Columbus- Senator Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and State Representative Robert F. Hagan (D-Youngstown) introduced legislation today in the Senate and House of Representatives addressing the concerns of many Ohioans regarding the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing by the oil and gas industry.  The legislation calls for removing the gag order that was placed on medical professionals through SB 315 and expands the reporting requirements for oil and gas well permits.

"It's the responsibility of state lawmakers to protect the health and well being of Ohioans and that's why I am calling for full disclosure of the chemicals used in gas and oil drilling," said Senator Skindell.  "Doctors need to know what chemicals are being used so they can treat their patients.  We can't allow corporate secrets to endanger public safety."

This legislation would also expand how medical professionals can access the chemical information they need to properly treat their patients.  Additionally it broadens the reasons for which a medical professional can request this information and the ways in which a patient can be deemed adversely affected.

"It's bad public health policy for legislators to take prescriptions from the oil and gas industry, and that's exactly what they did when writing the gag order," said Rep. Hagan. "Ohioans would be better served by doctors deciding what is right for their patients, not by oil and gas executives trying to suppress vital medical information. We certainly don't use family physicians to operate rotary rigs, so I don't see why we should let oil tycoons decide what kind of information is medically necessary."

Today, the Ohio Clean Air Coalition and clean car advocates hailed the EPA and Obama Administration's release of a new round of EPA Fuel Efficiency and Emission Standards for cars, saying improved gas mileage will cut costs for consumers, create jobs and lower emissions of dangerous carbon pollution from tailpipes that contribute to climate change and threaten public health.

"With gas prices high and volatile, Americans want more fuel-efficient cars so they can spend less money on gas. These new standards will essentially double the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks in the United States, giving consumers what they want: better cars and relief at the pump," said Tracy Sabetta, representing the National Wildlife Federation and the Ohio Clean Air Coalition. "Combined with the first round of the Administration's and EPA's cars standards, finalized in 2010, these new fuel efficiency and carbon pollution standards for cars and light trucks are the single biggest step this country has ever taken to tackle climate change and reduce our dependency on oil."

This new phase of fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks is the second of two rounds over the last year -- first for model years 2012-2016 and now with these additional fuel efficiency standards for model years 2017-2025. The new standards will take the existing fuel efficiency standard from 35.5 mpg in 2016 to 54.5 mpg by 2025. When compared to the average vehicle on the road today, a new car in 2025 will save consumers over $8000, even when including the cost of fuel-saving technologies. Experts say that, combined, these new car fuel efficiency and emissions standards will not only save Americans money at the gas pump, but will drive American automobile manufacturing jobs in the long run.

"The new fuel efficiency standards give automakers their own road map for the future - providing certainty in the market and spurring innovation - putting people to work," said Sabetta. "A recent independent study released by the Blue Green Alliance estimates the proposed fuel efficiency standard will spark auto industry investments and consumer savings that would generate 570,000 jobs across the country."

Apart from the fuel savings and other economic benefits, there are obvious environmental and health benefits. Auto tailpipes pump out hundreds of millions of tons of toxic emissions and smog and global warming-causing gases. Highway vehicles emit roughly approximately 20 percent of our heat-trapping gases. In fact, vehicles are the fastest growing source of the pollution linked to climate change. Under the new proposed cars standard, Americans can also expect to save billions of dollars in unnecessary health costs associated with tailpipe emissions because of reductions in soot, smog and other pollutants.

Climate Activists Make Cheeky Jabs at Romney as Beholden to Fossil Fuel Executives

CHILLICOTHE-- Environmentalists outside the Ross County Court House satirically protested Mitt Romney's campaign at his rally Tuesday evening. Dressed in suits branded with fossil fuel corporate logos, the "Emitters for Mitt,"  as the group called themselves, thanked Romney for ignoring the science of climate change in order to maximize profit for the fossil fuel industry, the most profitable business in the history of the planet.  

"We have two easy questions for Mitt Romney: Do you believe that humans are warming the planet? And what do you plan to do about it?" said local activist, Brandon LaBonte, dropping his fossil fuel baron persona.  "We think it's time that America gets a solid answer on how Romney would deal with climate change in the White House."

"We know that Romney benefits from generous campaign contributions from fossil fuel interests, wants to strip the EPA of its power to regulate greenhouse gasses, and has supported giving billions of tax dollars in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry each year," said Benjamin Bushwick, a student at Ohio University. "Putting these goals into action would be catastrophic for our global climate and people all over the world."

Ohioans submit 233,242 comments
 
Columbus, OH:  The unprecedented tally of 3 million public comments collected in support of national standards to limit dangerous industrial carbon pollution from new power plants reflects the strong desire of Americans for national leadership to address climate change and its impact on public health. Today, as part of the 3 million comments collected nationally, a broad coalition of Ohio groups supporting this essential clean air safeguard announced they collected more than 233,242 comments here in the state and offered the following statement in support of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Carbon Pollution Standard:
 
"Three million public comments collected nationally and more than 233,000 comments collected in Ohio in favor of cleaning up dangerous carbon pollution is a remarkable and record-setting show of support for protecting our health from rising temperatures. This outpouring of support from across the nation is a wakeup call for policy makers to heed the public's desire to curb air pollution and climate change.
 
"We applaud the EPA for taking action against dangerous industrial carbon pollution which poses a wide range of health threats to our families and our communities, as well as to wildlife and our outdoor heritage because of the impacts of climate change. This summer's devastating extreme weather events and deadly record-setting heat waves preview just how damaging and costly rising temperatures will be.

Today, as hundreds of Ohioans are traveling to Washington DC to participate in Stop the Frack Attack, the No Frack Ohio Coalition delivered a letter signed by 1500 Ohio residents to US EPA, Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus, Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response, in support of reclassifying wastes associated with the exploration, development, or production of oil and gas (E&P wastes).  It calls for standards that would regulate E&P waste as hazardous.

The letter written in support of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) petition to develop standards that would regulate E&P wastes as hazardous waste under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The letter outlines that, "The NRDC request is based on overwhelming evidence that E&P waste is hazardous, taking into account its toxicity, corrosiveness, and ignitability; that it is released into the environment where it can cause harm; that state regulations are inadequate; and that there are numerous methods available to manage it as hazardous waste."
 
This issue is of special concern for Ohioans in general. The practice of high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is increasing in our state, and most of the E&P wastes generated in Pennsylvania are now being transported across the border for disposal in Ohio's Class II injection wells. Ohio is the "DUMPING GROUND" for hazardous waste in the east.

Stop the Frack Attack is the first-ever national action on fracking! Join us in Washington, DC from July 28. 

Rally on the US Capitol and march the DC streets on Saturday, July 28 or come early for training, a lobby day and an activists' gathering with strategy sessions and a town hall meeting.

For a complete schedule of events, see http://www.stopthefrackattack.org/schedule

Get On The Bus! No Frack Ohio Coalition is sponsoring a bus, leaving from Columbus, to the Stop the Frack Attack Rally in Washington D.C.

To reserve your space on the Bus go to this link and fill out the form http://bit.ly/LE1bPO we have 54 spaces to fill. 

Then make a donation of $40 on our Crowdrise donation page http://www.crowdrise.com/frackattackcolumbusoh

The Bus will leave Columbus for Washington DC at 12:01 AM July 28th. We will be meeting at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, 93 West Weisheimer, Columbus, Ohio 43214. Please park in the parking lot closest to Weisheimer. Please consider carpooling. The bus will be departing for the return trip home at 10:00pm on the 28th. Cost is $40 per person.

Note: your space on the bus will only be confirmed once you have filled out the reservation page and made a donation.

SEE YOU IN D.C

An Ohio resident is locked to the gate of a fracking wastewater injection well site in Trumbull County, Ohio protesting the failure of Ohio regulators to adequately test and monitor the dumping of toxic fracking wastewater in the state.

BREAKING: Ohio Residents Blockade Fracking Wastewater Injection Well Site

Ohio residents are blocking access to an injection well in Trumbull County this morning, protesting the failure of Ohio regulators to adequately test and monitor the dumping of toxic fracking wastewater in the state.

Trumbull County residents, along with supporters from Frack Free Mahoning and Ohio Fracktion, are gathered at the well site on Sodom Hutchings Road in Vienna Township, to express concerns about the contents of the 1,000 gallons of fracking wastewater that spilled along five miles of road in Fowler Township, a nearby residential area, on July 7.

They are demanding that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) begin testing out-of-state frack wastewater that is being injected into more than 170 wells throughout Ohio. One protester has locked himself to the gate to prevent trucks carrying fracking wastewater from entering the site.

First test shows hazardous wastes
 
COLUMBUS - State Representative Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) joined with other concerned citizens and wrote a letter to the Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director and Staff calling on the agency to carry out testing of "brine", as they have the authority to test.  "Brine" is the waste water from the hydro-fracturing process.
 
According to a report of the recent sampling of "brine" from the Hazel-Ginsberg injection well, the results show the sample contains high levels of alpha particles, arsenic, barium, and toluene, among other contaminants. The test was performed by Ben Stout, professor of biology at Wheeling Jesuit University and not ODNR.  Rep. Antonio is asking ODNR to start testing all "brine" and if the fluid is shown to be harmful to people it should be labeled a hazardous waste.  Pennsylvania hauls its fracked waste water to Ohio to dispose of in Ohio's injection wells while ODNR receives 20 cents per gallon of "brine" for allowing them to dump it here.
 
The letter calls on ODNR for stewardship to ensure safety and the health of our environment.  "This is a public health concern which you have the responsibility and the authority to protect with regard to the environmental threats to the community health and wellbeing," said Rep. Antonio. "As a state agency you should uphold transparency and public safety above all else."

Urges passage of HB 304 into law
 
COLUMBUS--State Representative Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) released this statement as Governor Kasich is set to sign an executive order banning drilling in Lake Erie today:

"While I applaud Gov. Kasich for issuing this executive order which bans drilling in Lake Erie, Ohio needs a long term solution. 

A law on the books would provide long term protection to the region's most precious resource.  Passage of HB 304 that I introduced last July would also prohibit drilling in Lake Erie. 

It is imperative that we protect Ohio's largest source of freshwater for our children and grandchildren, our economy, and our environment."

New brine testing results prompt more questions, no answers
 
COLUMBUS - State Rep. Robert F. Hagan (D-Youngstown) wrote a letter to Governor Kasich and ODNR Director Jim Zehringer today, calling for answers on "fracking" wastewater chemical composition in light of a recent brine testing at the Hazel Ginsburg well in Athens County.
 
The full text of the letter follows:

View Images Here

Over 1,000 "fracktivists"; descended on Columbus this weekend for a Don't Frack Ohio rally. 

The Statehouse atrium was so full that the police would not let me enter to take pictures.

Watch a Slideshow:

COLUMBUS -- Over 1,000 "fracktivists" will descend on Columbus this weekend for "Don't Frack OH," the largest protest against fracking in US history. The weekend will end in a people's assembly in the Ohio statehouse that will "pass" legislation to stop fracking in the state. 
 

What: Don't Frack OH, a three-day activist summit and action in Columbus. 
 
Who: Josh Fox, director of the Oscar-nominated film Gasland; Bill McKibben, a leading environmentalist, author and founder of 350.org; and over one thousand concerned citizens. 
 

Endorsing organizations include: ProgressOhio, Ohio Student Environmental Coalition, Center for Health, Environment and Justice, President, for Network for Oil and Gas Accountability and Protection, Fracking Coordinator Buckeye Forest Council, Ohio Alliance for People and Environment, Ohio Fracktion, Athens County Fracking Action Group, 350.org Action Fund  
 

When: June 15-17, and culminating in a people's assembly in the Ohio statehouse that will "pass" legislation to stop fracking in the state. 
 

Why: Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is an increasingly controversial method of drilling for natural gas that has concerned citizens lining up to oppose its spread in the Buckeye state.

In May, Gov. Kasich's energy bill sailed through the Ohio General Assembly, opening vast areas for fracking. 
 
The bill allows fracking companies to claim trade secrets to hide chemicals used in the fracking process; gags physicians from disclosing the chemical composition of treated water; doesn't go far enough on water testing; and doesn't address the serious climate impact associated with fracking. 
 

Chesapeake and the Oil and Gas Association greased the wheels to push SB 315 through. Contributions from them in the past several years to the Ohio General Assembly and Governor Kasich topped a million dollars, ensuring their voices were louder than that of the people of Ohio.

A full schedule of events is available at http://www.dontfrackoh.org/schedule/

Mobilization Planned for June 14-17 in Columbus

COLUMBUS -- Over 1,000 "fracktivists" have registered for "Don't Frack OH," the largest protest against fracking in US history, scheduled to take place June 14-17 and culminating in a people's assembly in the Ohio statehouse that will "pass" legislation to stop fracking in the state.

Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is an increasingly controversial method of drilling for natural gas that has concerned citizens lining up to oppose its spread in the Buckeye state. In May, Gov. Kasich's energy bill sailed through the Ohio General Assembly. It allows fracking companies to:

• claim trade secrets to hide chemicals used in the fracking process. Only doctors are able to request the names of chemicals not disclosed, but they are restricted to using the information for diagnosis and treatment alone.
• bypass local authorization prior to granting locations of drill sites, pipelines or even chemical facilities
• cut corners by only water testing up to 1500 ft only for unconventional wells and zero for conventional well testing radius in rural areas.

What: Don't Frack Ohio, a three-day mobilization to oppose fracking

Who: Josh Fox, director of the Oscar-nominated film Gasland; Bill McKibben, a leading environmentalist, author and founder of 350.org; and thousands of concerned citizens.

Endorsing organization include: ProgressOhio, Ohio Student Environmental Coalition, Center for Health, Environment and Justice, President, for Network for Oil and Gas Accountability and Protection, Fracking Coordinator Buckeye Forest Council, Ohio Alliance for People and Environment, Ohio Fracktion, Athens County Fracking Action Group,350.org, Action Fund

When: June 14-17, and culminating in a people's assembly in the Ohio Statehouse that will "pass" legislation to stop fracking in the state.

A full schedule of events is at: http://www.dontfrackoh.org/schedule/

Tries to Amend to Protect Maumee River

COLUMBUS - The House of Representatives approved HB 473 today, a bill that outlines procedures for withdrawing water from Lake Erie, one of the largest supplies of fresh water in the world.  This bill breaks the Great Lakes Compact by not protecting tributaries, such as the Maumee River, that lead into Lake Erie.  This bill is opposed by many groups including former Governors Voinovich and Taft.  State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D- Toledo) released the following statement:

"It is very unfortunate that this bill falls short and does not protect our waters to be swimmable, fishable, and drinkable," said Rep. Fedor. "I had hoped my amendment would be able to at least shield the Maumee - which is particularly vulnerable because of algal blooms."

"Four main issues have been raised by experts and scientists and these issues have not been adequately addressed."

"First, tributaries of Lake Erie are not adequately protected.  Second, water quality is not adequately protected because a 90-day average for establishing permit thresholds allows water quality to be significantly altered.  Third, the average citizen who would like to defend his recreational rights to the Lake is not adequately protected.  Lastly, experimental permits create a huge loophole that leaves the whole Lake Erie basin inadequately protected.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A report released today is a bit of fresh air for Ohio.

The state is improving its air pollution grades, according to the American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report for 2012.

Nearly every county saw improvement in ozone and particle pollution, says Shelly Kiser, the association's director of advocacy for Ohio. She credits the Clean Air Act, which requires the state and industry to clean up air pollution.

"Our air is getting better; that's the really great news. The not-so-great news is that we still have really polluted air in a lot of areas. We need to continue the really strong air laws we have so that we can keep improving our air."

Even though air quality is improving in Ohio and across the nation, Kiser says more than 40 percent of the people in the United States - 127 million - are living in counties where air pollution is bad enough that it continues to threaten their health. She says Ohio still has some problem areas.

Today 350.org, Josh Fox and some good friends announced in a public letter the Don't Frack OH action, 3 days in June dedicated to training and movement building, including taking over the Ohio statehouse for a People's Assembly that will 'pass' legislation that Ohioans need to stop fracking.

