Latest Fracking Awareness Event Planned in Binghamton, NY
Hundreds of concerned New Yorkers and activists at Binghamton's last anti-fracking rally in September 2010. Organizers expect a much larger turnout this weekend. (image: money.cnn.com)
The Finger Lakes Clean Waters Initiative, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the potential dangers of hydraulic fracturing, particularly as a threat to public drinking water, is hosting a two-day event this weekend in Binghamton, NY, the Star Gazette reported.
The event kicks off on Saturday at the Binghamton Riverwalk Hotel and Conference Center, where speakers will give presentations focusing on the health effects of fracking. Attorney Joe Heath will explain how to end a gas lease, with various workshops to follow. Then, Sunday marks the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival – nine local bands performing for free with a suggested $10 donation.
“Saturday is education. Sunday we’re going to rock out at Recreation Park,” said organizer Christopher Tate.
Officials said Binghamton was an ideal location because the Southern Tier is “a focal point” of the natural gas drilling debate.
Biologist, ecologist and author Dr. Sandra Steingraber will be the symposium's keynote speaker on Saturday. (image: facebook.com)
The event is also timely, as New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies for failing to sufficiently review the dangers of fracking and make that information available for public comment before approving extraction plans for the Delaware River Basin area. The Basin itself overlaps four states, and the upper Delaware River supplies drinking water to 9 million New Yorkers.
The complaint states: “EPA has expressed ‘serious reservations about whether gas drilling in the New York City watershed is consistent with the vision of long-term maintenance of a high quality unfiltered water supply,” and goes on to say that scientific studies conducted by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) found that natural gas development would “pose an unacceptable threat to the unfiltered, fresh water supply of nine million New Yorkers, and cannot safely be permitted within the New York City watershed.”
SoCalGas Expands Home Energy Assistance Eligibility Guidelines
A SoCalGas worker in Escondido in February, testing biogas purification technology that allows gas from the city's wastewater plant to be directed into natural gas pipelines and reused. (image: biomassmagazine.com)
The Southern California Gas Company’s new income guidelines for assistance went into effect yesterday, allowing more of its customers to qualify for energy discounts and free home efficiency improvements. The largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States, SoCalGas provides service to approximately 20.9 million customers throughout southern California. About 1.7 million of those customers are already enrolled in the state-sponsored California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which gives them a 20% discount rate from SoCalGas, as well as no-cost weatherization and home improvement services to boost energy efficiency.
Qualified homeowners and renters will receive services such as door weather-stripping, caulking, attic insulation installation, furnace replacement, and highly efficient appliances like showerheads and washing machines. These small changes and quick maintenance projects can go a long way in conserving energy and combating fuel poverty during heating and cooling seasons.
“We are committed to enrolling as many eligible customers as possible in our assistance programs, so they can benefit from the savings on their monthly energy bill, “ said Hal Snyder, vice president of customer solutions. “Through our partnership with community groups and other outreach efforts, we are trying to make sure all our customers are aware of the many kinds of assistance available to ease their hardship.”
More details, and a chart detailing the new income guidelines by the number of people per household is available here. As the summer cooling season sets in, utility companies nationwide will likely continue extending rebates and discounts to low-income Americans.
Natural Gas Futures Fall on High Supply Levels
Gas futures have declined 2.8% on the New York Mercantile Exchange so far this year. (image: blogs.reuters.com)
Natural gas futures fell 6.4 cents today, for the first time in three days, to finish at $4.282 per million British thermal units on the NYMEX, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. The drop was caused by speculation that high power-plant demand won’t be enough to surpass rising supply levels.
The Energy Department’s forecast for natural gas production has 2011 working towards record setting levels. Analysts expect production to continue at this pace, as companies explore and extract fuel from huge, gas-rich underground shale formations. In a more long term look, Bloomberg predicted inventories could rise to 3.9 trillion cubic feet by the end of October.
“We’ve had to move down in gas rigs, but generally speaking we’re well above the 800 to 825 number where you’d actually see an impact to natural gas production,” said Carl Neill, an energy consultant for a Georgia risk management firm. “The expectation is that we’ll have plenty of gas in storage at the end of the summer.”
