The Onondaga County Legislature voted to ban hydrofracking on county property. Somewhere in America, government officials are listening to the concerns about the potential health and environmental effects of some drilling practices.
It is refreshing that county officials are taking the approach of waiting for proof that it is safe, rather than waiting for proof that it is dangerous.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sierra Club: Two tragic mistakes
Don Young of FWCANDO tells the story about two mistakes by the Sierra Club. Here is the full story for your reading pleasure.
This is a story of two tragic but preventable mistakes made by the Sierra Club. One in the late 1950's that still resonates and one happening right now that could resonate far longer.
The Fixer-
If you saw the 2007 George Clooney flick, Michael Clayton, you may recall that his character was a "fixer", a man whose job it is to make sure people never connect A to B. "He works in that rarefied grey zone where barely legal meets almost criminal." (NY Times) More specifically, he makes his clients messy situations "go away." If the client has questionable moral or ethical standards, he just takes the money and looks the other way. The film deftly chronicles his redemption.
Victims and followers of natural gas drilling already know the significance of connecting A to B in shale country. But did you know the Sierra Club, a once trusted but now tarnished organization, is playing the role of "fixer" for the natural gas industry? To understand why this is possible, you need to know that the Sierra Club is no stranger to bad choices.
A short history lesson-
In the late 1950's the Sierra Club played an key role in what became known as, "America's most regretted environmental mistake." The SC was faced with a difficult choice: How to deal with the prospect of a dam on the Colorado River that would inundate Dinosaur National Monument or the lesser known Glen Canyon? Though not widely known at the time, Glen Canyon was a place of jaw-dropping beauty - as awe-inspiring as the nearby, Grand Canyon.
Dinosaur NM on the other hand, is now considered of minor importance, comparatively. Under the direction of David Brower, the Sierra Club elected to cut a deal that protected Dinosaur NM. As a result, the majestic Glen Canyon lies buried under tons of of silt and acres of stagnant water in a reservoir known as Lake Powell.
Brower admitted that the Sierra Club failed. He spent the rest of his life apologizing and agonizing over his failure and trying to correct his mistake. While the dam was a regrettable environmental mistake, it pales in comparison to the latest ethical lapse by Sierra Club officials: Support of natural gas drilling.
History repeats itself-
While newly elected SC Director, Michael Brune, former director, Carl Pope, and other SC execs sit in their rarefied San Francisco offices hawking natural gas, thousands of people all over the country and untold wildlife are suffering at the hands of fossil fuel peddlers like Chesapeake Energy. Pope even toured the country with public environmental enemy No.1, Chesapeake CEO, Aubrey McLendon, promoting the idea of natural gas as a "bridge fuel." His naiveté is showing, big-time.
Pope, Brune and Co. are seriously out of touch with the sins of these environmental criminals. Even if the toxic emissions and poisoned water issues could be resolved, the impact of drilling on the American landscape is devastating. It's the most widespread destruction of the environment since the slaughter of the buffalo herds.
SC's partnering with Chesapeake is the most egregious display of green-washing I've ever witnessed. The idea of "appropriate safeguards" for this industry is about as likely as a unicorn hiding on the dark side of the moon. The industry has steadfastly resisted best management practices and lobbied successfully for exemptions to every important environmental rule. One has to wonder what's in it for SC.
Time to wake up-
With the credibility of the Sierra Club on the line, their leadership needs to wake up and smell the benzene. Their sense of shame needs a wake-up call, as well. They were so ashamed of their mistake at Glen Canyon they even published a book titled, The Place No One Knew (1963). Brower vowed to never commit the same sin again. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote in the preface:
"Glen Canyon died and I was partly responsible for its needless death. The Sierra Club has no better purpose than to try to let people know in time. In Glen Canyon we failed. There could hardly be a costlier peacetime mistake. With support from people who care, we hope in the years to come to help deter similar ravages of blind progress." David Brower, 1963
Learning from the past and changing course-
I could not agree more with the late, David Brower, who died in 2000. He was a noble and respected leader who more than atoned for his sin. I can't say the same about the current SC leadership. Their continued fraternizing with environmental criminals dishonors the good Sierra Club name and that of it's founder, John Muir.
