Sullivan County’s new planner says he has ‘come home’

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/August09/17/Aragon_SCPC-17Aug09.html

Aragon: "Sullivan County can be, and will be, the county of hope"

MONTICELLO – Luiz Aragon was born in Europe, raised in Switzerland and Brazil, and spent the past 20 with New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation & Development, including serving as a deputy commissioner. 

He will be Sullivan County’s new Planning Commissioner, if confirmed by the county legislature later this week.  That would appear to be a formality.  The Executive Committee, consisting of the entire legislature, voted unanimously in favor of his confirmation.

“Coming up here has been, for me, a process that has actually happened over the past ten years.  I’ve had a second home in the upper Delaware River Valley.”

That home is in Shohola, just across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.  He will be required to establish a permanent residence in Sullivan County.

Aragon says the difference between working in one of the world’s most challenging cities, and in pastoral Sullivan County, are not as different as one might think.

“It is different; the subject matter is slightly different.  But, the actual raw material is the same, which is the people.”

He says “the people” are the critical third link in what he defines as a ‘three-dimensional’ nature of the job:  the knowledge of planning that rests with the people he will be working with; the overlying government structure; then, the people themselves. 

If all things come together, Aragon says that will give him what he needs to keep all levels of government, county and municipal, in the loop.

“Often enough, the impact of a project is not, sometimes, thought through.  I think that the planning division, in one of its biggest roles, is going to really think those things through and educate the different townships and share the information, so that the impact of progress, the impact of new projects, can be understood.”

If confirmed, Aragon will replace long-time planner Dr. William Pammer, who left to return to academia.  He will earn $85,000.

The county received almost 30 resumes after advertising the position in June.  Thirteen were interviewed, leaving a short list of three candidates.  The final decision was made last week.

“I think he will bring some additional tools to planning”, said County Manager David Fanslau.

One of those tools, proclaims Aragon, is confidence in the future of Sullivan County.

“Now, I’m a firm believer that here in Sullivan County, you have the necessary raw material to really build a renaissance.  I think that Sullivan County can be, and will be, the county of hope.”

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/08/16/news/doc4a87981da937b012256827.txt
Published: Sunday, August 16, 2009

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Wind company joins Greene Accelerator

CMW holds NYS license for Mass. turbine developer

By Jim Planck
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

A new wind power company with the goal of having a manufacturing facility in Greene County has joined the Greene Accelerator, the joint economic effort of the Greene County Industrial Development Agency and the Albany-based, not-for-profit Center for Economic Growth....

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http://tunlaw.org/mountaincatskill.htm My Catskill Mountain Photographs http://tunlaw.org/mountaincatskill.htm

link to complete article is here:
http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/09/709_FlyFishing/

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Mamakating — A former resort hotel that has been under intense scrutiny since it was taken over by a Hasidic sect from New City has been charged with three counts of violating the state environmental conservation law after an oil spill Thursday at the site.

State DEC police Officer Scott Steingart said his officers, as well as DEC spill response units, answered a call at the former Homowack Hotel, now known as Machne Bnos Square, for an oil spill reported by a neighbor around 3:30 p.m. Upon arriving at the site, Steingart learned that the owners of the hotel, a Hasidic group known as Congregation Bais Trana, had released a quantity of heating oil while trying to transfer it from one tank on the property to another.

The oil escaped into drains that eventually empty into a nearby stream. A pump found near a hole by Phillipsport Road might have been used in an attempt to pump water out of the drainage culvert, possibly to stop the oil from escaping the property through another pipe that runs under the road, Steingart said.

Thursday evening, firefighters and members of a hazmat team tried to stanch the flow with pads of absorbent material.

No oil seems to have left the property, Steingart said.

However, charges were filed against the congregation for failing to report the spill, which occurred at 7:45 a.m., Steingart said. In addition, the group was charged with failing to register bulk storage tanks and producing an "unwholesome" material on or near a public road, all misdemeanors that carry heavy fines under the state environmental law.

The Skver sect of Hasidim from New City purchased the hotel, a former resort for non-Hasidic Jews, along with 450 acres of land in 2006, apparently intent on creating a new Hasidic village akin to the Satmar village of Kiryas Joel in Monroe. It was not known last night if there was a connection between the sect and Congregation Bais Trana.

