Public Forum on Marcellus Shale at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library

Marcellus Shale: Energy Solution? Environmental Problem?

Public Forum with Representatives from Industry, the Environmental Community, and Government addressing aspects such as land, leases, legal and financial issues, regulations, compliance, safety, and the economic, environmental, and community impact of Marcellus Shale on our state.

Panelists:
Kathryn Klaber, Marcellus Shale Coalition
Jack Ubinger, Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Alan Eichler, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Dan Sandman, retired U.S. Steel executive and current board member of Phillips Production Company.

December 2 @ 7-9pm, room A

For press coverage on the program see the article in the Post-Gazette

Marcellus Shale Panel Discussion

There is another opportunity coming up for interested parties to attend a panel discussion on the Marcellus Shale drilling issue. The participants are:

Kathryn Klaber - President of the Marcellus Shale Coalition;

Dr. Radisav Vidic - University of Pittsburgh, Chair and Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering;

Robert Donnan -Peters Twp resident;

Chris Moore of WQED - moderator.

The presentation will be held at the Engineers' Building, 337 Fourth Ave on October 4, 12noon. Reservations must be made in advance. Tickets are $20 for Press Club of Western Pennsylvania members and $25 for non-members. For more information, call - 412-281-7778.



For more information on the Marcellus Shale Coalition, check their web site. For more information on Kathryn Klaber check this article in the Post Gazette.

Drought Warning for Allegheny County

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a drought warning for Allegheny and 23 other counties. Please refer to the DEP website for more information on the drought and the measures you can take to conserve water.

Marsellus Shale Updates

I have attended two Town Hall panel discussion meetings; one in Lawrenceville and one in my living room. Each were very informative. Each had similar representation from gas industry, public health, local/state government representatives, PA, DEP., etc. One of the primary issues that have not been answered to the satisfaction of many of the attendees is environmental pollution of water due to the process of fracking. There is so much concern, City Council member Doug Shields introduced a bill the first week of September banning drilling within the Pittsburgh city limits. The issue is not restricted to Western PA; there is a similar situation in New York where the EPA is scheduled public meetings on the gas drilling technique. Additional reading on the environmental impacts of gas drilling can be found in a report on the Riverkeeper web site. Riverkeeper is a environmental group who's mission is to protect New York drinking water.


The other issue that is a great concern to town hall attendees is "forced pooling": which in the attached article refers to the ability of the gas company "to drill under a landowner's property even if the owner didn't want to lease his land for gas exploration".

Marcellus Shale Debate

We all have a stake in the outcome of the Marcellus Shale Debate, so to help us keep up to date on the issue, I hope to post relevant updates whenever possible. I will not provide the background to the issue, as others have done it so well already. Please refer to the Eleventh Stack, the blog of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. This is an excellent review of the issue published earlier in the summer. As I find them, I will provide some updates to that overview in hopes of condensing information into one compact source.





In the next few weeks, there are several major events that interested parties should be aware of:


1. Thursday, September 2, Duquesne University is hosting 2010 Pittsburgh Energy Forum, click for the list of panelist and registration information.


2. Tuesday, September 7, Doug Shields will present his bill against drilling before the City Council.


3. Wednesday, September 15, CMU will host another panel discussion, The Promise and Perils of the Marcellus Shale

BP Oil Spill

Has anyone out there noticed that gasoline prices have dropped since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? I don't usually comment on financial markets since I lack expertise to comment on the stock market. But, I have been watching the price fall at the pump and thought this was rather curious, so I did a little research. The very short answer to a globally complicated question is: there appears to be lower global demand for oil at the moment. Here is a report from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. We know this is temporary. Right?


Even so, it is hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that oil prices are falling while oil is slipping away and destroying our coastline. Oil is a commodity; one not easily found or extracted. I cannot think of crude oil without thinking "black gold"; it doesn't just bubble up out of the ground a la Beverly Hillbillies. So for me, it begs the question: Why hasn't Big Oil, (especially 20 years following the Exxon Valdez spill) figured out a way to retrieve all that black gold, before it drains into and destroys entire ecosystems, and keep the money in their own pockets? Better yet, why haven't they come up with better technology to cap such spills?