Senior Senate Republicans are floating legislation that would slam the brakes on Obama administration efforts to expand regulation of the controversial oil-and-gas drilling method called "hydraulic fracturing" on federal lands.

Sen. James Inhofe (Okla.), the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, is the lead sponsor, and the seven other backers include Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), the top GOP member on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The bill is unlikely to advance but will provide Republicans another rallying point for allegations that President Obama's Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency have an overzealous agenda that will stymie development.

Learn more about the Breakthrough Institute's investigation into the history of government support for shale gas fracking. This support included investments in R&D, pilot demonstration, and key mapping techniques that developed horizontal drilling in shale, microseismic imaging, and modern hydraulic fracturing techniques.

The history behind the shale gas boom remained relatively unknown until late 2011, when researchers at the Breakthrough Institute conducted an extensive investigation revealing the role that federal agencies like the Department of Energy and the National Laboratories played in supporting gas industry experimentation with shale fracking.

Featured in the Washington Post and the President's 2012 State of the Union, this Breakthrough investigation enunciates - again - the crucial role that the federal government has always played in technological innovation.

Learn More:

New Investigation Finds Decades of Government Funding Behind Shale Revolution

US Government Role in Shale Gas Fracking History: An Overview and Response to Our Critics

Statement prepared by activists arrested for trying to enter ODNR to meet with public officials.  They were arrested before even making it into the Ohio Department of Natural Resources public grounds

We are sitting in today because John Kasich's Division of Natural Resources (ODNR) is selling out the land and people of Ohio to the gas industry.

We are sitting in because ODNR has failed to protect our friends and neighbors whose water, air, and soil have been poisoned by hydraulic fracturing.

We are sitting in because ODNR has refused to test the toxic fracking wastewater that is being injected into over 170 wells throughout the state, even when explicitly requested to do so.

We are sitting in because we are from Youngstown, where injection wells have shaken our earth.

We are sitting in because we are from Warren, where toxic fracking wastewater has invaded our municipal water supply.

We are sitting in because we live in Cuyahoga County, where gas wells threaten the health and safety of our neighbors.

We are sitting in because we are not expendable, and we will not allow Ohio to remain a dumping ground for toxic fracking wastewater.

We are sitting in because wastewater is the Achilles' heel of the fracking industry, and shutting down Ohio's poisonous injection wells will slow down hydraulic fracturing operations across the Marcellus and Utica shales.

We are sitting in because we are inspired by the Lakota people who have stood up and taken direct action to stop the tar sands pipeline from destroying their land

We are sitting in because we are inspired by those West Virginians who have stood up to the coal industry put their bodies on the line to stop the blasting of the Appalachian mountains.

We are sitting in because we are inspired by our friends from Ohio and our allies from the Blood Tribe who have blockaded fracking trucks and physically resisted operations of the gas industry across the continent.

We are sitting in because we are inspired by a worldwide tradition of resistance to the destruction of extractive industries.

We are sitting in because we envision a world where corporate rule is put to rest, and communities are empowered to make those decisions that directly affect their lives.

We are sitting in because we will not be silent and we will not be bought.

We are sitting in because we can't drink money.

We are sitting in because if we don't, we don't know who else will.

-John Williams, Jonathan Sidney, Derrian Lamar-Mitchell

Columbus, OH - After the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced they would lift a voluntary suspension on construction of new injection wells in Ohio for toxic wastewater from hydraulic fracturing, outraged residents from Northeast Ohio have staged a sit-in at their office demanding an immediate moratorium upon underground injection of fracking wastewater, a meeting between key ODNR officials and directly impacted community members, mandatory testing of wastewater, and to provide a written public records policy in response to a history of withholding public documents.

"If Ohio's regulations are as protective as the ODNR claims, why are drilling companies in surrounding states paying additional transportation and brine hauling fees to bring it all the way to Ohio?" said John Williams, a 55-year-old resident of Youngstown.  "We are here today to send a message to the gas industry and our so-called regulators that we are not expendable and we will not be sold out!"

Williams, along with Matthew Wengerd, a 21-year-old resident of Warren, and Jonathan Sidney, a 22-year-old resident of Cleveland, are seated in the ODNR Division of Mineral Resources - the office responsible for permitting hydraulic fracturing and injection wells - with a banner reading "BAN TOXIC INJECTION WELLS NOW."  They are refusing to leave the ODNR until the regulatory agency agrees to test wastewater, establish a written records policy that ensures residents access to public documents relevant to their communities, and hold a meeting to answer questions from communities directly impacted by drilling.

UPDATE:

Security guards at the site have SHUT THE GATES to prevent citizens from entering the public complex of ODNR.  Their authority to deny citizens access to public buildings and grounds during business hours has not been explained.

Update 2:

Two arrested on street outside ODNR. Citizens not allowed to approach building on public sidewalk

View Livestream Here

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) released the following statement in response to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources release of a preliminary report on the Youngstown area seismic activity and suggested new regulations for injection wells and brine disposal:

"Although we are glad to hear the Kasich administration say they are going to develop more stringent laws for the disposal of toxic drilling waste, it is disappointing that it took so long to address Ohio's lax regulations. This gives our group of concerned legislators some hope that our repeated calls for hearings on pressing legislation will no longer be ignored by Republican leadership in our state. We need real leadership on this issue, not a reactionary approach to industry mishaps. It's clear now that earthquakes in Youngstown could have been prevented if the Governor really did want to work in a bipartisan way."

Recently a group of Ohio legislators announced the creation of a caucus comprised of Senate and House members who are promoting legislation to strengthen relatively weak laws surrounding shale oil and gas exploration in the state.

The caucus membership includes:

Representatives: Antonio, Driehaus, Fedor, Foley, Goyal, R. Hagan, Heard, Murray, Okey, Winburn

Senators: Skindell, Tavares

Report recommends central role for combined heat and power in Ohio

The use of combined heat and power technologies in Ohio could save billions of dollars currently lost in the state's inefficient electric system, according to a report released today by Policy Matters Ohio.

Combined heat and power, also known as cogeneration, produces power by capturing and recycling heat that would otherwise be wasted. Ohio's electric power industry, the biggest source of the state's energy waste, squanders nearly one-third of all energy consumed in the state.

"This is a waste of both scarce resources and money, and results in large amounts of unnecessary toxic and carbon emissions," said Amanda Woodrum, Policy Matters researcher and report co-author. "Ohio lags behind other states in the bang it gets from its energy bucks. New York state gets more than twice as much output from the energy it consumes."

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has rightly made CHP one of the ten pillars in his energy policy, the full details of which are likely to be released next week.

A strong role for CHP makes sense. Ohio has the potential to generate a quarter of its electricity from CHP, but current CHP generation is less than 2 percent of capacity, according to the report, Capturing energy waste in Ohio: Using combined heat and power to upgrade electric system. A 10 percent increase in CHP's share of total electric power capacity (a boost of 3.6 gigawatts), would create $1.3 billion in annual energy savings while reducing emissions by 13 million metric tons - the equivalent of taking 2.3 million cars off the road, nearly 30 percent of passenger vehicles registered in Ohio.

Bill is part of bipartisan effort to make fracking industry safer

COLUMBUS - State Representative Jay P. Goyal (D-Mansfield) introduced legislation today that will make changes to current injection well laws.  Injection wells are used for the disposal of waste fluids from hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking."

"Given that the production of shale oil and gas will soon be booming in Ohio and has the potential to bring many new jobs to our state, it is essential that we require companies to maintain practices that keep the public and our environment safe," Rep. Goyal said.  "Current regulations on the shale gas and oil industry are not strong enough and have branded Ohio as one of the weakest states in the nation on this issue."

As part of the fracking process, a significant portion of fluids containing water, brine, sand, and toxic chemicals comes back to the surface along with the oil or gas.  Rep. Goyal's legislation aims to ensure that the waste water produced from fracking be safely disposed of.

Among other provisions, key parts of the legislation would give local communities more control and increase public notice requirements.  Local governments would be given the ability to veto a permit for the construction of a new injection well if they passed an ordinance or resolution in opposition.  Additionally, well operators would be required to conduct tests of the waste water to help make communities better aware of the chemicals that could potentially seep into ground and drinking water.

Bill will also create permanent fund to assist communities impacted by fracking

COLUMBUS- State Reps. Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Mike Foley (D-Cleveland) announced legislation today that would make adjustments to the severance tax, to ensure that Ohioans are receiving a fair share of profits from drilling.  In addition, it would establish the Local Impact Protection Fund, a permanent fund to ensure the local communities impacted by hydraulic fracturing will have a continued source of sustainable financial resources once the wells have dried up.

STEUBENVILLE, OH - A dozen anti-fracking Ohio and Pennsylvania residents were escorted from today's congressional field hearing on natural gas after interrupting the proceedings and attempting to present members of the committee with a $3 million check representing the money spent by industry just on members of the hearing.

Held by the Congressional Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, today's event was the latest in a series of field hearings designed to promote hydraulic fracturing (a.k.a. "fracking") as a solution to the economic and energy crises.

Residents pointed out that Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), and Bill Johnson (R-OH), have collectively received a total of at least $267,084 in campaign contributions from oil and gas corporations and therefore clearly have a conflict of interest that makes them unfit for reviewing the human health, environmental, and economic impacts of fracking.

Politicians in Congress, encouraged by irresponsible corporations and lobbyists for polluters, are trying to gut the Clean Air Act and dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency.

They're fighting for the right to pollute our air.

Lined up against them to strengthen clean air regulations are some of the most respected medical organizations in the world: the American Lung Association; the American Medical Association; the American Heart Association; the American Academy of Pediatricians; the American Nurses Association.

Now there's another powerful group supporting our right to clean air: Moms Clean Air Force.

Moms have passion and power -- an unbeatable combination. We are harnessing the strength of mother love to fight back against polluters.

Moms are joining together, to come out in strength for our kids' right to clean air -- just as our parents fought for us, forty years ago, to get the Clean Air Act signed into law by President Richard Nixon.

Moms Clean Air Force is nonpartisan-because clean air should be more important than politics.

Learn More About Mom's Clean Air Force Ohio

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Learn More About Mom's Clean Air Force Ohio

From No Frack Ohio:

You may have heard mention in the State of the State about 'terrific plants that will be built by Mark West around Ohio to process gas'... along with those, numerous transmission and compressor plants must be built along the pipelines.

See how this is being done right now by this same company in PA and excerpt below:

http://www.marcellus-shale.us/MarkWest_Cryogenic.htm

"Mark West's most controversial Pennsylvania project to date is construction of the Welling Compressor Station near Washington, Pa. With construction due to be completed in March 2012, it will be one of the largest compressor stations in the US with 14 compressors. Total compression horsepower will more than double what was situated next to Dish, Texas in 2010. "

Calvin Tillman, the Former Mayor of Dish, Texas was recently at ProgressOhio and described the dire situation in Dish:

Watch It:

Stefanie Penn Spear reads Josh Fox's statement at Gov. John Kasich's State of the State address in Steubenville, Ohio.

Watch It:

The following statement can be attributed in whole or in part to Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of ProgressOhio:

"ProgressOhio believes first and foremost the health and safety of Ohioans should take precedence over any discussion of revenue generated from fracking. ProgressOhio stands firmly with the 72% of Ohioans who are in favor of a moratorium on fracking until issues such as environmental impact, water quality, disclosure of chemicals and waste disposal issues are resolved.
 
While the aim of generating more revenue for our local communities is valid, we believe that Ohio should be examining and eliminating some of the over $7 billion in tax loopholes and expenditures, including tax breaks for private jets, that leaders on all part of the political spectrum agree are wasteful and ineffective.  

What is the State's cost to replace an entire aquifer that has been contaminated by toxic chemicals and unregulated drilling?  What is the State's cost to replace infrastructure and repair damage after earthquakes caused by wastewater injection?  More importantly, what is the cost to the people of Ohio, our health, our children, and our communities when the short term profits of big oil and gas are put before our property rights and our rights to clean water and air?  

Until we can have a moratorium in place and the science proves our communities are safe, the environment is unharmed and earthquake ramifications are understood, talking about splitting up the spoils of fracking money is premature.  The State of Ohio needs to put our people before corporate profits."

Ohio's oil and gas resources have caught the attention of drillers, investors and political leaders alike. Thanks to a process known as hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"), substantial reserves of oil and gas trapped deep under the surface can be extracted and brought to market, with a potential value of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Innovation Ohio has released a report, "Fracking, Fairness and the Future," in which they call on Governor Kasich and state lawmakers to ensure that Ohio workers, landowners and taxpayers receive a fair share and a fair shake if the state decides to allow expanded drilling for oil and gas.

"Though a shale boom potentially could bring tens of thousands of jobs to Ohio, environmental concerns have raised doubts about whether fracking and its associated processes are safe. However, environmental issues are not the primary focus of our report. Because creating jobs will do little good if we poison our people and destroy our state, we believe it is self-evident that fracking should be halted if threats to public health and safety cannot be resolved. But if fracking does go forward, we believe that the economic benefits should be shared fairly with ALL Ohioans, not transferred out of state or allowed to flow down a one-way street in the direction of Big Oil."

IO's recommendations include: charging industry a reasonable severance tax and sharing the revenue with local governments hit hard by budget cuts and poised to deal with the local impacts of increased drilling; establishing a landowner's bill of rights; and creating a "Hire Ohio" policy to ensure new jobs go primarily to the Ohioans who need them.

Activists in Striped Referee Uniforms "blew the whistle" on Rep. Boehner's Big Oil Campaign Donations and Agenda to Force through Keystone XL Pipeline

Cincinnati, OH- Climate activists fed up with the influence of corporate money on Congress stormed Spk. Boehner's office today in striped ref uniforms to "blow the whistle" on congressional corruption. Activists in uniform blew literal whistles and threw penalty flags to draw attention to the corruption of Congress by corporations and Big Oil, as evidenced by the ongoing campaign to force through the pipeline.

"I'm a writer, and I would never accept money from someone to bias any of my articles. That's why I'm sick of Congress saying the millions they get from Big Oil hasn't affected their votes on Keystone XL. Shame on John Boehner for vowing to continue his campaign to force this pipeline," said Andrew Culp, writer and teacher.

Rep. Boehner accepted $1.1 million from the fossil fuel industry before voting to expedite the Keystone XL "Tar Sands" Pipeline in December, according to OpenSecrets.org.

"I travelled to Washington, DC to stop this pipeline. Meanwhile, Speaker Boehner has sold us out for $1.1 million. I don't trust his agenda to force through this pipeline any more than I trust the corporations backing the project." Said Amanda Morgan, student at University of Cincinnati.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday it will not approve any additional brine-injection well permits until it completes an injection-well report.

The report, which will include new depth regulations, is expected to be released in early February.

This is the third new regulation or restriction regarding brine-injection wells made by ODNR or Gov. John Kasich's office in a week.

ODNR last week expanded its ban on brine-injection wells to within a seven-mile radius of a well on Youngstown's West Side, near the epicenter of 11 earthquakes last year. The U.S. Geological Survey also reported a magnitude-2.1 tremor occurred in Youngstown on Friday.

On Monday, Kasich's office confirmed that injection wells, which accept brine -- a salty, chemical byproduct of natural-gas and oil drilling -- will not be allowed to exceed 8,000 feet in depth. ODNR said injection wells can no longer be drilled into the Precambrian, or bedrock, formation, where injection wells could trigger seismic activity.

Related:

Rep. Hagan Disappointed by Slanted Hearings On Seismic Activity In Youngstown

Ohioans Stand Up At Stop The Madness (Anti-Fracking) Statehouse Protest

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Robert F. Hagan expressed disappointment today with a House Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing in his district, and issued the following statements.

"The events that unfolded at YSU this morning lacked any substantive analysis or investigation into injection wells and recent earthquakes in Youngstown. Instead, the hearing amounted to little more than the continuation of the oil and gas industry's public relations campaign. Instead of thoughtful answers to probing questions, industry representatives were all too eager in seeking greater latitude for their industry to 'do what they think is right.'

