EPA fracking forum moved, then cancelled - to be moved again

I registered for the upcoming August 12 EPA frack gas drilling forum in Binghamton N.Y.  It was a little over an hour away and I really did want to go.  A few days ago the forum was moved to Syracuse.  Today it is canceled altogether.  Tentatively rescheduled for September, it is to be held in upstate N.Y. 

This foils a lot of plans of course.  Environmental groups have rented buses.  People put in for personal time.  Arrangements for babysitters have been made.  The EPA changes were all last minute.  People put a lot of effort into scheduling.   Having to do it all over again can be exhausting.

Binghamton was convenient for me.  Syracuse, which would involve an overnight stay was unlikely.  Upstate N.Y. will be impossible.  And I'm not the only one.  If you look at any PA. / N.Y. map, you will see that that virtually all of the region's high density areas are finding themselves further and further away from the EPA forum.

Remember the July Public Utility Committee hearing?  To attend, I drove about as far north as you can go and still be in Pennsylvania. On the long empty road outside of Dimock, I stopped my car to get directions from an old man with a Amish style beard.  He was riding a bicycle that was too old for gears and it was getting dark underneath the trees.

He didn't know how many miles there were between us and the PUC.  "I'm trying to get there too," he said.  Later that night, moved by his tenacity, I got up in front of an overflow crowd and spoke in public for the first time ever.

We won't all make it to upstate N.Y., but we can demonstrate bravery and determination - whatever our limitations. 

PUC Hearing Dimock PA 7/07/10

Last week's Public Utility Commision hearing was held in Dimock, Susquehana County PA.  Last year this small rural community suffered an 8,000 gallon gas drilling spill of toxic frack wastewater. Also in 2009, a Dimock home well exploded after it was contaminated by methane from a fracking operation.  You can see a resident light his tap water on fire in Josh Fox's documentary GASLAND.

The July 7, 2010 PUC hearing was the first of two scheduled state wide to allow for testimony on Laser's attempt to secure utility status for it's intended Frack Gas Pipeline.  Laser is seeking utility status because it wants the power of eminent domain over PA property owners.  There approximately 200 people present with dozens testifying.  All were united in protest of Laser's application for utility status.  I testified even though I was scared beyond belief, forgot my glasses and had to use a visual aid.  I believe firmly however that all opposition must be voiced.  Gist of my testimony follows.

In June of this year a ruptured Frack Gas line in Johnson County Texas caused a mammoth explosion.  Pipelines such as the Johnson County and Laser lines transport highly volitile natural gas at pressures which exceed 1000 psi (lbs per square inch).  Pipelines may be as large as 3 feet in diameter allowing for large amounts of highly compressed gas to be transported at great speed.  Potential explosions are powerful and will be fed a fresh supply of compressed natural gas both quickly and continuously.

Public Utility Status and the power of eminent domain would allow Laser to seize property and / or property rights from any PA property owner without the owners consent.  Gas pipe lines could be run anywhere Laser saw fit.   The Johnson county explosion is pictured below.  No one should be compelled to have this on their property.

Frack Gas Pipeline explosion June 2010.

Johnson County Texas