Post on 03-Apr-2018
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The Importance of Loyalsock to Pennsylvania
From the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
Fact Sheet:
The Loyalsock State Forest is 114,494 acres offorest that straddles 3 counties (Bradford, Lycomingand Sullivan). It has nearly 200 miles of marked and
unmarked hiking trails to include the Old LoggersPath which traverses the valleys of Rock Run andPleasant Stream and other sights on its 27 mile trail. ~Because of a lawsuit in the 1980s by Clarence Mooreasserting that he owned the subsurface rights toapproximately 25,000 acres of the Loyalsock inLycoming County, which includes much of the OldLoggers Path and the two streams, there is contentionabout surface and subsurface rights. ~In 1989 theCommonwealth Court found that the Clarence Moorerights to enter upon the surface expired on about
18,000 acres leaving 7,000 acres still at risk. Thesetracks are scattered throughout the 25, 000 acres.~There is legal disagreement about the degree ofcontrol offered by the 1989 decision, including overthe potential impact of the State Supreme Courts 2009decision in Belden and Blake vs DCNR. Making thingsworse, the Clarence Moore subsurface ownership
estate has been divided between Anadarko PetroleumCorp. (owning 50%) and the DCNR believes theother 50% is under a lease agreement withSouthwestern Energy Corp.
In cases of subsurface ownership of state forests theDCNR historically has Surface Use Agreements(SUA) between the department and the company to
access of their holdings. Because of the particularecological, recreational, economic and legalcomplexities of this land track, the DCNR has beennegotiating a Surface Development ManagementAgreement (SDMA) which is different from a SUAand different from a permitting process. As of the Jun3 hearing nothing had been signed.You can access more information on this at www.dcnr.state.pa.uthen choose Gas Drilling on State Forests under the Quick
Links.
However, what has the environmental
community upset is that this process has been movingforward without public hearings or public input.Hikers were finding survey stakes and unusualequipment in the forest and began to ask questions.Because of public pressure the DCNR held a hearingon June 3, at 4pm at Lycoming College. Unless youare in an environmental group that forwards alerts, yoMay not have known it was going to happen.
RivertownCoalitionfor Clean Air and Clean Water
Summer 2013 Volume 2 Issue
LoyalsockUnderAttack!
Thismapshowsthe4compressorstations(reddiamonds),multiplewellpads(whitedots)andpipelines(redlines)thatareproposedtogointotheLoyalsockStateForest.
Youcanviewthisathttp://www.fractracker.org/2013/05/clarencemoore/
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Rivertown Coalition rivertowncoalition@gmail.com Vol 2 Issue 3
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There were about 500 people attending and the 2 hourscheduled comment time (5 min per person) needed tobe extended over an hour. There were people stillstanding in line to comment when the school needed toclose at 7pm. All of the comments were about the
value and need for these uniquePUBLIC lands to bepreserved. None supported drilling. There was a mapavailable from Frac Tracker Alliance showing theproposed 4 compressor stations, at least 9 well pads and3 pipelines all lacing the entire track of land. Add toyour mental image the 750 truck trips for water to andfro for each fracking event at each well pad and thenlisten to the compressor stations that have causedcracks in peoples homes who live near to them and youcan begin to imagine the change from the pristine
silence of the forest with running streams to acommercial zone. The Old Loggers Path has aworld wide reputation as a wonderful hike. Howwill this affect the tourist industry connectedwith this area?
There is no NEED for this extraction except
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. profits. It will notbenefit the people of Pennsylvania, and becauseit is to be exported will likely contribute to a risein local gas prices. So whats the rush to destroyour natural icon? You can share your commentswith the DCNR (address above), your electedrepresentatives (addresses on the cover page) andAnadarko (R.A. Walker is the Chairman,President and CEO of Anadarko-ventures@anadarko.com 1-800-800-1101)!
Anadarko Petroelum Company is a publicly traded stock in the gas and oil industry. The headquarters is in the Anadarko Tower, The Woodlands,TX. 77380 Their revenue in 2011 was $13.967 billion dollars and as of December 2011 had 4800 employees. Anadarkos operations in the UnitedStates include oil and natural-gas exploration and production onshore in the Lower 48 states, onshore Alaska, and the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. TheCompanys operations in the United States accounted for 87% of total sales volumes during 2011 and 90% of total proved reserves at year-end 2011.It was one of the companies working with BP and involved in the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. They settled with BP to pay $4
billion dollars in those damages. (Wikipedia)
Gasland IIOn Wednesday June 19
thover 900 people gathered at the Williamsport Community Arts Center to view Gasland
II and to join the Q&A with the film maker Josh Fox. As in Gasland, there are scenes of the problems that arisebecause of water contamination and air pollution. There are real people telling their real stories of lives changedas dreams are shattered by neighbors drills, illnesses that make it necessary to move from long held family landsand the problems to haul in fresh water because their groundwater is no longer useable.