Well, I remain unconvinced that the community's questions are being taken seriously. ODNR still has answers to provide regarding seismic activity and injection wells all over the state, including communities like Marietta and Youngstown. It is almost shameful how brazen the industry is in pushing their agenda over public safety."

Legislator Skeptical that State Officials are Prepared to Answer Tough Questions

COLUMBUS - State Representative Robert F. Hagan (D- Youngstown) will co-host a meeting this evening with local officials to discuss recent seismic activity in Youngstown and how it is related to wastewater injection wells in the area. The meeting is open to the public and news media. The invitation from Hagan's office to ODNR and the Ohio Geological Survey were still unanswered this afternoon, although it is expected that ODNR representatives will be present to address community concerns. The U.S. EPA, OhioEPA, and USGS declined the invitation earlier this week, citing ODNR's primacy on the issue. 

View More Images Here

Columbus, OH-  January, 10th A protest on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus drew hundreds of participants who support a moratorium on high volume hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, and wastewater disposal injection wells.

People came from all over Ohio to speak out against the destruction that fracking is causing in their communities. Ohio House Representatives Bob Hagan, Nickie J. Antonio, Denise Driehaus, Roland Winburn, Mike Foley, Teresa Fedor, Tracy Maxwell Heard, and Ohio State Senators Mike Skindell and Charleta Tavares spoke at the event, asking Gov. Kasich to protect the public health and pass SB 213/HB 345 to impose a moratorium on Fracking permits and waste-disposal injection wells throughout the state which is home to 177 injection deep well sites.

On New Years Eve, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit Youngstown, OH.  Despite there never being a recorded earthquake before, this was the 11th earthquake in Youngstown this year alone.  Why the change?  In 2011, D&L Energy began disposing of over 200,000 gallons a day of toxic frack water from Pennsylvania and Ohio (or enough to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool every 2 to 3 days) by injecting it underground.  Not surprisingly, by 2011 this toxic mixture had forced its way into a previously unknown fault and presto chango, earthquakes in Youngstown.

Preliminary reports from seismology experts from Columbia University say that even if they permanently stop this injection well, the earthquakes are probably going to continue for up to a year.  But the chances of Gov. Kasich and the ODNR permanently stopping injection wells is about as possible as, well, an earthquake in Youngstown before this year.  

On Tuesday, the first meeting day of the Legislature in 2012, No Frack Ohio and concerned citizens from across Ohio are joining up to protest hydraulic fracking wells and injection disposal wells being located in our communities.   Can we count on you to help send the message?

Sends letter to Rep. Hall asking for hearings on House Bills 345 and 351

COLUMBUS -State Representative Denise Driehaus (D- Cincinnati) sent a letter to Representative David Hall, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, today requesting hearings for House Bills 345 and 351, which would place a temporary moratorium on fracking in Ohio and increase transparency within fracking processes. Over New Year's weekend a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the Mahoning Valley and it is believed that the drastic increase in seismic activity is due to the activity at several injection wells in the area where fracking by-products were being disposed.

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

Sends letter to Rep. Hall asking for hearing on temporary moratorium bill

COLUMBUS -State Rep. Tracy Maxwell Heard (D- Columbus) sent a letter to State Rep. David Hall, Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, today joining her colleagues Sen. Joe Schiavoni and Rep. Sean O'Brien in calling for a public hearing in the Mahoning Valley to investigate recent earthquakes.  She also requested a hearing on HB 345, which would place a temporary moratorium on fracking. Over the weekend a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the Mahoning Valley and it is believed that the drastic increase in seismic activity is due to hydraulic fracturing.

"I fully support the economic opportunity and jobs that this industry can bring to Ohio, but what has occurred in the Mahoning Valley is deeply troubling. It's evidently clear we must take a step back and examine fracking, not only the process but its potential impacts to our environment both long-term and short-term," said Rep. Heard. "I stand ready to work with my colleagues to find a solution that will protect the citizens of Ohio and our environment."

A copy of the letter can be seen below:

In a letter to Governor John Kasich from State Representative Bob Hagan, Hagan called for an indefinite moratorium on the injection wells until citizens can be assured the wells are not changing Ohio's natural environment.

Hagan also stated in his letter he believes ODNR seems to be steeped in communications regarding the positive aspects of oil and gas exploration in the state and he questions if they and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are able to objectively and genuinely assess what is happening in Ohio.

Officials with ODNR continue to investigate a possible link between the recent valley quakes and the operation of brine injection wells.

Read the full letter below:

Columbus - State Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-Canfield) today called for the Ohio Senate to hold a public hearing in the Mahoning Valley regarding recent earthquakes that may have been caused by a wastewater injection well.  Senator Schiavoni released the following statement:

"Because of the recent earthquakes the Mahoning Valley has experienced, I believe it would be very beneficial for the residents in my district to be provided with an explanation of hydraulic fracking/deep well injection.  As the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Public Utility Committee, I am requesting a special committee hearing be held in the Mahoning Valley as soon as possible so Senators can gather more information.

Feds Link Water Contamination to Fracking for the First Time

by Abrahm Lustgarten and Nicholas Kusnetz ProPublica

In a first, federal environment officials scientifically linked underground water pollution with hydraulic fracturing, concluding that contaminants found in central Wyoming were likely caused by the gas drilling process.

The findings by the Environmental Protection Agency come partway through a separate national study by the agency to determine whether fracking presents a risk to water resources.

In the 121-page draft report, EPA officials said that the contamination near the town of Pavillion, Wyo., had most likely seeped up from gas wells and contained at least 10 compounds known to be used in frack fluids.

The presence of synthetic compounds such as glycol ethers and the assortment of other organic components is explained as the result of direct mixing of hydraulic fracturing fluids with ground water in the Pavillion gas field, the draft report states. Alternative explanations were carefully considered.

COLUMBUS -State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) applaud Gov. Kasich for his year end review announcement that the regulation of shale gas will be "extremely strong". Reps. Antonio and Fedor recently introduced HB 351; this legislation would put standards in place for transparency and accountability of fracking.
 
"I was happy to hear Governor Kasich on the radio, echo my sentiments with regard to gas and oil drilling to include the identification of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. I look forward to working with the Governor to address the potential environmental and public health issues associated with this process", said Rep. Antonio.
 
HB 351, the Transparency and Accountability of Hydraulic Fracturing legislation would require the owner of a well to submit a complete listing of all of the chemicals and other substances that will be used to stimulate the well. Yesterday, Gov. Kasich recognized the importance of knowing what chemicals are being used to stimulate a well and the need to protect our environment from these damaging chemicals.
 
"It is heartening that Governor Kasich has shown so much concern for the environmental impact of shale drilling and hydraulic fracturing.  HB 351 aims to make sure that a list of all fracking chemicals being used is posted with the board of health. With his help and support, this legislation can become a priority the coming year" said Rep. Fedor.
 
HB 351 has been assigned to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and is awaiting its first hearing.

On November 30, leaders of the hydrulic fracturing gas industry met for the first time in Ohio at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown. In response, seven activists blockaded a 'hydrofracking' wastewater injection site nearby to protest environmental destruction and danger to human health while demanding clean jobs for Ohio and an end to earthquakes caused by the underground injection of toxic fracking fluids.

Watch It:

Hundreds of millions of gallons of water are used per injection well at high pressure to fracture shale thousands of feet below ground to release gas.  The water is combined with 596 proprietary chemicals, many of which are known toxins and carcinogens such as benzene, formaldehyde, heavy metals, surfactants, and many more.

Once the ground has been fractured or "fracked" these chemicals, along with underground gas, travel through new fissures in the shale towards the water table.  This contaminates aquifers feeding residential wells and streams leading to blowouts, air pollution, water pollution, earthquakes, flammable water and explosive levels of methane. These chemicals also create a hazard causing extreme health effects including cancer and  brain damage from endocrine disruption.  A recent well leak in Broadview Heights sickened neighbors while local emergency responders could do nothing for 24 hours.  In Chester Township 85 gallons of crude oil, gas, and toxic waste water shot 20 feet in the air.

Much of the pollution in U.S. rivers and streams today comes from the manure generated by CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), which confine thousands of animals on a single site.

To determine the extent of the problem and how it might be better addressed, the public and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) need to know more about these facilities and the waste they produce. But unlike many other industries, CAFOs do not regularly disclose facility-specific information to the EPA--and the powerful interests behind CAFOs want to keep it that way.

Under a recent settlement agreement, the EPA promised a regulation that would require CAFOs nationwide to report some basic facts, such as the location of the operation and number of animals housed.

Will you be one of the many coming to Youngstown this Wednesday, Nov. 30, to protest the fracking industry's first Ohio conference?  If so, here's the info you'll need to optimize your participation:

One bill imposes moratorium, another sets requirements to protect environment

COLUMBUS - Two bills will soon be introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives dealing with the practice of fracking. State Reps. Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) and Tracy Maxwell Heard (D-Columbus) are proposing a moratorium until more information is available on safety. Reps. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) are preparing legislation to ensure that the environment and public safety is protected when fracking does occur.

Fracking involves using a high-pressure injection of water, sand, and chemicals to release trapped gas in shale rock that lies deep within the earth.  Shale is a sedimentary rock that is often rich in petroleum and natural gas.

The bill (House Bill 345) introduced today by Reps. Driehaus and Heard would impose a moratorium on horizontal fracking of oil and gas wells until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency completes a study of its impact on drinking water.

"Due to the potential environmental hazards and dangers to the surrounding land and drinking water, it is vital that we allow the EPA to complete a study on hydraulic fracturing," said Rep. Driehaus.  "Once the report from that study has been published, we will have a better understanding of how this procedure of fracking affects our drinking water.  There are too many questions that still need to be answered regarding our constituents' safety."

On Saturday, hundreds of Columbus residents attended a bicycle ride and festival, with the express goal of transitioning Ohio, and the United States, away from fossil fuels. The event - Bike to the Future - was part of a larger group of events called "Moving Planet," with nearly 700 US cities and 180 countries participating in a day of action, calling for a transition away from fossil fuels towards clean energy.

"It's critical that Ohio, and the Country, begins making significant policy changes that foster clean energy and hasten our transition away from fossil fuels," stated Ohio Sierra Club staff member, Ben Wickizer. "Our health, environment, and economy are suffering under the weight of our fossil fuel addiction, and the only groups that wants to see this continue are oil and coal companies."

WASHINGTON, D.C.--More than 9,000 Ohio seniors in Morgan, Washington, Belmont, Jefferson, Monroe, Noble, and Guernsey Counties participated in a tele-town hall with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) yesterday. The call was the second in a series of tele-townhalls Brown will hold with constituents on a regional basis.

"Medicare and Social Security have allowed Americans to live longer, healthier lives and retire with dignity," Brown said. "We owe it to our children and grandchildren to reduce the deficit. But we need to do this in a way that doesn't undermine the Medicare and Social Security benefits their grandparents have earned."

Following threats to end Medicare as we know it and raise the retirement age for Social Security to age 69 or higher, Brown introduced a bill that would require Members of Congress to "walk in the same shoes" as working Americans. Brown's bill, the Shared Retirement Sacrifice Act of 2011, would amend the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to directly tie the Social Security retirement age to current and future Members of Congress' access to their federal retirement benefits.

COLUMBUS - A rally outside the Ohio State University Student Union this evening drew a diverse crowd of participants with a common interest in a clean and green energy future for the State of Ohio.

The "Rally for Ohio's Energy Future" was organized to promote Ohio's burgeoning renewable energy economy and to provide Ohio citizens with a forum to express concerns about high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking."

Coinciding with Governor Kasich's "Summit on Ohio's Energy and Economy," the rally included literature, music, games, and speakers to provide the public with information relating to Ohio's energy issues.

The rally was organized by Buckeye Forest Council, The Center for Health Environment and Justice, Food and Water Watch, the Sierra Club Ohio Chapter, Progress Ohio, and NO FRACK OHIO. 

NO FRACK OHIO is a collaboration of over 50 grassroots and conservation groups calling for a moratorium on fracking until further safeguards are put in place to protect human health and the environment. NO FRACK OHIO believes that public health and job security are more important than big industry's immediate drilling demands.

Despite the risks, Governor John Kasich is moving forward with all sorts of dirty energy including Fracking and Coal.

In fact, this week, Gov. Kasich is holding a "Energy Summit" at OSU to push his dirty energy dream and provide the first step in reversing Ohio's clean energy renewable standard.

Clean energy jobs are the way to grow the economy and protect our environment and the renewable standard has already brought investment and jobs to Ohio.

Don't let Kasich ruin our communities to reward his buddies in big Oil, Gas, and Coal.

Join us to stand up for renewables, energy efficiency and bringing good paying clean energy jobs to Ohio.

Join us to stand up for renewables, energy efficiency

and bringing good paying clean energy jobs to Ohio.

Say NO to Fracking and Coal

Say YES to Wind and Solar!

Clean Energy Rally
Gov. Kasich's Summit on Energy and Economy
Wednesday, Sept. 21st

OSU Student Union

1739 N. High St.

Columbus, OH 43210

12:00 pm:
Come out early and help
promote the rally, plus, spin the wheel for
Ohio's energy future!

 4:30 - 6:30 pm:

Main event with booths, music,

speakers, and elected officials.

Click Here to RSVP for the Clean Energy Rally

Click on the image below
for a Print friendly Flyer

It shouldn't be hard to understand why we should clean up toxic pollution - including mercury - from power plants. Especially when you consider that half of the toxic air pollution from industrial plants is coming from power plants, as a new analysis from NRDC shows.

The analysis, based on the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) also names the Toxic 20 states which have the highest levels of toxic air pollution from power plants.

Coal pollution is killing Americans. It is America's biggest source of toxic air pollution. Air toxics from coal-fired power plants cause cancer, birth defects, and respiratory illness. Just one of those air toxics, mercury, damages the developing brains of fetuses, infants, and small children. It robs our children of healthy neurological development and native intelligence.

You are warmly invited to attend a town hall I am hosting at the Esquire Theatre, Thursday, July 21st at 7:30.  We will be viewing "Gasland", a movie that depicts the impacts of drilling and a new process that is due to increase in Ohio called high volume slick water horizontal fracking. 

The event is free and open to the public.

Hope to see you there!

Representative Denise Driehaus - Cincinnati

Free Gasland Screening and Discussion
Thursday July 21, 2011
7:30 pm
Esquire Theater
320 Ludlow Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45220

Below please find below an op-ed that I sent to the Enquirer this week:

Watch It:

The rally took place outside of AEP's headquarters in downtown Columbus, near a giant billboard which highlights the number of lives that will be cut short each year by AEP's draft legislation Power plant pollution also includes other dangerous substances, including ground level ozone and particulate pollution - generally called smog and soot. Those substances trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, and cause the "code orange" and "code red" days when Ohioans are warned to stay indoors because of unhealthy air.

The new clean air rules that AEP is opposing would significantly reduce the amount of those toxins and give all Ohioans healthier air to breathe. Other utilities around the country are already working to lower their pollution levels, while AEP is devoting its resources to opposing clean air rules.

Columbus Families Gather at AEP Headquarters to Protest Corporation's Air Pollution

On the very day that AEP announced they were stopping a $650 million carbon capture project, concerned Columbus residents and community groups gathered to protest American Electric Power's (AEP) opposition to the clean air laws that protect the health of families across Ohio.

If AEP is successful at blocking sensible limits on toxic air pollution, as many as 17,000 lives could be lost every year. In response, activists delivered almost 40,000 petition signatures to AEP's headquarters all asking the question: "How many lives lost is too many? AEP - What's your number?"

The utility giant has been lobbying to block new sensible regulations that would lower the amount of dangerous pollution, like mercury, that power plants can emit. Columbus-area residents at today's rally said they were worried -- and angry - at their electricity providers' actions.

