Committee to Ban Fracking - PowerPoint Presentation

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Committee to Ban Fracking

Todd BazzettSlide2

Fracking is a

slang term used to describe the combination of new

technologies used to extract natural gas from shale formations deep in the earth.

Horizontal high volume hydraulic fracking is the technical term used to distinguish it from conventional fracking that has been done for over 50 years in Michigan.

What is Fracking?

Four technologies developed to support “unconventional” shale gas developmentDirectional drilling High Frac fluid VolumesSlickwaterMulti-well PadsSlide3

Technology timeline

2002 - Multi-stage

slickwater

fracturing of horizontal wells

1996:

Slickwater fracturing fluid introduced2003 - First hydraulic fracturing of Marcellus Shale

2005 - Halliburton Loophole, excludes waste from

Safe Drinking Water Act

Clean Water Act

2007- Use of multi-well pads and cluster drillingSlide4

Why Frack Michigan?Slide5

How many wells in Michigan?

57 Active permits for

High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic

Fracturing wellsEnough land has been leased to drill 500 more

The DNR auctions state land twice a year for as low as $2/acreResidents in many counties, rural and urban, are being approached about signing mineral rights leases. The most recent

frack well is located in Fowlerville in Livingston County, north of Ann Arbor. Slide6

Fracking is devastating

Natural landscapes become large-scale industrial zones.

Thousands of truckloads of water and waste hauling per well.

Huge amounts of toxic waste are injected into deep wells, proven to cause property damaging earthquakes.Multiple risks for surface and groundwater contamination, poisoning food sheds, farms, homes and businesses.

People and animals become sick from water and air quality issuesLand values go down

Pure MichiganSlide7

Massive Amounts of Water Consumption and Waste Disposal

Michigan just set the record at 21 million gallons and has permits to use over 30 million gallons of water per

frack

.A well can be fracked up to 18 times.The

frack solution consists of about 95% water, 4.5%

sand and .5% chemicals. After the frack fluid is injected in the ground, about 40-60% returns as flowback with naturally occurring radioactive materials and heavy metals which are also toxic.This water cannot be treated or reused for consumption or agricultural use. The waste must be disposed of in injection wells which has proven to cause property damaging earthquakes.Slide8

Oil

companies in North Dakota reported more than 1,000 accidental releases of oil, drilling wastewater or other fluids in 2011, about as many as in the previous two years combined. Many more illicit releases went unreported, state regulators acknowledge, when companies dumped truckloads of toxic fluid along the road or drained waste pits illegally

.

In Michigan, the DEQ approved a spread of 40,000 gallons of toxic frack flowback 

in May 2012Mackinac area tourist campground sprayed

Paradise Lake roads sprayedMackinaw State Forest road drenchedDeadly materials used215 Government, Industry, University and Nongovernmental Organizations Experts Agree on 12 consensus risk pathways. 7 involve potential risks to surface water quality2 involve potential risks to air quality2 involve potential risks to groundwater quality1 is related to habitat disruptionIntentional and Unintentional SpillsSlide9

Contribution to Climate Change

An

estimated 3 to 12% of the methane produced is released to the

atmosphere6% of all wells fail immediately. 60% fail within 30 years

.Methane is 84 times worse than CO2 in causing climate change over a 20 year time span

.A 2010 study from Harvard says natural gas from fracking could be “dirtier” than coal.Slide10

Human Health Impacts

Air quality degradation: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted in various phases of the natural gas development process. This causes asthma and other neurological disorders.

A recent study in Colorado shows an increased rate of birth defects for women living near

frack wells

Over 5000 people, mostly in other States on

the “List of the Harmed” (Pennyslvania Alliance for Clean Water and Air)107. Jaime LongLocation: Northern MichiganGas Facility: Offloading facility of sour gasExposure: AirSymptoms: Illness “health has been ruined”781 – 782. Phyllis Senske, Ruth CrawfordLocation: Kalkaska County, MIGas Facility: Chevron gas wellExposure: Dust, noise, vibrationSymptoms: House shaking, dust, excessive noise, heavy truck traffic, property value diminished783. Paul BradLocation: Kalkaska County, MIGas Facility: 40,000 gallons of Encana produced water spread on roadsExposure: LandSymptoms: Unknown, replacement water or relocatedSlide11

