A fight is well underway in New York State over whether to allow drilling permits for natural gas in the Marcellus shale, a horizontal bedrock strip that runs from West Virginia to New York. Gas companies say a rich source of natural gas exists in the shale, which could benefit New Yorkers, whom consume more than 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas a year. But many are opposed to the drilling, which has caused environmental problems in other states.

via Fight intensifies in New York over natural gas drilling | FSRN.

Gov. Paterson and Walter Hang on WHCU

These free podcasts from WHCU feature interviews with Governor David Paterson and Toxic Targeting president Walter Hang, on natural gas drilling in New York State.

Governor David Paterson–Nov 16, 2009

Gov. Paterson discusses the budget crisis, mid-year school state aid cuts, drilling regulations for the Marcellus Shale, and a gay marriage vote.

Hang: Gas Drilling & DEC–Nov 16, 2009

Toxic Targeting president Walter Hang says he wants the DEC to rescind its environmental impact statement.

via Shaleshock.org » Blog Archive » LISTEN: Gov. Paterson and Walter Hang on WHCU.

One Teen’s Inspiration Leads to Creation of a Fund to Help Others
by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

A Western New York teen has become the inspiration for a new initiative that will help others attend one of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) environmental education summer camps. Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today that DEC has joined with the National Heritage Trust (NHT) to establish a summer camp scholarship fund in memory of Emily Timbrook, who attended and later volunteered at Camp Rushford in Allegany County.

Through the partnership, donations can be made to NHT, a public benefit corporation that receives and manages gifts, grants and contributions to further public conservation programs. The funds collected will be used for “camperships” scholarships to send some of the more than 200 annual returning campers to DEC’s summer camps for free. These returning campers are specially chosen for their demonstrated interest in building upon their outdoor recreation experiences and their knowledge of the state’s natural resources.

“Many children today are more ‘plugged in’ and less connected to nature than ever before,” Commissioner Grannis said. “DEC’s summer environmental education camps are perfect places to introduce children and young adults to an enjoyable blend of learning and recreation. This not only helps develop a camper’s environmental awareness, but also introduces them to healthy outdoor activities that can bring enjoyment for a lifetime. Through the help of NHT, the Timbrook family and private donors, we hope to provide a way for more young people to get outdoors and attend camp.”

The impetus for establishing an account within NHT came from Barb and Tim Timbrook, who wanted to set up memorial scholarship in their daughter’s name for returning campers to Camp Rushford. Seventeen-year-old Emily Timbrook of Alfred Station, Allegany County, was killed tragically in a car accident in April 2009. As a camper and three-time volunteer at Camp Rushford, Emily’s love of nature and understanding of conservation stewardship was nurtured and enhanced by the counselors and staff at Rushford. (A picture of Emily can be found at ftp://ftp.dec.ny.gov/dpae/press/EmilyTimbrook/ )

“Emily’s concern and love for the environment was evident,” Barb Timbrook said. “She wanted to study environmental science in college and was coming back to Camp Rushford as a volunteer for the fourth year to help teach young campers how to be good stewards of the earth.

We want to honor her legacy by helping other youngsters from New York experience the joy and excitement of attending a DEC environmental education camp.”

“Before Emily attended Camp Rushford, we didn’t know anything about DEC camps,” Tim Timbrook said. “We hope this scholarship for teenagers who want to return to camp for a second season will help spread the word to other families about how the camp program can spark an interest in a young adult to pursue a career in environmental science or natural resources.”

DEC operates four residential environmental education camps around the state. The camps focus on conservation education, immersing campers in outdoor activities and games that teach the wise use of natural resources. Eight sessions, each one week long, will run from June 27 through August 22, 2010. A week at one of these exceptional camps costs just $325 per camper. Many campers are sponsored by local civic groups, garden and sportsmen clubs.

All four camps – Colby and Pack Forest in the Adirondacks, DeBruce in the Catskills, and Rushford in Western New York – serve children 12- to 14-years-old. In addition, DEC offers week-long Ecology Workshops for teens 15- to 17-years-old at Pack Forest as well as three weeks for children 12- to 14-years-old. Highly qualified staff ensure that 1,500 campers each year enjoy their week-long outdoor adventure, whether in camp or on an overnight hiking or canoe trip. For those who are interested and with prior permission from parents or guardians, hunter safety training is available from certified sportsman education instructors.

