An introduction to the community leaders & public officials In the southeast corner of Pennsylvania fighting for green space: "2021 Green Region Award Ceremony"

It's been a long time since I've been active with Schuylkill Riverkeeper, Perkiomen Watershed & Delaware River Network.  

I didn't see or maybe don't recognize anyone in the virtual Green Region Award Ceremony. I know many of the people I had the privilege of working with are still active. 

It appears that the Schuylkill Riverkeeper has evolved from a mostly watershed restoration/education network to a broader Schuylkill River Greenways. 

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network part:

WATERSHED CONGRESS ALONG THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER

***

This is something that a disabled guy like me might be able to do:  

“In order to monitor the presence and/or distribution of litter along the Schuylkill River, water quality partners are launching a campaign to recruit “Community Scientists” to conduct 5-minute Visual Monitoring Assessments. Using their mobile device, these volunteers can simply record the trash accumulation or dumping points along a 100-foot section of the Schuylkill River via a user-friendly form accessible from a cell phone: bit.ly/litterform..

“Trash is important to address when talking about the health of a waterway because it’s often the most visually obvious form of pollution. Bacterial and chemical pollution are generally less directly observable, but when we see trash, it instantly informs our impression of a body of water,” said Chloe Wang, River Programs Coordinator at Bartram’s Garden. “And, it can point to larger problems. For example, near Bartram’s Garden, a lot of trash washes into the river from combined sewer overflows, which also introduce harmful bacteria into the water. It will be interesting to see how the presence of trash differs along various stretches of the Schuylkill.”

The Community Scientist visual assessments require no formal training and are meant to be a simple effort that any resident can complete.  We’ve developed an assessment survey, which can be accessed and submitted via a smartphone or tablet by opening the link in the phone/tablet’s browser.

“This is an opportunity for anyone with an interest in the Schuylkill River to spend time on the river and provide valuable feedback on the conditions of the river,” said David Bressler, Project Facilitator at Stroud Water Research Center. “Schuylkill River Greenways and its partners in this project are looking for motivated and dependable individuals to help them learn about the Schuylkill River and move in positive directions toward making the river more accessible to the community. Support from volunteers is very important and is greatly appreciated.”

The goal is to document critical areas of trash accumulation or dumping points in order to guide management efforts to better deal with this pollution. In addition to the multiple-choice questions to rank trash levels and quantities, this platform asks volunteers to submit a photo of the area and collects the GPS location. By utilizing this user-friendly platform, the data collected under this effort will be summarized and visualized by the project team.

“This project is an important study that we can hopefully use to connect people back to the river and show that the Schuylkill River is a place to be enjoyed by all,” said Michael Griffith, Education & Watershed Specialist at Berks Nature.”

MORE AT:

Schuylkill River Community Scientist Monitoring Project to Kick Off on World Habitat Day

Miica Patterson

Help Assess Trash Seen Along The River

***

Water Spirit

Artist: Sarah Kavage

What is Lenapehoking ~ Watershed?

 

We are a wide-ranging, multifaceted art project that wants to introduce you to your watershed! 

the initiative winds its way through the landscapes and waterways of the Delaware River Watershed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. 

Taking place from spring of 2021 to late fall of 2021, Lenapehoking~Watershed offers multiple opportunities for inspiration, refreshment, and learning. You're invited to discover new things, meet new people at outdoor cultural gatherings, and enjoy solitary meditations on art and nature. 

I believe the extreme volatility of heavier than air methane, butane & ethane gases in Mariner East Pipeline combined with Chester County's limestone geology of underground caverns make an explosion that will kill people a likelihood. Not a possibility.

"WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP, PA — A sinkhole 23 feet long by 10 feet wide by 6 feet deep opened up along the Mariner East easement in West Whiteland Township on June 4 in a situation that a drilling industry publication called "not good.”

There are two active Mariner East Highly Volatile Liquids (HVL) pipelines on either side of the sinkhole. It was one of several sinkholes to open this year in this area of Mariner East construction behind Exton Library and near Meadowbrook Manor.

The Marcellus Drilling News, a drilling industry website, reported to others in the business today "Another sinkhole has appeared in Chester County at a Mariner East 2 (ME2) Pipeline construction site. This time it's located near the Chester County Library. The sinkhole is approximately 23 feet long, 10 feet wide, and six feet deep. It runs between two existing (older) pipelines that actively carry petroleum products. Not good.”

