS on Marcellus Shale. There are 16 of these types of gas wells in Ohio so far. Other states are holding moratoriums on this type of drilling until thorough water impact assessments can be completed. Not Ohio:  http://md.water.usgs.gov/publications/fs-2009-3032/
 
 
Sponsor of the opposition/industry bill (Senator Niehaus) under attack for anti-citizen /pro big industry legislation
http://www.geaugaconstitutionalcouncil.org/view.cfm?post=332
 
 
OUTSIDE OHIO SPOTLIGHT: FEDERAL
 
 
 
TAKE ACTION
 
Protect Public Drinking Water:  Act on the FEDERAL FRAC-ACT

Contact your U.S. Representative and Senator today and urge them to support this important legislation. This is particularly important for Ohio since our state has a goal to put in a gas well every 20 acres including in neighborhoods where even the PUBLIC WATER supply is at risk UNLESS this act is passed!
 
The FRAC-ACT (HR2766/S1215)
For a quick link to your Congressperson, use this link:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

For a quick link to your Senator, use this link:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The FRAC-ACT (Fracking Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act) would end the natural gas industry’s exemption to the Safe Drinking Water Act, require the gas industry to disclose the chemicals they use in the gas extraction process and urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a study on the risks that hydraulic fracturing/natural gas extraction poses to drinking water supplies. 

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” is a process whereby fluids are injected at high pressure into underground rock formations to blast them open and increase the flow of gas. Troubling incidents have occurred around the country where people became ill after fracking operations began in their communities. Some chemicals that have been used in fracking include diesel fuel, benzene, industrial solvents, hydrochloric acid and other carcinogens and endocrine disrupters.

Sponsors of this bill are Congressmembers Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO) & Jared Polis (D-CO) and U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) & Charles Schumer (D-NY).   The 2005 Energy Policy Act, under the guidance of former Vice President Dick Chaney, created exemptions for the natural gas industry to the Safe Drinking Water Act (also known as the Halliburton Loophole).

 
NEOGAP
Northeast Ohio Gas Accountability Project
 

Disclaimer- The information provided in this and all NEOGAP Newsletters is necessarily of such a general nature that it cannot be regarded as legal advice. Readers faced with issues involving this topic should consult counsel.