drilling

Drill, Baby, Drill: Obama Administration OKs Oil Drilling in Arctic off Alaska

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:31:59 -0500

by Erika Bolstad

WASHINGTON -- The Interior Department today gave the go-ahead for Shell Oil to begin drilling three exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea, a move that opens the door for production in a new region of the Arctic.

"This is progress," said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "Today's announcement from the MMS is an encouraging sign that Alaska's oil and natural gas resources can continue to play a major role in America's energy security."

Will Gas Drilling Destroy NYC’s Drinking Water?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:47:17 -0400

by Laura Flanders

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's long awaited plan for drilling in the Marcellus Shale was just released. The Shale, which stretches from Ohio to New York is believed to be the country's largest remaining reservoir of natural gas. Drilling has begun in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and there have already been reports of contaminated wells.

Report Chides Bureau of Land Management's Rush to Drill

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:47:55 -0400

by Patty Henetz

Sloppy wording in the Bush administration's 2005 Energy Policy Act's directives to streamline oil and gas development has led to lawsuits, end runs around environmental laws and dirty air in Vernal, a federal agency says.

In a report issued this week, the Government Accountability Office criticized the Bureau of Land Management's "inappropriate" use of so-called categorical exclusions -- exemptions from normal procedures -- in its drilling-permit operations.

Industry Defends Drilling, Ignores Water Contamination

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:59:27 -0400

by Abrahm Lustgarten

In a packed and sometimes contentious hearing [1] on Capitol Hill Thursday, representatives of the oil and gas industry and their state regulators vigorously defended the practice of injecting toxic fluids underground without federal regulatory oversight [2].

Natural Gas Politics

Tue, 26 May 2009 10:00:44 -0400

by Abrahm Lustgarten

Four years after Vice President Dick Cheney spearheaded a massive energy bill that exempted natural gas drilling from federal clean water laws, Congress is having second thoughts about the environmental dangers posed by the burgeoning industry.

An Unearthed Resource: Gas Drilling in Northeast Raises Health and Environmental Concerns Among Residents

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:28:19 -0400

by Byard Duncan

The road leading to Ron Carter’s trailer is made of red clay that melts away a little every time it rains. Truck traffic has created an obstacle course of tall divots that punch at the bottom of cars, rattling spines and scraping mufflers. Some lawns along the way host bathtubs full of garbage or rusty drums belching out dark smoke. Others have drill pads and cranes that stab 200 feet into the air. This is Dimock Township, the speck on Pennsylvania’s map that just became ground zero for America’s energy future.

Drilling Stalled in Allegheny National Forest

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:23:48 -0400

by Don Hopey

CLARION - The U.S. Forest Service hasn't OK'd any new gas or oil wells in the Allegheny National Forest for almost two months, delaying oil and gas development and causing at least one company to consider drilling without federal approval.

Leanne Martin, Allegheny National Forest supervisor, said no "notices to proceed" have been issued for new wells since Jan. 16, when the Forest Service's regional office in Milwaukee took over the local well review process.

Forest Service Ignored Concerns About Drilling

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:53:37 -0400

by Ken Ward Jr.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A private gas drilling and pipeline project in the Fernow Experimental Forest threatened an underground cave system that shelters endangered bats, created toxic runoff and damaged long-term forest ecology, according to a report from the group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

U.S. Forest Service officials approved the project, despite grave concerns expressed by the agency's staff scientists about impacts on the Fernow, according to documents released by PEER.

Forest Service at Sea on Status of Vast Mineral Rights

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:45:26 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2009

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)

Beset by lawsuits from both industry and environmentalists, the U.S. Forest Service is now pursuing regulations to govern drilling and mining on its lands. The agency's quandary is especially acute east of the Mississippi where large percentages of its wilderness and experimental forests - areas normally not subject to development - sit atop privately-held mineral estates, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

Monkey-Wrencher Thrilled That Interior Boss Is Scrapping Utah Lease Sale

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:47:22 -0500

by Patty Henetz

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will cancel the results of a chaotic Utah oil- and gas-lease sale that drew protests from conservationists, outdoors enthusiasts, the National Park Service and President Barack Obama's transition team chief.

The move drew quick congratulations from members of Congress who had criticized the sale the U.S. Bureau of Land Management conducted Dec. 19 in Salt Lake City.