In May we learn that Kevin Costner, along with his lawyer partner John Houghtaling has spent 15 years and $24 million on a contraption to separate oil from sea water. Costner bought the technology after the Valdez disaster. As of two weeks ago, BP agreed to test the machines developed by Costner and his company, Ocean Therapy Solutions. You may view news clips on how it works on the law firm web page of John Houghtaling. According to an article in the NY Daily News, Costner has 300 models of his invention in different sizes. "The largest, at 2 1/2 tons, is able to clean water at a rate of 200 gallons a minute - faster than the well is leaking, Houghtaling noted". I have looked for updates on the success of the test of the Ocean Therapy machines. I have been looking for headlines proclaiming, "Robin Hood Saves Gulf!" or "The Postman Delivers Oil". But the headlines remain grim.



The bad spill news could continue through fall. According to an article yesterday in the Financial Times, it will be August before two relief wells are drilled and finished that will presumably stop the spill. That is not the end of the story by any means. There is talk of class action against BP. There is evidence that BP did not prepare properly. In another FT article reporting on the exploration plan and environmental impact analysis prepared by BP, Robert Wiygul (an environmental lawyer based in Mississppi), contends the reports lack evidence that BP addressed the appropriate technology necessary to manage a spill at 5,000 feet."The point is, if you're going to be drilling in 5,000 feet of water for oil, you should have the ability to control what you're doing."





If I learn more from Costner's Ocean Therapy Solutions, I will be sure to let you know. I looked at the web site and it is oddly secretive. I registered to receive "updates" and I will share any that are interesting or relevant. In the mean time, to learn more about the long term effects of oils spills, here is a short list of books and a DVD available in the library:


Degrees of Disaster: Prince William Sound: How Nature Reels and Rebounds / Jeff Wheelwright / 363.7382 W52d

In the Wake of the Exxon Valdez: The Devastating Impact of the Alaska Oil Spill / Art Davidson / 363.7382 D38i

Crude DVD 628.16833 C77

Women's Health & Environment Conference

I attended this conference sponsored by Teresa Heinz, The Heinz Endowments, and Magee-Woman's Hospital of UPMC. Interestingly, much of the discussion was concerning chemicals in cosmetics, PBA, and other endocrine disruptors/mimics, that I have covered in my last blog entry and over the past 18 months. There was a terrific lineup of speakers. Many of whom focused their presentations on reform of the existing Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA). I am pleased to say that there was focus on solutions to deal with the chemicals to which we are subjected. Most encouraging, was the optimistic viewpoint from the Honorable Lisa P. Jackson, (current head of the EPA) that industry will work with the Administration and Congress to pass legislation to update TSCA. As I mentioned in previous posts, there is no regulation for any but a handful of the over 80,000 existing chemicals today. See this link to the EPA website for more information on this legislation 2000 in attendance.

Attendees to the conference were provided a flash drive with over 70 PDF documents and more. These documents have background papers, and booklets with in depth information on the speakers, their research, etc. I will attempt to create links to the documents that I think are most relevant. Unfortunately, I will be unable to provide access to every publication due the the volume. Watch for updates.

News on scents.

Over the years, I have become sensitive to perfumes. I do not suffer from headaches or have difficulty breathing. I simply do not like what I smell. When I am exposed to most scents, I smell something acrid and chemical; not flowery or otherwise pleasant. What I have figured out is that I smell the actual chemical(s) that are added to create these products be they perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc. Some people are not as lucky as I and have extreme reactions to fragrances similar to those who suffer from sick building syndrome. Many of these people have extreme chemical sensitivities. You may ask, "What the heck do chemicals have to do with fragrances?" The answer is, most scented products are made with chemicals and are not regulated by any consumer safety organization. According the information I found in the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) website "hazardous chemicals in fragrances include volatile organic compounds, some of which are carcinogenic and cause neurotoxic and respiratory effects. Another class of chemicals of concern is synthetic musks, which, according to preliminary research, may be endocrine disruptors, like phthalates. "

