Hydraulic Fracture Fluid Kills 18 Cattle Near Chesapeake Well in LA

by TXsharon

Daily Kos and Bluedaze

The drilling crew at a Chesapeake well site in Louisiana was "injecting fluids at high pressure to break down the shale and release natural gas," when some cattle ingested the fluid and died. 19 of the cattle died.

That sure sounds a lot like hydraulic fracturing. In 2005, at the urging of Dick Cheney, former Halliburton CEO, Congress exempt fracing from the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It's way past time to repeal that exemption! I'll have a link up later to resolutions your group, municipality, county, etc. can adopt asking our legislature to remove the exemption.

But, there's no need to worry because the industry tells us that hydraulic fracturing is perfectly safe and never, ever contaminates any water and it's really precise except for when it's imprecise.

UPDATE: First person account HERE. I got word that the death toll is now up to 30 but that's unconfirmed.

An animal lies near the drilling site where at least 18 cows died Tuesdayevening
in a pasture next to a Chesapeake Energy Corp. drilling site in Caddo Parish. (Jim Hudelson/The Times)

DEQ: 'Nobody is owning up to it'

DuBose said he and Canady captured on video a yellowish-green substance that was spewing into the air and falling onto the ground. Caddo deputies also said a yellowish-green substance was covering the ground and a Chesapeake employee said it was a chemical used in the fracing process.

19 head of cattle die near north La. gas well

...investigators found white, milky puddles here and there both on the well site and in a 400 square-yard area just inside the pasture.
...
The livestock died Tuesday near rain puddles in their pasture, said a Caddo Parish sheriff's spokeswoman, Cindy Chadwick. Local residents reported the cattle were foaming at the mouth, bellowing and had bleeding tongues.
...
"The cows' tongues hanging, bleeding off front and back, foaming at the mouth and bellowing" she said.

William Dubose said he captured video of yellowish-green fumes that smelled like a combination of antifreeze and petrochemical.

News video available HERE

Antifreeze just happens to be one of the chemicals in frack fluid.

Frac Water Chemicals Chemical Components (From MSDS)

This is not an isolated case. One of the Wise County Commissioners lost a calf because it got in a spill on his land, in Freestone County several cattle died so the gas company paid the owner and hushed him up. There are many such cases if you dig around a little bit.

If it does that to cattle, imagine what will happen to people. Oh, HERE's what.

Scientists studying residents living in a 1970s era housing development built atop a retired oil field waste pit found an extraordinarily high incidence of lupus, an autoimmune disease. Researchers calculated that the rate was 30 to 99 times higher in people living in this six-block area of Hobbs, NM, than what would be expected in the general population.

Drink up! Eat up!

Check out the video at Daily Kos or Bluedaze.

Also see:
Splashdownpa
un-naturalgas.org

US appeals court sides with NM in drilling fight

Associated Press

April 29, 2009 10:51 AM ET

"ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management failed to comply with federal law in developing a plan for managing oil and natural gas development on southern New Mexico's Otero Mesa, an appeals court has ruled.

A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Court of Appeals in Denver said in a ruling filed Tuesday the BLM skirted the National Environmental Protection Act by not considering an alternative that would have put the mesa off limits to drilling and by not analyzing all of the likely impacts of the agency's chosen alternative.

"BLM's obligation to manage for multiple use does not mean that development must be allowed on the Otero Mesa," the ruling states. "Development is a possible use, which BLM must weigh against other possible uses — including conservation to protect environmental values, which are best assessed through the NEPA process."' More>>>>

Officials in Three States Pin Water Woes on Gas Drilling

by Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica - April 26, 2009 7:00 am EDT

"Norma Fiorentino's drinking water well was a time bomb. For weeks, workers in her small northeastern Pennsylvania town had been plumbing natural gas deposits from a drilling rig a few hundred yards away. They cracked the earth and pumped in fluids to force the gas out. Somehow, stray gas worked into tiny crevasses in the rock, leaking upward into the aquifer and slipping quietly into Fiorentino's well. Then, according to the state's working theory, a motorized pump turned on in her well house, flicked a spark and caused a New Year's morning blast that tossed aside a concrete slab weighing several thousand-pounds.

Fiorentino wasn't home at the time, so it's difficult to know exactly what happened. But afterward state officials found methane, the largest component of natural gas, in her drinking water. If the fumes that built up in her well house had collected in her basement, the explosion could have killed her." More>>>>

Report: Otero Mesa Drilling Not Worth the Effort

By TIM KORTE , 04.15.09, 05:43 PM EDT

"A Montana-based research group that studies Western land issues has concluded oil and natural gas development on southern New Mexico's Otero Mesa would offer limited jobs and revenue, even at peak production.

