Open letter to the County Supervisors: The Carpinteria Valley Association was both shocked and vindicated to read in the May 5 issue of the Santa Barbara Independent that Venoco, Inc. is engaged in “fracking” activities at two sites near Vandenberg, and that the County Energy Division was unaware of it.
Vindicated because in working to raise public awareness about fracking, we have occasionally encountered an attitude of “Fortunately, it’s not happening here, is it?” Shocked because it demonstrates the inexcusable lack of oversight of the oil and gas industry by the government bodies charged with regulating it.
Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is very much in the news these days, and just this week a study was published by scientists at Duke University officially linking natural-gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire.
This is a wake-up call for Santa Barbara County. It is imperative that you as supervisors educate yourselves and the County Energy Division on the irreversible contamination of groundwater that is a “collateral effect” of hydraulic fracturing. (Viewing the documentary Gasland, available through Netflix, is a good place to start.)
The need for this education is clear: County Energy Division’s Doug Anthony is quoted in the May 5 Independent as saying, “So far, DOGGR seems to think it is going to be okay.” This is clearly not the case, as Assembly Bill 591, currently pending in Sacramento, points out:
"Existing Law: While DOGGR has statutory authority (Public Resources Code 3106), to regulate fracking, the agency currently does not collect any information specific to fracking or conduct any regulatory oversight of fracking."
Likewise, anyone relying on the 2004 ruling of the Environmental Protection Agency, which alleged that the process was “essentially safe" needs to look further. According to EPA whistleblower Weston Wilson, the 2004 EPA study was influenced by the Oil and Gas industry, performed on coal shale, and suppressed evidence of methane migration into groundwater basins. This contamination has now been confirmed by the study at Duke University.
We urge you to insist that the County Energy Division suspend the permit and/or stop Venoco’s un-permitted activities on these two sites. Likewise, we urge you to fully investigate the oil and gas industry’s activities in Santa Barbara County. Finally, we urge you to enact the requisite ordinance(s) to prohibit hydro-fracking for either oil or gas in all of Santa Barbara County.
This is urgent!
Vera Bensen is the president of the Board of the Carpinteria Valley Association.
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Comments
No fracking ever under any circumstances seems a bit drastic. Just like saying no drilling for oil or gas ever anywhere under any circumstances in the entire county. Careful study, strict environmmental safeguards and close monitoring for compliance is essential but a blanket prohibition might result in valuable and much needed resources being unavailable without good reason. Fracking can be done safely under some circumstancces.
Noletaman (anonymous profile)
May 11, 2011 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to the Gasland screening several months ago at the Lobero. Given that the movie was completed in late 2010 and reviewed the current state of fracking, it's obvious that sound technical review is lacking and scary things are happening. While it make be safe someday with different chemicals, there is NO WAY at this point (IMO) we the process is safe. We should pause it's use here until further review....
mobius (anonymous profile)
May 11, 2011 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No fracking ever is a good rule of thumb and should be the law of the land. there are absolutely no circumstances in which it doesn't have a negative and toxic impact on the environment and all who dwell in the vicinity. To argue otherwise is akin to an addict who wants just one more fix, damn the consequences.
Unfortunately these are consequences we all have to live with, for generations to come.
EZK (anonymous profile)
May 11, 2011 at 11:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I'm going to be drinking flammable fluids, I'd rather be doing it via a pour from my bartender than from my kitchen faucet!
Just read the ProPublica review and the Duke study. There does seem to be a correlation of thermogenic methane (from deep where the fracking occurs) in the shallow water table with water wells close to a fracking operation. Its not *direct* evidence that fracking is causing this migration of methane, but it is strong evidence nevertheless.
Direct evidence would be the presence of the actual fracking chemicals in the water table, which the Duke scientists did not find. If they can figure out why this is, or if longer-term sampling reveals the presence of those proprietary chemicals, than they will nail this issue 100%.
Its interesting that, in the ProPublica review, the hydrogeologist who works for the oil companies shoots himself in the foot when he claims the methane is not likely coming from faulty well casings close to the surface. If that's true, then that increases the chances the methane is a result of the fracking!
I love typing that word :)
EastBeach (anonymous profile)
May 12, 2011 at 1:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think one clear indicator is that we don't have these problems in areas where there is no fracking!
EZK (anonymous profile)
May 12, 2011 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
great letter, Vera!
nathanalley (anonymous profile)
May 13, 2011 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Those that terrorize the populace as well as mother nature are in for it. They are due some good terrorizing as well. How long before we call these people for what they are? Why bother debating it any longer?
spacey (anonymous profile)
May 13, 2011 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
why do we continue to ignore the most abundant power source?
http://www.independent.com/news/2011/...
-because companies, I mean people like Venoco would lose and the rest of us would win.
spacey (anonymous profile)
May 13, 2011 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
>>"just this week a study was published by scientists at Duke University officially linking natural-gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing with a pattern of drinking water contamination so severe that some faucets can be lit on fire."<<
I just read the study, and this claim is false.
Pinatubo (anonymous profile)
May 13, 2011 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its been amply document, on video.
If Pinatubbo is so sure of the safety of the drinking water in question, he should drink a few glasses.
EZK (anonymous profile)
May 13, 2011 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Staged videos are not scientific evidence.
Pinatubo (anonymous profile)
May 14, 2011 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Drink the water yourself, please do us at least that favor and prove it's safe.
EZK (anonymous profile)
May 14, 2011 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)