 Sinkholes In West Whiteland Twp. Shut Down Pipeline

Sinkholes appeared near Meadowbrook Manor after water overwhelmed a Sunoco pipeline groundwater pump at the pipeline work site.

***

"What can Sunoco do if the problem is serious? From what I hear, the drill at the front of the auger is broken and has become stuck in place. That’s a problem. It might be possible to dig down to the broken drill, retrieve it, and replace it.  If that were simple to do, it would already have been done. I have to assume it can’t be done, perhaps because of difficulties in reattaching the new drill to the front of the auger. Even if this approach were to be attempted, it would be very difficult to keep ground water out of the hole. I believe that the present location of the drill is below the local water table.

Another option might be digging a huge pit to expose the entire casing, cutting the casing into pieces, and pulling the pieces out with a crane. That would require operating heavy equipment in close proximity to the other operating pipelines in the easement, a dangerous proposition. And again, ground water would be a massive problem. Once the casing and auger were removed, the pit could be filled and Sunoco could try again.

Abandoning the partially-installed casing and starting again nearby would require finding a new drill path in a 50-foot easement that already has several active pipelines in it. It seems unlikely that a practical alternative path for such a large casing could be found.

What about rerouting? Finally, Sunoco could find an alternative route for this section of Mariner East (as the DEP is asking Sunoco to do at Marsh Creek). That would add a year or more to the project. And finding a new route in a densely-populated area like Exton would be very difficult."

MORE AT:

DRAGONPIPE DIARY

Sunoco has a problem at Valley Creek in Exton

View all posts by galex49 April 18, 2021

***

I believe the extreme volatility of heavier than air methane, butane & ethane gases in Mariner East Pipeline combined with Chester County's limestone geology of underground caverns make an explosion that will kill people a likelihood. Not just a possibility.

Imagine this Carlsbad Caverns room full of explosive gasses.

Power doesn’t only come out of the ground anymore. Cheap power comes direct, from sunlight, wind and water. Investors could be stuck with way too expensive to sell out of the ground power.

 “If you rebuild a pipeline, just like building a new pipeline, you’re putting millions and millions of dollars into it,” Margolis said. “You’re locking us into fossil fuel use for decades.”

This is a world wide problem. Countries like Germany with one of the most stable economies are changing to clean energy. 

There’s another way to think about investing in power. 

Power doesn’t only come out of the ground anymore. Cheap power comes direct, from sunlight, wind and water. Investors could be stuck with way too expensive to sell out of the ground power. 

“There aren’t that many pipelines proposed for the near future. We know they’re not economical, we know we need to move beyond fossil fuels, so at this point, it’s like, what’s the next issue with pipelines?” Margolis said, pointing out that pipelines like Colonial are particularly dangerous in terms of explosions, water pollution, and other on-the-ground impacts. “There’s a couple ways to deal with this aging infrastructure. The big way, the main way we see it, is that these things should be decommissioned. When you see a pipeline that’s this old with these kinds of problems. It shouldn’t be repaired, it should be shut down.”

There are around 190,000 miles of pipelines that transport liquid petroleum products across the U.S. Deactivating pipelines is a messy, protracted affair, with several steps required from regulatory bodies to make sure it’s done correctly. It’s also expensive: Enbridge has estimated that properly deactivating its aging Line 3 pipeline and taking it out of the ground would cost more than $1.2 billion dollars. The company is currently considering simply abandoning it and paying off the landowners involved, which it says would cost a relatively paltry $85 million, but leave corrosive pipes littered underneath the landscape.

Activists opposing new pipelines also haven’t stopped fighting them even after being built. The resistance to the Dakota Access pipeline morphed from blocking construction to shutting off a functioning pipeline after Trump lifted blocks set by his predecessor and allowed the pipeline to begin transporting oil. However, in July of last year, a judge ruled that the government did not complete an adequate impact assessment

For older pipelines like Colonial, which have been around long enough to survive any legal challenges related to their initial construction, the chance for shutdown could come when the owners make moves to make significant repairs–especially if those repairs cross new territories or require new permits. That struggle is playing out right now in Minnesota, where Enbridge is looking to construct a new pipeline to replace the crumbling Line 3. The company’s proposed route for the replacement is facing legal challenges and significant backlash from Indigenous groups and activists who say the pipeline violates treaty rights with tribes in the area.