"AEP and their high priced lobbyists wrote draft legislation that would weaken and delay new clean air rules. If passed, it would permit the release of mercury, acid gases and arsenic that would contribute to as many as 17,000 deaths, 110,000 asthma attacks and 850,000 missed work days every single year.  We want to know, AEP: what's your number?" asked Andrew Sidsigner, the Columbus organizer for 350 Ohio.

"In 2008, AEP emitted more mercury than any other American utility. This is a serious concern because mercury harms the brains and nervous systems of babies and developing children," said Brian Rothenberg, Executive Director of Progress Ohio. "I'd ask AEP to spend less time lobbying for toxic emissions and more time reducing them," continued Rothenberg.

Join the on-the-ground fight against AEP's outrageous dirty air bill, which would block life-saving clean air standards and cause 17,000 premature deaths every year!

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be organizing local events in Columbus to increase the pressure on the big polluter.

"What is Your Number?" Day of Action

Date: Thursday July 14th
Time: 10am - 11am
Where: AEP Headquarters, 1 Riverside Plaza (Marconi and Long)
Meet: North Bank Park (Neil Ave and Spring St)

What: After a short walk from North Bank Park, we will have a press conference/ demonstration to ask AEP "How many is too many?"

Join us on Thursday to support clean air in Ohio and nationwide!

Banners and signs will be provided.

Sign up today!

Update: Apparently embarrassed after having this video of Governor John Kasich Thanking the Union Busting Koch Brother's front group Americans For Prosperity that they tried to keep secret exposed to the public the AFP has removed the video.  We'll be posting the back-up we made later today!

Update II: Thanks to Rachel Maddow for picking up this story

-------

In an "unlisted video" which Gov. Kasich recorded using state resources, he tells the Koch Industries astroturf group Americans For Prosperity "... in the four months that I've been Governor, we've accomplished a lot in Ohio... in all of these efforts the strong support of Americans for Prosperity has made a really big difference. ...it's so important that Ohio's fighters for freedom, the grassroots leaders of Americans for Prosperity, continue to lend their support to the effort to get Ohio back on track."

Americans for Prosperity is Part of the Koch Industries Right-Wing Machine:

Koch's founder, Fred Koch, also helped found the John Birch Society, an ultraconservative organization that believed the U.S. government was controlled by a traitorous cabal of communist sympathizers. Koch Industries' charitable arm, the Koch Family Foundations, has provided over $120 million in the past 20 years to the Cato Institute (founded by Charles Koch), Citizens for a Sound Economy (founded by David Koch, now known as Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks), the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society, the Mercatus Center, North Carolina's John Locke Foundation, and dozens of other right-wing, anti-regulatory, and global warming-denial organizations. [Media Transparency]

Koch-Run Americans For Prosperity Has Bircher, Racist Roots:

From Jane Mayer's New Yorker story on the Kochs, billionaire bankrollers of Americans For Prosperity, elements of the Tea Party, and the CATO Institute:

In 1958, Fred Koch became one of the original members of the John Birch Society, the arch-conservative group known, in part, for a highly skeptical view of governance and for spreading fears of a Communist takeover. Members considered President Dwight D. Eisenhower to be a Communist agent. In a self-published broadside, Koch claimed that "the Communists have infiltrated both the Democrat and Republican Parties." He wrote admiringly of Benito Mussolini's suppression of Communists in Italy, and disparagingly of the American civil-rights movement. "The colored man looms large in the Communist plan to take over America," he warned. Welfare was a secret plot to attract rural blacks to cities, where they would foment "a vicious race war." In a 1963 speech that prefigures the Tea Party's talk of a secret socialist plot, Koch predicted that Communists would "infiltrate the highest offices of government in the U.S. until the President is a Communist, unknown to the rest of us."

Right now, you are not allowed to tack up a clothesline on a tree in a State Park, yet just this week, the Ohio House and Senate passed a bill (House Bill 133) that would allow oil and gas drilling, including horizontal Fracking, in our State Parks and Public Lands.

That is not the worst part, HB 133 not only allows fracking in State Parks, but would also remove prohibitions against drilling under Lake Eire, our most precious resource!

Please attend a special screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8), hear the facts on high-volume horizontal Fracking, and learn how to get involved in the fight.

FREE Gasland Screening and Discussion

Saturday, June 18 - 2 pm

Blue Ash Recreation Center

4433 Cooper Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242-5614

Hosted by:

State Representative Connie Pillich, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

What is fracking? How will it affect the health of yourself, your family, and your community? Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (click here for the trailer), followed by a discussion on fracking in Ohio featuring local state legislators and environmental experts.

FREE Gasland Screening and Discussion

Saturday, June 18 - 2 pm

Blue Ash Recreation Center

4433 Cooper Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242-5614

Hosted by:

State Rep. Connie Pillich, No Frack Ohio Coalition & ProgressOhio.org

On June 16, 2011 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and public transportation systems across the country will celebrate the 6th Annual National Dump the Pump Day.

In these tough economic times with high gas prices, everyone is looking for a way to save money. National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation (instead of driving) and save money.

Riding public transit is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. The latest APTA Transit Savings Report shows that a two person household that downsizes to one car can save - on the average - more than $10,000 a year.

Find Ohio Events Here

Are you heading to downtown Columbus this weekend for the Columbus Arts Festival or the to see the new Columbus Commons?  Take a break from the Heat and come see a special FREE screening of the award winning documentary Gasland this Saturday at the Columbus Main Library.

FREE Gasland Screening and Discussion
Saturday, June 4 - 3 pm
Columbus Main Library Auditorium
96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Hosted by:
State Representative Tracy Heard, State Representative Ted Celeste, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

Columbus - State Senator Shirley Smith (D-Cleveland) today called on her Senate colleagues to remove language in the budget bill, Senate Bill 153 that would allow the Director of Natural Resources to open up Ohio's state parks to oil and gas drilling.

"It puzzles me why we would want to have oil and gas drilling in our state parks when there are so many unanswered questions surrounding the environmental and economic ramifications of this proposal," said Senator Smith.  "The state does not even know how much control it has over the mineral rights within certain areas of our parks."

Senator Smith also expressed concern over the uncertainty of how much revenue this proposal is expected to generate.

"If this is truly an issue about the economic situation of our state and finding solutions to keep our parks running in good order, then maybe the majority party should consider limiting the tax benefits that they offer their friends," Senator Smith said.  "I can't wait to see what other politicians leave the Statehouse to seek outside jobs with the oil and gas industry."

------

FREE Gasland Screening and Discussion

Saturday, June 4 - 3 pm

Columbus Main Library Auditorium

96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215 (map)

Hosted by:

State Representative Tracy Heard, State Representative Ted Celeste, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

What is Fracking? How will it affect the health of yourself, your family, and your community? Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8), followed by a discussion on fracking in Ohio featuring local state legislators and environmental experts.

FREE Gasland Screening and Discussion

Saturday, June 4 - 3 pm

Columbus Main Library Auditorium

96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215 (map)

Hosted by:

State Representative Tracy Heard, State Representative Ted Celeste, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

On May 25, 2011, the Ohio House of Representatives votes 54-41 to allow Oil and Gas drilling, including unregulated horizontal "fracking", in our State Parks. Despite vocal opposition from a vast majority of Ohioans, Legislators are betraying our trust and selling the public's land to benefit campaign contributors.

State Representatives Tracy Heard, Nickie Antonio, Denise Driehaus, Mike Foley, and Dennis Murray spoke to ProgressOhio after the vote to express their disappointment.

Watch It:

Rep. Foley may have summed it up the best: drilling in state parks "is just a crazy, crazy idea."

The drilling in State Parks bill is now in the Ohio Senate. Please call your Senator at 800-282-0253 and tell them to put people over profits. No oil and gas drilling in Ohio's State Parks!

Next week in Columbus!

Gasland Screening and Forum Saturday, June 4 - 3:00 pm

Sponsored by Rep. Heard and Rep. Celeste, No Frack Ohio, ProgressOhio.org

Columbus Main Library

96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Representatives Dennis Murray and Bob Hagan both made impassioned speeches on the floor denouncing the effect of money and influence in policy.   The vast majority of Ohioans from all side of the political spectrum are against drilling in State Parks and public lands, but the House and Senate are plowing ahead.

Why?  Could it have something to do with the over $500,000 in traceable campaign contributions that the Oil and Gas Industry gave out in 2010 to conservatives running for office?  Of course not.

Rep Murray said, "If money is the mother's milk of politics, then this legislation suggests that we must be drunk on milk and indeed depend on the real gold that will be showered on some members of this General Assembly as thanks for the black gold."

Watch It:

Hagan had the best zinger of the day about halfway through the floor debate when he said, "I appreciate Rep Blair's Mother giving us these pot holders, [but] for a minute I thought there must have been pot in it, because apparently, someone over there is on drugs!  I cant believe what you are doing again ... If we could capture the gas, bluster, and bravado coming from the other side, we could heat the whole state!"

Watch It:

Yesterday, the Ohio House passed HB133, which opens up our State Parks and public lands to oil and gas drilling, including fracking, with a vote of 54-41.  The House rejected amendments to protect our health, communities, and our travel and tourism industry.  (Don't miss great floor speeches from Rep. Teresa Fedor, Rep. Tracy Heard, and Rep. Debbie Phillips) Despite uproar from a vast majority of Ohioans, the bill is now moving to the Senate.  We must stand up NOW if we are going to protect our State Parks for future generations.  Please make every effort to attend the screening and then tell your Senator (800-282-0253) to stand up for people and not profits.

What is Fracking?  How will it affect the health of yourself, your family, and your community?  Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8), followed by a discussion on Fracking in Ohio featuring Cleveland area State Legislators and Environmental experts.

Gasland Screening and Discussion
Thursday, May 26th 6:00 pm
Lakewood Main Library
15425 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Hosted by:
State Representative Nickie Antonio, State Senator Mike Skindell, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

Next week in Columbus!

Gasland Screening and Forum Saturday, June 4 - 3:00 pm

Sponsored by Rep. Heard and Rep. Celeste, No Frack Ohio, ProgressOhio.org

Columbus Main Library

96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215

State House passes parks-drilling bill

A bill that would open up state parks and state-owned land to oil and gas drilling cleared the House today after what has become a decade-long debate over the desire to protect parkland versus the desire to access Ohio's energy resources.

"It will not solve Ohio's problems or Ohio's energy price problems, but it is a component we cannot ignore," said Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney.

The bill passed 54-41, largely along party lines.

House Bill 133 would create a new Oil and Gas Leasing Commission to oversee the leasing of land oil and gas drilling. The commission would consist of an official from the Department of Natural Resources and four governor-appointed members: two from the oil and gas industry, one from a statewide conservation group, and a member of the public with expertise in finance or real estate. (emphasis added)

Read More From The Columbus Dispatch

Gasland Screening and Forum Saturday, June 4 - 3:00 pm

Sponsored by Rep. Heard and Rep. Celeste, No Frack Ohio, ProgressOhio.org

Columbus Main Library

96 South Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215

COLUMBUS - The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today extended the current freeze on FirstEnergy all-electric heating customer rates through March 31, 2013. Following the two-year freeze, FirstEnergy will reduce a portion of the discount annually over six years through 2018.

State Representative Matt Lundy (D-Elyria) responded to the decision with this statement:

"This only provides temporary relief for consumers. This is a short-term solution to a broken long-term promise. This will greatly hurt homeowners of all-electric homes. Who wants to buy a home with a ticking time bomb of a huge spike in electric rates in a matter of years?

These homeowners will be forced to have homes with little or no value. We have enough housing problems in Ohio without making matters worse. Many simply can't convert their homes to gas. They're out of luck and the clock is ticking.

I still believe the discount should stay with the home because the industry clearly misled consumers for decades. Also, consumers should be refunded the amount they were overcharged. I attempted to have this amendment added to the budget bill, but it was rejected by the majority in the House.

This soft landing today will result in a disastrous hard landing for these homeowners in the future. In the long-term, the utility wins and consumers lose again."

Wednesday, May 25, 1:30pm - 3:30pm

Ohio House Chamber, Room 210, Second Floor.

View Map Here:

The Ohio House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will recommend Sub HB 133, the Drilling in State Parks bill, to the Ohio House of Representatives for a full House vote on Wednesday. Our Legislative champions in the House have asked that we pack the House gallery, and outside the chamber, to witness the vote.

CALL YOUR HOUSE MEMBER AND TELL THEM TO OPPOSE SUB. HB 133

Find your Ohio legislators using your zip code here:

Sub. HB 133 makes an already bad bill (HB 133) considerably worse:

1.     The Leasing Commission will now be even more industry friendly by replacing the Chief of Division of Mineral Resources Management with a member of the public with expertise in finance and real estate (i.e., LANDMAN--gas exploration and production professional).  There will be 5 members on the Commission, two of whom are designated to be from the oil and gas industry and only one of which is an environmental representative. Only 3 votes are required to lease a parcel, so environmental representation is still meaningless). The Chief of the Division of Geological Survey will sit on the commission; all other commission members will be appointed by the governor.

2.     Sub. Bill requires state agencies to try to remove any federal grant and private deed restrictions from state parks - these restrictions would protect the parks even if the original HB 133 had passed.

3.     There is still no allowance for public participation or objection.

4.     Sub. HB 133 still declares that oil and gas drilling in parks is the policy of the state - therefore, a government agency that does oppose a lease will be acting contrary to state policy.

5.     Allows the industry (Oil and Gas Leasing Commission) to be the arbiter of whether oil/gas development is compatible with a state park and what the environmental impact may be.

6.     Opens the door for drilling in Lake Erie, which was prohibited under the original bill.  Also requires ODNR to actively lobby Congress to lift the federal ban on drilling in Lake Erie.

7.     Still requires use of standard lease, totally inadequate to protect land and water from environmental impacts of deep well drilling and horizontal fracturing.

Tell Gov. Kasich: Don't Frack Up Ohio!

Lots of people across America are offering up false solutions to lowering gas prices--and oil subsidies and expanded offshore drilling top the list.

Last night, the Senate rejected a bill that would've cut about half of the $4 billion-a-year in tax breaks and subsidies to the five largest oil companies. Today, Republicans are advancing a bill to rapidly expand and speed up offshore drilling. In both instances, the relatively high current prices of gasoline are being used to make the case for making life easier on big oil companies.

Will these things actually do anything to solve the problem? Our friends at 350.org put together an infographic to help answer that question. 

Click here to see the whole infographic.

Funds will Help Bring Jobs to Hudson, Summit County

COLUMBUS - State Representative Vernon L. Sykes (D-Akron) today announced that the state will award the city of Hudson $710,000 for a road construction project that is expected to bring 300 new full-time jobs to the area. The project will also increase the acreage of the Seasons Road Commerce Center (SRCC), land that will be shared by local manufacturers to reduce costs associated with waste management, while pursuing eco-friendly alternatives for industrial practices. 

"I am pleased that the state recognizes the benefits of eco-industrial parks and is investing in projects that are cost efficient and will help reduce waste and pollution," Rep. Sykes said.  "This project brings jobs and forward-thinking eco-friendly solutions, which is exactly what we need to revitalize our economy."

The park is slated to become the first industrial park which fully utilizes green construction practices.  In additional to providing space for sustainable development projects, the SRCC is expected to bring a number of new jobs  to Hudson.

What is Fracking? How will it affect the health of yourself, your family, and your community? Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special FREE screening of the award winning documentary Gasland (http://youtu.be/dZe1AeH0Qz8), followed by a discussion on Fracking in Ohio featuring Cleveland area State Legislators and Environmental experts.

Gasland Screening and Discussion

Thursday, May 26th

6:00 pm

Lakewood Main Library

15425 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Hosted by:

State Representative Nickie Antonio, State Senator Mike Skindell, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

According to a Pew poll, four in ten Americans think Jesus Christ will return to Earth by 2050. That means more than 100 million Americans believe that Judgment Day is just around the corner.

It's no wonder then that a relatively long-term problem like climate change isn't a priority in the theocrats minds.

