Pesticides Imports Enforcement s - EPA Enforcement (This link is important, but if you don't understand environmental legal actions, Consent to Administrative Order
Okay, now they have done it.
I am not sure, which thing has got me to the place when I can no longer be quiet, and polite. This Great Grandmother, is up in arms. No, Patriots, don't be alarmed, it is always worrisome when activists, warriors, scared people, are angry. When grandmothers get up in arms, she does not need guns...She is the guns.
Our words, experience and wisdom are power. We share knowledge, scar trails, and usually some type of a limp. Grandmothers, as a whole, can be trusted. We are the Earth, the Earth is us.
Since I am familiar with Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) data base, I am going to use different documents to help the average person understand, and grasp the importance of citizen involvement. Residents in the know, have more say in what happens to their Natural Resources, water supplies, soil, air, and toxic storage events. The permit processes is lengthy when there is a lot of involvement by citizens, environmental, and human rights groups. Attending public meetings,and responding to public notices about Environmental Permitting is a duty we all share. If I do not live off of the land, but use chemicals, gasoline, tires, aerosol cans, computers, internet, or medicine, I am a consumer.
If I consume, I am responsible for waste and pollution that comes with manufacture,
If I drive a car, I am responsible for oil spills, and other energy borne disasters.
If I use natural gas, I am a fracker.
Arkansas is in Region 6, of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Arkansas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, and 66 Tribes comprise Region 6. Region 6 of the EPA is the Federal Branch of the Environmental Protection Agency. As is with our nation, there is a separation of powers between Federal and State. Each State, or Tribe has an Environmental Agency at that level.
The Federal and State Agencies, are supposed to be on the same side, but when it comes to the mechanism of business, regarding the Compliance with Federal laws, States will often wag their powers around, stirring up a Judge or another Agency, who is invested in the same Corporations as themselves. The Feds do not want to have to bring down the National Guard every year to get Southern States to comply with Federal Law, so a third party comes into play, the People, or the Public
Region 6 is notorious for inviting big polluters to set up shop, and helping them all they can to get permitted and in operation. One would agree with these judges and governors and senators, that it is healthy for the economy, to have these industries, even if they sling toxic by-products, poisons, acids, chemical weapons, nuke juice, you name it.
The worst thing is, that the long run is a sadly losing situation for all near-by residents. Neighbors suffer anything from massive cancer rates, to stillborn children, dead crops or livestock, Asthma, tumors, deformities. It takes so long to prove the causal affect between polluter, and victims.
Promised jobs are held by people from other States where 70% of their populations aren't on disability, brains work like they should. They will hire a few locals to do the grunt work, but again, in the long run, the medical costs, loss of in-put from the sick, depression, and bankruptcy, is not economically positive at all.
The few fat cats, and their cousins, fill their pockets, keep their attorneys in Gucci leather, and eventually abandon the whole shit load onto the citizens of the place where they basically robbed the citizenry of peaceful enjoyment, and the right to seek happiness.
Exxon's Report to ADEQ Regarding Their Upset or Spill
Showing posts with label ADEQ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ADEQ. Show all posts
Monday, May 4, 2015
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Fracking is an Earth cracking, water destroying practice
"FRACK is a Four Letter Word!"
"Natural Gas Extraction is Clean Energy"
"Natural Gas is a Renewable Resource"
"Fracking Fluids are only Water with a few Secret Ingredients"
"Refilling the Drilled Places with Sand, Restores Structural Stability to the Crust"
"CAT Engines that are placed on-site to keep the Gas Wells Pumping are Individual Point Sources"
...and other Fairy Tales you hear from Shale Extractors to keep them from being regulated. The scariest part of these Tales is that the money that is being made by a handful of people, makes them greedy and dangerous enough that the Agencies that are supposed to Regulate them, turn a Blind Eye to the long-term and extensive damage done by Fracking.
In March of 2008, I was working for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. I was fairly new at my job, working in the Air Compliance & Enforcement Division as a lowly Secretary II. On that fateful day, a Mr. (Roberts?) called into the Agency to make a complaint against the "Fracking" companies that were heading into Arkansas. This gentleman was dying, he had worked in Natural Gas Extraction in the State of Texas, and due to exposure from the silica, he was terminally ill.
Mr. Roberts also warned that as an avid Sportsman; fishing and hunting, we would lose our aquatic life and our streams and creeks would be destroyed. He sounded a little crazy, let me tell you. Some of the terms and terminology was brand new to me, and I have been around the Environmental Industry for years. He told me he could prove everything he was saying, and I began receiving emails into the Air Division, outlining the illegal behavior, and devastating practices done by these "sub-contracted" Gas Well Frackers.
