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Thursday, March 12, 2009
River Reporter Article on Beaverkill Campground
Community groups unite to save the Beaverkill Campground
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/March09/04/BvkillCmgnd_CM-04Mar09.html
 Covered bridge at the Beaverkill Campground |
ROSCOE – The Catskill Mountainkeeper organization, the Roscoe Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Beaverkill are teaming up to lobby for the state to keep the Beaverkill Campground open this summer.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation last week announced the Beaverkill and a handful of other campgrounds would be closed because of low attendance and the need to save money given the state of New York’s fiscal condition.
Catskill Mountainkeeper Executive Director Ramsay Adams said the campground is a key component to the Sullivan County tourism economy.
The savings by closing the campground would be $10,000 to $15,000, said Adams. “The amount of money that the state will save in their cost they pay to keep the campsite open is greatly outweighed by the amount of money Sullivan County is going to lose in tourism dollars, and that’s just in one year.”
The state maintains attendance has been low in recent years, but Adams said that is because during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 camping seasons, the site was hit with three “100 year floods,” the main road to the site was closed or only allowed local traffic and for much of that period, the Beaverkill Covered Bridge was closed for repair, limiting access to the campsites.
Green organizations team up in Sullivan
MONTICELLO — Sullivan County environmental groups that oppose gas drilling in western Sullivan, casino gaming in Thompson, the landfill expansion in Monticello and the mushroom plant in the southern Town of Mamakating are getting together.
They're not, they say, teaming up to oppose economic development projects.
"This is not to fight anything," said Janet Newberg, president of Special Protection of the Environment for the County of Sullivan.
Newberg said the concept is modeled on organizations in Pennsylvania, which have pooled their expertise, established goals for environmental protection and sustainable economic development and educated the public.
For example, SPECS has done lots of research on recycling and composting, whereas other groups are experts on solar energy, community cleanup projects, green building practices and the environmental review process.
"People are thirsty for information," she said.
Several of these groups, however, such as SPECS, which opposes the county landfill expansion, have been focused on a single issue.
Tim McCausland, president of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, said he doesn't feel threatened by the prospect of having to debate a super-sized opponent at public hearings — provided they don't gum things up with unrealistic objectives.
"It comes down to hysteria and total irrelevant issues that are brought up that make my life and economic development projects more difficult," he said.
The groups held their first meeting Thursday in Monticello. Others attending included the Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development, Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Delaware Highlands Conservancy and The Basha Kill Area Association. Representatives from the Gerry Foundation and Sullivan County Planning Department also attended.
vwhitman@th-record.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Environmental groups urge citizen participation
How do citizens participate in the NYS Department of Conservation (DEC) scoping process on gas drilling? A community workshop to describe the procedure will be held on Monday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Tusten Town Hall in Narrowsburg, NY.
The public is invited to attend to learn more about this process and how to participate in the public hearings which are being held throughout the state as part of the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement.
The Dec. 1 community workshop is designed to provide a foundation of understanding of the current Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling in New York State and to highlight issues that are being reviewed as part of the Supplemental Study.
“This process can be overwhelming to understand and participating at a public hearing of this nature can be somewhat intimidating. We want to give people an opportunity to learn as much as they can to become comfortable,” said Bruce Ferguson, of Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy.
Presenters will review the process that is currently underway, how individuals and organizations might participate most effectively, and the time line for the review. Topics to be covered include: basic background on gas drilling; review of 1992 Generic Environmental Impact Statement; outline of Supplemental GEIS; the scoping process and hearing format; testifying and written comment.
The DEC hearing on the scoping process for Sullivan County is scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Field House at Sullivan County Community College.
Information on gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale can be found on the website of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“The DEC will need to respond to all issues raised as part of the scoping process in some way. Individual and organized testimony will raise the issues that will help to ensure further protections for our region,” said Ramsay Adams, executive director of Catskill Mountainkeeper.
The Community Workshop is being offered by Catskill Mountainkeeper, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, the Open Space Institute, the River Reporter, and Sullivan Renaissance. Call 845-482-5400 to register. Refreshments will be served.
NATURAL GAS DRILLING IN THE CATSKILLS - TAKE ACTION!