Related:

Cornell Study: "Fracking" Shale Gas Emissions Far Worse Than Coal For Climate

Rep. Markey Asks Do Republicans Plan To Legislate Against Gravity, Relativity?

The GOP's War On The Air We Breathe

Tea Party Wave Means GOP Climate Deniers Now Control The House

Ohioans pick a soggy day to tell lawmakers their idea is all wet

(Columbus, OH)-- As proposals to drill for oil and natural gas on public lands are being considered in both the state's biennial budget language and in companion House and Senate bills, conservation leaders and outdoor enthusiasts brought their case against drilling in state parks to the people's house today.

Ohioans were prepared to stage a "camp in" on the lawn of the Ohio Statehouse to send a clear message to lawmakers:  if drilling is going to keep us from camping in our state parks, then we will have to camp right here in your front yard.  Concerns about muddy conditions on the lawn forced the campers inside, but did not dampen their spirits.

The, "We Love Our Parks, We Love Clean Water," included a press conference and the circulation of petitions and postcards urging legislators to keep drilling rigs out of all Ohio state parks and off state nature preserves and state scenic rivers. 

The event also offered a second opportunity for lawmakers to publicly declare which state parks, state nature preserves, and state scenic rivers in their local legislative district they would vote to keep closed from oil and gas drilling or would vote to "convert from natural parks to industrial parks" and open up to extraction.

A coalition of environmental and conservation groups first posed the question in a letter to all 132 state lawmakers on April 21.

"These are simple questions that deserve simple, but clear answers--answers that may speak volumes about your willingness to forever protect or today open to industrial development, Ohio's most treasured and scenic natural areas," the letter concluded.

The letter was signed by representatives of Environment Ohio, National Wildlife Federation, Network for Oil and Gas Accountability and Protection, Ohio Environmental Council, and Sierra Club Ohio Chapter. 

Environmental and conservation groups will join outdoor enthusiasts from across Ohio on Tuesday to to support our parks and protest drilling proposals by staging a "camp in" on the Statehouse lawn.
 
As proposals to drill for oil and natural gas move their way through the legislative process, Ohioans will bring their camping gear and their support of park preservation directly to the legislative door step.
 
This all-day event will feature music, games, a picnic, a press conference, and an opportunity for legislators to sign a pledge declaring their support for keeping drilling rigs out of all Ohio state parks and off state nature preserves and state scenic rivers.  

There will be a press conference at 1 pm that will include speakers from environmental and conservation groups, as well as a number of Ohio state legislators.
 
The groups stress that oil and gas development simply is not compatible with the mission of Ohio's state parks to preserve natural and scenic areas and provide outdoor recreation.

We Love Our Parks--We Love Clean Water Day at the Statehouse
West Lawn of the Ohio Statehouse (High Street side)
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
10am - 4pm
Lunch of "frack-free" picnic fare served at 12 noon
Press conference beginning at 1pm

In this week's address, President Obama laid out his strategy to continue to expand responsible and safe domestic oil production, leveraging existing authorities as part of his long-term plan to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

He is directing the Department of the Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve - while respecting sensitive areas, to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic, and to create new incentives for industry to develop their unused leases both on and offshore. Also, to give companies more time to meet higher safety standard for exploration and drilling, the administration is extending drilling leases in areas of the Gulf of Mexico that were impacted by the temporary moratorium, as well as certain leases off the coast of Alaska. And, he is establishing a new interagency working group to ensure that Arctic development projects meet health, safety and environmental standards.

The past few months, rising gas prices have put an added strain on American families. While there are no quick fixes to the problem, these are steps, along with eliminating taxpayer subsidies for oil companies and rooting out fraud and manipulation in the markets, that are worth taking.

Watch It:

What is Fracking?  How will it effect the health of yourself, your family, and your community?  Why does it matter to Ohioans right now?

We will discuss these and other important questions at a special screening of the award winning documentary Gasland followed by a discussion on Fracking in Ohio featuring Cleveland area State Legislators and Environmental experts.

Gasland Screening and Discussion
Monday, May 9
6:30 pm
St. Paul's Community Church
4427 Franklin Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44113

Hosted by:
State Representative Nickie Antonio, State Representative Mike Foley, State Senator Mike Skindell, No Frack Ohio Coalition, ProgressOhio.org

Speaking from a hybrid vehicle transmission company in Indiana, the President explains how investments in a clean energy economy are the only solution to high gas prices in the long term.

Watch It:

What is 'fracking'?:

Hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking', is a process used by oil and gas companies of extracting natural gas by drilling into the earth and breaking up rock formations by injecting tens of thousands of gallons of hazardous and proprietary chemicals into the ground.

Gov. Kasich has said hydraulic fracking would be a 'godsend' for Ohio. He could not be farther from the truth. In reality, fracking will benefit out of state workers and corporations, create boom and bust local economies, jeopardize the health of Ohioans, and disturb natural environments.

Some Facts About Fracking:

• Drillers are exempt from EPA guidelines like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act
• Drilling releases Nitrogen Oxide and Volatile Organic Compounds, resulting in destructive surface smog
• Researchers have found almost 600 different chemicals in fracking fluid, including benzene, a known carcinogen
• Over 80,000 pounds of chemicals are injected into the earth's crust to frack each well. Wells can be fracked over a dozen times during the production cycle.
• Up to 80% of the Fracking Fluid remains in the ground and is not biodegradable
• Fracking may also be linked to hundreds of recent earthquakes in Arkansas
• The current horizontal fracking boom only began in 2005. Despite industry claims of a long track record, only 3 wells in Ohio are horizontally fracked.
• The United States EPA is currently doing a comprehensive fracking study that will have data in 2012 and a complete report in 2014

What You Can Do:

Sign our petition now to tell Gov. Kasich Don't Frack Up Ohio! Suspend all fracking in Ohio until the proper studies are done and safety regulations are in place!

Environmental Lobby Day 2011 is your chance to unleash the power of green at the Ohio Statehouse.

Join the Ohio Environmental Council's environmental-conservation network to bring environmental concerns and priorities directly to state lawmakers and officials from environmental and regulatory agencies.

The OEC will set up meetings for you with lawmakers as well as give you tips and information to make your meetings as productive as possible.

The day includes lunch at the Statehouse Atrium with lawmakers and staff, and an evening "Cocktails & Conversation" reception to network and share the day's experiences.

With gas at nearly $4 a gallon, oil companies are currently enjoying record profits. Yesterday, as House Speaker John Boehner was facing pointed questioning, he allowed that oil companies "ought to be paying their fair share."

This was surprising, given that in the past three months ago, the House GOP unanimously voted to keep our current generous oil subsidies and rejected an attempt to recoup $53 billion in recent subsidies.

What was less was surprising, was what happened earlier today when John Boehner's spokesman tried to walk the comments back. Oil companies booked nearly half a trillion dollars in profits between 2005-2009, yet Boehner found it necessary to back away from comments that they do their fair share.

[h/t ThinkProgress]

More Images Here

This morning, a coalition of environmental groups and citizens called No Frack Ohio stood up for our state and our future.  The protest outside the Ohio Union at the Ohio State University drew a diverse and bi-partisan crowd of participants to oppose high volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," under current regulatory frameworks. 

Inside the Student Union, pro-industry spokesmen were speaking to speaking to State Legislators about the future fracking "boom" at a conference sponsored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and The Ohio State University Institute on Energy and Environment. Not one representative of an environmental or citizen group was invite to present at the conference, only pro-industry businessmen who will make windfall profits from oil and gas drilling in Ohio. 

The protest was organized by NO FRACK OHIO, a collaboration of over 50 grassroots and conservation groups calling for a moratorium on horizontal hydraulic fracturing until further safeguards are put in place to protect human health and the environment. The NO FRACK OHIO collaboration is also opposed to legislation pending in the statehouse that would open all public lands to oil and gas drilling, including state parks, nature preserves and university grounds. 

Fracking Protest

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

9:30 am

Out front of the Ohio Union at Ohio State University

1739 N. High Street

The Ohio State University Institute of Energy and Environment and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has invited Ohio lawmakers to hear from two national industry "experts" about the "safe" development of shale energy resources in Ohio. 

Of course, these "experts" are biased owners of companies that provide resources and equipment to the Fracking industry and will make windfall profits off drilling in State Parks and public lands.   Despite being hosted by the ODNR, a state agency, there is no one on the panel to represent the actual people of Ohio who will have to suffer the harmful effects of Fracking for the rest of their lives.

Don't let them silence our voice.  Please show these Legislators that the people of Ohio care more about clean water, air, and land for our children than windfall profits for Big Oil.

Ohio lawmakers who support a moratorium will make a statement immediately following the conference. Please come out and show your support for this effort. 

There will also be a screening of Gasland following the protest at 12:30-3:00 pm in the lower level meeting room at the Ohio Union.

Come protest and let OSU, Ohio Legislators, and Big Oil and gas know that Ohio is a Frack free zone!

The President lays out his plans to address rising gas prices over the short and the long term, from a new task force to root out fraud and manipulation in the oil markets to investments in a clean energy economy.

Watch It:

Document found might provide evidence of fraud in getting homeowners to sign

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and other Democratic members of the Ohio House Agriculture Committee this afternoon asked the state Attorney General to investigate possible deceptive tactics to get Ohio homeowners to sign oil and gas leases.

A concerned constituent found a document that appears to be an instruction guide for an oil and gas exploration company agent on how to get landowners to sign leases. The document was left in the driveway of a home near Yellow Springs, Ohio. The letter has not yet been authenticated.

"This document causes us great concern and apprehension over the possibility of a pattern of corrupt activity and actual fraud in the leasing of landowner oil & gas rights in Ohio," said Rep Fedor, in a letter to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine also signed by Rep. Dennis Murray (D-Sandusky) and Rep. Mark Okey (D-Carrolton). "The document highlights practices that are questionable at best and outright misleading on material issues of fact and law. Because of our grave concern for the rights of Ohio consumers, we are asking your office to investigate this document and the extent to which fraud have been used to induce Ohio landowners to sign oil & gas leases."

"The decision to enter into one of these leases, which heavily favor the industry, is one of the most important decisions a landowner will ever make," said Rep. Murray, a member of the Agriculture Committee. "Ohio needs to protect its property owners from the organized criminal activity I which it appears at least one company is engaged."

Shale gas, produced by "hydraulic fracturing" or "fracking," could create as much as twice the greenhouse gasses as coal, according to a groundbreaking report from Cornell University researchers.

Over the past few years, the Washington D.C. consensus has been that shale gas is better for the environment than coal. President Obama has praised natural gas and given it partial credit in his proposed "clean energy standard". Gov. Kasich has said more drilling of the shale deposits located in Ohio would be "a Godsend".

But Cornell Prof. Robert Howarth argues in the new study that gas produced from fracking will create even more greenhouse gases than the burning of coal in the next two decades - a critical window in which society must reduce emissions to combat climate change.

While natural gas is often viewed as a "cleaner alternative" to conventional fossil fuels - and is often promoted as a "bridge fuel" by environmentalists and politicians alike - the new Cornell report explodes this myth.

Gas produced from fracking is not just a "bridge to nowhere," it turns out to be a highway to hell. The Cornell study makes clear that the widely-held perception that gas is the "cleaner" darling of the fossil fuel trio is a myth. With total methane emissions factored in, shale gas turns out to have the greatest climate impact of all the fossil fuels.

Related:

The 'Fracking' Of Ohio State Parks

John Kasich: A Fracking Mess For Ohio's Environment

The Columbus Dispatch Says Drilling is Risky Business

Video: Gasland: Will The Boom In Natural Gas Drilling Contaminate America's Water Supply?

Fracking Ohio, Are Fossil Fuels Worth All This Hassle?

A coalition of 27 environmental groups in Ohio, including the Sierra Club, the Buckeye Forestry Council, and the Ohio Environmental Council, sent a letter to Governor Kasich and leader of the Ohio House to voice opposition to House Bill 133, which would open up State Parks to oil and gas drilling.

The signers stated "We believe that our state parks, state forests, state nature preserves, Lake Erie, and other state properties should be off limits to oil and gas extraction. Our state parks attract 50 million visitors each year, and the State of Ohio has a solemn duty to honor its promise to perpetually care for--and not exploit--its public lands, to forever protect the last remaining vestiges of our natural heritage for generations to come."

The letter outlined 7 main points against drilling in State Parks:

1. Only a small percentage of Ohio's landscape currently is off limits to oil and gas drilling. 
2. Drilling on State Lands will require the State to acquire expensive new land.
3. Drilling in Public Lands threatens tourism revenues for local and rural communities. 
4. Our State Lands should be protected from pollution and other risks caused by drilling. 
5. Drilling would disrupt the pristine ecosystems on our State Lands. 
6. Drilling on State Lands does not outweigh the financial liabilities and safety risks. 
7. The Majority of Ohioans oppose drilling on our State Lands

Please contact your legislator or the sponsor of House Bill 133, Representative John Adams at 614-466-1507 or district78@ohr.state.oh.us and tell him we need to protect State Parks, not exploit them.

The full letter is below:

Today, Republicans in the House energy committee voted not once, not twice, but three times, against amendments recognizing that climate change is real, despite the broad scientific consensus that "climate change is happening and human beings are a major reason for it."

They then unanimously voted in favor of the Upton-Inhofe bill to repeal the EPA's scientific endangerment finding on greenhouse pollution.

The 31 Republicans and three Democrats who voted in favor of H.R. 910 have received a grand total of $343,750 from Koch Industries, an average of more than $10,000 each.

It's not funny at all that our Congress is being bought off by the Loch brothers, but Rep. Markey adds a little levity by asking if they plan to legislate against gravity, relativity.

Watch It:

Japan is battling to stave off a nuclear disaster after an explosion at a north-eastern nuclear plant in the wake of the enormous earthquake and tsunami.

Authorities are evacuating tens of thousands of residents living within a 12 mile (20km) radius of the Fukushima Daiichi plant and those within 6 miles of a second installation in Futuba, 150 miles north of Tokyo.

The explosion followed warnings of a possible meltdown after problems with the cooling system and confirmation of a radiation leak at Fukushima No 1 plant. But nuclear safety officials said it was unlikely the reactor had suffered serious damage, according to the Kyodo news agency.

It is feared that 1,300 people died in Friday's double disaster, most being killed as the wall of mud and water engulfed buildings, roads and vehicles, Japanese media reported. But the priority now is to tackle the crisis at the power plant.

Kyodo cited an official who said that the rate of hourly radiation leaking from Fukushima was equal to the amount usually permitted in a year.

Watch It:

ProgressOhio has joined with over 50 environmental and health organizations throughout the state to prevent hydraulic fracturing, also known as 'fracking', in Ohio. A letter representing tens of thousands of citizens was sent to Ohio's general assembly calling for an immediate moratorium to prevent Ohio Department of Natural Resources from issuing permits allowing for horizontal hydraulic fracturing in the state.

A recent story in The Huffington Post has linked the process to earthquakes in Arkansas, of which more than 800 have occured in the area in the past six months, including a magnitude 4.7 quake. 

The EPA has proposed examining every aspect of hydraulic fracturing, from water withdrawals to waste disposal, according to a draft plan the agency released Tuesday. If the study goes forward as planned, it would be the most comprehensive investigation of whether the drilling technique risks polluting drinking water near oil and gas wells across the nation.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process in which large volumes of water, sand and chemicals are injected at high pressures to extract oil and natural gas from underground rock formations. The process creates fractures in formations such as shale rock, allowing natural gas or oil to escape into the well and be recovered. Over the past few years, the use of hydraulic fracturing for gas extraction has increased and has expanded over a wider diversity of geographic regions and geologic formations.

Watch It:

Visit Gasland

At a sprawling, daylong hearing punctuated by pictures of Arctic ice caps and coal miners, a House Energy and Commerce panel set the tone for what could be a months-long GOP war on the Obama Administration's climate and clean energy programs, beginning with U.S. EPA's plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson testified before the Committee. In her testimony the Administrator highlighted the agency's ongoing efforts to develop sensible standards that update the Clean Air Act, while ensuring that the landmark law continues to provide Americans the protections from dangerous pollution that they deserve. These reasonable steps will ensure that the air our children breathe and the water they drink is safe, while also providing certainty to American businesses.