Mamakating town officials, however, have lately been critical of the operation of the hotel, a summer getaway for Hasidim from all over the state, largely because the proprietors have failed to observe building, health and safety codes.

Town officials, including Supervisor Robert Fiore, were at the site last night, meeting with members of the congregation.

Town resident Andy Weil, who reported the spill, charged that the town leaders were failing to stay vigilant on the Hasidic group's activities. "There's a lot of problems at this end of Mamakating that the town's not dealing with," he said.

At the property, members of the congregation refused to speak to a reporter.

[email protected]

Energy & Environment

Energy Industry Sways Congress With Misleading Data

Want to listen to the story? Click here. [1]

The two key arguments that the oil and gas industry is using to fight federal regulation of the natural gas drilling process called hydraulic fracturing -- that the costs would cripple their business and that state regulations are already strong -- are challenged by the same data and reports the industry is using to bolster its position.

One widely-referenced study [2] (PDF) estimated that complying with regulations would cost the oil and gas industry more than $100,000 per gas well. But the figures are based on 10-year-old estimates and list expensive procedures that aren't mentioned in the proposed regulations.

Another report [3] (PDF) concluded that state regulations for drilling, including fracturing, "are adequately designed to directly protect water." But the report reveals that only four states require regulatory approval before hydraulic fracturing begins. It also outlines how requirements for encasing wells in cement -- a practice the author has said is critical to containing hydraulic fracturing fluids and protecting water -- varies from state to state.

One recommendation in that report flies in face of industry's assertion that its processes are safe: hydraulic fracturing needs more study and should be banned in certain cases near sensitive water supplies.

Hydraulic fracturing [4] -- where water and sand laced with chemicals is injected underground to break up rock -- is considered essential to harvesting deeply buried gas reserves that some predict could meet U.S. demand for 116 years.

In 2005 hydraulic fracturing was exempted from the Safe Drinking Water Act, based on assurances that the process was safe. But a series of ProPublica reports [5] has identified a number of cases in which water has been contaminated in drilling areas across the country, and EPA scientists say they can’t fully investigate them because of the exemption.

Now, Congress is considering legislation [6] to restore the Environmental Protection Agency's oversight of the process. And industry -- leveraging its money and political connections -- is using the recent reports to fight back [7].

Since January at least five studies [8] have been published making the case that state laws [9] (PDF) are adequate and that new regulations could hamper exploration [10] (PDF), raise fuel prices and eliminate jobs. Three of the studies were paid for by the Department of Energy and produced by consulting firms that also work with the industry. One of the DOE reports [2] (PDF) was written by the same person who authored a study for the Independent Petroleum Association of America [11] (PDF)

The industry argues [11] (PDF) that federal oversight would amount to a redundant layer of bureaucracy that is not needed because states already require the same environmental safeguards that might be required by the EPA, and that those safeguards are effective [7].

"We don't think the system is broke, so we question the value of trying to fix it with a federal solution," Richard Ranger, a senior policy analyst at the American Petroleum Institute [12], told ProPublica in May. "So proceed with caution if you are going to proceed with regulating this business because it could make a very significant difference in delivering a fuel that is fundamental to economic health."

[13] Industry reports [14] say that if federal regulations are applied to hydraulic fracturing, more than a third of onshore gas wells would be closed and oil and gas companies would spend $10 billion complying with the law in its first year. The federal government would lose some $1.2 billion in revenue.

But advocates for the federal legislation say the industry is misleading the public into a false choice between the economy and the environment.

"We are all for using science-based information," said Amy Mall, a senior policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council [15]. "But the underlying information doesn’t really tell the story they claim it does."

Nonetheless, the arguments have gained traction in Congress and have eroded support for new regulation.

Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., told his fellow members in a recent hearing that "these folks are laying people off -- people are hurting in my district." Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., who sponsored legislation to regulate fracturing in 2008, but declined to add his name to this year's bill, told ProPublica that "developers may have legitimate concerns about the impact that removing the exemption may have on their ability to find and extract oil and gas."

To keep the legislation alive, Diana DeGette, D-Colo., its main sponsor, has shifted gears to seek environmental studies and hearings rather than a quick passage into law.

"The opposition has been throwing out scare tactics and mischaracterizations of what she is trying to do," said DeGette's spokesman, Kristofer Eisenla. "Unfortunately the oil and gas guys came out of the barn storming."