It will take courage for the Sierra Club to admit their mistake and reverse course but they must cease and desist from their role as a "fixer" for the natural gas industry. They have an obligation to "let people know in time", to connect "A" to "B". As gas drillers step up their attack on the environment, wildlife and human health the Sierra Club needs to choose more carefully which side to be on. I urge them to act immediately to prevent another regrettable mistake.
My advice for Michael Brune, Carl Pope and the SC leadership:
1) Watch the video, Michael Clayton.
2) Read or re-read the Sierra Club book, The Place No One Knew.
3) Watch the documentary films, Split Estate and GASLAND.
4) Take a good look in the mirror.
5) Connect A to B
Email the Sierra Club:
information@sierraclub.org
Cancel your SC membership here:
membership.services@sierraclub.org
Call or send a letter to the SC:
Sierra Club National HQ
85 Second Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
USA
415-977-5500 Phone
415-977-5799 FAX
Glen Canyon links-
Sierra Club magazine admits their mistake:
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/199703/brower.asp
Wikipedia entry explaining the mistake:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Canyon_Dam
America's most regrettable environmental mistake:
http://www.glencanyon.org/brower/browerhome.php
The End of Lake Powell Campaign:
http://www.livingrivers.org/campaigns/drought/facts3.cfm
History of Glen Canyon:
http://www.canyoncountryzephyr.com/oldzephyr/feb-march2002/rich.htm
The Place No One Knew:
http://www.wildnesswithin.com/2000/00-3/bridge.html
Photos of Glen Canyon, 1962:
http://explorepdx.com/glen.html
Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147
http://www.fwcando.org/
"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."
This is a story of two tragic but preventable mistakes made by the Sierra Club. One in the late 1950's that still resonates and one happening right now that could resonate far longer.
The Fixer-
If you saw the 2007 George Clooney flick, Michael Clayton, you may recall that his character was a "fixer", a man whose job it is to make sure people never connect A to B. "He works in that rarefied grey zone where barely legal meets almost criminal." (NY Times) More specifically, he makes his clients messy situations "go away." If the client has questionable moral or ethical standards, he just takes the money and looks the other way. The film deftly chronicles his redemption.
Victims and followers of natural gas drilling already know the significance of connecting A to B in shale country. But did you know the Sierra Club, a once trusted but now tarnished organization, is playing the role of "fixer" for the natural gas industry? To understand why this is possible, you need to know that the Sierra Club is no stranger to bad choices.
A short history lesson-
In the late 1950's the Sierra Club played an key role in what became known as, "America's most regretted environmental mistake." The SC was faced with a difficult choice: How to deal with the prospect of a dam on the Colorado River that would inundate Dinosaur National Monument or the lesser known Glen Canyon? Though not widely known at the time, Glen Canyon was a place of jaw-dropping beauty - as awe-inspiring as the nearby, Grand Canyon.
Dinosaur NM on the other hand, is now considered of minor importance, comparatively. Under the direction of David Brower, the Sierra Club elected to cut a deal that protected Dinosaur NM. As a result, the majestic Glen Canyon lies buried under tons of of silt and acres of stagnant water in a reservoir known as Lake Powell.
Brower admitted that the Sierra Club failed. He spent the rest of his life apologizing and agonizing over his failure and trying to correct his mistake. While the dam was a regrettable environmental mistake, it pales in comparison to the latest ethical lapse by Sierra Club officials: Support of natural gas drilling.
History repeats itself-
While newly elected SC Director, Michael Brune, former director, Carl Pope, and other SC execs sit in their rarefied San Francisco offices hawking natural gas, thousands of people all over the country and untold wildlife are suffering at the hands of fossil fuel peddlers like Chesapeake Energy. Pope even toured the country with public environmental enemy No.1, Chesapeake CEO, Aubrey McLendon, promoting the idea of natural gas as a "bridge fuel." His naiveté is showing, big-time.
Pope, Brune and Co. are seriously out of touch with the sins of these environmental criminals. Even if the toxic emissions and poisoned water issues could be resolved, the impact of drilling on the American landscape is devastating. It's the most widespread destruction of the environment since the slaughter of the buffalo herds.
