Author Archives: davidjkatz

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About davidjkatz

The Moses family has lived on the Stillwater River since 1974, when George and Lucile Moses retired and moved to the Beehive from the Twin Cities. They’re gone now, but their four daughters (pictured at left, on the Beehive) and their families continue to spend time there, and have grown to love the area. This blog started as an email chain to keep the family informed about the threat of increased fracking activity in the area, but the desire to inform and get involved led to the creation of this blog.

Energy Corporation of America dismissed from Carbon County lawsuit. Will landowners be next?

Posted on March 19, 2015 by davidjkatz

Energy Corporation of America (ECA) has been dismissed from the lawsuit filed by Silvertip landowners against the Carbon County Commissioners. The dismissal came at the request of ECA, which indicated that it had no interest that it wished to defend … Continue reading →

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Guest editorial: Senate Bill 374 ensures oil companies pay their fair share

Posted on March 17, 2015 by davidjkatz

The following editorial appeared in Butte’s Montana Standard on March 11. SB374 will be debated before the Senate Taxation Committee on Wednesday, March 18. If you support this bill, follow directions for contacting your representatives at the end of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Fracking informaation, Politics and History | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Support SB374, which would provide infrastructure support for Montana communities impacted by oil and gas drilling

Posted on March 16, 2015 by davidjkatz

Montana’s oil and gas tax holiday, instituted by the legislature in the 1999, provides a huge and unnecessary tax break to oil and gas companies. They pay a tax of only 0.5 percent of the production value for the first … Continue reading →

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

Incredible Beartooth Front nature photography

Posted on March 15, 2015 by davidjkatz

In my search for relevant content I sometimes run into unexpected treasures to share. A Red Lodge resident posting as rdragon on a site called wunderground.com has posted hundreds of amazing photos that he has taken of the region. Thought … Continue reading →

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Sidney, Montana: Riding the boomtown roller coaster (with NPR audio)

Posted on March 11, 2015 by davidjkatz

Sidney, Montana is riding the boomtown roller coaster. Last year we reported on Sidney’s unmet infrastructure needs as the town was  riding the upwards Bakken boom. Growth had taxed the city’s infrastructure to bursting. A summary from a Montana Public … Continue reading →

Posted in Bakken, Fracking Information | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Energy Corporation of America loses lawsuit; owes over $900,000 for underpaying landowners

Posted on March 6, 2015 by davidjkatz

Last October we reported that Energy Corporation of America (ECA) was being sued in federal court for underpaying royalties to landowners. The suit, Pollock et al. v. Energy Corporation of America, went to trial this week. An eight-person jury agreed … Continue reading →

Posted in Fracking Information | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Why we can’t prove what we know is true about fracking and water contamination

Posted on March 6, 2015 by davidjkatz

Why can’t we pin down the relationship between fracking and water quality? The answer lies in government bureaucracy, industry stonewalling, the unwillingness of our elected representatives to protect us, and the rapid growth of the fracking industry. The bottom line … Continue reading →

Posted in Fracking Information | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

This week: An entire issue of a peer-reviewed journal devoted to public health impacts of oil and gas drilling

Posted on March 3, 2015 by davidjkatz

This week the peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Science and Health devoted an entire issue to the public health impacts of fracking in Pennsylvania, a state that now supplies 25% of the natural gas produced in the United States. The issue, titled … Continue reading →

Posted in Health impacts | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Update: Letter to BLM regarding Beartooth Front lease parcel

Posted on February 27, 2015 by davidjkatz

Many thanks for the substantial response to the request earlier this week for letters to the BLM regarding oil leasing of a large parcel on the Wyoming side of the Beartooth Front. At least 15 people indicated, either here or … Continue reading →

Posted in Shared Letters and Posts | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The long history of oil drilling in Elk Basin explains why local zoning in Belfry is necessary

Posted on February 25, 2015 by davidjkatz

To understand the need for the proposed Silvertip Zoning District near Belfry, you need to know about the long history of oil exploration in the area. Local residents have a well-established, stable relationship with the oil industry that has lasted … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments