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Recent posts
- Beartooth landowners victorious in lawsuit against Stillwater County
- PLEASE NOTE: Change in Zoom access code for today’s hearing
- Action alert: Watch court hearing on Zoom, Thursday, 2:00 pm
- Action alert: Stillwater County Planning Board meeting, Wed, 9/4, 7pm
- Must attend! Stillwater County Planning Board: Wednesday, August 7, 7pm
Blog Archives
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Tag Archives: Energy Corporation of America
New scientific study shows fracking is strongly related to infant mortality
A new scientific study published this week in the Journal of Environmental Protection shows, for the first time, a clear correlation between fracking and the death of newborn infants.
The study showed that infant deaths decreased by 2.4% across the state during the period of the fracking boom from 2007-2010. However, in the 82,558 births in the 10 most-fracked counties, there was a significant increase in mortality (238 vs. 193, a 23.3% increase). These results are statistically significant at a 95% level of confidence.
According to the authors, that means 50 babies died over three years because they happened to be born near a fracked well. Stunning.
What’s more, the greatest increases in death occurred in counties with the highest dependence on private water wells, and in the counties with the greatest number of operator violations of wastewater disposal regulations.
This is a very important study for rural Montanans in areas where fracking is likely. They depend on private wells for precious water, they live in a state that is lax in protecting landowners, and the company most likely to come in and drill is a serial polluter with a track record of violations in the very counties in Pennsylvania that were studied.
To read more, click the link. Continue reading
Energy Corporation of America Stillwater drilling permit expires
Energy Corporation of America (ECA) has allowed the company’s permit for the Holman Morse 1-H well in the Dean area of Stillwater County to expire, according to the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation (BOGC). For those familiar with the area, the well is across the road from Montana Jack’s, which has also expired.
While this is welcome news in the short term, it shouldn’t change our resolve to put in place meaningful local regulation of oil and gas. Continue reading
Silvertip landowners appeal to Montana Supreme Court
“The ability of neighboring landowners to unilaterally strip us of our right to protect our properties will remain an obstacle to local control throughout Montana unless the state Supreme Court decides this important issue.” Continue reading
New report: Montana does not provide public information on legal violations committed during drilling
“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
What happens when Energy Corporation of America abandons a well?
You’re probably familiar with the saga of Energy Corporation of America (ECA) announcing that it planned to bring “a little bit of the Bakken” to the Beartooth Front and elsewhere in Montana. The story, for the moment at least, has … Continue reading
Energy Corporation of America loses lawsuit; owes over $900,000 for underpaying landowners
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
Guest Post: Why Silvertip landowners filed suit against the Carbon County Commissioners
by Bonnie Martinell I am one of a group of Belfry landowners who recently filed suit against the Carbon County Commissioners to vindicate our right to protect our property, health, and livelihoods through local action. On February 13, seven landowners … Continue reading
Posted in Community Organization, Politics and History
Tagged Billings Gazette, Bonnie Martinell, Carbon County Commissioners, Carbon County Growth Plan, citizen initiated zoning, clean and healthful environment, Energy Corporation of America, Montana Board of Oil and Gas, Montana legislature, Northern Plains Resource Council, Silvertip zone
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Timeline of events leading to legal action by Silvertip landowners
Last week landowners in the Silvertip area of Belfry filed a legal action to overturn the Carbon County Commissioners’ rejection of their attempts to form a citizen initiated zone Here is a timeline of events leading up to this action: … Continue reading
Belfry landowners file legal challenge to Commissioners’ rejection of Silvertip Zone
Red Lodge, MT – Today, seven landowners filed a legal challenge in state district court to the Carbon County Commission’s rejection of their petition for land use regulations to protect their private properties from the harmful effects of oil and … Continue reading
Exciting news from Carbon County: Commissioners move forward on Silvertip Zone; ECA vacates Belfry well (for now)
At a well-attended meeting in Red Lodge this morning, the Carbon County Commissioners voted to move forward to create Silvertip Zone in Belfry. The Commissioners agreed that the zone is “in the public interest and convenience for public health, safety … Continue reading
Preserve the Beartooth Front 