CATSKILL MOUNTAINKEEPER CO-SPONSORS COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON 'HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GAS DRILLING SCOPING HEARINGS'
The Meeting was held on Monday December 1st at the Tusten Town Hall in Narrowsburg, New York
This community workshop was designed to provide a foundation of understanding of the current Generic Environmental Impact Statement on gas drilling in New York State and to highlight
issues that are being reviewed as part of the Supplemental Study.
Click here for the press release
The LAST Scoping Session scheduled in the Catskills is THIS THURSDAY at 4:30 PM at the Sullivan County Community CollegeClick here for more information
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Mountainkeeper on WAMC 9/11/2008
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HUDSON VALLEY, NY (2008-09-11) New York City's water is the focus of attention on two fronts: many environmental groups are calling for a ban on gas drilling that could endanger it. Meanwhile, residents along the city's aqueduct system say they're sick of pumping the city's water out of their flooded basements. Hudson Valley bureau chief Susan Barnett reports.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Bill would notably impact Sullivan County
ALBANY — State lawmakers are pushing a bill that would set new spacing requirements for oil and gas drilling rigs, and amend state environmental law to allow horizontal drilling wells for the first time ever.
The bill — which passed the Senate and will likely reach a vote in the Assembly before its session ends Monday — would notably impact Sullivan County, where oil companies have solicited property owners for the rights to drill and excavate natural gas from their land. Oil companies would use horizontal drilling wells to retrieve the gas, which is trapped within the Marcellus Shale more than 6,000 feet below ground.
State law has not explicitly allowed or disallowed horizontal drilling, although some horizontal rigs have operated under special-use permits that slightly altered the boundaries set by law for vertical wells. Horizontal wells did not fit into those boundaries because they're dug horizontally on a plane beneath ground and impinge on vertical well setbacks in the current law.
Drilling info sessions
Several groups are hosting info sessions about gas drilling in the coming weeks. Experts will explain the drilling process and its pros and cons.
n Friday at 9:30 a.m., Sullivan Planning Commissioner William Pammer will discuss gas drilling with town supervisors in the County Government Center.
n June 27 at 7 p.m. in the CVI Building in Liberty, lawyers and environmental experts will discuss gas drilling in a forum moderated by Catskill Mountainkeeper.
The new bill says it would create two sets of parameters for horizontal drilling. The first would divvy the land into rectangles, allowing single drill wells on roughly 40-acre plots. The downside to this option is that each drill requires a 5-acre clearing, which would cut several holes in the wooded landscape, like an Afghan blanket.
Option No. 2 would limit that kind of development by allowing multiple drill wells at one centralized location. The drills pipes would fan out from the central location, like spokes on a bicycle wheel. This option would be allowed on parcels of land up to 640 acres.
Both options must maintain a 330-foot setback from the drill or end of the horizontal well. That's down from 660 feet that was required for vertical wells. The DEC said both drilling patterns also require a full environmental review for impacts on ground water, erosion, endangered species and more.
Some have criticized the bill because it lessens the setbacks and speeds up the permitting process for oil companies, who will no longer have to endure hearings before an administrative law judge and the public to get special use permits.
"In some ways, the existing law is probably better right now because it slows the process down a bit," said Wes Gillingham, program director for the Catskill Mountainkeeper environmental group. "The new law opens up the opportunity for oil companies to move at a faster pace."
Environmental groups are worried about water and air pollution that could result from drilling, the rigs and the powerful diesel engines they run on.
But state Sen. John Bonacic, R-C-Mount Hope, said the environmental concerns have been sensationalized, and that the new law provides the DEC with new teeth and regulations. Bonacic voted in favor of the law when it passed the Senate this week.
"There have been 75,000 gas wells over decades in New York, and not one instance of damage to water or the environment," he said. "What we've done is give the DEC more powers on their checklist to make sure the environment is protected."
abosch@th-record.com
link is here:
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080620/NEWS/806200368
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Marcellus Shale - Natural Gas Drilling Forums
Marcellus Shale - Natural Gas Drilling Forums
Two Educational Forums Co-Sponsored by
Catskill Mountainkeeper
with experts from the Sullivan County Division of Planning and Environmental Management, Oil and Gas Accountability Project as well as experts on law and community organizing
June 26, 2008
7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Walton Theatre, Walton, New York
June 27, 2008
7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
CVI Building, Liberty, New York