Despite these pragmatic steps to implement long overdue updates, big polluters are trying to gut the Clean Air Act by asking Congress to carve out special loopholes from air pollution standards and the Republican climate change deniers are or course, ready to once again bow before their corporate masters.  

The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the necessary tools to protect our families from a number of harmful pollutants that can cause asthma and lung disease - especially in children.  Weakening these standards would allow more pollution in the air we breathe and threaten our children's health. We thought it might be helpful to refresh everyone on how this landmark law affects our country and protects our health.

The Editorial Board of The Columbus Dispatch recently weighed in on why they think state lawmakers considering opening state parks for drilling for gas and oil is very risky business. 

Editorial: Step carefully

State parks, water shouldn't be put at risk by drilling

Now, the state's budget deficit has mushroomed to $8 billion and counting, lawmakers are eager to find ways to balance the budget and a new drilling technique has the energy industry promising new riches beneath eastern Ohio's forests and farmlands.

But lawmakers should consider carefully the costs of hydraulic fracturing of the shale that lies deep beneath Salt Fork State Park.

The oil-and-gas-extraction technique, sometimes shortened to fracking, has generated a lot of excitement and some payoff in Pennsylvania, where large parts of the state contain oil-and-gas-bearing Marcellus shale. Eastern Ohio's Utica shale also is energy-rich.

Drilling horizontally deep underground, the technique involves blasting millions of gallons of water into the rock, smashing it apart and releasing the gas or oil. The problem is that the briny wastewater, sometimes containing industrial chemicals, has to go somewhere. In Pennsylvania, most of it goes into rivers, after passing through treatment plants that can remove only some of the salt and chemicals.

New regulations in Pennsylvania are expected to improve the treatment, and more drilling companies are developing processes to reuse the wastewater instead of discharging it. Other states require drillers to inject the wastewater into deep wells.

Leaping into hydraulic fracturing without adequate regulations was costly in Pennsylvania; in 2008, the Monongahela River downstream from a treatment plant that handled fracking waste became so salty at times that it corroded machinery at a steel mill and power plant.

If Ohio shale is to be subject to fracking, in or out of state parks, regulators should learn from other states' mistakes and successes. Under nearly four decades of protection from the federal Clean Water Act, Ohio's rivers and streams have recovered greatly from the pollution of earlier times. Their health, and the safety of drinking-water supplies, shouldn't be put at risk again.

You can read the full editorial here.

According to NOAA scientists, 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record, beginning in 1880. This was the 34th consecutive year with global temperatures above the 20th century average. The new figures show that 9 of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred since the beginning of 2001.

The new figures confirm that 2010 will go down as one of the more remarkable years in the annals of climatology. It featured prodigious snowstorms that broke seasonal records in the United States and Europe; a record-shattering summer heat wave that scorched Russia; strong floods that drove people from their homes in places like Pakistan, Australia, California and Tennessee; a severe die-off of coral reefs; and a continuation in the global trend of a warming climate.

Offshore Wind Farm to Position Ohio, Cleveland as Global Renewable Energy Leaders

Columbus, OH - In his last official act as governor, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today signed an Option-to-Lease contract between the State of Ohio and the Lake Erie Energy Development Company (LEEDCo), a major step toward the construction of the world's first freshwater wind farm in Lake Erie.  The contract further positions Cleveland and the State of Ohio as global leaders in advanced energy industry job creation and in the production and distribution of renewable energy.

The agreement between the State of Ohio, LEEDCo, and Freshwater Wind I, LLC, was signed, on behalf of the state by, Governor Strickland, Attorney General Richard Cordray, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sean Logan.  The legally binding contract gives LEEDCo and Freshwater Wind the exclusive right to pursue a submerged lands lease for a designated area in Ohio's portion of Lake Erie.

If performance metrics are met within the timeline established in the contract, Ohio will be home to the first freshwater wind farm in the world.

"This agreement advances the project to build the first freshwater offshore wind farm in the world and emphasizes Cleveland's role as an international hub of renewable energy," Strickland said. "This project builds on the strengths of Ohio's manufacturing and maritime industries, our incredible natural resources, and our advanced research capacities, and puts Northeast Ohio on the cusp of creating thousands of jobs in the growing wind energy industry. We can develop Lake Erie's wind resources and grow our economy, while protecting the lake's value as a vast natural resource. I am very proud of the partnership we've developed with local and civic leaders to help us reach this point, and I strongly encourage the state to continue this collaborative effort."

The area covered by the Option-to-Lease agreement consists of nine grid cells totaling approximately 5,706 acres and is located approximately six miles due north of the city of Lakewood (Lakewood Park area).  Ohio's first option to lease Lake Erie submerged lands for production of wind generated electricity allows a pilot project to explore the potential of offshore wind in Lake Erie.  LEEDCo and Freshwater Wind expect to install five wind turbines at the proposed site beginning late 2012 in an initial project expected to produce approximately 20 megawatts of electric generating capacity. According to estimates by NorTech, the initial project is estimated to create and sustain more than 600 jobs.

The Ohio Environmental Council and Gateway Film Center is unleashing the power of green with an exciting, monthly environmental film series.

Running the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., Green Screen showcases a diversity of inspiring and informative films, complete with Q&A sessions with directors and producers, free giveaways, and more!

Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Ohio Environmental Council and help continue to secure healthy air, land, and water for all who call Ohio home.

Join us before the show for cocktails at the Martini Shot Bistro, located within the film center, and network with businesses and organizations including WCBE and ProgressOhio. The pre-show will focus on the selected movie theme and will offer a fantastic opportunity for local businesses and organizations to collaborate.

After the show: Filmmaker Josh Fox will join us via Skype for a 30-minute Q & A session!

Featured Film of the Month

The next Green Screen at the Gateway Film Center will be held December 1 at 7:00 p.m. The featured film is "GASLAND."

When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire.

This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown.

After the show: Filmmaker Josh Fox will join us via Skype for a 30-minute Q & A session!

Learn more about the film at www.gaslandthemovie.com.

Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $5 for students and can be purchased online at www.gatewayfilmcenter.com or in-person at 1550 North High Street. For more information visit: www.theOEC.org or www.gatewayfilmcenter.com.

For additional information contact Allison Thomas at (614) 397-8190 or Allison@theOEC.org

Following the Tea Party wave of the midterm elections, half of the Republican caucus in the U.S. Congress now questions the scientific consensus that greenhouse pollution is a civilizational threat.

Analysis by the Wonk Room, with research by Daily Kos's RL Miller, finds that 45 of 97 Republican freshmen and 85 of 166 re-elected Republicans are confirmed climate zombies.

There are no Republican freshmen, in the House or Senate, who admit the science is real.

New members include William Marcy (Miss.-02) -- who warns of "Global Warming Environmental Terrorists" -- and Kristi Noem (S.D.) -- who voted for a resolution that "astrological" and "thermological" dynamics "effect" the weather.

"The European companies are funding almost exclusively Senate candidates who have been outspoken in their opposition to comprehensive climate policy in the US and candidates who actively deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening and is caused by people."

Environmental extremists, they better not make the environment god. They got a hang-up in that way just as well. A little bit of balance here. [O'Reilly Factor, 5/28/04]

As you know, global warming is cyclical, and the focus of a ferocious debate, almost as ferocious as a T. Rex. [O'Reilly Factor, 7/3/08]

Save me from a cap and trade bill that's going to put a dagger in the Midwest and is basically one politician against slapping another on the back. [Sean Hannity, 7/8/09]

As a congressman, Kasich voted against implementing greenhouse pollution policy. During the gubernatorial campaign, Kasich has threatened to kill Ohio's renewable energy standard. "It will drive up utility bills because we don't have it ready and have to buy it somewhere else," he claimed. "I don't like that and you can't mandate invention."

Gov. Ted Strickland accused Kasich of being "ill-informed" and "reckless" for opposing the renewable standard. "New-energy jobs are the wave of the future and creating a new energy standard not only means a better environment for future Ohioans, it means that growing advanced energy companies, such as the ones standing with me, are locating and growing right here in Ohio." Strickland said.

News Corp billionaire Rupert Murdoch gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association because of his "friendship with John Kasich."

~ Wonk Room

See Also:

Shadows On High: Gone with Kasich's Wind

At the GreenGov Symposium this morning, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that the the Obama White House will bring back solar power, removed decades ago by the Reagan administration. "The number one question we get when greening the White House, is whether we're putting solar panels on the roof," Council on Environmental Quality chair Nancy Sutley said in her introduction.

After noting the many practical steps the Obama administration has taken to restore the solar energy industry in this nation, Chu announced that the the "White House will lead by example" by installing solar panels and a solar water heater on the roof:

As we move towards a clean energy economy, the White House will lead by example. I am pleased to announce that by the end of this spring, there will be solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity and a solar hot water heater on the roof of the White House. It's been a long time since we've had them up there. These two solar installations will be part of a Department of Energy demonstration project. The project will show that American solar technology is available, reliable, and ready to install in homes throughout the country. Around the world, the White House is a symbol of freedom and democracy. It should also be a symbol of America's commitment to a clean energy future.

Watch it:

~ Wonk Room

At the Paris Motor Show today, electric cars are everywhere.

Chevrolet is showing off the Volt, its plug-in hybrid due in U.S. showrooms this December. (Motown music blared as a Chevy rep told me all about the car's performance.) Nissan is displaying the Leaf, its all-electric sedan scheduled to roll off assembly lines in Tennessee starting in 2012. Volvo has new plug-in models. So do Saab, Peugot and other European manufacturers. And as I walked through the gates in a huge crowd, the first paper put in my hands was a glossy newspaper describing the show under the headline "Un Mondial Electrique" ("An Electric World").

And even though I'm a Michigan Wolverine, my favorite might have been the sleek all-electric "Buckeye Bullet" built by a team at Ohio State University that broke records going 320 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August.

Read The Full Story Here

David Sandalow is the Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs

From "drill baby drill" to a mere footnote: House GOP tiptoe around energy, environment in a policy agenda short on details.

What a difference two years and 4.4 million barrels of spilled oil makes.

House Republicans Thursday confirmed their commitment to standing against whatever the Democrats are standing for. Despite claims from House Republican Conference Chair Mike Spence (R-Ind.) that the GOP could now be referred to as 'the party of yes' for putting forth real solutions to the critical problems this country faces, the 2010 Republican agenda,"A Pledge to America" (pdf), offers no new solutions to our growing energy problems and ignores climate and the environment altogether.

Federal Funds Will Bolster Access to Clean Water

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Governor Ted Strickland, and Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-17) announced today that a $4,997,000 loan and $4,290,000 grant were awarded to the Kinsman Township Wastewater Treatment Plant by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development's Community Facility Loan and Grant Program. These funds will provide access to clean water in Trumbull County.  In June, Brown wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in support of the project. 

"All Ohioans deserve access to clean water, but too many rural communities are struggling to afford costly, but necessary, upgrades to sewer systems," Brown said. "This funding will help more than 350 residential and commercial users in Kinsman Township upgrade outdated water and sewer systems that will provide safe drinking water, attract new businesses to the area, and keep water and sewer rates affordable for residents."

"The recession hit the Mahoning Valley hard but we are working every day to rebuild the Valley's economy from the ground up," Strickland said. "This investment means new jobs and creates a reliable infrastructure for long-term economic development in Trumbull County."

"My congratulations go out to the Trumbull County Commissioners on the receipt of this important, community-building grant," stated Congressman Ryan.  "Senator Brown, Governor Strickland, and I are proud to support investments in our rural communities, especially in this difficult economy where every dollar counts and critical infrastructure upgrades are desperately needed.  By skillfully leveraging local dollars to secure a federal grant of this size, Trumbull County is able to make significant and necessary improvements a reality."

WASHINGTON, DC - Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and John Goss, the recently appointed Asian Carp Director at CEQ, will join other Obama Administration officials for a meeting on Asian carp with Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and representatives from the States of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, New York and Minnesota.  The meeting will take place in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Complex at 10:30 AM.

The Federal officials attending the meeting include representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Coast Guard.  Many of the Federal officials participating are also members of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC), which is a team of Federal, state and local agencies working together to prevent Asian carp from establishing populations in the Great Lakes. 

The Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, released by the RCC in February, 2010, and updated in May, 2010, unifies Federal, state and local action in an unparalleled effort to combat invasive species.

The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) and the Gateway Film Center (GFC) unleash the power of green with the  continuation of an exciting, monthly environmental film series the first Wednesday of every month. Green Screen at the Gateway Film Center's next showing will be the documentary Living Downstream September 1, 2010 at 7pm.

Based on the acclaimed book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., Living Downstream is a cinematic feature-length documentary.  This poetic 85-minute film follows Sandra during one  pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links.

Through Sandra's personal journey and her scientific exploration, Living Downstream is a powerful reminder of the intimate connection between the health of our bodies and the health of our air, land and water.
   
The Gateway Film Center (1550 North High Street) is located in the dynamic South Campus Gateway at The Ohio State University. Parking can be found in the gateway garage, which has over two dozen parking spaces reserved for low-emission vehicles and racks for 85 bicycles.
   
More than just a movie showing, Green Screen is a community event bringing together individuals, local organizations, and businesses; complete with before and after the show highlights. The film series is sponsored by the WCBE radio station, which serves the cultural, informational, and educational needs of  Central Ohio. All proceeds from the event benefit the Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio's leading advocate for fresh air, clean water, and sustainable land use.

Join us before the show for cocktails at the Martini Shot Bistro, located within the film center, and network with our partners including The Columbus International Film + Video Festival, ProgressOhio and Whole Foods.  The pre-show will also focus on the selected movie theme and will offer a fantastic opportunity for local businesses and organizations to collaborate.  

Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $5 for students and can be purchased online at www.gatewayfilmcenter.com or in-person at 1550 North High Street. For more information visit:  www.theOEC.org or www.gatewayfilmcenter.com.

For additional information contact Allison Thomas at (614) 397-8190.

Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) is pressing his case for an increase in the gas tax as a way to help close the federal budget deficit and create additional jobs.

In a letter to members of President Obama's debt commission, Voinovich laid out his argument for the increase.

"Fuel taxes today fund the vast majority of the federal government's investment in infrastructure projects," Voinovich wrote in the letter. "Due to dwindling fuel tax receipts, Congress has had to transfer billions of dollars from the General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund to maintain our current level of federal involvement."

Voinovich said the tax hike is needed to help keep the Highway Trust Fund afloat.

"The lack of investment in our crumbling bridge, highway, and transit systems is a missed opportunity for the creation of thousands of well paying jobs and long term economic growth for our Nation," said Voinovich.  

The federal fuel tax has not seen an increase for nearly two decades. It's currently 18.4 cents a gallon, which it was set at in 1993.

The Obama administration has come out against the idea of raising the gas tax.

Voinovich, the ranking member on the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, has been pushing the idea of a hike for a while.

“I believe Americans are willing to pay a higher gas tax to create jobs, improve our infrastructure and better our climate," Voinovich said at a business conference in Ohio last month. "And many of my conservative colleagues do not consider that gas tax as a tax, but as a user fee.

It's the same argument Voinovich made back in April when he called for a fuel tax increase. Voinovich said the money would help jumpstart the economy by helping fund transportation projects.

It's not an idea lawmakers of either party are likely to embrace and Voinovich certainly isn't known for toeing his party's line in the Senate. 

The Ohio Environmental Council and Gateway Film Center unleash the power of green with the launch of an exciting, monthly environmental film series the first Wednesday of every month, beginning in June.

Running the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., Green Screen will showcase a diversity of inspiring and informative films, complete with Q&A sessions with directors and producers, free giveaways, and more!

Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Ohio Environmental Council and help continue to secure healthy air, land, and water for all who call Ohio home.

Featured Film of the Month

The next Green Screen at the Gateway Film Center will be held tonight August 4 at 7:00 p.m. The featured film is "Collapse".