Those who wish to make a donation to the NHT to help send a youngster to camp may do so by sending a check to NHT Camps, c/o Director of Management and Budget Services, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-5010. Those wishing to make a contribution in memory of Emily Timbrook, can write “Emily” in the memo section of the check. You can visit http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/natural-heritage-trust/ for a brief description of the Natural Heritage Trust. NHT is tax exempt pursuant to Section 170(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and has been designated a 501(c)(3) corporation. The Trust will send out acknowledgment letters to donors.

Information and detailed program descriptions of the environmental education camps are available at www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html or by writing to NYSDEC Camps, 625 Broadway, Albany NY 12233-4500. You may also e-mail the camps at edcamps@gw.dec.state.ny.us or call 518-402-8014. Registration starts in early February.

C’est depuis plusieurs années que je me bas avec moi-même pour déterminer quelle passion fera majoritairement partie de ma vie.  J’avais le choix entre la musique, dans le domaine du son. Ouvrir un studio et côtoyer plusieurs artistes capables d’écrirent leurs propre musique et chansons auraient été quelque chose de comblant pour moi, quelque chose qui m’aurait impressionné à chaque nouvelle journée.  Pourtant, la motivation de suivre le cours requis n’était pas présente, de plus que mon école secondaire ne me permettait pas de le suivre.

J’ai donc décidé de suivre mon autre passion; la photographie, et de venir étudier ici, à Matane, dès mon diplôme secondaire obtenu, à 17 ans.  De ma perception, je suis encore très jeune pour me décider sur mon avenir. Le graphisme est aussi un domaine qui m’a intéressé depuis maintenant 5 ans. D’un autre point de vue, la photographie me permet, comme à travers la musique, de m’exprimer, de faire passer des messages ou de dénoncer des causes.Partager et reprendre des photos a toujours été dans l’ombre pour moi, ce n’est que l’an dernier que j’ai compris que j’aimerais que ce domaine fasse partie de ma vie futur.

Une chose est certaine, peut importe comment ma technique en photographie me servira, l’art sera toujours la partie dominante de ma vie.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.
For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand,
imagination points to all we might yet discover and create    -albert einstein

The Senate Environmental Conservation Committee recently held a roundtable discussion regarding drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.  When announcing the roundtable, Chairman Antione Thompson stated that “we must sensibly examine the issues surrounding gas drilling in Marcellus Shale and the impact that it might have on New York’s economy and environment before making a determination”. Thompson prefers the roundtable format so that there can be an exchange of ideas and the possibility of reaching some common ground.  He said that it is important that we protect water and the environment and also was anxious to hear the farmers’ perspective.  He is concerned that landowners are not being taken advantage of by energy companies.  Also present were Sen.Bill Perkins and Assembly members Steven Englebright, Donna Lupardo, and Aileen Gunther.

via: Capital Business Blog » Blog Archive » Marcellus Shale: Senate ….

My name is Mary Jo Long.  I am an attorney; have some experience with municipal law; and was recently re-elected to my town board, which is the town of Afton.  I am very concerned about the health, environmental and social impacts of unconventional gas drilling in my town and in the entire area of the Marcellus Shale.  I expect that others will be speaking to the public through this meeting and other means about the destructive nature of unconventional gas drilling.  But I want to direct my comments to an area where I have some expertise, experience and advice.

We have been told that the law says the DEC has the sole authority to regulate gas drilling in New York State.  But that was not always the case and it does not have to always be the case.  We are not told the history of the change in the law that took away our home rule rights.  If we know our history, then we can act to affect our own history.   Before 1982, municipalities like Afton, Oneonta and yes, even Counties like Otsego had the legal authority to pass and enforce laws regulating oil and gas in addition to DEC’s authority.  For those who like to read the law, the case is Envirogas v. Town of Westfield, 82 A.D. 2d 117 (4^th Dept 1981).   I will not review the facts of that case but the holding is important.  The appellate court in New York held that a specific law pertaining to gas drilling in their town “if reasonably related to a legitimate purpose”  would be allowed and that the local government could enforce that law even if it was in addition to rules that DEC had.  In other words, DEC did not have the sole and exclusive authority over gas drilling.   Local governments could also pass laws regulating gas drilling as long as it was reasonably related to a legitimate purpose.