Part of the documentation sent, was from the Texas Department of Environmental Quality who had worked for years to bring the fracking companies into compliance, and to get them working within the permitting system of TDEQ and the EPA. They were never successful, and amazingly, all of this moved right into Arkansas, just like this caller said. I personally had conversations with Texas Department of Environmental Quality and they warned me, just like Mr. Roberts.
I was in the Air Division, and should never have received this call, but it is the practice of ADEQ to be intentionally "not helpful" to Citizens when they call in, "it takes too much time". ADEQ has a division called Public Outreach & Assistance...no comment on that. At the time, there was a wonderful environmentalist, "D", who worked in POA and I passed all of this complaint information to him.
Because of the complaint call, we were able to track the new Fracking company to Russellville, Arkansas, where Public Outreach and Assistance would walk the Frackers through the permitting processes they may need. It seem as if everything was in control, being monitored, and good. I did the final follow up with Mr. Roberts and he kept insisting that we were going to be sadly fooled when this was over.
It was more than simply a Water issue. Once the Earth has been fractured, and the Gas is flowing, a well-head must be formed, where CAT Engines are placed to continue pumping the Gas. These CAT Engines are a Pollutant Source, but somehow the Industry was able to get an exemption no other Industry gets, and that is to count each one of these Engine sources and a single point source of pollution and not count their cumulative sources in a given area. Not only that, but some of the toxins that are emitted from these engines was not even counted during the permitting process, although it is standard in other States.That in my opinion is criminal.
The ADEQ, Outreach and Assistance associate, "D" that had been with the Agency for many years, ended up leaving several months after this all transpired. I can only imagine the pressure that came to rest on him, to let the Gas Extractors alone.
The Director of ADEQ, appointed by Governor Beebe, was well aware of the extra strain and budget constraints that would come from Gas Well Extraction in the Water Division, but during a "meet & greet" session with the Air Division, she had no idea that over 1000 air permits had been applied for and given on CAT Engines, increasing complaint calls, stack testing and inspections required in Air.
No idea... By the time I left, there were well over 1,000 permits issued to Southwest Energy, Chesapeake, and several other Natural Gas Companies whose ownership and names changed on a regular basis.
When I left the agency in June of 2009, many of the permits were owned by the entity which recently built a new ballpark in North Little Rock, AR. It may not seem like this is on topic, but the thing is, two 2 air Permitting Engineers in the Air Division, also are in the employee of this entity, and these two, help out at the Beer Brewery and ballpark, working the concession stands, and have worked several other positions with the entity. This was disclosed to the Director's office, and they did not feel this was a conflict of interest.
This entity also owns and controls all media in Arkansas. A CEO of this entity, also sits on Governor Beebe's Blue Ribbon Committee for Highway Development...the same development that will be "transparent, after it is finished..." I am sure there is not a conflict of interest... right?
My last two months were a horror show to me, as I witnessed hundreds of 404 (Short term use water permits) issued to the fracking/gas well companies, without regard for the environment, and successfully bypassing public scrutiny. These permits allow the frackers to trench 2 miles of 22" pipe under every stream and tributary in Arkansas even endangered ones. Progress and prosperity, right?
(link) High Pressure Fracture Fluid Testing Document
(link) Drilling Fluid U.S. Patent 5333698
(link) Patent Storm - US Patent 5362713
High Performance Environmentally Friendly Fluids
"Natural Gas Extraction is Clean Energy"
"Natural Gas is a Renewable Resource"
"Fracking Fluids are only Water with a few Secret Ingredients"
"Refilling the Drilled Places with Sand, Restores Structural Stability to the Crust"
"CAT Engines that are placed on-site to keep the Gas Wells Pumping are Individual Point Sources"
...and other Fairy Tales you hear from Shale Extractors to keep them from being regulated. The scariest part of these Tales is that the money that is being made by a handful of people, makes them greedy and dangerous enough that the Agencies that are supposed to Regulate them, turn a Blind Eye to the long-term and extensive damage done by Fracking.
In March of 2008, I was working for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. I was fairly new at my job, working in the Air Compliance & Enforcement Division as a lowly Secretary II. On that fateful day, a Mr. (Roberts?) called into the Agency to make a complaint against the "Fracking" companies that were heading into Arkansas. This gentleman was dying, he had worked in Natural Gas Extraction in the State of Texas, and due to exposure from the silica, he was terminally ill.
Mr. Roberts also warned that as an avid Sportsman; fishing and hunting, we would lose our aquatic life and our streams and creeks would be destroyed. He sounded a little crazy, let me tell you. Some of the terms and terminology was brand new to me, and I have been around the Environmental Industry for years. He told me he could prove everything he was saying, and I began receiving emails into the Air Division, outlining the illegal behavior, and devastating practices done by these "sub-contracted" Gas Well Frackers.