SC's partnering with Chesapeake is the most egregious display of green-washing I've ever witnessed. The idea of "appropriate safeguards" for this industry is about as likely as a unicorn hiding on the dark side of the moon. The industry has steadfastly resisted best management practices and lobbied successfully for exemptions to every important environmental rule. One has to wonder what's in it for SC.
Time to wake up-
With the credibility of the Sierra Club on the line, their leadership needs to wake up and smell the benzene. Their sense of shame needs a wake-up call, as well. They were so ashamed of their mistake at Glen Canyon they even published a book titled, The Place No One Knew (1963). Brower vowed to never commit the same sin again. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote in the preface:
"Glen Canyon died and I was partly responsible for its needless death. The Sierra Club has no better purpose than to try to let people know in time. In Glen Canyon we failed. There could hardly be a costlier peacetime mistake. With support from people who care, we hope in the years to come to help deter similar ravages of blind progress." David Brower, 1963
Learning from the past and changing course-
I could not agree more with the late, David Brower, who died in 2000. He was a noble and respected leader who more than atoned for his sin. I can't say the same about the current SC leadership. Their continued fraternizing with environmental criminals dishonors the good Sierra Club name and that of it's founder, John Muir.
It will take courage for the Sierra Club to admit their mistake and reverse course but they must cease and desist from their role as a "fixer" for the natural gas industry. They have an obligation to "let people know in time", to connect "A" to "B". As gas drillers step up their attack on the environment, wildlife and human health the Sierra Club needs to choose more carefully which side to be on. I urge them to act immediately to prevent another regrettable mistake.
My advice for Michael Brune, Carl Pope and the SC leadership:
1) Watch the video, Michael Clayton.
2) Read or re-read the Sierra Club book, The Place No One Knew.
3) Watch the documentary films, Split Estate and GASLAND.
4) Take a good look in the mirror.
5) Connect A to B
Email the Sierra Club:
information@sierraclub.org
Cancel your SC membership here:
membership.services@sierraclub.org
Call or send a letter to the SC:
Sierra Club National HQ
85 Second Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
USA
415-977-5500 Phone
415-977-5799 FAX
Glen Canyon links-
Sierra Club magazine admits their mistake:
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/199703/brower.asp
Wikipedia entry explaining the mistake:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Canyon_Dam
America's most regrettable environmental mistake:
http://www.glencanyon.org/brower/browerhome.php
The End of Lake Powell Campaign:
http://www.livingrivers.org/campaigns/drought/facts3.cfm
History of Glen Canyon:
http://www.canyoncountryzephyr.com/oldzephyr/feb-march2002/rich.htm
The Place No One Knew:
http://www.wildnesswithin.com/2000/00-3/bridge.html
Photos of Glen Canyon, 1962:
http://explorepdx.com/glen.html
Don Young
FWCanDo
P.O. Box 470041
Fort Worth, TX 76147
http://www.fwcando.org/
"God bless Fort Worth, Texas. Help us save some of it."
More Air Quality Tests For Fort Worth
More air quality tests are planned for Fort Worth. This time Mayor Moncrief wants extensive testing of the air and the use of city revenue from gas drilling to fund the testing. Many residents have lost faith in the TCEQ after the last set of air testing was performed in the Barnett Shale area. A city spokesperson had this to say.
If there's evidence of a pollution problem, the City Council may be willing to rewrite the city's natural gas drilling ordinance to further protect residents.
"If the ordinance needs to be rewritten, I believe the council and the mayor are ready to do that," city spokesman Jason Lamers said.
We can only hope that this set of testing will be done properly.
If there's evidence of a pollution problem, the City Council may be willing to rewrite the city's natural gas drilling ordinance to further protect residents.
"If the ordinance needs to be rewritten, I believe the council and the mayor are ready to do that," city spokesman Jason Lamers said.
We can only hope that this set of testing will be done properly.
Dr. Armendariz, Region 6 Administrator Swearing In
This morning I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Armendariz's "Swearing In" Ceremony as EPA Region 6 Administrator.
For those that may not be familiar with Dr. Armendariz, he is a Texan from El Paso. He recently worked at SMU in Dallas and did an air quality study that made many take notice to what was happening to our air quality here in North Texas and the Barnett Shale area. When his study was completed, he also suggested affordable and available ways to clean up the air.
Dr. Armendariz talked a little bit about some of his priorities for the EPA.
He said he would like to continue the good work that the EPA is already doing. Dr. Armendariz acknowledged that some of communities here in North Texas have environmental challenges. He would like to focus the EPA's work on helping people and make the biggest impact possible to protect the environment and improve peoples lives.
He mentioned new initiatives that will be rolled out on all layers of government regarding climate change. Some will address water supply, water conservation and water desalinization. He said there will likely to be major changes to what they do on clean air side as well. Better and stricter air quality standards.
They will take a look at coastal restoration. The challenges Region 6 is facing in Louisiana. Work on protecting the wetlands and the coast.
It was a packed house with Texas citizens, EPA employees and politicians. There is no doubt that Dr. Armendariz has the State of Texas' best interest at heart.
For those that may not be familiar with Dr. Armendariz, he is a Texan from El Paso. He recently worked at SMU in Dallas and did an air quality study that made many take notice to what was happening to our air quality here in North Texas and the Barnett Shale area. When his study was completed, he also suggested affordable and available ways to clean up the air.
Dr. Armendariz talked a little bit about some of his priorities for the EPA.
He said he would like to continue the good work that the EPA is already doing. Dr. Armendariz acknowledged that some of communities here in North Texas have environmental challenges. He would like to focus the EPA's work on helping people and make the biggest impact possible to protect the environment and improve peoples lives.
He mentioned new initiatives that will be rolled out on all layers of government regarding climate change. Some will address water supply, water conservation and water desalinization. He said there will likely to be major changes to what they do on clean air side as well. Better and stricter air quality standards.
They will take a look at coastal restoration. The challenges Region 6 is facing in Louisiana. Work on protecting the wetlands and the coast.
It was a packed house with Texas citizens, EPA employees and politicians. There is no doubt that Dr. Armendariz has the State of Texas' best interest at heart.
Join Flower Mound Cares
Flower Mound Cares is a Facebook Group. It is made up of concerned residents who want to work together and protect the interests of Flower Mound citizens from the natural gas drilling industry. You can chat, share thoughts and ideas. It does require you join Facebook.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Reminder: NCTCA Meeting Feb 4th. Guest Speaker is Dr. Armendariz, EPA Region 6 Administrator
Next Meeting: Thursday, February 4, 2010
Where: Hotel Trinity - Inn Suites
IH30 @ Beach Street
Doors will open at 6:30pm for coffee, networkingand news interviews.Meeting will begin at 7:00pm and end at 8:45pm
Guest SpeakerDr. Al Armendariz-EPA Region 6 Administrator
Dr. Al Armendariz was appointed by President Obama on November 5, 2009 as the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, in Dallas. As Regional Administrator he is responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.The region encompasses Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 66 Tribal Nations. Prior to his appointment, for eight years he was a professor in the Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he received several outstanding faculty awards. For the past 15 years, Dr. Armendariz has worked in a variety of research and academic positions including, for a short time in 2002, in the Region 6 EPA offices.Before joining SMU, he was a chemical engineer with Radian Corporation in North Carolina. During and after college he worked as a research assistant at the MIT Center for Global Change Science at their Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory in Massachusetts.
Throughout his career, Dr. Armendariz has spent countless hours volunteering his time to help the environment through various environmental groups and the Volunteer Center for North Texas. He has a proven track record of addressing complex environmental and public health challenges in everything from solid waste landfills to community and Tribal priorities.Dr. Armendariz [39] received his doctorate in Environmental Engineering fromthe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Pubic Health where he was also selected as a Royster Society Fellow. He holds a M.E. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida. Al is a chemical engineer by training, with an undergraduate degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.).Al is a third generation Texan, descended from Mexican and Mexican-American grandparents who settled in the border city of El Paso. Born and raised in El Paso, he graduated from Coronado High School in 1988. He has also lived in Houston, Albuquerque and New Orleans. Al currently lives in Dallas with his wife Cynthia, a public school teacher in Irving ISD, and two sons, Ferris and Simon.