"Meet Michael Ruppert, a different kind of American. A former Los Angeles police officer turned independent reporter, he predicted the current financial crisis in his self-published newsletter, From the Wilderness, at a time when most Wall Street and Washington analysts were still in denial...While other observers analyze details of the economic crisis, Ruppert views it as symptomatic of nothing less than the collapse of industrial civilization itself."

Learn more about the film at www.collapsemovie.com.

When
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Where
Gateway Film Center
1550 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 545-2255

We hope to see you there! 

The same day that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced that he did not have the votes to pass a cap-and-trade bill, even a scaled-down utility-only version, news broke that China has decided to institute its own cap-and-trade system.

Republicans have long argued that there is no sense in capping greenhouse gas emissions in the United States if major emitters like China refuse to impose caps of their own. The announcement appears to deflate that argument.

The state-run China Daily reported yesterday:

The country is set to begin domestic carbon trading programs during its 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015) to help it meet its 2020 carbon intensity target.

The decision was made at a closed-door meeting chaired by Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and attended by officials from related ministries, enterprises, environmental exchanges and think tanks, a participant told China Daily on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.

“The consensus that a domestic carbon-trading scheme is essential was reached, but a debate is still ongoing among experts and industries regarding what approach should be adopted,” the source said.

While U.S. senators continue to fiddle around and fail to pass legislation that will address global warming, China’s leaders are moving full steam ahead to develop solutions that can begin to address its energy and environmental challenges. This news comes on the heels of a number of reports that China is surging past the US in the deployment of clean energy.

Last year China overtook the US in clean energy investments and China’s domestic wind manufacturers have doubled their market share in the span of one year. I wonder what the facts will be next year if the Senate continues to discuss, while China moves forward.

This week, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) “introduced bipartisan legislation to create a National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes in order to protect and preserve these natural resources for future generations,” according to a press release.

The legislation would establish a new grant program to fund activities to preserve and restore our ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems to protect the communities and economies that rely on these areas.  The Endowment will include rigorous application and review procedures as well as performance accountability measures for funded projects.  It will be administered by the Secretary of Commerce in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Council on Environmental Quality, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Director of the National Science Foundation. 

The Endowment “would be funded by interest accrued from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and the dedication of 12.5 percent of revenues from offshore energy development, including oil, gas, and renewable energy.”

Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and George Voinovich (R-OH) “on Wednesday unveiled a bill that would create a 10-year, ‘self-financed’ $20 billion program to deploy commercial-scale carbon capture and sequestration technology,” Congressional Quarterly reports.

Developing technology on a commercial scale to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions at coal-fired power plants is considered essential to the continued use of coal, which produces about half of U.S. electricity and roughly one-third of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

A press release notes “five tenets” of the legislation:

• CCS Innovation Program – The program will authorize a cooperative industry-government research and development program in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy to spur additional CCS-related research and development. The goal of this program will be to demonstrate new and innovative technologies to capture, use or store carbon dioxide. Industry partners would be required to match up to 20 percent of the government’s investment. This program would enhance existing DOE efforts led by the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, West Virginia. Additionally, DOE would be required to report annually on the fossil energy program, the state of CCS deployment, and recommendations to speed technology deployment. DOE’s efforts would be reviewed annually by the Government Accountability Office.
• CCS Pioneer Program – The ‘Pioneer Phase’ of the plan calls for the deployment of 20 gigawatts (GW) of CCS capacity. During this initial phase of investment, early technology developers may face technological and economic risks with the deployment of CCS technologies. The incentives, including a self-financed $20 billion fund, in this title are designed to alleviate these risks and spur rapid deployment of CCS systems and equipment.
• CCS Early Adopter Program – Following the ‘Pioneer Phase’ of development, the technological risks associated with CCS should be retired but operational incentives would be required to mitigate the economic risks. The bill would provide tax credits based on the amount of carbon dioxide captured at facilities, providing price certainty for investors in power plants and industrial facilities.
• Technology Standard for Power Plants – After CCS technology is deployed on the first 10 GW of generating capacity, the next phase of deployment would require power plants permitted between bill enactment and completion of the pioneer program to be retrofitted with the demonstrated CCS technology.
• Long-term Stewardship and Liability – Senators Rockefeller and Voinovich spent months working with a diverse group of stakeholders to develop a proposal that provides a stable legal and regulatory framework for various stages of the projects during operation and post-closure. The absence of such a framework has been a significant barrier discouraging private sector investment in CCS technologies.

According to CQ, the two Senators “said they are introducing the bill as a stand-alone measure, but made it clear they hope to see it integrated into a Senate energy bill that Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is assembling to address the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, promote renewable energy, and reduce greenhouse gases from electric utilities.”



(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images)


New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) - A federal appeals panel on Thursday upheld a district judge's order to block the Obama administration's six-month ban on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

In a brief ruling just a few hours after the hearing, the three-judge appellate panel denied the government's request to reinstate the moratorium while the full appeal of the case continues.

The government declared the moratorium in response to the April 20 explosion and fire on a deepwater rig that led to the Gulf oil disaster, with millions of gallons gushing into the ocean and oil giant BP unable to stop it.

Full story

The Administration launched a new website, RestoreTheGulf.gov, to be a central location for news and information on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the ongoing response and recovery efforts. National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen explains:

We are committed to providing the American people access to complete and accurate information about our response to the BP oil spill and the resources available to assist those directly impacted. RestoreTheGulf.gov will provide even greater transparency and openness about the BP oil spill, our historic response, the tools available to assist Gulf Coast communities, and plans for the region’s long-term recovery and restoration.

More details:

The site offers easy-to-navigate information about the claims and appeals process—as well as other types of assistance available from federal, state, local and non-government sources—for individuals, businesses and communities who have been affected by the spill. It will also contain information about plans for the long-term economic and environmental restoration in the Gulf Coast region.

The public can view details about current operations, resources in specific states and localities, mapping and data resources, and ongoing investigations as well as oil spill data collected throughout the federal government.

In addition, users can find information about ways to get involved—including volunteer opportunities, how to submit a suggestion and how to report concerns about oiled shoreline or wildlife—and a comprehensive list of all hotline numbers related to the oil spill.

Visit RestoreTheGulf.gov»

You can also get updates from the Joint Information Center on twitter by following @Oil_Spill_2010.

Former Rep. Rob Portman, the current GOP candidate for Senate in Ohio, is lying about Democrat-sponsored clean energy policy in a new ad.

The ad parrots the main Republican talking point on energy policy: that any effort to put a price on pollution amounts to a job-killing national tax on anyone who flips a light switch. In fact, House Democrats passed a bill last year that would create millions of jobs and cost families "less than a postage stamp a day," and the American Power Act pending in the Senate would hold polluters accountable and start reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

On top of Portman's lies, his ad asks voters to read his energy proposal. Unfortunately for Ohioans, the "Portman Plan on Energy" is based on bad science and full of bad policy.

Ad Uses False GOP Talking Points To Promote Portman Energy Plan > >

Full Transcript of the President's remarks below:

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) today applauded the compromise between the Ohio Farm Bureau and Humane Society of the United States that would effectively prohibit the Hi-Q egg facility from operating in Union County. 

Kilroy has worked to ensure that Hi-Q did not begin operations to bring six million more chickens to Union County citing her constituents’ concerns about the impact on drinking water and other environmental factors. Kilroy released the following statement:

“The people of Union County have won a victory with this compromise that stops Hi-Q from opening a facility that would threaten clean drinking water, clean air and destroy property values.  I am pleased that all sides put politics aside and agreed on a practical solution to an issue that affects central Ohioans. I’ve worked to ensure that Hi-Q will not have a negative impact on my constituents and am happy that the Governor was listening.”

Why are Republicans so intellectually dishonest?  Last week I posted this, but only crickets from Ohio's biggest climate change deniers and globalonyists.

Newspapers Retract 'Climategate' Claims, Will Ohio Climate Change Deniers Do The Same?

Today we have further proof, but will Bizzy and Taxman do the right thing and own up to their errors in the past?  Probably not.

Pennsylvania State University today concluded that there is “no substance” to allegations of misconduct levied against Professor Michael Mann late last year by climate science deniers.

The Penn State Investigatory Committee’s final report found that Mann’s “scientific work, especially the conduct of his research, has from the beginning of his career been judged to be outstanding by a broad spectrum of scientists.”

The committee further determined that: “Dr. Michael E. Mann did not engage in, nor did he participate in, directly or indirectly, any actions that seriously deviated from accepted practices within the academic community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research, or other scholarly activities.”

Special Advisor to the Project on Climate Science Sherwood Boehlert, hailed the report, saying: “This exoneration should close the book on the absurd episode in which climate scientists were unjustly attacked when in fact they have been providing a great public service.” Boehlert, former Congressman (R- NY) and Chair of the House Science Committee, added, “The attacks on scientists were a manufactured distraction, and today’s report is a welcome return to common sense. While scientists can now focus on their work, policy makers need to address the very real problem of climate change.”

The inquiry by a panel of faculty members with impeccable credentials included an exhaustive examination of all of the stolen e-mails pertinent to Dr. Mann; extensive interviews of Dr. Mann and top scientists from other universities and institutions; as well as written materials and copies of e-mails sought from and supplied by Dr. Mann.

Mann’s scientific work came under intensive attack following the widely publicized theft of numerous e-mails stolen from a server at the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia in Great Britain in November 2009. Various e-mails by Professor Mann were, as he said, “misrepresented, cherry-picked. . . [and] completely twisted to imply the opposite of what was actually being said.”

Penn State began its investigation almost immediately after it received numerous complaining e-mails, letters and phone calls in the aftermath of the November 2009 e-mail thefts, looking into four formal allegations synthesized from those complaints. Investigators earlier this year found no substance to the first three allegations, and today’s report affirms the integrity of Mann’s research on all counts.

This final Penn State report echoes the recent flurry of media retractions and various official investigations debunking the “Climate-gate” scandal.

All of the climate scientists targeted by the hacked e-mails from the Climate Research Unit of East Anglia University have been exonerated. The panels found that the scientists were innocent of any significant wrongdoing – and, furthermore, that none of the information in the stolen e-mails alters the fundamental scientific findings of their research.

Gov. Ted Strickland designated northwest Ohio as the solar energy hub in the state Wednesday to help attract new solar-related investment and jobs.

The announcement was made at the University of Toledo's Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation.

Northwest Ohio as the solar energy hub will now join Dayton as the aerospace hub and Cleveland as the health and technology hub.

The governor's designation includes a $250,000 grant to spark new connections between researchers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers.

Gov. Strickland said the hub will focus on promoting economic development by attracting new businesses in the solar industry. The partners include the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and several other area colleges that will gelp the solar industry of Ohio continue to grow.

"Northwest Ohio has everything that's needed to attract and support clusters of connected solar businesses and new investments and while doing so to nurture on going and breakthrough research. We're focusing on solar right now because of history and current activities, Xunlight, Willard & Kelsey as well as First Solar," Strickland said.

Several educational institutions are hub partners, including the University of Toledo and BGSU.

Watch It:

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee “on Wednesday voted to eliminate limits on liability that oil companies would face for damages stemming from offshore spills like the one in the Gulf of Mexico,” Reuters reports.

The change, if approved and made law, would apply retroactively to BP Plc, whose still unchecked April 20 spill has devastated communities and the environment along the Gulf coast.

Currently, companies enjoy a $75 million cap for compensating local communities for economic losses and for cleaning up environmental damages.

BP has said it will cover all costs of its oil spill in deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which are expected to run into the billions of dollars. It has agreed to establish a $20 billion fund, but claims are expected to easily eclipse that sum.

The oil spill prompted Democrats to move quickly to eliminate the liability limits. Initially, they were pushing for a $10 billion cap, but were convinced by the Gulf of Mexico spill that a more ambitious approach was necessary.

President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a moratorium on new oil deepwater drilling permits, and shut down 33 exploratory deepwater wells on May 6.

A similar moratorium on new shallow water drilling lifted three weeks later. "Shallow" in this context means up to 499 feet deep. Both orders, however, were vague and left 3,600 existing offshore oil wells active in Gulf waters.

Since the spill, 17 new offshore oil drilling projects have been permitted.

State regulators say tests on water taken from Ohio's largest inland lake reveal that it's no longer safe for swimming and water skiing.

Tests on water samples from the lake show the presence of a liver toxin and a nerve toxin coming from the algae. It's not clear what caused the blue-green algae to bloom.

Warning signs also went up at the lake last year after the discovery of a type of algae more common in Lake Erie. Contaminants such as fertilizer and manure from nearby farms contributed to the earlier algae outbreak.

Newspapers Retract 'Climategate' Claims, but Damage Still Done

A lie can get halfway around the world while the truth is still putting its boots on, as Mark Twain said (or “before the truth gets a chance to put its pants on,” in Winston Churchill’s version), and nowhere has that been more true than in "climategate." In that highly orchestrated, manufactured scandal, e-mails hacked from computers at the University of East Anglia’s climate-research group were spread around the Web by activists who deny that human activity is altering the world’s climate in a dangerous way, and spun so as to suggest that the scientists had been lying, cheating, and generally cooking the books.

But not only did British investigators clear the East Anglia scientist at the center of it all, Phil Jones, of scientific impropriety and dishonesty in April, an investigation at Penn State cleared PSU climatologist Michael Mann of “falsifying or suppressing data, intending to delete or conceal e-mails and information, and misusing privileged or confidential information” in February. In perhaps the biggest backpedaling, The Sunday Times  of London, which led the media pack in charging that IPCC reports were full of egregious (and probably intentional) errors, retracted its central claim—namely, that the IPCC statement that up to 40 percent of the Amazonian rainforest could be vulnerable to climate change was “unsubstantiated.” The Times also admitted that it had totally twisted the remarks of one forest expert to make it sound as if he agreed that the IPCC had screwed up, when he said no such thing.

President Barack Obama “will meet with a bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday on energy and climate change legislation,” The Hill reports.

Obama rescheduled the meeting that had been set for last Wednesday at the White House but had to be canceled in the wake of the controversy sparked by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Obama "will meet with a bipartisan group of senators to discuss the process for passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation this year," according to White House guidance.

"The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe?

When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown."

GASLAND will be broadcast on HBO through 2012.

Watch The Trailer:

Columbus, OH--Governor Ted Strickland continues to lay a foundation for a growing advanced energy economy, announcing today the establishment of new $6 million green job training program and that he plans to sign legislation later today that eliminates the tangible personal property tax and real tax on generation for advanced energy projects in Ohio.

"Our plan to create Ohio jobs includes both supporting growing industries like advanced energy and helping Ohioans get the skills and education they need to secure employment in those industries," Strickland said.

Advanced Energy Tax Exemption to Make Ohio More Competitive

Strickland called for the elimination of the uncompetitive taxes on advanced energy projects in his 2010 State of the State address and made this a top priority in his 2010 job creation agenda. He will sign SB 232 tonight.

"The elimination of this burdensome tax strengthens Ohio's competitiveness in the growing energy production industries," Strickland said. "I appreciate the legislature's commitment to strengthening our advanced energy industry in Ohio.  I believe the elimination of these taxes will make it easier for advanced energy companies to do business and create jobs in Ohio."

State Senator Chris Widener sponsored SB 232, which eliminates Ohio's tangible personal property tax and real taxes on generation for advanced energy project facilities that begin construction before January 1, 2012, produce energy by 2013 (or 2017 for nuclear, clean coal and cogeneration projects) and create Ohio jobs.  Reps. Roland Winburn, Debbie Phillips and Tom Letson also provided leadership in advancing this legislation. The bill allows companies that are seeking to build advanced energy generation facilities in Ohio to make an annual payment in lieu of taxes, thereby bringing Ohio's tax rates for these kinds of projects in line with surrounding states.

New Energizing Careers Job Training Program

Governor Strickland and Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel also announced today the start of a new $6 million jobs program, the Energizing Careers Program, for training Ohio's workforce for green energy careers.

