Monthly Archives: April 2015

Beware: The oil and gas industry has a national game plan to limit local regulation of drilling

Posted on April 29, 2015 by davidjkatz

Oklahoma has a problem with man-made earthquakes caused by injection wells associated with fracking. You’ve read it on this site many times, most recently on Monday of this week, and Oklahoma’s elected leaders have publicly admitted this is true. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

US Geological Survey documents earthquakes caused by injection wells, and a new map of the Yellowstone caldera

Posted on April 27, 2015 by davidjkatz

A United States Geological Survey (USGS) document released last week documents an increase in earthquakes likely caused by human activity, mapping 17 seismically active pockets in eight states. The USGS map: While the document does not state the causes of … Continue reading →

Posted in Fracking Information | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Texas legislature seeks to undermine Denton fracking ban

Posted on April 23, 2015 by davidjkatz

The ongoing saga of the Denton, Texas fracking ban continues to send resounding messages about local control and the power of oil and gas companies to those of us concerned about protecting local property rights. You may remember that residents … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Fracking Information | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Smithsonian Channel’s “Boomtowners” chronicles life in the Bakken (video)

Posted on April 22, 2015 by davidjkatz

Interesting viewing today, courtesy of the Smithsonian Channel, which has developed a multi-part series on life in the Bakken. From the web site: “Boomtowners” plunges into a modern-day “gold rush” that’s attracting thousands of people from all over the country … Continue reading →

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Investors pressure oil companies to disclose climate change risk

Posted on April 21, 2015 by davidjkatz

Investors seek more disclosure A group of investors representing $1.9 trillion in investments asked regulators last week to force oil and gas companies to provide more disclosures about climate-related risks to their businesses. The request is the latest move in … Continue reading →

Posted in Fracking Information | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Visualizing energy use and its impacts

Posted on April 17, 2015 by davidjkatz

Sometimes the best way to understand the world is through visualization of images. There’s a wonderful web site called Our World in Data, developed by a researcher at Oxford University named Max Roser. The site covers a wide range of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and History | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Learning opportunity: Conference call on EPA’s proposed Waters of the US (WOTUS) rules, Thursday, April 16, noon MDT

Posted on April 15, 2015 by davidjkatz

The EPA has proposed new rules that clarify protection under the Clean Water Act for streams and wetlands that form the foundation of the nation’s water resources. The American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) will be holding a conference call on … Continue reading →

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New report: Montana does not provide public information on legal violations committed during drilling

Posted on April 7, 2015 by davidjkatz

“Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” -Justice Louis Brandeis, 1913 A brand new report highlights the transparency, or lack of it, of public records on oil and gas drilling in different states. It is yet another clear … Continue reading →

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