It is eminently reasonable for local elected governments to make specific rules and regulations for activities such as gas drilling, gas pipeline excavation, storage and disposal of gas and the waste products of gas drilling in their jurisdiction.  That is because local officials and their local constituents live with the impact of gas drilling and its industrial impacts on their land.  For example, in the Town of Lebanon in Madison County recently a gas drilling company was given a permit to drill by DEC.  The Supervisor of Lebanon contacted DEC and said don’t you guys realize that you gave a permit to drill a well in a flood plain?  DEC basically told him to get lost.  But that supervisor and those of us who lived through the flood of June 2006 know that it is asinine to drill a gas well in a flood plain.  DEC apparently doesn’t know that or doesn’t want to know that.  Thus local governments, elected by local citizens, are better able to know the particulars of their geology, geography and the damage of run-off into reservoirs and rivers and the impacts on real people.   I saw the gooey sludge downstream from Amphenol in Sidney as the flood of 2006 subsided.   And each locality knows their particular vulnerabilities.   If our local town governments have authority to act and they fail to act to protect us from the negative impacts, we can vote them out of office.  But we can’t vote DEC out of office.  They are not accountable to the people of the area.  Real democracy means having the ability to hold public officials accountable.

Now back to the history.  So after the  Court in Envirogas v. Town of Westfield  upheld the Town’s right to have and enforce zoning regulations on gas drilling, the gas corporations worked WITH the DEC to get the state legislature to pass a law, the law DEC now cites against us, which says DEC shall supercede all local laws relating to the regulation of oil, gas and solution mining industries except our right over local roads.  They acted to change the law by taking away our right to decide how this industry will exploit us.  Just as the gas corporations and the DEC can change the law, so can we, the People.   Just because DEC is going to issue permits, doesn’t mean we can’t force our elected officials to change the law by amending the Environmental Conservation Law §23-0303 to return to our local governments the responsibility and the right to make decisions on this matter that they used to have.  Exercise our democratic muscles by demanding that our legislature  change the law.

In 1977, Ken Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), said “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home” at a convention for the World Future Society that was held in Boston.   Olsen later claimed that this quote was taken out of context.  Regardless, five years later, DEC produced this promotional video for their entrance into the personal computer market.  DEC entered the PC market against new competition like Apple and Compaq, who bought DEC in 1998.  If you’ve got the time to watch this video, you’ll get a fascinating glimpse into the “Not Invented Here” DEC culture and DEC’s decline.

Special thanks to Michael Pinto for posting this video on Fanboy with his great insights and images on how DEC failed to enter the PC market.

The DEC has yet to address any of these questions. But New York's Health Department raised concerns about the amount of radioactive materials in the wastewater in a confidential letter to the DEC's oil and gas regulators in July.

“Handling and disposal of this wastewater could be a public health concern,” DOH officials said in the letter, which was obtained by ProPublica. “The issues raised are not trivial, but are also not insurmountable.”

The letter warned that the state may have difficulty disposing of the drilling waste, that thorough testing will be needed at water treatment plants, and that workers may need to be monitored for radiation as much as they might be at nuclear facilities.

via New York Gas Drilling Is Fracking Out | Daily Yonder | Keep It Rural.

And so, one of the lead stories on the BBC news website today is the fact that Katie Price has quit her place in the jungle on ITV show ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here…’

This is quite a change in BBC editorial policy don’t you think? Not only are the exploits of Katie Price, ANA Jordan, now headline news for the BBC rather than celebrity gossip magazines, but also the events taking place in a reality TV show on a rival channel are also considered newsworthy.

Katie Price is one of those celebrities people tend to love or hate, rather like Big Brother winner Jade Goody before her early death from cancer at 27. What Price actually does to attract all the attention and money she earns is hard to define, yet she does it extremely well. It’s too simplistic to dismiss her as a moron when she constantly features in page after page of newspaper and magazine copy detailing every step of her life. How many wannabe stars would love the attention Price gets? She has redefined the concept of post-millenial celebrity and shown how even a scrap of celebrity (glamour modelling on Page 3) can be transformed into a career and industry.

It’s no longer clear if she defines the way the media present her, or if the media itself defines how they see her. What’s clear is that she never needed to win this game show anyway. It’s just an advert for the latest ghosted book (30+ now), perfume, lifestyle TV show… The Jordan industry will rumble on until the public finally tires of her life, or their own fascination for vicarious glamour.

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Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force issues statement against proposed new method of gas drilling

“People are woefully uninformed about this process,” stated Lyons. “We believe that all people should be educated about potential impacts, consulted, consider the seventh generation to come, and be of a good mind together before any decision of this magnitude is made.”

Additionally, two major concerns were raised which are unique to the Indian Nations: (a) horizontal drilling under Indian territories will be a violation of treaty protected mineral rights; and (b) the current structure will not have any mechanism for the protection of cultural resources of the Nations: sacred sites, unmarked burial sites and former village and other archeological sites. These issues were raised with the DEC officials as well.

via Onondaga Nation – People of the Hills.