Part of the documentation sent, was from the Texas Department of Environmental Quality who had worked for years to bring the fracking companies into compliance, and to get them working within the permitting system of TDEQ and the EPA. They were never successful, and amazingly, all of this moved right into Arkansas, just like this caller said. I personally had conversations with Texas Department of Environmental Quality and they warned me, just like Mr. Roberts.
I was in the Air Division, and should never have received this call, but it is the practice of ADEQ to be intentionally "not helpful" to Citizens when they call in, "it takes too much time". ADEQ has a division called Public Outreach & Assistance...no comment on that. At the time, there was a wonderful environmentalist, "D", who worked in POA and I passed all of this complaint information to him.
Because of the complaint call, we were able to track the new Fracking company to Russellville, Arkansas, where Public Outreach and Assistance would walk the Frackers through the permitting processes they may need. It seem as if everything was in control, being monitored, and good. I did the final follow up with Mr. Roberts and he kept insisting that we were going to be sadly fooled when this was over.
It was more than simply a Water issue. Once the Earth has been fractured, and the Gas is flowing, a well-head must be formed, where CAT Engines are placed to continue pumping the Gas. These CAT Engines are a Pollutant Source, but somehow the Industry was able to get an exemption no other Industry gets, and that is to count each one of these Engine sources and a single point source of pollution and not count their cumulative sources in a given area. Not only that, but some of the toxins that are emitted from these engines was not even counted during the permitting process, although it is standard in other States.That in my opinion is criminal.
The ADEQ, Outreach and Assistance associate, "D" that had been with the Agency for many years, ended up leaving several months after this all transpired. I can only imagine the pressure that came to rest on him, to let the Gas Extractors alone.
The Director of ADEQ, appointed by Governor Beebe, was well aware of the extra strain and budget constraints that would come from Gas Well Extraction in the Water Division, but during a "meet & greet" session with the Air Division, she had no idea that over 1000 air permits had been applied for and given on CAT Engines, increasing complaint calls, stack testing and inspections required in Air.
No idea... By the time I left, there were well over 1,000 permits issued to Southwest Energy, Chesapeake, and several other Natural Gas Companies whose ownership and names changed on a regular basis.
When I left the agency in June of 2009, many of the permits were owned by the entity which recently built a new ballpark in North Little Rock, AR. It may not seem like this is on topic, but the thing is, two 2 air Permitting Engineers in the Air Division, also are in the employee of this entity, and these two, help out at the Beer Brewery and ballpark, working the concession stands, and have worked several other positions with the entity. This was disclosed to the Director's office, and they did not feel this was a conflict of interest.
This entity also owns and controls all media in Arkansas. A CEO of this entity, also sits on Governor Beebe's Blue Ribbon Committee for Highway Development...the same development that will be "transparent, after it is finished..." I am sure there is not a conflict of interest... right?
My last two months were a horror show to me, as I witnessed hundreds of 404 (Short term use water permits) issued to the fracking/gas well companies, without regard for the environment, and successfully bypassing public scrutiny. These permits allow the frackers to trench 2 miles of 22" pipe under every stream and tributary in Arkansas even endangered ones. Progress and prosperity, right?
(link) High Pressure Fracture Fluid Testing Document
(link) Drilling Fluid U.S. Patent 5333698
(link) Patent Storm - US Patent 5362713
High Performance Environmentally Friendly Fluids
Monday, January 3, 2011
Four and four thousand ninety six Blackbirds baked in a Money Pie
Today I count myself very lucky. Do you realize that I live in a State, where the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) was able to ascertain in a matter of minutes that no air toxins were involved in the massacre of over 5,000, red-winged blackbirds.
Wow, when did they start hiring veterinarians? Who did the autopsies, blood, lung and brain tests already?
Better than Special Victims Unit on TV, in just minutes, ADEQ determined that there are no air toxins involved in the death of all of those birds. Miraculous. Since I used to work in the Air Division of ADEQ, I am going over in my mind just how all of this went down...
- ADEM (Arkansas Department of Emergency Management) was called when birds started dropping from the sky. This is standard protocol for a possible spill or what ADEQ calls "UPSET" [the thing is Energy companies are not required to report 'UPSET conditions'. They are self monitored.
- ADEM Contacted their person on call 24 hours per day at ADEQ. It is possible that a there was air quality problems stemming from Gas Well, or Sour gas. This happens all the time. It is not reported to the public, the gas well companies have no requirement to report this to ADEQ.
- The Director of ADEQ was notified, and The Director notified the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission, and Beebe, the Governor may have been in the string of calls.
- The Chief of the Air Division got a call.
- The head of Manager of Compliance and Enforcement is given the word, This report will be inconclusive. They all are.