The additional information in this film includes the response and non-response of the government depending ontimes in the election cycle, orders from above and general secrecy in the hearing process for discussing policydecisions that affect the electorate. The message continues to show that fracking is fracturing more than shale.
If you would like to see this film for yourself it will be on HBO on July 8, at 9pm againon July 14 and other times check your schedulesthere is full information at
www.hbo.com/documentaries/gasland-part-ii/index.htmlPhoto by Wendy Lynne Lee
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Rivertown coalition rivertowncoalition@gmail.com Vol2 Issue 3
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I Went to the Woods I was reminded of Ralph Waldo Emersons famous treatise in
which he went to the woods to enjoy the solitude when I
joined members of the Riverfront Coalition on two recent
forays into the Loyalsock area. The trips differed greatly
however.The first trip involved a hike in the Loyalsock State Forest
guided by Barb Jamoska of Shale Justice and RDA. I was
joined by Carol Parowski, President of the Riverfront, and Peg
Lauver, a Union County farmer and Riverfront member . The
hike reminded me of my youth in which I roamed in the
forests with my friends. We hiked along Loyalsock Creek,
traversing rocks and climbing over tree trunks. The creekgently gurgled as it flowed over rocks. At one point, I sat on a
log and closed my eyes. The hike had relaxed me and my feet
welcomed the opportunity to sit and not think about anything.
What a treat! I returned home feeling like I was reentering my
world refreshed and ready to take a long nap after a hotshower didnt someone say the best things in life are free?
The second foray involved a field trip to view various vestiges
of natural gas fracking in the Loyalsock area. Many of the
compressor stations and holding ponds were barely visible to
the casual traveler. But Peg Lauver, our guide, pointed out
various well pads and holding tanks tucked away back on rural
roads that winded through the forest. I could not help butobserve how close many of the well sites and holding tanks
were located within a stones throw of streams. I was
reminded of how many of these streams, if uncharted andregistered with the state, merited little more protection than
drainage ditches in urban areas. I wondered why the area was
eerily free of actual drilling. Then I got my answer by looking
at the large tracts of forest that had been cut down pipelines
are being developed leaving
ribbon-like open areas similar
to electric power lines cut
through forests in Snyder
County near my home. The
pipelines will allow drilling to
start anew and probably growvery significantly.
On the trip home I could not help but wonder: we are just
starting the Marcellus Shale fracking so what were seeing is
just a foretaste of what is to come. As I was planning a trip to
a developing country at the time, the thought occurred to me
how different is central Pennsylvania from a developing
country for its citizens when you consider that the natural gas
may be exported, leaving the social and environmental costs to
be borne while the economic benefits accrue to those living
elsewhere?
Alternative energy sources continue to grow around the
United States. The same is true locally. Dennis
Brubaker and his partner, Gerald Stauffer purchased afarm near Beavertown, PA in 2007, now an established
swine operation. At that time, the farm produced 14
thousand gallons of manure annually (including rain
water). They immediately set a plan to begin reducing
the manure load. While neighboring farmers used some
of the manure on their fields as fertilizer, the partners
began a plan to cut the total manure load by changing
the type of waterers in the barns, creating diversions and
employing best management practices. Waste was cu
by half in two years
Next, in 2008, the partners tackled how to use the
remaining manure and make it of value. Utility cost in
2008 was the greatest business expense on the farm
The issue was how to turn two problems, manure and
utility cost into an asset. They came upon a plan to
capture gas from the manure and convert it to energy and
proceeded to put the mechanics in place. In brief
manure is contained in a concrete tank that has a cover.
the manure is heated which causes gas to escape. The
gas is captured in the cover, piped to a utility building
where it is converted to electricity. PPL buys the
electricity and the operation buys back electricity for
their use. The remaining manure is used for fertilizer
The process removes 3,400 tons of carbon out of the air
annually and saves 12 to 15 thousand gallons of propane
annually and supplies electricity to approximately 120
to 130 homes per year. A side benefit is that the process
dissipates odor from the manure.
More recently, following permitting procedures and
obtaining a methane digester, Mr. Brubaker and Mr
Stauffer are currently working to develop electricity
from pre and post non-contaminated (no aluminum or
plastic, etc) food waste. They have begun collecting trap
grease and are working w. Hometown Disposal to
collect food waste. They are looking to collect waste
from commercial and institutional sites. IN time, they
are hopeful that waste can be collected from homes but a
system to do so is not yet in place.
Right now, there are no perfect solutions to any of our
energy problems (or any others for that matter), but we
want to celebrate the people who look at those problems
and find ways to make a real improvement and then keep
looking for more and better ways to do things. As each
of us does that within our own homes and business...we
will move forward to a better environment and world.
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCE
IN SNYDER COUNTYCreative Efforts to Combine Problems
with Renewables
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Know your Government representatives- Save this page
US Senate
US Senate
US Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D)
http://casey.senate.gov
393 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510Toll Free 866-802-2833
22 S. Third Street Suite 6A
Harrisburg, PA 17101Toll Free: 717-231-5740
US Sen Patrick Pat Toomey (R)
http://toomey.senate.gov/
502 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4254
United States Federal Building
228 Walnut Street Suite 1104Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 782-3951
US House of Representatives
9th District Rep. William Bill
Schuster (R)
http://schuster.house.gov/
204 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2431
100 Lincoln Way East, Suite B
Chambersburg, PA 17201
717-264-8308
10th
DistrictRep. Thomas Marino
(R)
http://marino.house.gov410 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515(202) 225-3731
106 Arch St.
Sunbury, PA 17801
570-988-7801
11th
District Rep. Lou Barletta (R)
http://barletta.house.gov/
510 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Toll free: 855-241-51441112 Highway 315 BoulevardWilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 235-1420
17th
District Rep. Matt Cartwright (D)
http://cartwright.house.gov/
1419 Longworth House Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5546
226 Wyoming Ave
Scranton, PA 18503
(570) 341-1050
State Government
PA Senate 27th
District
John R. Gordner (R)
http://senatorgordner.com
351 Main CapitolHarrisburg, PA 17120
717-787-8928
603 W. Main Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
570-784-3464
PA Senate 23rd District
Gene Yaw (R)
http://senatorgeneyaw.com
457 Main Capital BuildingSenate PO Box 203023
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3023
717-787-3280
330 Pine Street Suite 204
Williamsport, PA17701
570-322-6457
1800-443-5772
PA House 82nd
District
Juniata County, Mifflin County (part),
Snyder County(part)
C. Adam Harris (R)
http://repadamharris.com
51B East Wing
PO Box 202082
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2082717-783-7830
Beaver Springs Senior Citizen Center5 Elm Street
Beaver Springs, PA 17812
570-658-7395
PA House 108th
District
Northumberland County (part),
Snyder County (part)
Lynda Schlegel Culver (R)
http://www.lyndaculver.com
412 Irvis Office BuildingPO Box 202108
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2108Seat 179
(717) 787-3485
106 Arch Street
Sunbury, PA 17801
(570) 286-5885
PA House 83rd
District
Lycoming County (part)(Williamsport, Armstrong, Hepburn,
Loyalsock, Lycoming, Old Lycoming,Susquehanna, Duboistown and South
Williamsport)
Rick Mirabito (D)
http://www.pahouse.com/mirabito/con
tact/asp
115A East WingPO Box 202083
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2083
717-772-1314
800 West 4th Street #02Williamsport PA 17751
570-321-1270
PA House 84th District
Lycoming County (part)
Garth Everett(R)
http://www.repeverett.com/contact/aspx430 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202084
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2080
717-787-5271Penn Hills Plaza, Halls Station
21 Kristi Road Suite 1
Muncy, PA 17736
570-546-2084
PA House 85th DistrictSnyder County(part), Union CountyFred Keller (R)
http://www.repfredkeller.com
428 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202085Harrisburg, PA 17120-2085
Seat 84
(717) 787-3443
343 Chestnut Street, Suite 1
PO Box 163
Mifflinburg, PA 17844
(570) 966-0052
PA House 46th District
(Parts)Washington, Beaver, Allegheny
Jesse White (D)
http://www.jwhite@pahouse.net112 Irvis Office Building
PA Box 202046
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2046
(717) 783-6437
3555 Millers Run Road
PO Box 285
Cecil, PA 15321
(724) 746-8677
Federal Government: to find your district go to http:/www.govtrack.us/congress/members
State Government: to find your state district go to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator enter your addres
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The Rivertown Coalition for Clean Air and Clean Water is a member ofShale Justice: A Coalition of
Organizations United for the Environment. One of the reasons for joining the coalition is to share resources.You will find extensive environmental information consolidated at this site http://shalejustice.org.
A BIG THANK YOU to Scott Tanner of Ink Spot Printing in Selinsgrove for continued help and support ofThe Rivertown Coalition.
Rivertown Coalition
For Clean Air and Clean Water
P.O. Box 205
Selinsgrove, PA 17870
rivertowncoalition@gmail.com