Apparently the coming of PJ and Duncan’s new show Push The Button does NOT mean the end of Saturday Night Takeaway after all. Dec told The Mirror,

We’ve done nine series and we’ve said that we don’t want to let it go until we’ve done a 10th. I wouldn’t feel happy unless we’d celebrated the anniversary, and ITV have agreed.

So there you have it.

Come one, Come all: Toxics Targeting will propose a campaign to Stop Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling Hazards on:

Monday, 11/23/09
7:00 PM
The Women’s Community Building
100 West Seneca Street
Ithaca, NY

Known oil and gas drilling hazards in New York will be presented.  A coalition letter campaign will be outlined to require Governor Paterson to withdraw the Department of Environmental Conservation’s fatally-flawed draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Gas and Oil Mining.

For more information, call:
607 273 3388
800 286 9427

http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale

Hey everyone! Here’s a helpful hint! All the pictures below are catalog cheats for the November & December furniture catalog.

On the above page you will find… The Coat Rack, the Show Rack and the Wood Stove when you click where the red box’s circling.

On the above page you will find a Fireplace when you click where the red box is circling.

Hope all this helped!!!

~Icy6784~

Comments were meant to be directed to state Department of Environmental Conservation officials — one of whom attended the hearing. But many of the comments also played to the crowd, including a performance by six members of the theatrical activist group, Green Guerillas.

The first hour was taken up by 13 public officials, who addressed some of the issues facing municipalities as they struggle with how to deal with the proposed drilling regulations and the potential effects on their constituents.

Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Paterson got the first big ovation of the evening after calling on the DEC to wait for federal studies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Others also asked why the hurry, and some said the draft document should be scrapped altogether.

Ulysses Planning Board Chair Ken Zeserson said his board could prevent someone from putting up a garage on their personal property, but was powerless to stop a company from destroying a field and constructing a 200-foot gas drilling tower.

via Ithaca gas protesters: Payout not worth risk | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin.

Harlan and Lois Anderson with Chris Hartman, editor, and Carole Gunst, publicist

This week, while in Boston, we got most of the team together for lunch at the Locke-Ober restaurant.  We were celebrating the fact that Learn, Earn & Return will be back from the printer on November 30th.  This particular restaurant is where we used to hold dinners following our original Digital Equipment Corporation board meetings and it certainly brought back a lot of memories.

Flush with falsehoods and hyperbole, anti-energy activists promise to “overwhelm the DEC” at NY Marcellus hearings this week

via Gangs of New York « Energy in Depth.

A public hearing concerning regulatory measures for horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing for the local Marcellus Shale natural gas resource was held at the State Theater in Ithaca last night, the topic of discussion: the draft of the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (dSGEIS). While local Ithacans criticized both the proposed plan as well as the drilling in general, Department for Environmental Conservation (DEC), the government agency responsible for the draft, would only listen to critiques of the document itself.

Prior to the hearing, concerned citizens of the area held a rally in the commons petitioning Gov. Paterson (D-N.Y.) to prohibit horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing at least until the Environmental Protection Agency study on water contamination found both practices to be safe.

via Ithacans Voice Drilling Concerns | The Cornell Daily Sun.

Watching the latest edition of Dispatches on Channel 4 this week made me shriek. It is no longer what is right that really matters but who you are and how much money you are willing to sink into an establishment from which, you expect favours.

British support for Israel will forever be available as long as UK political parties exist and the struggle for power goes on. Yes, and this only spells disaster for the less connected species like of the world like Palestinians.

Lets face it, am no professor on Middle East politics nor am I a fellow on Israel foreign policy but at least I know something that you lots don’t know. I know for a fact that, today, thanks to such groups as Conservative and Labour Friends Of Israel (CFI), Jewish Leadership Council, The Zionist Federation and Board of Deputies of British Jews, British foreign policy is being dictated by Israel.

It is about power and money and where there is money, decisions are bound to go the “right way”. Growing up in Africa, (Rwanda) I was meant to believe that corruption, as well as nepotism were scandalous agents in a political test tube. Today, I know this was completely classroom stuff.

What the last episode of Dispatches set out to show the world was that whether those in power know the truth, it can always be subdued when political interest override morality. That’s why, even the sensible the reasonable and understanding will stutter when the person with power flexes and pulls the right string.

So today, we know that over 8 years, the Conservative Party, which is likely to be the party in power come next year, has received £10 million from CFI. Conservative party leaders have been forced—or should we use coerced—into changing statements or risk losing financial support and the results are showing. We also know for fact that media organisations, which had hitherto to prized themselves on objective reporting, are suddenly changing and bowing to intimidation, pressure and financial threats. The future looks bleak and unless something is done now, those with no lobbyists to push them through and no connections stand to lose everything they have stood for and worked on for life.

