Author Archives: davidjkatz

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.

Several people have asked about the exact location of the Hunt Creek 1-H well that the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (MBOGC) permitted last week. It took a little time to convert the MBOGC data (with some significant … Continue reading →

Posted on March 5, 2014 by davidjkatz | 11 Comments

A personal story: Diana Daunheimer, Didsbury, Alberta

Posted on March 3, 2014 by davidjkatz

“I have come to see the regulator as nothing short of a bodyguard to the industry.” -Diana Daunheimer Telling personal stories The oil and gas boom has been underway for a number of years in many locations across North America, … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal stories | Tagged Alberta, Diana Daunheimer, hydrogen sulfide, personal stories, Tyee | 6 Comments

ECA Pennsylvania violations just the tip of the iceberg

Posted on March 3, 2014 by davidjkatz

You’ve read about Energy Corporation of America well violations in Pennsylvania. An analysis of data from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shows that, since 2005, they’ve had 66 inspections with violations, 90 separate violations, and 55 enforcement actions, with fines … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History, Fracking Information | Tagged Earthworks Action, Energy Corporation of America, Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, violations, well inspections | 11 Comments

Letter to the Editor: Bonnie Martinell

Posted on February 28, 2014 by davidjkatz

If you read this blog, by now you are aware that the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (BOGC) approved the permit allowing Energy Corporation of America (ECA) to drill near Belfry. If you haven’t seen it, the Billings … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Belfry well, Bonnie Martinell, Bret Smelser, Energy Corporation of America, Montana Board of Oil and Gas, pollution, Tom Richman | 1 Comment

Billings Gazette: Montana Board of Oil and Gas Approves Belfry Well

Posted on February 27, 2014 by davidjkatz

Read the expert testimony against the permit that the Board of Oil and Gas ignored: Global Environmental Comments ***************** From the Billings Gazette By TOM LUTEY The Montana Board of Oil and Gas permitted a controversial horizontal well east of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Energy Corporation of America: 70 more violations in West Virginia

Posted on February 27, 2014 by davidjkatz

Energy Corporation of America (ECA), which has promised to “bring the Bakken to the Beartooths,” has 70 more violations in West Virginia, according to a search of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection website. This is in addition to the 66 inspections with violations, 90 … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History, Fracking Information | Tagged Department of Environmental Protection, Energy Corporation of America, Pennsylvania, violations, West Virginia | 10 Comments

How to find out who owns the mineral rights to your land

Posted on February 26, 2014 by davidjkatz

If you are a landowner in Carbon or Stillwater County, now is the time to determine whether or not you own the mineral rights under your land. Unified vs. split estates If you are lucky, your estate is unified, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History | Tagged Carbon County Clerk and Recorder, fee simple, fractional rights, landman, Mineral rights, split estate, Stillwater County Clerk and Recorder, unified estate | 21 Comments

Oil industry hypocrisy: it’s different when it’s in your back yard

Posted on February 25, 2014 by davidjkatz

A lot of friends know I write this blog, and to help me out they send articles, papers and videos they come across on subjects related to oil and gas drilling. I really appreciate this, since it’s a vast topic … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History, Fracking Information | Tagged citizen action, Oil companies | 4 Comments

A personal story: Helen Ricker, Poplar, Montana

Posted on February 23, 2014 by davidjkatz

Telling personal stories The oil and gas boom has been underway for a number of years in many locations across the country, and there are now a lot of stories about individuals and families whose lives have been personally affected. … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal stories | Tagged Bakken, Helen Ricker, Kelly Conde, Missoula Independent, Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation, personal stories, Poplar Montana, water contamination | 10 Comments

Who booms and who busts when drilling expands along the Beartooth front?

Posted on February 21, 2014 by davidjkatz

You may have seen the recent study that showed that rents in the Bakken are higher than anywhere else in the country. It’s amazing to see what a one-bedroom apartment costs, with Williston and Dickinson way ahead of Boston, New … Continue reading →

Posted in Bakken, Community Organization, Politics and History | Tagged Bewartooth Front, boom and bust, Dickinson, inflation, McDonalds, rents, split estate, surface use agreement, who leaves and who stays, Williston, winners and losers | 3 Comments