Gov. Corbett’s silence on the status of a moratorium on further leasing of State Forest land for Marcellus drilling is making sportsmen and environmentalists nervous. Forestry officials need to hear from you – let them know that leasing 700,000 acres is already enough, and express YOUR concerns (see below).

ACTION. Please E-mail DCNR Rick Allan at rjallan at pa.gov, copy State Forester ddevlin at pa.gov along with your State Representative and Senator. (more…)

Josh Fox is known personally to numerous Pennsylvania anti-fracking activists and the general public for his documentary ‘Gasland’. Fox is making an HBO sequel to ‘Gasland’ and as part of that endeavor on February 1 he and his crew attended a House Sub-Committee hearing. The hearing was an investigation into groundwater contamination in Pavillion, WY, possibly caused by fracking. Over the objection of Democratic members, Sub-Committee Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) ruled that filming of the hearing was not permitted, and Fox was subsequently arrested by Capitol police for ‘unlawful entry’. He was later released on bail. Several petitions to Chairman Harris protesting what is seen as a infringement on the freedom-of-the-press First Amendment were quickly organized. (more…)

Development of renewable ‘clean energy’ is necessity if the shift away from fossil fuels is to be achieved. In an NPR ‘Free Air’ interview Juliet Eilperin of the Washington Post describes the Solyndra episode and the involvement of the White House. The interview is based on a Wired magazine article that comprehensively discusses ‘Why the Clean Tech Boom Went Bust’.

Since drilling for Marcellus gas near his home in 2008, Atlas Energy has supplied drinking water to a resident in Sewickley Twp, Westmoreland County. Although that supply was supposed to be permanent, two week ago the company told the homeowner that his well water was now fit to drink. On January 30 the Sierra Club welcomed news that the DEP will require Atlas Energy to continue to permanently provide a drinking water supply to this Westmoreland County homeowner. (more…)

In his January 25 State of the Union (SOTU) Address to Congress, President Obama touched on several key environmental issues (see below). The following day the White House issued a Blueprint to Make the Most of America’s Energy Resources. Some of the pros and cons of the President’s SOTU proposals for Congress follow. Although ‘greens’ saw faults in the President’s proposals, his support of the shale gas industry is seen as an effort to gain voter support in key states such as Pennsylvania. Let the President know what you think of his environmental program; Email or call 202-456-1111/1414. (more…)

Beech Hollow citizens’ meeting, Mt. Lebanon, August 2009. Photo: R. Francisco

One of the longest power plant campaigns in Western Pennsylvania appears to have ended in a victory for the local citizens. Being of interest to the Sierra Club’s ‘Beyond Coal Campaign’ on these pages since 2008, the issue is the building in Robinson Twp. (Washington County) of a power plant fueled by waste coal. The initial plan called for a single 272-megawatt plant.

The DEP denied the Robinson Power Company (RPC) an air quality permit in 2010. Through pressure by local citizen groups and with the support of the Sierra Club and the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), the township supervisors recently approved a conditional use permit for one 150-MW natural gas plant and one 150-MW waste coal plant. As part of the permit the township would require an annual fee of $250,000 along with strict adherence to 55 conditions and guidelines for fly ash and monitoring of air and water quality. The township retains the authority to revoke the permit of the conditions are not met. (more…)

In a huge win for clean air and public health, First Energy (Akron OH) announced on January 26 that the company will retire six of its dirtiest coal-fired power plants. These plants, located in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Ohio, will stop burning coal by September 1, 2012. The Pennsylvania plant is in Adrian on the banks of the Allegheny River north of Kittanning in Armstrong County. (more…)

What do the citizens of Robinson Twp, PA and Lake and Peninsula Borough AK have in common? In Robinson the issue is the right of citizens to control where shale gas drilling can occur. In the Alaskan community it is right of citizens to control whether the Pebble Mine project should proceed

Just over a year ago we talked about the huge project to mine for copper, gold, and molybdenum at the head of Bristol Bay in Southwest Alaska, about 200 miles from Anchorage. (For a slideshow of the area click HERE.) Organized by the Save Our Salmon organization, in early October 2011 the local citizens voted 280 to 246 in favor of an Initiative that would “oversee any new permits for developments that would impact salmon-producing streams in the region.” The state of Alaska on October 28 brought suit against the Initiative, alleging that “the Save Our Salmon initiative assumes and conflicts with the state’s authority to govern the management and development of mineral resources in Alaska”. The matter now resides with the state Supreme Court judge.

EPA Emergency Response van in Dimock, PA, January 2012. Photo: Lynn Senick, Susquehanna County Gas forum

The small township of Dimock in Susquehanna County has been at the center of the national controversy over drinking water contamination by fracking operations for some time. For three years the drilling company Cabot Oil and Gas delivered water to Dimock residents until last November when the DEP allowed Cabot to stop those deliveries. Filing the gap, environmental groups began water delivery to Dimock. But after some uncertainty, and a rebuke from DEP Secretary Krancer, on January 20 the EPA began providing drinking water to four homes, and to undertake water quality tests at about 60 homes. In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Cabot CEO Dan Dinges wrote “We are concerned that EPA’s actions can be easily misinterpreted and can undermine regulatory certainty necessary for development of oil and gas.”

Graph of global temperature difference since 1880. NASA image.

In his January 25 address to Congress President Obama acknowledged that climate change legislation has little chance of passage in 2012. That does not slow the flow of news about climate change. For example, gardeners now have official confirmation that their growing season and what they can grow is changing. For the first time since 1990 the US Dept. Agriculture has adjusted its maps for plant hardiness zones. In general, there is a shift of half a 10 deg F zone for the US, although the USDA does caution that some of the shift is due to the use of a longer period used for averaging than was used for the 1990 maps. (more…)

Keystone XL demonstrators surrounding the White House, Nov. 6, 2011.

In welcoming President Obama’s denial of a permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, SC Executive Director Micheal Brune stated on January 18, ”President Obama’s announcement is an outright rejection of Speaker Boehner’s cynical attempt to play political football with Americans’ health. Unfortunately, we know that Big Oil and their cronies in Congress will not give up their endless pursuit of profits at the cost of Americans’ health and prosperity. We thank the President for listening to the concerns of American farmers, landowners and people who care about clean air, clean water and our climate future.”

In standing up to Big Oil and the Republican leadership, President Obama truly deserves a note of THANKS. (more…)

Little Blue Run. Photocourtesy of CACA

The year 2011 ended on a positive note with a temporary halt to expansion of the Little Blue Run coal ash impoundment at the Bruce Mansfield Plant in Greene Twp., Beaver County. In a December 15, 2011, PA DEP issued a 7-page technical deficiency letter in response to power plant owner First Energy’s application to expand the lagoon behind the nation’s highest (450 feet) unlined earthen dam for coal ash impoundment. Although pleased with the DEP decision, members of the grassroots Little Blue Run campaign, lead by 500-member Citizens Against Coal Ash (CACA), fear that after correcting the deficiencies highlighted by the DEP, First Energy company will continue with the Little Blue Run expansion plans.

NOTE. Jan. 18 a group of organizations including the Sierra Club issued an intent to sue the EPA to force the release of long awaited public health safeguards against toxic coal ash.

The Allegheny Group’s Public Lands Action Team (PLAT) will host a community meeting to help develop a plan of action and outings for the Spring.

4:00 to 6:00 pm, Saturday, February 18
Sierra Club Office
425 N. Craig St.
Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

The Forest Watch program is based on the model developed by the Allegheny Defense Project and Heartwood, as well as planning for Plant Rescue activities if necessary. This model has been successful in stopping timber sales and other destructive activities on public lands for more than 20 years.

Cathy Pedlar, ADP Forest Watch Coordinator from Erie PA and Ernie Reed of Heartwood from Charlottesville, VA will be in attendance for this initial meeting. Bill Belitskus, ADP Board Chair and once a candidate for Congress, will speak at this event. Light refreshments will be provided. All are welcome to attend!

Join us for this afternoon discussion and strategy meeting!

For more information contact Matt Peters at mattnedludd@gmail.com, or 412-320-0739

On January 10 President Obama made an unusual visit to the Environmental Protection Agency to thank the staff for their work. During a videoed twelve-minute address he reviewed progress made by the agency in protection of our water and air, including the recent regulations to reduce power plant emissions. The President’s expression of support for the EPA staff was in stark contrast to the attacks on the agency by Presidential hopefuls such as Govs. Romney and Perry, and House Speaker Gingrich.

The newly launched ‘Breathe Project’ was recently recognized by the Wall Street Journal in an article titled “Pittsburgh Tries to Clear the Air in Pittsburgh”. In describing the Heinz Endowments backed coalition, the authors mention that “the coalition has drawn members from U. S. Steel Corp. to the Sierra Club”. And that was less than a week after the Allegheny Group formally joined the coalition! At the national level a Sierra Club TV ad asks Congress to stand with President Obama and protect the public’s health.