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.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court protects local zoning rights against drilling

Posted on December 20, 2013 by davidjkatz

In a move that has potential for informing opposition to Beartooth Front drilling, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court voted 4-2 yesterday to declare major provisions of the state’s Marcellus Shale drilling law, Act 13, unconstitutional. The key element of the decision … Continue reading →

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Dallas and Fort Worth: 900 feet and a world apart

Posted on December 18, 2013 by davidjkatz

This is a tale of two cities. On December 11, 2013 the Dallas City Council voted 9-6 to approve a recommendation by the City Plan Commission that requires natural gas wells to be set back at least 1500 feet from … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History, Fracking Information | Tagged | 3 Comments

New Study Links Fracking Water to Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals

Posted on December 16, 2013 by davidjkatz

The oil and gas industry’s claim that there is no evidence linking hydraulic fracturing to negative impacts on human health is crumbling bit by bit as new scientific evidence comes in. Today we have new evidence that fracking waste water … Continue reading →

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Video: The real cost of fracking

Posted on December 15, 2013 by davidjkatz

We’ve talked quite a bit about the impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and quality of life in the Bakken in North Dakota, but the Guardian today published Fracking hell: what it’s really like to live next to a … Continue reading →

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The toxins used in oil and gas drilling

Posted on December 12, 2013 by davidjkatz

Because the federal government has chosen not to regulate fracking and states are just beginning to step up to regulation, energy companies are not required to reveal the chemicals they use in the hydraulic fracturing process. Until disclosure requirements change, … Continue reading →

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Activities week of December 9, 2013

Posted on December 9, 2013 by davidjkatz

Activities this week: Tuesday, December 10, 6pm: Forum on drilling in Carbon County and surrounding areas. Elks Club, 114 N Broadway, Red Lodge.  The forum will examine the social consequences that might occur from high levels of oil extraction as … Continue reading →

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Bakken Report

Posted on December 6, 2013 by davidjkatz

Taylor Brorby, a writer based in the Twin Cities, recently visited the Bakken and this week filed a first-hand report in the Huffington Post. It provides a chilling warning to Montanans — be vigilant or lose. Brorby pulls no punches: … Continue reading →

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Hydraulic Fracturing and Water Contamination

Posted on December 5, 2013 by davidjkatz

It’s frustrating to try to figure out what the deal is on the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and water contamination. Fracking proponents will tell you unequivocally that “there’s still no evidence of hydraulic fracturing fluids migrating from depth to contaminate … Continue reading →

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Fracking Homework

Posted on December 3, 2013 by davidjkatz

If you’re planning to attend the Carbon County Resource Council meeting in Red Lodge on December 4 or if you just want to do some quick homework about the community impacts of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), I recommend that you download … Continue reading →

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The Montana Oil and Gas Holiday Needs to End

Posted on December 1, 2013 by davidjkatz

Since the mid-1990s the Montana legislature has granted a tax holiday to oil and gas producers. They pay a tax of only 0.5 percent of the production value for the first 12 months of production on all wells and 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History, Fracking Information | Tagged | 13 Comments