- US Environmental Services, makes a load cleaning up the dead birds...who is the consulting / engineering company? Who is so close to the Arkansas pollution commission. who has a lot of interest in Beebe, oh I meant the town...
- Arkansas Reclamation
This would have normally been a call that was answered by ADEQ like this, "Dead birds are not under our jurisdiction, you will have to call another Agency, I don't know who you should call, but it isn't us."
The results will be inconclusive. No one who works for this State agency will make waves. They will put their heads back down, counting days until retirement. While a few engineering firms make billions off of the pollution problems caused by lackadaisical Environmental Enforcement.
Will they publish the results of the autopsies they performed to come to these conclusions? It would be a good thing to publicly acknowledge the chain of custody and authority in this massive destruction of birds. What are the actions and steps they took to come to that conclusion?
If I were a philosopher, I would ask, "Is there any connection?" Arkansas Reclamation of Beebe, and Environmental Services are overseen by? A.P.C. & E. is there a possible conflict of interest? Just thinking out loud.
There were strong complaints against Arkansas Reclamation, and citizens have been put off and ignored since the first day they started hauling in spent hydraulic fracturing fluids for reclaiming.
To stop the complaints ARC had to stop getting complaints... In the Director of ADEQ's own works from a 2009 meeting regarding "Land Farms" (which is a shady way of saying land that the fluids are taken and dumped), she said it was a test to see how it would go...
"Director’s Report
Director Marks discussed Arkansas Department of Environmental
Quality’s (“ADEQ”) proposed 2009 legislation package.
She reported that Regulation No. 8 did not go through the
Legislative Council but will be reviewed in December and would
be ready to go before the commission in January.
Director Marks reported on a study that ADEQ is doing on
commercial land farming activity to see what affect it is having
on the soils and water bodies of the state.
Commissioner Schueck asked for an update regarding the
complaints against the Arkansas Reclamation Company located in
Beebe that were discussed at the last meeting. Discussion
followed.
Chair Thompson called on Senator Kim Hendren to speak to th..."
What kind of study is being done? Who is doing it? What are the conclusions? Who is doing the testing?
You know, on hazardous areas, birds are kept in cages in the offices, because if they start dying, that means it is time for everyone to clear out. The fact that one bird was seen walking next to people on the ground in circles, and cannot fly on this news clip, is very worrying.
If humans start dropping dead, will the ADEQ be sent to do autopsies? Just wondering... because it would be inconclusive that any environmental problems exists, there is too much money to be made for that conclusion.
This is Progress
An article in the Washington Times, states, "the birds will not be missed", during migration they come in for a month and crap everywhere. Those birds are here for a reason.
They will be missed as they eat bugs, flies, mosquitoes, and other parasites that feed on mammals. Each time we lose any species we are one step closer to our own demise. This was an ecological system, all parts important. Today we know the most important thing is a couple of ol' boys make money, and Arkansans are left to pay for the clean up. Way to go.
Arkansas must lose the Natural State Hype, and change to the Fracked State!
http://www.komatsuamerica.com/032309-Fayetteville-Shale
Sunday, October 25, 2009
'"What's a gal to do?".
The newspaper industry cannot understand why there is a decline in membership, perhaps it is because we can get unbiased news from the Internet. From Sunday's Arkansas Democrat Gazette**:
- "The Arkansas Pollution & Ecology Commission has re-tooled it's Web site in response to a customer complaint." is the first sentence of the article.
- Ms. Nancy Felts Dunlap of Prairie County has been in dispute with Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality for months * regarding a permit granted to "a Prairie County drilling waste storage facility." The article only mentions one complaint.
- Ms. Dunlap wasn't against the facility going in, initially. Shortly after the prairie Co. land farm started operating, problems with the neighbors started.
- The Arkansas Dept. of Environmental Quality had already issued that permit with little regard for what any citizen, biologist, or geologist had to say.
- Ms. Nancy Felts Dunlap and Arkansas is plum out of luck. [sees problem, complains, appeals and Nobody cares.]
- The point is, this permit was granted. It stays granted.
- So, where does this changing the website come in? After all of that, the Dem-Gazette titles the article: "Ecology panel revamps Web site criticized as misleading"
- What is the whole story? It looks like we may have to look northward to get any real answers...*******
www.adeq.state.ar.us/.../2009-07-20_Response_to_Motion_to_Dismiss.pdf
****www.adeq.state.ar.us/.../2009-08-03_Order_No_3(Recommended_Decision).pdf
*****http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/.../2009-07-08_PCLF
******http://www.adeq.state.ar.us/.../2009-07-27_Reply_to_Response_to_PCLF
*******http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/shale/2008/10/they_get_the_gold_mine_we_get.aspx *******
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