Mayor Tillman's video remarks
Mayor Calvin Tillman - Dish, Texas
Mayor Tillman has been on the front lines of the battle to keep his town safe and clean from the effects of uncontrolled pipelines and gas drilling within the city limits of Dish Texas. Much of the time he has been the Lone Ranger in he battle to save some of his town, and by default some other communities who are facing the same problems without their elected official's support.
His views and unique experiences with these very important issues are a must to hear in his own words. Just Google his name for a wealth of information.
FORWARD - BABY - FORWARD!
As the time honored saying goes, you can be a part of the solution or continue to be a part of the problem. Only by working together for the common good can we even begin to protect our communities from unwanted and/or unneeded industrial activities that continue to harm the air we breathe or the water needed to sustain our quality of life.Please join with us to help protect our future and the continued safety of our families BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL to your school administrators, your teachers, your church leaders, the PTA and other community contacts. Ask them to learn how this expanding heavy industrial activity called gas drilling is affecting our most vulnerable citizens.....our children!
North Central Texas Communities Alliance
Esther McElfish, Pres.
Gary Hogan, V.P.
Louis McBee, Treas.
www.nctca.net
Where: Hotel Trinity - Inn Suites
IH30 @ Beach Street
Doors will open at 6:30pm for coffee, networkingand news interviews.Meeting will begin at 7:00pm and end at 8:45pm
Guest SpeakerDr. Al Armendariz-EPA Region 6 Administrator
Dr. Al Armendariz was appointed by President Obama on November 5, 2009 as the Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, in Dallas. As Regional Administrator he is responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.The region encompasses Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and 66 Tribal Nations. Prior to his appointment, for eight years he was a professor in the Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he received several outstanding faculty awards. For the past 15 years, Dr. Armendariz has worked in a variety of research and academic positions including, for a short time in 2002, in the Region 6 EPA offices.Before joining SMU, he was a chemical engineer with Radian Corporation in North Carolina. During and after college he worked as a research assistant at the MIT Center for Global Change Science at their Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory in Massachusetts.
Throughout his career, Dr. Armendariz has spent countless hours volunteering his time to help the environment through various environmental groups and the Volunteer Center for North Texas. He has a proven track record of addressing complex environmental and public health challenges in everything from solid waste landfills to community and Tribal priorities.Dr. Armendariz [39] received his doctorate in Environmental Engineering fromthe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Pubic Health where he was also selected as a Royster Society Fellow. He holds a M.E. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida. Al is a chemical engineer by training, with an undergraduate degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.).Al is a third generation Texan, descended from Mexican and Mexican-American grandparents who settled in the border city of El Paso. Born and raised in El Paso, he graduated from Coronado High School in 1988. He has also lived in Houston, Albuquerque and New Orleans. Al currently lives in Dallas with his wife Cynthia, a public school teacher in Irving ISD, and two sons, Ferris and Simon.
Mayor Tillman's video remarks
Mayor Calvin Tillman - Dish, Texas
Mayor Tillman has been on the front lines of the battle to keep his town safe and clean from the effects of uncontrolled pipelines and gas drilling within the city limits of Dish Texas. Much of the time he has been the Lone Ranger in he battle to save some of his town, and by default some other communities who are facing the same problems without their elected official's support.
His views and unique experiences with these very important issues are a must to hear in his own words. Just Google his name for a wealth of information.
FORWARD - BABY - FORWARD!
As the time honored saying goes, you can be a part of the solution or continue to be a part of the problem. Only by working together for the common good can we even begin to protect our communities from unwanted and/or unneeded industrial activities that continue to harm the air we breathe or the water needed to sustain our quality of life.Please join with us to help protect our future and the continued safety of our families BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL to your school administrators, your teachers, your church leaders, the PTA and other community contacts. Ask them to learn how this expanding heavy industrial activity called gas drilling is affecting our most vulnerable citizens.....our children!
North Central Texas Communities Alliance
Esther McElfish, Pres.
Gary Hogan, V.P.
Louis McBee, Treas.
www.nctca.net
Denton County Barnett Shale Town Hall Meeting Update
There were many unanswered questions at the Town Hall Meeting. Sharon Wilson also found some incorrect information as well. Read about it at txsharon
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