Not surprisingly, the report from Headwaters ( HW - news - people ) Economics was hailed by New Mexico environmentalists after its release last week.

"It's interesting that an outside group would agree with what conservationists have been saying for the last eight years. Otero Mesa is worth more protected than drilled," New Mexico Wilderness Alliance associate director Nathan Newcomer said.

However, federal land managers and a representative of New Mexico's oil and gas industry questioned most of the report's findings." More>>>>

Counties weighing new solar-panel tax program

Plan allows property owners to pay for photovoltaic cells through property taxes

Doug Mattson | The New Mexican

4/13/2009 - 4/8/09

"A bill that makes buying solar panels more affordable is now state law, but the sales job isn't over — the Santa Fe lawmaker who authored it now has to help make it work, county by county.

State Rep. Brian Egolf's bill will allow property owners to pay for rooftop photovoltaic panels and installation by taking on increases in their annual property taxes. Implementing the program will be up to the county treasurers and others who handle property taxes on the local level.

New Mexico's larger counties — Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Doña Ana — are likely to be early participants, said Paul Gutierrez, executive director of the New Mexico Association of Counties, which supported the bill in the recent legislative session. In the rural areas, he said, "I think it's going to be a tough sell, where they may not have the personnel and the wherewithal to do it."

To get around that, Gutierrez said he has been working with Egolf on creating a "template" so counties can be ready when the law takes effect July 1. Egolf has also talked with Santa Fe County commissioners.

"I think what we need to demonstrate to them and to the county treasurer is that this is something that will be easy to do in terms of running the program," Egolf said. "And it can be done just like it's been done elsewhere — with great simplicity."

Egolf's bill was modeled after a program used throughout California. It also was one of several solar-related bills that became law, but the solar industry gave it the most focus partly because it could get up and running faster. " More>>>>

Photo exhibit funds go to fight Galisteo drilling

Ana Maria Trujillo | The New Mexican

4/12/2009 - 4/13/09

"While Mary Ann Redding, curator of photography at the Palace of the Governors, hopes that drilling never happens at the Galisteo Basin, she's glad that there is a portfolio of artistic photographs that document just how the Galisteo Basin looks now.

From Jan. 23 to March 7, Photo-Eye Gallery in Santa Fe had an exhibit of photographs by 27 photographers who took photographs of the Galisteo Basin. The exhibit was meant to express the opposition that many locals feel over possible plans by Tecton Energy to drill for oil in the Galisteo Basin.

"It was probably our most attended opening we've ever had," said Anne Kelly, associate director at the Photo-Eye Gallery. "We had probably about 500 or 600 people — maybe even more. We had a lot of people coming through — more than the people who generally attend art exhibits."

Three portfolios of the photographs were created and put up for sale and most recently the McCune Foundation and Verve Gallery teamed up and purchased one to donate to the Palace of the Governors.

A portion of the proceeds went toward nonprofits that are fighting to stop the efforts to drill in that area, including Drilling Santa Fe, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center and the Oil and Gas Accountability Project." More>>>>

U.S. Rep. Lujan seeks millions for N.M.

Steve Terrell | The New Mexican

4/11/2009

"Earmark projects in the Santa Fe area include $750,000 for "the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the 24 nationally significant archeological and historic sites in and around the Galisteo Basin."' More>>>>

Oil and gas pit rule hearings on changes delayed

The Associated Press

Posted: 04/11/2009 02:28:56 PM MDT

"HOBBS, N.M.—Hearings on Gov. Bill Richardson's proposed changes to regulations adopted in 2008 for oil and gas pits have been delayed after starting earlier this month.

Richardson proposed six changes to the pit rule after oil industry representatives complained it was too punitive and discouraged business in New Mexico.

The modifications were prepared by the state Oil Conservation Division.

A hearing on the proposed changes began April 2 in Santa Fe and continued through the next day before further discussion was postponed.

OCD representatives could not be reached for comment, but attendees at the hearing said the OCD was expected to announce at an Oil Conservation Committee meeting Wednesday when the hearings would resume. The participants said they thought the hearings would resume at the end of the month.

One dispute over the proposed changes concerns an increase in the amount of chloride that oil drillers could bury in lined pits at drilling operations.

The Pit Rule standards for chloride are currently below the state's safety standards for drinking water, according to industry representatives. The proposed change would increase by 12 times the concentration of chloride that can be buried." More>>>>

County's open-space land rich in history

Newly acquired Galisteo Basin parcels include ancient sites

Phaedra Haywood | The New Mexican

4/11/2009 - 4/9/09

"The Santa Fe County Commission voted in March to pay $1.5 million for 468 acres in the Galisteo Basin, guaranteeing an archaeologically rich area with sweeping vistas will be preserved as open space.

