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Sunday, November 27, 2005

Environment - Kentucky gas/oil boom; Pines transfer station appeal

Kentucky oil and gas boom. "State's oil, gas boom spurring concerns: Critics push for tougher rules to protect people, environment" is the headline to an extended story today by James Bruggers in the Louisville Courier Journal. From a section of the article:

State and federal regulations are too lax, some say, to adequately address the environmental destruction caused by well drilling and construction of roads to the wells, including the pollution of waterways from erosion and contamination of water wells.

There are fears that the growing web of gas and oil lines, with their potential to leak, catch fire or explode, could threaten the safety of people nearby.

When conflicts involving damages arise between landowners and the companies that own rights to tap the gas or oil underground, some say the compensation offered by the industry is usually inadequate.

"All of us had to sit back and watch the coal companies destroy our land," said Hager Trent, who has owned Trent's Grocery outside Whitesburg in Letcher County for 35 years. "Now we got the gas companies."

But more wells means more tax revenue for Kentucky.

Revenue from the severance tax this year is on pace to be the highest in more than a decade — an anticipated $27million from natural gas extractions and $5million from oil.

The growth in Kentucky also comes at a time when demand — especially for natural gas — is outpacing supply, industry officials said.

"If we are not out there drilling these gas wells ... we are not going to keep up with supply and demand," said John Gabbard, executive director of the Kentucky Oil and Gas Association. "People have to understand why we are doing this."

The story points up with examples "the growing conflict between those who own the land and those who own the rights to mine for what's underneath it." And much more; don't miss the side-bar.

Pine transfer station challenge. More stories about the Pines transfer station challenge this weekend. The Gary Post-Tribune had a story yesterday [no longer online] headed "Trash station opponents will realign." Some quotes:

MICHIGAN CITY — Two grassroots groups have pulled out of a plan to file a formal appeal against a trash transfer station on County Line Road in LaPorte County. But the move doesn’t mean they’re backing down.

The Save the Dunes Conservation Fund and Residents Against Trash In Our Neighborhoods Alliance (RATIONAL) announced Wednesday that they would not appeal the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s issuance of a permit to Great Lakes Transfer to construct a trash transfer station at 5535 N. County Line Road.

The groups still plan to oppose the proposed trash transfer station, though, organization officials say.

According to RATIONAL spokesman Larry Silvestri, the groups had spoken with their lawyers within the past week, who advised them not to file appeals separate from those filed by the towns of Beverly Shores and Pines.

“They told us it would be better if all the effort went behind the town of Pines and the Porter County commissioners,” Silvestri said.

Also from the story: "Silvestri thinks opponents of the transfer station have a good chance at convincing IDEM officials to change their minds about the station they approved Nov. 9." Apparently he means a settlement, as the appeal is not before IDEM, but rather before the separate administrative court - the Office of Enviromental Adjudication. The Michigan City News Dispatch* has a similar story online today.
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Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 27, 2005 10:08 AM
Posted to Environment