*Natural gas is the most widely used heating fuel in the United States.
Natural Gas Safety: Avoiding Fire and Suffocation
(image: mysafetysign.com)
Natural gas is a clean, convenient fuel. It’s a fossil fuel, like coal or oil, and is often found together with other fossil fuels. Natural gas is mostly (though not entirely) methane and it is highly flammable—that’s what makes it useful. Natural gas can be burned in power plants to generate electricity or in homes to generate heat—it, along with home heating oil and propane, heats most American homes, fueling their furnaces and boilers. Since natural gas is delivered from a central utility via pipelines, there’s no need to schedule or worry about deliveries—like water or electricity, it’s there when you need it. It also happens to be a relatively clean burning fuel, with a lower carbon footprint than other fossil fuels. However, for all its benefits, natural gas does present some hazards, which is why it’s vital to know about natural gas safety.
Under the Wrong Conditions, Natural Gas Can Be Explosive
An explosion is nothing but a fast fire; that is, when something explodes, it combusts so rapidly that it creates enormous temperatures and pressures in a short period of time. Many flammable substances can also explode under the right—or wrong—circumstances. The key factor usually is getting the right ratio of air (or more technically oxygen, the part of air that supports combustion) to fuel. That’s why oil is comparatively inert—it’s actually pretty difficult to get the right ratio of thick, sludgy oil to air for an explosion. However natural gas naturally mixes with air, so if there’s a natural gas leak in your home, the level of natural gas in your house’s air can quickly get to explosive concentrations.
People Can’t Breathe Natural Gas
Another problem is that while natural gas is not a poison per se, it’s also not something people can breathe. If there’s too much natural gas in the air, it will displace oxygen and prevent you from getting enough oxygen to live. That can lead to you suffocating.
How Gas Leaks Happen
Gas leaks usually happen in one of three ways:
1) A pipe cracks. This can happen during home renovation or by accident—anytime someone hits, leans on, or wrenches a pipe.
2) Your furnace or boiler pilot light goes out, so that as the gas comes into the furnace or boiler, it is not burned, but instead escapes into the air.
3) A gas cooktop burner or gas oven is turned on without being lit, possibly because a pilot light is out, or water or soup put out the flame, or an older-style appliance wasn’t manually lit when turned on.
Open Windows and Evacuate If There’s a Natural Gas Leak
Natural gas is safe as long as it’s where it should be—in your pipes and your furnace, hydronic boiler, or other gas-powered appliance (like a gas range or gas clothes dryer). It’s only dangerous when it gets out.
The three basic rules for dealing with a gas leak are:
1) Don’t use anything that could cause a fire—don’t smoke, don’t turn on the stove, don’t use electrical appliances that could spark
2) Open all the doors and windows, to let the gas disperse
3) Get out of the house and call the fire department and/or your local utility
If you know where the master shutoff switch for your home is AND you can get to it—then get out!—quickly, you can throw it to shut off the flow of gas. But if there’s any doubt or delay at all, just open the doors and windows on your way to your front yard.
How will you know if there’s a gas leak? Your public utility makes it easy for you—they add a smelly compound to naturally odorless natural gas to make it stink in an unmistakable way.
Maintaining a Natural Gas Detector
The NIDCD suggests buying a model that has a Lower Explosive Limit. It'll go off when gas reaches the lowest possible level for an explosion to occur. (image: uptimedevices.com)
That’s right, loyal readers, it’s time for the Heat USA safety tip of the week! You already know you need a carbon monoxide detector, properly installed and tested regularly. But it’s a lesser-known fact that prolonged exposure to natural gas causes many of the same dangerous symptoms as its deadly cousin, ranging from nausea to loss of consciousness. Since the gas replaces oxygen in the bloodstream, extreme levels of exposure can be fatal.