The Gulf Coast catastrophe underscores the need for comprehensive energy and climate reform to rein in Big Oil and reduce our reliance on dirty and foreign fuels.

A new poll released by the Pew Research Center shows the American people strongly support comprehensive energy legislation that includes provisions encouraging alternative energy production and limits on carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. From the poll:

• 87 percent of Americans support requiring utilities to produce more energy from renewable sources

• 78 percent support comprehensive energy legislation that includes tougher efficiency standards

• 66 percent support putting limits on carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions

BP denies the existence of giant oil plumes, while Kevin Costner and Chuck Grassley come up with their own solutions.

Watch It:

1962 Humble Oil ad in Life Magazine

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced today that 28 Ohio restoration projects, totaling $17 million in investment, were chosen as finalists by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which works to restore and protect the Great Lakes. The Ohio projects were among 270 finalists nationwide.

“Lake Erie is among Ohio’s greatest assets, and we have made the protection of these waters a top priority,” Strickland said.  “These projects reflect a commitment to making the Great Lakes safer, cleaner and healthier so that they remain valued resources for future generations of Ohioans.”

Submitted projects from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio departments of Health and Natural Resources, as well as several local governmental offices and organizations, were chosen as Ohio finalists. Finalists must submit formal project applications before receiving GLRI funding. Awards are granted as projects begin.  Some projects may begin as early as this summer.

“The health and viability of the Great Lakes is important on many levels,” said Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski. “Lake Erie is a source of drinking water for Ohioans, it provides recreational and commercial fishing opportunities and its beautiful shorelines encourage tourism. With GLRI funding, Ohio can now move forward more quickly with plans to restore and protect Lake Erie.”  

“Lake Erie is a perfect example of the connection between healthy natural resources and a strong economy,” said Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sean Logan. “If we allow either one to be diminished, both are put at risk. By helping us sustain a healthy Lake Erie, the benefits of the GLRI funding will improve the lives and livelihoods of all those who are touched by this great resource.”

GLRI will address defined Great Lakes priorities which include reducing toxic contaminants, restoring Great Lakes areas of concern, protecting beaches and beachgoers, keeping out invasive species and reducing polluted land-based run-off.  A total of $161.4 million is available under this competitive grant.  U.S. EPA received more than 1,000 project proposals.

“Many Ohioans enjoy swimming in the Great Lakes. GLRI funding will help the Ohio Department of Health take a closer look at our beaches and keep people informed of Lake Erie’s beach water quality,” said Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Alvin Jackson.

See Project finalists below:

President Barack Obama returned from a tour of the oil-stricken Gulf Coast on Friday and vowed to do all he could to help area residents and businesses clean up the mess and recover financially.

"We want to stop the leak, we want to contain and clean up the oil, and we want to help the people in this region return to their lives and livelihoods as soon as possible," the president told reporters.

Flanked by more than a dozen Gulf-area politicians and officials, the president - the sleeves of his shirt rolled up - called the oil spill that began April 20 and continues today "an assault on our shores, on our people, on the regional economy and on communities like this one.

"This isn't just a mess that we have got to mop up. People are watching their livelihoods wash up on the beach."

Watch It:

Drilling mud, not oil, appeared to gush from a ruptured undersea well 17 hours into an effort to halt a growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a BP executive said.

After BP began pumping heavy mud into the leaking well, executives said that there had been no problems so far, but they said engineers would not know until at least Thursday afternoon whether the latest remedy was having some success.

If the risky procedure, known as a top kill, stops the flow, BP would then inject cement into the well to seal it. The top kill has worked above ground but has never before been tried 5,000 feet beneath the sea. BP pegged its chance of success at 60 to 70 percent.

"We're doing everything we can to bring it to closure, and actually we're executing this top kill job as efficiently and effectively as we can," BP chief operating officer Doug Suttles said.

Earlier today, the Los Angeles Times reported:

“Engineers have stopped the flow of oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico from a gushing BP well, the federal government’s top oil spill commander, U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, said Thursday morning.

The “top kill” effort, launched Wednesday afternoon by industry and government engineers, has pumped enough drilling fluid to block all oil and gas from the well, Allen said. The pressure from the well is very low, but persists, he said.

[For the record ... an earlier version of this story termed the effort "successful." Officials clarified that neither government nor BP officials had declared the effort a success yet. They caution that only after the cementing is complete and the well is sealed can the top kill be called successful.]

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Live cam stream from WKRG via livestream.com.

Obama will also announce new offshore oil drilling regulations. Obama wants a more thorough safety inspections of drilling rigs and more regulation in regards to the permitting process.

The President will head to the Gulf Coast on Friday, making it his second visit since the rig exploded and caused an environmental catastrophe.

Environmentalists Roll Out National Ad Targeting Mountaintop Coal Mining

When most of us flip on the lights (or type into our computers, for that matter), we aren’t thinking about how those simple acts might affect those living in coal country. Yet nearly half of the country’s electricity is generated by coal, and increasingly that coal is being extracted not by removing the coal from the earth, but by removing the earth from the coal.

In Appalachia, that means blowing the tops off mountains to get at the coal seams inside — a process that cuts company costs, but also ravages neighboring communities, poisoning wells and waterways, contaminating air, killing off wildlife and flooding nearby homes. Leading scientists say the effects are irreversible.

This week, a coalition of Appalachian environmentalists launched a campaign they hope will mitigate the disconnect between the electricity Americans use and the devastating processes that keep it so cheap, unveiling a national TV ad that could bring mountaintop removal into living rooms nationwide. The idea is simple: If consumers knew they were contributing to the destruction of the country’s oldest mountains, perhaps they would demand an end to the practice.

Over 500 of America’s oldest mountains have been destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining – but a majority of Americans don’t realize that they are connected to this destruction through their electricity. We need to get this message out across the country and put the pressure on Washington to end mountaintop removal.

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From The House Floor:

We are now in the 36th day of a man-made environmental disaster which is fast becoming an ecological apocalypse for countless species of marine life. The ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico cannot survive wave after wave of toxic substances hitting the beaches.

The ultimate surprise is not that it happened. Oil companies, and Democratic and Republican administrations, refuse responsibility and rejected alternatives. In this privatization of the natural world, damage to sea life is the cost of doing business. The ultimate horror is that we can't stop the oil flood, won't stop consumption of oil products and fail to admit the limits of technology.

This is a morality play writ large as environmental collapse becomes the new normal. Can we realistically look to Washington alone to protect the natural world? More permits for offshore drilling have been issued. We must look to the consequences of our own demand and consumption: the energy we use, the kind of cars we drive, the products we buy, the food we eat, and our individual impact on the natural world.

We can seize this moment. We as individuals can begin a green wave of sustainability to save the planet--and ourselves.

The bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

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Transcript of the President's remarks below:

Strickland will join other leading wind energy governors from across the country for a panel discussion on national and state policies needed to promote wind power followed by a media availability session with his fellow governors.

During the panel discussion, Governor Strickland will make a groundbreaking announcement regarding offshore wind energy in Ohio.

David Scott of Ohio was announced as Vice President of Sierra Club's national board of directors. He joins the all-volunteer board of this 118-year-old environmental organization that serves the organization's 1.3 million members. Congratulations to David!

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and other state officials are working to protect Ohio’s greatest natural resource, Lake Erie, from Asian carp and other invasive species.

In February, Fisher participated in an Asian Carp Summit with officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies. Fisher stressed to federal officials that tougher measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of Asian carp.

Strickland and Fisher are pressing for a permanent ecological separation of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal from Lake Michigan to keep Asian carp and other potentially dangerous invasive species from entering the Great Lakes.

“Although Ohio appreciates the fact that the Obama Administration is taking this issue seriously and investing significant resources in short-term strategies, but there must be additional consideration to address the larger structural issues that will yield longer term protections for the Great Lakes,” said Fisher.

The presence of Asian carp, which pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes fishing industry, was recently detected in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which connects a complex network of natural rivers and manmade canals to Lake Michigan. Unless preventive measures are taken, Asian carp will eventually migrate throughout the Great Lakes system and potentially devastate Lake Erie’s $1.1 billion dollar recreational fishing industry.

Yesterday, Strickland launched into Asian carp and waxed poetic about offshore wind power yesterday near the conclusion of a Great Lakes regional policy gathering inside Maumee Bay State Park's lodge.

Strickland tags Asian carp public enemy

"There is only one goal and one acceptable outcome, and that is having the Great Lakes sustained forever," Mr. Strickland said.

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Mr. Strickland cited several reasons why Lake Erie - the warmest, shallowest, and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes - means so much to Ohio. Lake Erie is the primary source of drinking water for 2.6 million Ohioans, he said, addressing the Great Lakes United States Policy Committee. Ohio's Lake Erie ports have an economic value of $6.5 billion, handling more freight than the Panama Canal, Mr. Strickland told the panel, which was established by the federal government to help unify the region.

Ohio's seven counties along Lake Erie's coastline generate a third of the state's tourism dollars.

Lake Erie is largely responsible for the $2 billion that boaters pump into Ohio's economy each year, he said.

"It's almost impossible to overstate its importance," Mr. Strickland said.

Like others, he considers the Asian carp public enemy No. 1.

Toledo and other parts of western Lake Erie, an important spawning area, have the most to lose if the federal government fails to keep the carp from colonizing the Great Lakes, Mr. Strickland said.

"It's an incredibly serious situation," he said.

Read The Full Story From The Toledo Blade

The U.S. Coast Guard says 20 tar balls have been found off Key West, Fla., but the agency stopped short of saying whether they came from a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Some 5 million gallons of crude has spewed into the Gulf and tar balls have been washing ashore in several states along the coast.

Scientists are worried that oil is getting caught in a major ocean current that could carry it through the Florida Keys and up the East Coast.

Limbaugh: "We still don't know what Obama's done" on oil spill besides "making speeches"

Rush: Media "ma[de] up things I said" about the ocean cleaning oil spill naturally, Obama didn't do anything for 12 days

Rush Limbaugh: Gulf Coast Oil Spill "Truther"

Limbaugh: "I'm not trying to minimize [the oil spill] here," but "sea water is pretty tough stuff ... oil has a tough time surviving."

Limbaugh: "Some" people are saying that "the sea will take care of" the oil spill

Limbaugh on Obama response to oil spill: "A crisis is the playground of a tyrant"

Graph via Paul Krugman, who links to this important climate change information:

It was the hottest April on record in the NASA dataset. More significantly, following fast on the heels of the hottest March and hottest Jan-Feb-March on record, it’s also the hottest Jan-Feb-March-April on record.

The record temperatures we’re seeing now are especially impressive because we’ve been in “the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century.” It now appears to be over. It’s just hard to stop the march of manmade global warming, well, other than by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, that is.

Most significantly, NASA’s March prediction has come true: “It is nearly certain that a new record 12-month global temperature will be set in 2010.″

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Today, Senators Kerry and Leiberman unveiled sweeping new reforms that will impact the way we create and consume energy here in Ohio. Here are some statements gathered by Repower Ohio from Ohioans deeply involved in the issue of clean energy jobs:

• "As a tragedy unfolds in the Gulf of Mexico, the need for comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation has never been more urgent" said Jeff Grabner, Director of Wind Sales and Cardinal Fastener in Bedford Heights. "When we invest in clean energy here in America, we'll open vast new opportunities for American businesses and create millions of new jobs. This Senate proposal is an important step in the right direction."
• "As an oil spill devastates the Gulf of Mexico, it's more urgent than ever that we end our reliance on fossil fuels" said Rich Spencer a Medina County veteran of the conflict in Panama and the first Iraq war. "We also need to stop spending a billion dollars a day to buy oil from abroad. This proposal is an important step forward as we make the transition to clean energy produced in America."
• “We need to act now to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation that will unleash innovation, create thousands of jobs in Ohio, spur clean energy investment, and help reclaim America’s competitiveness, before it is too late,” said Eric Zimmer, CEO of Tipping Point Renewable Energy in Dublin, Ohio.
• "This should not be a tough vote for Congress, Democrats or Republicans,” said Marianne Gabel, Delaware County attorney and environmental advocate. “America is lagging behind the rest of the world in clean energy technology and production. A powerful and effective climate and energy bill will jumpstart the American clean energy industry and bring a cleaner, stronger, more secure future for us all.”
• “The Bible says that we are our brother and sister’s keeper. We know that the poor and vulnerable will be most impacted by climate change,” said Rev. Danny Franz of Vineyard Columbus, representing Ohio Interfaith Power and Light. “It is a moral imperative to stop that from happening. The release of this draft is a big first step.”

A new report is out on the promising future of Ohio, specifically Northeast Ohio, as a "cleantech" manufacturing hub. From our geographically central location, skilled manufacturing workforce, dormant factories and the Third Frontier program, there are a lot of things that make Ohio a great engine room for the green energy revolution.

An article from yesterday's LA Times points to the institutional problems and prejudices that need corrected before advanced manufacturing jobs come back to the midwest. It focuses on Yet-Ming Chiang, an American citizen who very much wanted to manufacture his cutting edge hybrid car batteries in the United States.

From the day he first sought investment money, Chiang ran into problems:

Despite the promise of Chiang's batteries, many in Wall Street and Silicon Valley were incredulous when he and other leaders at A123 asked for capital to build factories in America – Asia, yes, but Michigan, why would you want to?

Eventually, Chiang was able to open a plant in Michigan, but only after he started initial plants in China - where his intellectual problem was swiftly stolen, spawning knock-off competitors. The Cleveland report does touch on one key part to making this a reality - having non-profit and government grants and loans available to promising start-ups:

For years U.S. manufacturers have complained about Beijing's industrial policies that, among other things, subsidized its export companies. Now, at least for clean-tech industries, Washington is challenging China at its own game, for which American officials make no apology.

Will FOX call it "Obama's failure"?

Welcome Back Ohio Climate Change Deniers . . .

And the Heat Goes on: Warmest March on Record

Last month was the warmest March on record worldwide, based on records back to 1880, scientists reported Thursday.

The average temperature for the month was 56.3 degrees Fahrenheit (13.5 degrees Celsius), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported.

That was 1.39 degrees F (0.77 C) above the average for the month over the 20th century.

“Glacier National Park has lost two more of its glaciers to climate change and many of the rest may be gone by the end of the decade,” according to Dan Fagre, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. The glaciers, which once numbered as many as 150, have been reduced to 25.

BILLINGS, Montana — Glacier National Park has lost two more of its glaciers to climate change and many of the rest may be gone by the end of the decade, a government researcher said Wednesday.

Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre said, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

"When we're measuring glacier margins, by the time we go home the glacier is already smaller than what we've measured," Fagre said.

From the Himalayas to Alaska, glacier melting has accelerated in recent decades as global temperatures increased. The meltoff shows the climate is changing, but does not show exactly what is causing temperatures to go up, Fagre said.

Climate Bill negotiations starting in earnest?

President Obama said several times during his presidential campaign that he supported expanded offshore drilling. He noted in his State of the Union address in January that weaning the country from imported oil would require “tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development.”

Obama to Open Offshore Areas to Oil Drilling for First Time

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is proposing to open vast expanses of water along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling, much of it for the first time, officials said Tuesday.

The proposal — a compromise that will please oil companies and domestic drilling advocates but anger some residents of affected states and many environmental organizations — would end a longstanding moratorium on oil exploration along the East Coast from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

Under the plan, the coastline from New Jersey northward would remain closed to all oil and gas activity. So would the Pacific Coast, from Mexico to the Canadian border.

The environmentally sensitive Bristol Bay in southwestern Alaska would be protected and no drilling would be allowed under the plan, officials said. But large tracts in the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska — nearly 130 million acres — would be eligible for exploration and drilling after extensive studies.

The proposal is to be announced by President Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Wednesday, but administration officials agreed to preview the details on the condition that they not be identified.

The proposal is intended to reduce dependence on oil imports, generate revenue from the sale of offshore leases and help win political support for comprehensive energy and climate legislation.