Shale Gas: Will France Hold Sway?

Last week Governor Cuomo issued an executive order requiring the Department of Environmental Conservation to take into account the the natural gas well blowout that occurred in April resulting in chemical laced water contaminating a Pennsylvania Creek. This has been highly touted in the media. What was overlooked by many was the additional requirement that the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) be released on July 1st.

In the memo sent Friday to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joseph Martens, Director of State Operations Howard Glaser ordered the department to complete an on-site inspection of the Bradford County, Pa. gas well, and to include any information from the site in the DEC's environmental review of hydrofracking.

Glaser also asked for a second draft of that review, called the Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement, to be "completed for issuance by July 1, 2011," marking the first hard deadline placed on the DEC's hydrofracking study since it was launched in July 2008.

Newly appointed Commissioner Martens previously said the new draft guidelines would be completed “by the end of summer,” but it seems Cuomo was not happy with that squishy deadline and has decided to give the DEC a metaphorical kick in the rear. No one really knows where Cuomo comes down on the issue of drilling, but this is certainly a good omen for those who support drilling in the state.

This comes on the heels of a statement by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, whose report is expected this month and the UK Parliament Energy and Climate Committee report supporting the development of natural gas drilling in the UK stating, among other things, that natural has did not pose a significant threat to the safety of fresh water aquifers.

In the end it is irrelevant what the NY DEC has to say about hydrofracking. The report from the UK Parliament means nothing when it comes to the veracity of the opposition. There is nothing, it seems that will be able to assuage the doubts and skepticism of the anti-fracking crowd. Except, perhaps, France.

France has a very significant shale gas reserve estimated at 28 trillion-30 trillion cubic meters. Initially very excited about exploiting this energy source, under pressure from environmental groups have placed a moratorium on shale gas exploration and drilling that is set to expire in June when two studies are expected to be made public regarding the safety and economic impacts of shale gas exploration. The preliminary information is promising!

For a remarkable astute observation see the post by Nick Grealy who operates the blog No Hot Air and will be introducing a new blog ShaleGasinfo.euon June 1st. He sees it as increasingly obvious "that France is going to play a big role in gaining public acceptance of shale in Europe."

France is held in high regard in places like Bucks County PA, upstate New York, the Upper West Side of Manhattan etc, where the opposition to shale has been loudest. On places like West 96th Street, a few blocks from Josh Fox of Gasland's main residence, they hold up France's shale ban as vindicating.

He raises some question's to those who see French shale as being dead and asks them to think again.

A report from the French Senate, written by Senator Houel, who represents the Seine-et-Marne, where the Paris Basin gas is located raises some pointed questions regarding the current ban in place.

Celui-ci souligne ainsi que l’enjeu énergétique, qui entre dans les trois piliers du développement durable (protection de l’environnement, développement économique, progrès social), n’est pas suffisamment pris en compte par le texte tel qu’adopté par l’Assemblée nationale.

This underlines how the energy issue, which involves three pillars of sustainable development (environmental protection, economic development, social progress), is not sufficiently taken into account by the text as adopted by the National Assembly.

Mr. Grealy adds in scathing commentary:

Wise words that we should use. Environmental protection and carbon reduction are only one of the three pillars. Gas can reduce carbon by 50 to 70%, but not by 100%, and even nuclear, CCS and renewables don't do that either. Gas does have substantial advantages however in economic development and social progress. Social progress is certainly the Achilles Heel of the NIMBY brigade. Much of the opposition in places like Pennsylvania comes from the weekend residents or drop ins who choose to act like organic goatherd/ peasants compared to the local permanent population who have never had an option but to live like peasants. (emphasis mine)

As I read this I wonder if he has visited the Cooperstown or Finger Lakes region of upstate New York? These are the specious arguments that dominate local town boards in the area.

The summer of 2011 will be bring to a head the arguments both for and against hydraulic fracturing. Will our elected representatives be willing to trump political pressure and do what is right? The actions of Sen Jim Seward (R/C/I-Oneonta) would argue otherwise.

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