Although the property was purchased with tax dollars, some planning will have to be done before the land is opened to the public.

The newly acquired land — and adjoining property also bought under the county's Open Space and Trails Program — contains archaeological sites that Congress has mandated be preserved and protected.

Santa Fe County is negotiating an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management that will guide the future uses of the land. The BLM has a $500,000 grant from the Legislature to develop a plan for protecting the area, which is expected to be finished within three years." More>>>>

New Mexico gov signs renewable energy measures

By BARRY MASSEY , 04.10.09, 10:28 AM EDT

"New Mexico homeowners and businesses may find it more affordable to install solar or other renewable energy systems under legislation signed into law by Gov. Bill Richardson.

The governor on Thursday also signed a bill to stop municipalities from obtaining irrigation and agricultural water rights through condemnation by using the power of eminent domain." More>>>>

Report: NM Now #1 in Oil and Gas, but Challenges Persist

Public News Service

"April 8, 2009

Santa Fe - New Mexico is number one in the Intermountain West when it comes to oil and gas production, according to a new report, and being on top comes with certain challenges. Report author Ben Alexander of Headwaters Economics says the state has surpassed Wyoming in production, and is doing a pretty good job of capturing that energy revenue. However, he says, Santa Fe seems to be relying too much on those oil and gas dollars, contributing to the state's current big budget deficit.

He says one other finding that came as a surprise was that New Mexico is at the bottom of the heap in the Rockies when it comes to returning some of that energy revenue to the local governments where energy development is actually taking place.

"That can mean that local jurisdictions can have a very difficult time handling the impacts on basic government services, and also providing the infrastructure and sustaining the infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges."' More>>>>

Link Report Digest: Potential Impacts of Energy Development in New Mexico, With a Case Study of Otero County >>>>

Bill to make solar affordable for homeowners (Podcast) : KSFR

KSFR News

"SANTA FE (2009-04-06)

-- April 6 -- State Rep. Brian Egolf of Santa Fe is waiting for the governor to sign his bill, making solar-equipment installations on private homes affordable.

Egolf explains how it would work." Link to Podcast>>>>>

Measure would revamp 1872 mining law

Apr 4, 4:04 AM EDT

By SUE MAJOR HOLMES
Associated Press Writer

"ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman says there's no justification for continuing hard-rock mining on public land under a law passed well over a century ago.

Bingaman, D-N.M., has introduced a measure that would set royalties on hard-rock mining on federal lands for the first time, establish a fund to reclaim abandoned hard-rock mines and eliminate patenting - which has conveyed title to mining companies to develop mines on public land for as little as $2.50 an acre. Congress has passed annual moratoriums on further mineral patent applications since October 1994.

Mining for metals such as gold, silver and copper currently is governed by a law passed in 1872 after the California gold rush, when Congress was trying to encourage settlement by offering free minerals and land to those willing to go West and mine." More>>>>

Santa Fe County officials report on citizen comments (Podcast)

KSFR

"SANTA FE (2009-04-03) -- Santa Fe County officials have released a 70-plus-page report that summarizes community meetings about the county's proposed development ordinance. KSFR's Bill Dupuy speaks with reporter Marion Cox who's been studying the report." Click here for podscast>>>>

New law on deep water authority just in time

New Mexico Independent

By Trip Jennings 3/31/09 5:26 AM

"Call it the great water rush.

Since Jan. 1, dozens of corporations, developers, ranches — and at least one New Mexico county and one town — have laid claim to more than 820,000 acre-feet of water deep below New Mexico’s surface.

To put that in perspective, consider state Rep. Mimi Stewart’s take on the mad dash for water half a mile below New Mexico’s surface.

The Albuquerque Democrat said Monday that when the New Mexico House passed her bill to give the state authority to regulate such reservoirs of deep water in early February, “we had about 400,000 acre-feet” of requests for water 2,500 feet and deeper.

“By the time the Senate got around to it, six weeks later, it was a million acre feet,” she said.

Because of a quirk of state law, New Mexico has never had the authority to regulate how deep groundwater is parceled to users.

That is, until Monday.

Gov. Bill Richardson signed a bill (HB19) into law effective immediately that mandates that water deeper than 2,500 feet beneath the surface comes under state authority. That means state engineer John D’Antonio will be able to determine through a rigorous process who has ownership rights to the deep water, just as he has for water above that level.

Before Monday, because the Office of the State Engineer had no jurisdiction over water that deep, it belonged to whomever could pump it out and use it.

The rush for deep underground water showcases a truth about growth in New Mexico. Developers and city and county governments, in planning for future growth, are having to look beyond the state’s lakes, groundwater and snow melt for water to slake the thirst of new development. And increasingly they are turning to reservoirs deep beneath the surface." More>>>>