For sufferers of fragrance chemicals there may be relief in sight. Last month there was a court case in Detroit, in which a woman was awarded $100,000 because of her sensitivity to fragrances in her job. We are bombarded by scents every day, from deodorants to air fresheners, to perfume and lotions. For those of us who are sensitive to it, it can make us wrinkle our nose in distaste, cause headaches, trigger an asthma attack, or possibly make us too sick to work. My sister gets terrible headaches from being in close proximity to people wearing scented products. She was very excited by the finding in Detroit. What I would hope is that this will lead people to seek more healthy scents or better yet, unscented products all together. The life they save may be their own. Am I exaggerating? I don't believe so. Take a look at this report from a coalition of environmental groups including the Environmental Working Group. This report shows the types of chemicals in cosmetic products and the problems to which they are linked.

There are resources available to assist you in avoiding products that are laden with unsafe chemicals. I have posted many of them in link rolls over the past 18 months. But here are a few that are recommended by the NRDC. Less Toxic Guide and The Cosmetics Database.

What I Learned At Farm To Table

-If you are interested in bees, there is a new group in the Three Rivers Area that can help you learn about them. Burghs Bees gave a presentation. Their Apiary is located on Susquehanna St. just off Dallas in the Point Breeze/Homewood area. We were shown a very interesting vodcast of Dennis vanEngelsdorp's presentation concerning the vital importance of bees, Colony Collapse Disorder, and more. Mr. vanEngelsdorp is the Acting State Apiarist for Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture.

-Another good presentation was given by Goutham Rao, MD, Clinical Director or the Weight Management and Wellness Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. They work to help children and adolescents change their behaviors in order to prevent obesity and live healthier lives. Here is their website that provides a lot of useful information for these issues: Healthy Behaviors 4 Life

-Lastly, Kaayla Daniel, Phd, CCN spoke on the "Myths and Truths About Vegetarian Diets". This was a very interesting presentation. She presented too much scientific information for me to condense here. So I suggest interested individuals look for her book: The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of Americas favorite Health Food. Currently, there is only one copy in the library system, but I am sure more will be purchased. After you read the book, you may wish to look at what others have to say about it. For example, here is a review from eatkind.net

Earth Day Celebrations in April and kick off World Environment Day

I am sure there will be more events in the Three Rivers area than what I will cover here. That said, here is what I know so far:

5th Environmental Film Festival of the Allegheny Chapter of the Sierra Club will be held at the Imagine Environmental Charter School in Regent Square. The Film Festival is during two nights in April: April 14 and 24. The films begin at 6 and 5 respectively and end around 10pm; children's films will be included in the program. Check the web site for specifics. I think I will try to see Michael Pollan's Botany of Desire which will be shown over the two days.

Did you know Pittsburgh is the host city for the United Nations World Environment Day?! This is exciting! Pittsburgh is getting lots of great national and international press these days. April 22 is the kick off for the six weeks of events before the June 5 World Environment Day (although there are events on the calendar before Earth Day). The theme this year is: “Biodiversity — Ecosystems Management and the Green Economy”. Check the Pittsburgh World Environment Day web site for the calendar of events and to read more about World Environment Day.

Happenings in Three Rivers Area

March and April are gearing up to lots of Green events, Yeah, Spring!! Here is a sampling:



March 11: Chatham University is hosting the Local Food Showcase: A Grower / Buyer Event. It is being held 1-5 p.m. in the Anderson Dining Hall, Mellon Center. For more information go to the Chatham Events Page.



March 22: Women for a Healthy Environment are having a program entitled: Beyond Paper and Plastic: A Closer Look at Recycling and Environmental Toxins. It is being held from 5:30-7:30 at the Carnegie Science Center. For a list of speakers and more information, see the flyer.



March 26-27: Forth Annual Farm To Table Conference. I have been to the previous 3 conferences and I love it. It is inexpensive ($25 for 2 days); there are always good speakers; and they have food exhibitors, Yum! For more information, check out their conference program page.

Michael Pollan Speaks in Pennsylvania.