Just because pipelines like the Line 3 replacement or Colonial aren’t technically new infrastructure doesn’t mean that they can’t keep the U.S. locked into using dirty fuels. If shareholders spend big to keep a pipeline working, they’ll be less and less interested in suddenly doubling back on that investment.

MORE AT:

One of The Nation’s Largest Pipelines Caused The Biggest Spill in Decades–And We’re Just Hearing About It

Susan Ralston, former assistant to Karl Rove is fighting against solar with her 501(c)(4), “Responsible Solar Citizens of Mount Joy Township”

A citizens group-- Responsible Solar Citizens of Mount Joy Township-- has posted an online petition for residents to sign asking for a 90 day delay in its consideration to allow more time for a thorough review.

Mount Joy Twp, Adams County To Hold Hearing Jan. 15 On A 532 Acre Commercial Solar Farm

"Ralston — a former special assistant to President George W. Bush and aide to Karl Rove — has for much of this year turned her attention away from national politics to focus on one thing: fighting a mega-solar project in Virginia across the street from her family farm."



"Ralston's group is one of many anti-solar organizations emerging to oppose what they say are mammoth projects that do not fit the character of their communities. They claim not to oppose solar energy but argue that large-scale projects should be confined to industrial zoned land, not land for agriculture. Solar also would be uneconomical if not for federal tax credits, they say.

Renewable supporters vehemently oppose these arguments, but say there are increasing concerns about some of the latest members of the NIMBY cause.

"There is no doubt that NIMBYism is a growing issue for the solar industry," Abigail Ross Hopper, president of Solar Energy Industries Association, said in a statement, adding that the industry needs to continue to prioritize environmental and cultural concerns.

The number of anti-solar groups is difficult to track because they usually emerge quickly in reaction to a project application moving through local government, said Dave Anderson with the Energy and Policy Institute, which tracks opposition to clean energy nationwide. After the decision by local officials on a particular project is made, the informal groups tend to fall apart, he said. That means they rarely disclose their funders.

In addition, last year, the Trump administration changed rules for tax-exempt organizations — known as 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) groups — so that they are no longer required to disclose their individual donors.

"One of the challenges in researching this stuff is that there is often no money trail to follow," Anderson said, adding, "I don't think everyone who shows up to events in the community is an agent of the fossil fuel industry. But it's hard to suss that out."

MORE AT:

Meet the 'NIMBY people' trying to kill solar

Tuesday, January 7, 2020Mount Joy Twp, Adams County To Hold Hearing Jan. 15 On A 532 Acre Commercial Solar Farm

SB 652 making peaceful pipeline protest a felony is a test to apply felony charges to all peaceful protest. It’s part of a Republican Party nationwide ALEC legislative campaign to make peaceful protest a crime.

The International Center for Not-For-Profit Law

 ICNL 

US Protest Law Tracker  



Pennsylvania Senator Andy Dinniman released the following statement on Wednesday:

“This is part of a concerted effort that is going not only in Pennsylvania but across the nation to silence and stifle any opposition, criticism or concerns related to growing network of pipelines crisscrossing our communities. Yes, our critical infrastructure needs to be safe and secure, but this isn’t the way to do it.

Furthermore, if pipeline companies, like Sunoco, are so concerned about safety why haven’t they taken the necessary steps to ensure that our schools and local emergency first responders have access to the information they need to adequately respond to potential emergencies? Instead, we want to throw people in jail for up to a year for peaceful protests or ‘trespassing’ on an easement that may be in their own backyard? That’s not only wrong; it’s downright un-American.”

MORE AT:

Bill in Harrisburg would make protesting at pipeline site a crime

Bill Rettew brettew@221st-centurymedia.comOct 11, 2018

Autumn colors are almost upon us. My backyard maple started early. Hibernia Park in Chester County PA is a great place for fall colors.

In just two or three weeks the fall colors in Chester County will be at or near their peak.

My backyard maple leaves started early.

Chamber’s Lake from the end of the Lake Trail less than a mile from the mansion

"Hibernia County Park consists of over 900 acres of trails, woodlands, meadows, open fields, play areas, pavilions, camping and picnic areas. Popular fishing sites include the Brandywine Creek’s west branch, Birch Run & a children’s pond. Chambers Lake is a great spot for boating and fishing.