Many people believe they’ll be able to detect a leak just by smelling the “rotten egg” additive in natural gas. But that may not be enough, especially if you live with an elderly person with a diminished sense of smell. More than half of all Americans heat their homes with natural gas, so leaks can come from appliances, water heaters, piping systems, and various other sources. Keep this in mind when installing your detector. Put it somewhere where leaked gas would accumulate, like a basement, near the source – but make sure you’ll be able to see or hear it if it goes off.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders recently published some gas detector maintenance tips. First, the obvious one: push the ‘test’ button that comes standard on most battery-operated models to make sure the alarm and batteries are working! Detectors function using a sensor, which can wear out just like batteries. So when you’re buying a detector ask the dealer about the average life of the sensor inside, and whether or not that part can be replaced. Some models need to be calibrated during installation – if yours requires this service, consider having a professional technician do the job. And finally, read the directions on your particular detector so you’ll know how often to test it.
Fracking Update: Methane in Drinking Water Near Drilling Sites
A family in Susquehanna County, PA, protest against natural gas fracking by displaying jugs of tainted drinking water in their yard, after 13 homes in the area were found to have methane in their drinking water supply. (image: Michael J. Mullen, Scranton Times Tribune)
Duke University released results of a fracking contamination study yesterday, showing that of 68 drinking water wells tested in Pennsylvania and New York located within half a mile of a natural gas drilling site, half of them were tainted with “potentially hazardous concentrations” of methane, according to a CNN report.
These findings hardly come as a surprise. Recent fracking probes discovered high radiation levels and dozens of known chemical carcinogens in drinking water sources near drilling sites in multiple states.
“We found concentration levels where you have to worry about explosions,” said environmental studies professor Robert Jackson, one of the project’s authors. He explained that when chemically-laced fracking solution is blasted into the ground, it seeps into water wells through cracks in the bedrock and the concrete or steel barriers gas companies use for the exact purpose of separating the solution and the water table. Jackson believes the intense pressure needed to effectively inject fracking fluids into shale rock is causing the barriers to weaken.
Gas industry officials criticized the findings, stating that many of the drinking water wells in the Duke study already contained methane and it’s not really a problem. Interestingly, it’s true that methane isn’t harmful to drink. But flammable tap water is an obvious home fire hazard, and it isn’t safe to breathe. Plus, methane is arguably one of the worst greenhouse gases; it’s over 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide. In fact, recent research suggests that the methane produced during natural gas extraction and production is worse for the environment than harvesting and producing coal through dirty mountaintop removal mining.
Jackson countered that most of the water wells with very little methane content weren’t near drill sites. Even wells situated on top of vast gas deposits had low levels of methane as long as there wasn’t a drilling rig nearby. However, Jackson noted that his team hadn’t found any of the fracking fluid itself in the drinking water.
Despite undeniable mounting evidence of its dangers, both for people and the environment, the EPA, state and federal governments, and the natural gas industry itself have been slow to regulate hydraulic fracturing. Some House Democrats are pushing a measure that would require energy companies to disclose which chemicals are being used in fracking fluids, but environmental activists and concerned citizens say it’s not nearly enough.
Natural Gas Futures Slip on Mild Weather Forecasts
Wholesale prices increased this week as storage inventories were refilled more slowly than in recent years. (image: eia.doe.gov)
Natural gas futures fell mid-week as warm, mild weather forecasts indicated a decrease in demand, since consumers won’t need much fuel for heating or cooling purposes, the Wall Street Journal reported. Natural gas for June delivery finished 9.3 cents lower on the NYMEX, at $4.577 a million British thermal units.
Chilly weather late last week gave gas futures a boost, but because temperatures are slowly climbing nationwide, we likely won’t see “a consistent cooling or heating need in the next few weeks,” one analyst remarked. The decline is a consistent trend for this time of year.
In Chicago, market strategist Sean Baker commented that gas “is running out of steam up here,” and predicted that gains higher than $5/MMBtu will be very rare during the summer, unless demand spikes for some reason. The Energy Information Administration reported that storage inventories are still below the 5-year average, with far fewer domestic rotary drilling rigs in operation as well. Natural gas users in the Northeast felt the most significant price increases.
*Natural gas is the most widely used heating fuel in the United States.
Natural Gas Efficiency Programs, Rebates Now Available in Oklahoma
Natural gas production in the United States has risen steadily as the industry continues tapping underground shale resources. (image: geology.com)
Domestic fuel delivery company CenterPoint Energy, which serves over five million customers throughout middle America, has introduced an energy efficiency program that extends rebates to residential Oklahoma customers who install efficient natural gas water heaters and heating systems, the company announced today. CenterPoint chose Oklahoma as the program’s launching point because of the state’s substantial natural gas supply.
Customers who trade in their electric water heaters for high efficiency natural gas tank or tankless systems will be eligible to receive rebates of $100-$450. CenterPoint Energy administrators reminded consumers that heating water uses the second highest amount energy in a home, after the heating and cooling system. And typically, switching outdated, inefficient water heaters with newer units with high AFUE ratings will save a household between $60 and $115 on energy bills.
Customers who switch to entirely new natural gas heating systems will qualify for a $400 rebate. Those with old furnaces could especially benefit from the program, since degenerating models can jack up utility bills by $100 a year or more.
“By offering these considerable rebates in Oklahoma, we hope to encourage customers to install high-efficiency natural gas equipment in their homes,” said Richard Leger, Conservation Improvement Program Manager. “A customer who installs a high-efficiency heating system, a high-efficiency water heater and low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators could reduce their natural gas bill by up to 20 percent – which benefits the consumer and the environment.”
Energy providers nationwide are expected to launch summer cooling rebate programs and other federally supported initiatives aimed at saving consumers money and reducing energy usage across the country.
Secretary Chu Calls on Gas Industry Leaders to Develop Safe Fracking
Energy Secretary Steven Chu, appointed the task of making natural gas fracking safe, spoke out about the issue on NPR. (image: news.cnet.com)
In an interview yesterday on National Public Radio’s The Diane Rehm Show, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu spoke out on hydraulic fracturing, the controversial method of extracting natural gas from shale rock, according to a Platts news report.
“We need to look into this, that it’s possible to extract that shale gas in a way that protects the water. We would need some of the leaders in the industry to step forward,” Chu said. “We would want to form a group that says, ‘These are the best practices that really minimize the harm to the environment and, especially, the water supply.’”
Chu acknowledged, “bad things have happened,” which many would call a serious understatement. Wastewater from fracking sites containing radiation, carcinogens, mercury, and various other toxins, has leaked into public drinking water sources. A recent probe by House Democrats revealed that at least six fracking states were found to have 100,000 gallons or more of contaminated water that would’ve otherwise been drinkable. Protests in Pittsburgh and Albany have called attention to the issue, but so far the EPA and gas industry haven’t come up with a clear plan for regulating the practice. Secretary Chu seemed miffed, like so many others, about why these chemicals are coming in contact with water sources.
“The question is, what is the cause of that, and how can they be prevented and mitigated,” he said. “Science will give us better ways of monitoring what is going on.”
*Natural gas is the most widely used heating fuel in the United States.
Natural Gas Futures High as Stockpiles Rise Less than Expected
The shaded area represents the range between the historical minimum and maximum values for the weekly series from 2006 through 2010. (image: ir.eia.gov)
Natural gas futures hit an 11-week high yesterday after storage levels rose less than traders had expected, the Wall Street Journal reported. Analysts had expected U.S. natural gas stockpiles to rise 51 billion cubic feet, but the Energy Information Administration reported the actual increase was only 47 bcf. As a result, gas spiked 10.2 cents to end at its highest price since early February, $4.412 a million British themal units on the NYMEX.
This is the second consecutive week the market has underestimated demand. Traders are expected to adjust and bring futures back down early next week. This trend indicates “a tighter than expected supply [and] demand balance,” Tim Evans, a market analyst for Citi Futures Perspective, told the Journal.
One likely reason for lower-than-expected storage is that the number of active domestic natural gas drilling rigs dropped for the third week in a row, down to 878 sites. Historically, inventories increase during the cooling season, from April to October, because companies build a surplus to prepare for upcoming winter heating needs.
*Natural gas is the most widely used home heating fuel in the United States.