Fuzzy Numbers

The study that has received the most publicity [2] (PDF) is also among the most misleading.

The report, which evaluates the costs of regulations for the oil and gas industry, was written for the Department of Energy by a consulting company also used by the energy industry, Advanced Resources International, or ARI. It contains a table [16] (PDF) listing seven specific processes it says would be mandated under the proposed federal regulations, and what those processes would cost -- a total of $100,505 per well. Among the listed items is "state of the art" fracture imaging, at a per-well average cost of $37,500, and three-dimensional fracture simulation, at a cost of $7,500.

But a footnote reveals that these figures are based on memo sent to a DOE official by another consulting firm in 1999. The report’s author said they haven’t been updated to reflect technological advances or substantial shifts in the drilling business over the last decade.

Furthermore, none of the tests listed in the table are mentioned in the text of Safe Drinking Water Act, the federal law that would apply to hydraulic fracturing, according to an EPA spokesperson in Washington. And they aren’t mentioned in the bill being floated in Congress either.

"It's a sense of magnitude of the impacts, not a sense of absolute accuracy," said Michael Godec, Vice President of ARI and author of the report. The regulatory requirements were interpolated on a "bad-case" scenario, he explained, because the federal laws are not specific. "We took some liberties. You have to make some assumptions about what might be required."

[17]Godec believes that many of the processes listed in the report are already being practiced to a greater degree than they were in 1999, meaning that even if they were required they may not be additional burdens at all. But he said that anecdotal conversations with drilling companies confirm that the report’s conclusions are still “about right.”

Godec said he did not obtain recent cost figures from drilling companies, which are closely guarded. Halliburton -- one of the largest hydraulic fracturing service providers -- did not return calls from ProPublica for comment about the expense of the procedures listed.

Asked whether the age of the data was a concern, Godec said it had been discussed with Nancy Johnson, the DOE official who commissioned the report. He said he was instructed that the report was needed quickly, that the budget was limited and that he should move forward because "this is a hot topic and people are testifying."

Nancy Johnson did not return calls for comment and the Department of Energy's office of fossil energy did not make its officials available for an interview after repeated requests. It said, through a spokesperson, that the Department did not author the report.

Godec also produced a similar report on costs and state gas regulations for the Independent Petroleum Association of America that was published in late April. Titled "Bringing Real Information on Energy Forward," [11] (PDF) that report also makes the case that state regulations of drilling practices are effective. Godec says his company’s work is impartial and his conclusions would have been the same whether he was contracted by the oil and gas industry, or the federal government.

Even if the costs Godec laid out in the DOE report were up-to-date and accurate, it’s doubtful they would have the devastating financial impact the industry claims.

The estimated expense of regulating hydraulic fracturing amounts to between one and three percent of the total cost of drilling a new well when factored into operating costs estimated by financial analysts at Deutsche Bank. If all the testing that Godec includes is factored out, the regulations would cost the industry just $4,500 per well, according to his report, or just six hundredths of a percent of the cost of establishing a typical new well.

“I think at the end of the day it’s unlikely to have a real huge impact,” says John Freeman, a senior vice president for energy equity research at the investment bank Raymond James. “It’s a lot of fuzzy stuff that I can’t get my hands around. This just seems to be more of a soft number that I frankly have more of a hard time connecting the dots on.”

State Regulations Leave Gaps

In May the Ground Water Protection Council [18], a group made up mostly of industry representatives and state oil and gas regulators, released the first comprehensive review [3] (PDF) of oil and gas regulations across 27 of 31 drilling states it surveyed. The report, paid for by the DOE, concluded that most states have requirements to encase wells in cement and protect groundwater, and that a majority also require they be notified after hydraulic fracturing takes place.

"The study confirms what the industry has been saying [19] (PDF): that regulation of oil and gas field activities, including hydraulic fracturing, is best accomplished at the state level," the American Petroleum Institute said a press release about the study.

But the GWPC report -- which focuses on what regulations are in place, rather than what may be missing -- raises important points that are downplayed in its summary. It reveals that regulatory oversight is inconsistent from state to state and has substantial gaps. It also says hydraulic fracturing requires "comprehensive" further study "to determine the relative risk" and to determine best practices.

