Landowners voicing concerns on proposed natural gas drilling

Washington County:

“Some landowners whose properties lie in the proposed natural gas drilling overlay zone in Washington County have banded together to voice their concerns over the practice and ask the county to slow down and look at potential effects. ‘A lot of people don’t even realize this drilling is going to take place,’ said Jimmy Hobbs, who lives in the zone, which is north of Bristol in an area designated for agriculture south of the North Fork of the Holston River, and includes much of Rich Valley Road. ‘Our concern is not about the money so much; it’s about saving our way of life.’…

For nearly a year, the Washington County Planning Commission has been reviewing a draft ordinance that would define the area that can be drilled and set forth environmental and land use precautions to protect landowners, the land and citizens. Currently, drilling isn’t prohibited, but there have been no active wells for decades. In recent months, however, there’s been renewed interest.”

~Writes Allie Robinson Gibson of the Bristol Herald Courier

Click here to read this article

Oil and gas leases in bay region spark debate

Chesapeake Bay Region:

“A company that’s leasing oil and gas rights in Virginia’s rural coastal plain has tapped a gusher of concern. Some people worry that drilling could pollute waters in the Chesapeake Bay region and turn pastoral Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula counties into noisy industrial zones.

But the president of the Texas company acquiring the leases, Shore Exploration & Production Corp., said drilling could turn landowners into millionaires and help the environment by providing relatively clean-burning natural gas… Much of the bay-region controversy centers on a drilling method called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.”

~Writes Rex Springston of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Click here to learn more

Fracking worries arise at conservation forum in city

Virginia Outdoors Foundation:

“The purpose of a Virginia Outdoors Foundation-sponsored forum in Fredericksburg last week was to look at whether oil and gas drilling should be allowed on land protected from other development by conservation easements. But looming over the five-hour session Thursday was the prospect of hydraulic fracturing coming to the Taylorsville basin south and east of Fredericksburg. Some conservation easements in the basin already allow drilling.”

~Writes Rusty Dennen of The Free Lance-Star

Click here to learn more

Citizens voice concerns over Fracking possibilities

Northern Virginia & Middle Peninsula:

“Citizens aired their concerns last Wednesday over the possibility of fracking taking place in a basin that stretches through parts of the Northern Neck and Essex County. During a regular meeting of the Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District, Former 99th District Delegate Albert C. Pollard and Richard Moncure of the Friends of the Rappahannock gave a presentation on fracking, or the horizontal drilling process of injecting chemicals into beds of rock underground known as shale formations to release natural gas, oil and other resources trapped in the rock.

Local interest in the subject first amassed when it was discovered that Texas-based Shore Exploration and Production Corp. had secured 85,000 acres of land in leases for fracking in the Taylorsville Basin, which stretches across Eastern Virginia into parts of Maryland. Most of the acres were leased in Caroline County, followed by Westmoreland, King George, Essex and King and Queen Counties.

Moncure said the leases were for seven years and renewable, while Pollard noted that the landowners were getting $15 per acre each year. If the oil companies found something, Pollard added, then landowners would receive a higher amount. Back in December, Shore Exploration President Stan Sherrill told the Northern Neck News that his company could practice nitrogen fracking in the basin, which, based on a conversation he said he had with a state inspector, produced very little environmental results as opposed to hydrofracking.”

~Writes Westmoreland News

Fracking in George Washington National Forest could threaten D.C. area drinking water

Northern Virginia:

“The future cleanliness of the Washington region’s drinking water has unexpectedly become a central concern in the national debate over the controversial natural-gas drilling method known as ‘fracking.’ The gas industry is pushing to allow fracking in the George Washington National Forest, despite fears that it could threaten the cleanliness of the Potomac River. It’s the sole source of drinking water for more than 4 million people in our area.

It’s no surprise that environmental groups are pushing hard to ban fracking in the forest, which includes the Potomac’s headwaters in the Appalachian Mountains. But I’ve been struck by the strong positions taken by more neutral parties, notably major local water utilities. The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, the Washington Aqueduct and the Fairfax County Water Authority all oppose fracking in the forest — at least until the dangers are better understood.”

~Writes Robert McCartney of The Washington Post

Click here to learn more

King George fracking presentation moved to Feb. 4

King George County

“State officials will talk to the King George board about drilling regulations, the region’s geology and deposits in the area, according to a spokesman from the state department.

For three months, the King George supervisors have said they want to look at their ordinances and see what they can or cannot allow in terms of fracking. That’s another term for hydraulic fracturing, a process that injects chemicals into the ground to fracture rocks, which then release oil and natural gas.

A Texas-based company has leased more than 84,000 acres in the Taylorsville Basin area, including 10,443 acres in King George, to do some preliminary drilling for oil and gas.”

~Writes Cathy Dyson of the Free Lance–Star

Click here to learn more

Fracking issues to get airing in King George

King George County

“Residents in King George clearly expect fracking issues to be at the forefront of public discussion during 2014. Resident Mary Trout commented on the topic during the Dec. 17 meeting of the Board of Supervisors, which spawned remarks from several elected officials, all expressing concerns.

Trout raised the issue of how hydraulic fracturing – fracking – might affect landowners on private roads should natural gas mining take place on neighboring property. She also raised the issue of noise from the industrial activity and noted that environmental and legal issues need to be considered.

Hydrofracking is a process whereby chemicals and water are forced deep into the ground to fracture the shale rock strata to release natural gas. This fracking process consumes large amounts of water, and the chemicals can pollute aquifers. King George’s entire water supply is dependent on wells fed from underground aquifers.”

~Writes Phyllis Cook of The Journal

Click here to learn more