But how and why should Israel, a state big enough to sustain itself rely so heavily on lobbying? Unless you were in the wrong, why would you flex so much muscle to win over hearts of so many when you are very well aware that your actions are legitimate and clean?

“If I become Prime Minister, Israel has a friend that will never turn his back on Israel”, a beaming David Cameron noted at a dinner a couple of months ago.

He seemed keen to please each one of those listening in and his words, are understood to have been carefully chosen, especially now that we know he never said anything about Gaza and the Israel military attacks there even when the smoke was still bellowing out of smouldered buildings.

You have to wonder why Israel always gets things her own way. Why some countries bomb other countries, destroy their infrastructure, kill innocent civilians during the course of attacks and yet don’t seem to get the kind of condemnation that the others get. In the corporate world they call it PR, in politics, they call it political lobbying. Political lobbying because it cant simply be referred to as just lobbying for then, even the cry of the little Palestinian children should have been heard at least by Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC who cowardly refused to sanction the broadcast of a DEC ad calling for help for Gaza.

When you have a campaign to run and so many people conditioning their support to your campaign on your assurance to protect that, which they regard as sanctimonious, then you have limited choices as a politician and less if you are a deft one. What our MPs are doing is sell out the freedoms of those they claim to stand for. Those oppressed members of society like you and me, him and her or those living in abject poverty and distress orchestrated by a vicious desire to occupy and settle on illegal land.

3 years ago, Israel forces invaded Lebanon for attacks on Northern Israel. More than 1000 Lebanese lost their lives and 2 Israel soldiers killed while another 2 were hijacked. Early this year, alleging continued rocket attacks from positions in Gaza, Israel waged a full-scale attack leading to the death of over 1000 Palestinians and too much economic damage in infrastructure.

You would have expected at least most people watching the broadcasts from Gaza to agree first time that the force used was disproportionate. No way. Shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague tried referring to the force used by Israel forces as disproportionate and it cost him financially and socially. Besides losing out on support from CFI, he got a stunning reminder from Tory peer Lord Kalms who wrote:

“Think again. William, for whom do you speak…your comments are not merely unhelpful; they are downright dangerous”.

And then, David Cameron backed off. He, according to Dispatches is said to have okayed Hague to change a statement to the UN as they prepared to vote on a reolution criticizing both Hamas and Israel for human rights abuses in Gaza to this, “unless the draft resolution is redrafted to reflect the role that Hamas played in starting the conflict, we would recommend that the British government vote to reject the resolution”. October 16^th 2009 signed by Hague.

So, is Israel censoring British politicians, or has the world become too materialistic that votes and financial support for elections and campaigns are now more important than lives? And if the same thing that is happening here was to happen anywhere in the world, should we expect to see the British government let the events of the day decide the case or move in to condemn political lobbying?

To be continued….

Mineral Resources Environmental Notice Bulletins from the DEC’s website:

Compulsory Integration Hearings

Notices for compulsory integration hearings required by subsection 23-0901(3) of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law are posted here at least 30 days prior to the hearing date.

Integration Hearing Notices

Notices of Intent to Issue Well Permits and Spacing Orders

Notices of intent to issue well permits required by subsection 23-0503(2) of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law and notices of intent to issue well permits and spacing orders required by 23-0503(3) of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law are posted here. These notices pertain to well spacing requirements only and do not necessarily mean that permits are ready to be issued. More information regarding review of additional records related to these notices is stated at the top of each page.

Notices of Intent to Issue Well Permits

Notices of Intent to Issue Well Permits and Spacing Orders

New York On-line Searchable Database for Oil and Gas Information

Under the authority of subsection 3-0301(1)(u) of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law, the Department provides a searchable database for oil and gas information. This includes information on companies, permit applications, issued permits, spuds, wells, annual well production, well transfers, geological formations and geological fields. Prior on-line data was more limited and was generally limited to only a ninety day look back. The new on-line searchable database provides enhanced access to oil and gas data. Original well records are available for review at the respective regional offices. Any person may review these files at the respective regional office or at the office of the Division of Mineral Resources located at 625 Broadway, 3rd Floor, Albany, NY 12233-6500.

Other New York DEC Article 23 Well Reports

Pending Variances from Regulatory Statewide Spacing

via Mineral Resources Environmental Notice Bulletin – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation.