HARGEISA, Pa. – Some environmental groups are publicly calling on Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Board to increase bonds to pay for drilling oil and gas wells.
The Sierra Club, Fresh Air Council and four other groups have filed two petitions for the board to take full charge of both oil and gas wells. Drillers currently pay only a fraction of the amount of bonds needed to clean and install methane leaks and reduce environmental hazards.
Ankit Jane, co-ordinator of the Sera Club’s environmental law program, said the increase was an important way to hold companies accountable for their impact on nearby communities.
“We want the amount of money you pay to plug the well to be the same as the amount of money needed to fix the well,” he said. “So now you have all the incentives to plug the well, because they will return that money at any time.
The groups are asking the board to increase the bond to $ 38,000 per standard well and $ 83,000 per fractional hole. Pennsylvania has more than 6,000 so-called “orphans” gas wells, hundreds of thousands still unaccounted for, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
According to a study by Stanford and Princeton Universities, 5% to 8% of all methane emissions in Pennsylvania are caused by abandoned oil and gas wells.
Alex Bomstein, attorney general for the Council of Fleet, said the pollution could have serious consequences for residents around good sites.
“Therefore, the consequences of exposure to toxins are the biggest and most unpredictable problem we all face,” he said. “
The State Environmental Protection Agency is required to return the complaints within 30 days as the board meets the legal requirements that take them into account.
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DES MOINES, Iowa – This fall, the Iowa Board of Trustees is holding meetings to inform the public about the proposed underground pipeline for carbon emissions.
Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.
The line, which will cover 30 Iowa counties, will transport carbon dioxide from biofuels to North Dakota, where it will be fed to a large underground system.
Caroline Raffinsperger, of the Science and Environmental Health Network, said that while it may seem like a noble idea, it is ineffective.
“It takes a lot of energy to extract CO2 from the ethanol plant, which increases the emissions of carbon dioxide,” says Raffanspergerger.
And if there is a leak, there could be serious health hazards by transporting and storing carbon dioxide, which can be compressed into renewable fuels.
The company behind the project said Summit carbon, construction and operation would create jobs, but opponents said the companies benefited from federal tax breaks at public expense. Hearings for affected districts will begin this month and will continue until mid-October.
While the company insists the storage will be safe and secure, Raffinsperger in Iowa said owners should be aware that it is classified as a dangerous sewer near the proposed road. She says there are better ways to invest resources to combat harmful emissions.
“This is a solution for the fossil fuel industry to continue as a business,” Raffinsperger said.
Instead, she urged policymakers to focus on expanding clean energy projects such as wind and solar to improve water quality. Her team says there will be more job opportunities with her investments.
In the meantime, public comments can be submitted online or by mail to the Iowa Utilities Board.
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Helena, Mont. -One event will soon see the prospect of clean energy in Montana.
The Energy Future Conference will be hosted by the North Plains Wealth Council on October 1st. One day at the conference, the topics for the sessions include the real transition to renewable energy and the role of energy companies in that transition.
Joan Crisich Guba, a member of the Northern Field Board, said he hopes the power-generating process and how it will reach the middle house or business – the process can be hidden.
“How we generate energy, how it reaches us, whether it is good for our environment or more harmful, is especially important in climate change,” he said.
She said the transition to justice was important for Montana, as well as how supporters of clean energy were struggling to find lucrative jobs for fossil fuels and coal miners in the future.
The Guba Summit will be open to the public on Friday, October 1 at 9:00 AM and will cost $ 20.
Krishna says the realities of climate change have been seen in Montana this summer, and a recent United Nations report shows a bleak picture of the future if the world does not take drastic action. But I remember quoting environmentalist Paul Hawkins, who says that “faith does not change actions, but actions can change faith.”
“For example, here in Livingston it is not safe to breathe air every day. This is really hard to bear. ” But what He is experiencing is that when we take action, we can create hope because we know we can take action.
Speakers and advocates will include Emily Rhodes from the Fair Transfer Fund, Mark Hagergerti from the Center for American Development, and John Farrell from the Center for Local Self-Confidence.
Disclosure – The North Plains Resources Council contributes to our fund for reporting on climate change / climate quality, energy policy, rural / agricultural reporting. Click here to help support news in the public interest.
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Helena, Mont. – Security groups in Montana are calling on the federal government to improve oil and gas leases on public lands.
When President Joe Biden came to power, he stopped renting, but a federal judge overturned the ban.
On August 31, the Bureau of Land Administration presented 14 packages for lease sale in Montana, covering more than 62,000 hectares and seeking public comment on the project.
Derf Johnson, a staff lawyer with the Montana Environment Information Center, said Binden’s administration was aware of concerns about the lease process during a vacation.
“American public lands have been leased through oil and gas-damaged systems,” Johnson said. “It robs taxpayers, does not protect our environment or climate, and there are administrative problems in the system as a whole.
In a letter to Montana and Dakotas, the state director of BLM, the groups proposed seven improvements to the lease process. They include limiting the number and scope of sales, requiring at least 18.75% royalty for all leases and limiting participation in reviews.
The Western Energy Alliance, the oil and gas industry group, initially argued for a while, and Beiden relinquished his presidency.
Aubrey Bertraham, a lawyer with Wild Montana Workers, says there is an urgent need to curb carbon emissions on public lands. “If our public lands are a country, it will be the fifth largest greenhouse gas producer in the world,” she said.
Bertrand noted that the Biden administration has significant climate goals, and fossil fuels play a key role in public lands.
I think Bertrand is right to say, “The current situation is not conducive to climate change and economic recovery.” We know we have to do things differently, and this is a really important opportunity for management to put their money where their mouth is.
Bertram added that 20 million acres of public land has already been leased in the West. Last week, the House Democrats voted to include amendments to oil and gas leases on public lands.
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