Here is a summary of Mr. Pollan's comments generously provided by Troy Bogdan of Pure Earth Organic Farm. Web links are available at the bottom of the article if you wish to learn more about Troy's farm or to contact him via facebook.



You may be interested to know that I was in attendance last night at the presentation by Author, Professor and Movie/TV "Celebrity," Michael Pollan, here in Northwest Pennsylvania, at Allegheny College, in the small town of Meadville (approx. 12 miles away from our farm).
In his talk, which was entitled, "The Sun Food Agenda," he explained (he was preaching to the choir in my case) how we are so dependent on oil for our nation's food supply and how agribusiness uses oil to produce our food, from running machinery, to fertilizing, spraying, and including the transportation network around our country and the world. He went to great lengths to explain how this works, in simple language, that everyone in the audience (this was free and open to the public, and from what I could tell from glancing around, it was standing room only on both levels of the auditorium) could understand. He brought in a Quarter Pounder with cheese burger from McDonalds as a prop, and also had a pitcher of "oil" and four 8 oz. glasses. He went on to say that the amount of oil required to produce this McHamburger (as he poured it into the glasses) was . . . one 8oz. glass, two 8 oz. glasses, three 8 oz. glasses and for the 4th, he poured 2 ounces in the remaining glass, for a total of 26 ounces of oil needed to make one McBurger {He then proceeded to dip his finger in the oil and he licked it off and said Yummy (It was actually liquid chocolate)}!!!

He showed some very interesting slides and also some clips from some of the movies he was featured in (Food Inc.) and explained how the health of our people has been in decline ever since WWII, when farms were partnering with the industrial-military complex (he mentioned that WWII munitions plants were used to produce nitrogen fertilizer for farms) to create a wealth of food.

He also described and showed more slides and videos of some alternative ways of raising food, such as grass farming (Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm was one example) and some other ways of growing food with less oil.

After his talk he took a few questions from the audience, including one concerning an eight year rotation plan that he talked about for raising cattle in South America from our own "Farmer's Wife," Maggie Henry.

One thing I regret not asking him, was, what was his take on the current honeybee crisis? This was fresh in my mind from last weekend's Bee Seminar in Cranberry, and I know he covered some of that topic in one of those PBS T.V. specials, but I wished I would've asked him his thoughts on that during the Q&A session.

I thought the entire presentation was excellent, and I enjoyed it very much. Afterwards, there was a book signing, and everyone that wanted to, had a chance to meet him and have their books signed.

My favorite quote from the presentation was (and I paraphrase) . . . "Denmark is a big producer of Sugar Cookies, which they export to the United States, yet they also import Sugar Cookies from the United States. In my opinion, they should just exchange recipes and make them locally!"

There were so many people in attendance from the local food community and many PASA members. It was a great pleasure to see so many old friends (and some new ones). BTW, Mia made a great plug on behalf of Brian Snyder, for PASA to ask Michael to come and speak at the PASA conference (which falls on Michael's birthday), and I tried to help by telling him the food alone at the PASA conference would be a birthday celebration in itself, but he said "he gets tired of preaching to the choir over and over again." :-(

Troy Bogdan
Pure Earth Organic Farm, LLC19000 New Richmond Road, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403



You may find Troy:

on the web:
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M5225

on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge-Springs-PA/Pure-Earth-Organic-Farm-LLC/51760106987

map:

http://agmap.psu.edu/Businesses/866

Is Local Food More Expensive? Research suggests, Not

In Summer of 2009, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative conducted consumer market research to discover what Iowa consumers pay for locally grown products and whether these prices were competitive with non-local market prices. I recomend you go to the Leopold Center site to read the full report, but findings of the research indicate, that the mean price per pound for the local farmers’ market vegetable basket was lower that that of the non-local supermarket vegetable basket.

From Slow Food to Slow Money?

My understanding of this philosophy is similar to "buy local" campaign that the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture launched a few years ago. There is, of course, more to it. One of the leaders of the movement is Woody Tasch, a former venture capitalist, who testing a new concept he calls "Nurture Capital". For more information read this article on the MSNBC site, written by Marcia Stepanek on November 10, 2009. There is also a very good blog on slow money.