Regulations are insufficient

Deficiencies

in Michigan

RegulationsSetback

restriction of a mere 300 ft

Water withdrawal assessment tool is inaccurateNo pre-drilling water well testingNo disclosure of frack chemicalsRegulations cannot stop the damage from occurring.Water will always be destroyedWells made of concrete will always failMany “regulations” simply require a permit, which is a mere formality given the current legislation which requires state agencies to maximize production ratesSlide12

Regulations aren’t enforced

By Michigan Law, the DEQ must favor ultimate recovery of maximum production of oil and gas. (Public Act 451 of 1994 entitled "Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act,")

Michigan DEQ collects 7% severance tax on oil produced in the state

There is currently an injunction against Encana

to stop drilling due to a lawsuit filed by the Committee to Ban Fracking lawyer, Ellis Boal. The lawsuit highlights 2 violations of Michigan regulations granted and overseen by the DEQ.Slide13

Why a Ban? Only a ban will protect us!

Massive amount of water consumption

Lower

lake, river and stream levels

Permanent destruction of water

Ecological damageGround water contaminationSurface water contaminationAir quality degradationNatural habitat/environmental destructionIncreased trafficLong-term economic devastationIrreversible destruction to subterranean formationsAdvancement of climate changeHuman Health impactsSlide14

Economics

Job

claims are exaggerated.

Politifact Ohio evaluated the industry job claims in a TV/internet ad: labeling it “Liar, liar, pants on fire” Unions in Ohio are complaining that jobs are not given to locals

Some economists believe that fracking is creating a false bubble that will ultimately collapse, leaving us with energy infrastructure that will damage our economy

Applications to open natural gas export ports have been submitted. If opened, industry will be able to sell natural gas to Europe and Asia at much higher rates. In the US, gas sells for about $4/mcf whereas overseas, the market demands in excess of $11/mcf. Wall Street Journal has identified that China has significant investment in US Energy. Chinese companies have invested more than $17 billion* into oil and gas deals in the U.S. and Canada (since 2010)China surpassed the U.S. in 2009 as the world's largest consumer of energy in all forms.Its natural gas consumption nearly doubled between 2006 and 2010, according to the BP Statistical Review.Sinopec agreed in January to pay $2.5 billion to Devon Energy Corp. of Oklahoma City for a one-third stake in about 1.3 million acres of drilling property in Ohio, Michigan and elsewhereNatural gas future prices are up $1.592 from year earlier (as of 2/13/2014)Slide15

Who we are

We

are a

non-partisan group of individuals that believe in direct democracy:Health instructor, folklorist, electrical engineer, artists, attorney, teachers, nurses, physicians, director of religious temple, architects, librarians, etc. democrats, independents and republicans.

www.letsbanfracking.org is our websitepolitical ballot initiative seeking to add a ballot to the 2016 Election.

We are in our third attempt to gain necessary signatures. In the first year we gathered about 30,000. Last year we more than doubled our signatures to over 70,000 almost enough people to fill MSU’s Spartan Stadium (75,005). We need to collect 270,000 valid signatures to get our initiative on the ballotMany of our signature collectors are members or leaders of the Sierra Club. We work closely with members of other groups like Food & Water Watch which also support a ban. Many water conservation groups throughout the state have also endorsed our group. If you go to the endorsements page on www.letsbanfracking.org you will see big names like:Josh Fox, film director of Gasland I and II.Dr. Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party candidateWes Wilson, EPA whistleblower and retired analyst – Be the Change, ColoradoJim Nash, Oakland County Water Resource CommissionerSlide16

Committee to Ban Fracking Ballot Language

An initiation of Legislation:

to prohibit the use of horizontal hydraulic fracturing and production, storage, disposal,

and processing of horizontal hydraulic fracturing wastes in Michigan; to eliminate the state’s policy favoring ultimate recovery of maximum production of oil and gas; and to protect public health, land, water, and air by amending Public Act 451 of 1994 entitled "Natural Resources and Environmental Protection ActSlide17

We are under attack

Michigan Chamber of Commerce’s PAC II ballot question

committee

has raised over $477,000 to spread misinformation against our committee.Over $37,500 has come from out of state interests. Donors include names like:

Jordan Exploration Co, Summit Petroleum Corp, Savoy Exploration, Dart Oil & Gas, Michigan Oil and Gas Association, West Bay Exploration Co,

Omimex Energy (Fort Worth TX), Operating East (Charleston WV), Bigard & Huggard Drilling, Rock Oil Co, Southwestern Oil Co, Encana Oil & Gas USA (Denver CO), Pharma (Indianapolis IN), Nestle Waters North America, Maness Petroleum, American Aggregates Corp., Lilly USA, North Bay Energy