Campgrounds are open on weekends May through October. New in 2018 - reserve a site online.

Walking tours explore the legacy of the iron masters and country gentlemen who owned the estate.The walking tour focuses on mansion builders Charles Brooks and Colonel Swayne."

MORE AT:
Hibernia Park

Hibernia Park Mansion

Much of Hibernia's appearance today is the result of changes and extensions made by Colonel Franklin Swayne between 1895 and 1910. His architectural additions and furnishings reflect his admiration of English manor style and taste...

It is said that the east wing, or ballroom, was added after his marriage to Dolly Clifford, an English actress, to host grand Christmas parties in the old English tradition. The large fireplace was designed to accommodate the traditional Yule Log The legend is that only one such party was held, in 1903, and for whatever reason, the couple parted soon thereafter.

MORE AT:

Colonel Swayne

Hibernia Park Mansion

Coal has cost West Virginia $ billions: deteriorating roads, pension, health care, surface mining, liabilities. “We could be spending lots of money putting people to work cleaning up the mess that has been made by the coal industry.”

“We’ve had a lot of economic growth but haven’t had real development because of the nature of resource extraction,” Ted Boettner, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, told me. Most profits from extraction are funneled outside the state or to already wealthy executives within it. The U.N. Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, recently visited West Virginia while compiling a report on the U.S. and noted state residents’ startling lack of access to broadband and drinkable water.

“West Virginia has billions of dollars in legacy costs from coal mining: deteriorating roads, pension liabilities, health care liabilities, and liabilities due to surface mining,” Boettner said in an interview. “We could be spending lots of money putting people to work cleaning up the mess that has been made by the coal industry.”

Far better for West Virginia than temporarily propping up coal plants, Boettner said, would be more robust federal investment. He pointed to the RECLAIM Act — a bill introduced last year that would release $1 billion to help reclaim abandoned mine lands, fuel investment in Appalachia, and diversify the economy away from extraction — as an example of a measure that would help the state. Both of West Virginia’s senators have supported the RECLAIM Act, though Boettner said it hasn’t been a major priority for either of them. (The legislation has languished in the House after its passage through the House Natural Resources Committee, and a Senate version sits in a similar limbo.)

West Virginia’s traditionally low fuel prices have skyrocketed in recent years because of the state’s over-reliance on coal-fired power generation amid the rise of natural gas, Boettner explained. Remedying fuel costs and the other economic issues facing West Virginia demands changes much more far-reaching than subsidies to coal plants. “Instead of more corporate welfare for the coal industry, our state’s congressional delegation in Washington should be looking for ways to give West Virginians more energy sources,” he said. “I think we’re sort of whistling past the graveyard of the clean energy revolution.”

The Trump Administration Is Reshaping the Country Under the Guise of National Security. The Energy Sector Is Next.

Kate Aronoff

June 29 2018, 6:00 a.m.

"The Trump administration is unilaterally reshaping the United States under the cover of national security. The White House’s justification for its “zero tolerance” policy of separating families at the border was based on the president’s powers over national security.

President Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban was justified on grounds of national security, as are his vague “extreme vetting” proposals for visa applicants. Now, his Energy Department is looking to reshape the energy industry and reverse the trend away from coal-fired power plants. Their justification?

National security.

Yet in the case of the energy industry, nobody is buying the rationale, and the radical intervention into energy markets has produced an odd-bedfellows coalition of opposition that includes the oil and gas industry, renewable energy companies, and environmentalists.  

On the other side, in support of the White House, stands the coal and nuclear industry, headed up by Murray Energy and First Energy, who’ve long lobbied for just such a lifeline.

Speaking at the World Gas Conference this week in Washington, Energy Secretary Rick Perry assured the government and industry representatives present that the U.S. is working to “honor the right of every nation to use every available fuel at its disposal. I wish I can tell you the entire developed world is on board with our vision. They are not.”

Neither is much of the oil and gas industry that was gathered before him. 

Thanks to his plan to bail out struggling power plants — a measure opposed by the likes of the American Petroleum Institute — Perry now finds himself caught in the crosshairs between two dueling arms of the fossil fuel industry."

FROM:
https://theintercept.com/2018/06/29/coal-bailout-rick-perry-department-of-energy/