In fact, the report calls for some of same measures found in the congressional bill the industry is so hotly contesting.

[20] Regarding fracturing in areas close to the surface or near shallow aquifers, the report reads: "States should consider requiring companies to submit a list of additives used in formation fracturing and their concentration." It also says that shallow fracturing very close to certain drinking water aquifers "should either be stopped, or restricted to the use of materials that do not pose a risk of endangering ground water and do not have the potential to cause human health effects."

A close examination of the appendices [21] (PDF) attached to the research also showed that 21 of the 31 states listed do not have any specific regulation addressing hydraulic fracturing; 17 states do not require companies to list the chemicals they put in the ground; and no state requires companies to track how much drilling fluid they pump into or remove from the earth -- crucial data for determining what portion of chemicals has been discarded underground.

"The tone is that in general states do an adequate job of protecting water," said Michael Nickolaus, the report's author, special projects director for the GWPC and former director of Indiana's state Oil and Gas Division. "There are certain gaps in certain states ... it’s not a hundred percent world."

The GWPC report does not name the states that lack more stringent regulations, a detail that is important because one or two states can account for a large proportion of the drilling in the United States. To extract that information from the report would require analyzing all the state regulations included in the appendices [21] (PDF) and repeating much of the GWPC's original research. Nickolaus also declined to name the states in an interview with ProPublica, saying that the GWPC was obliged to protect its members.

Nickolaus says well construction -- especially the cementing process that keeps drilling fluids and gas from seeping into groundwater -- is more important than the fracturing issue. But according to the report, state regulations about cementing are sometimes vague and often don't specify standards that makes the protection fool-proof.

While most states have regulations that protect drinking water near the surface, a third don’t require that the cement casing extends far enough to completely isolate wells from geologic layers and the deepest aquifers, according to the report. Twenty-two percent don't require the cement to harden before the well is used for fracturing, and don’t test cement quality and consistency -- one of the surest ways to protect against contamination.

Camping offers an economical alternative

By Dick Nelson

link to complete article is here:

http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2009/07/07/sports/sports1.txt

If the number of people who spent the Fourth of July weekend sitting around a campfire is any indication on how the economy is affecting family vacations, I guess the $819 billion stimulus plan the Obama administration said was needed to turn the economy around has yet to reach the working man.

Just about every campsite operated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation were filled to capacity, with many private campgrounds reporting a high volume of campers as well.

Not that camping hasn’t always been popular with nature lovers. But every time the economy slows, camping is seen as an economical alternative for people looking to get away.

Whether you pitch a tent, or sleep under the stars, the forest has always provided a genuine outdoor experience, and much of that experience can be attributed to the dedication of forest rangers who are involved in various aspects of wild areas including managing the plants, trees, animals and the development and use of state lands.

They also play a large part in the management of fire control in wilderness areas, as well as educating the public about fire prevention in the outdoors.

Here in New York, the single most individual responsible for keeping forest fires to a minimum is the late William F. Fox. Considered the “father” of the state’s modern-day forest rangers, Fox, a lieutenant colonel in the Civil War, became New York’s “Superintendent of Forests” in 1891. He quickly came to the conclusion that the then-current fire patrol system which used “fire wardens” — firefighters who only worked when there were fire emergencies, and local ad hoc firefighters -- couldn't handle the job of forest protection.

A visionary, he wanted a paid staff to cover the Adirondacks and Catskills, and in a report to state leaders outlined how he would organize the patrols by assigning each ranger to a township seven-miles square. The ranger would reside in a log cabin built in the woods near the center of the township.

This forest guard would keep a sharp watch out for suspicious characters that might be a possible incendiary. In sum, Fox said he wanted to shift the emphasis from reacting after fires started to prevention by patrolling the woods.

It took several years and two major forest fires before the legislature acted on Fox’s proposal, and in 1909, then Gov. Charles E. Hughes signed legislation that brought sweeping changes to the Forest, Fish and Game law that included the creation of a fire patrol service in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Fox died shortly thereafter at age 69.

Further legislation followed, replacing the “Forest, Fish and Game Commission” with a “Conservation Commission” and creating the title “forest ranger” in 1912. Though he didn’t live to see his vision fully carried out, Fox is still credited with being the father of the forest rangers.

Today, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) — which evolved from the Conservation Commission — employs a statewide force of 134 uniformed Forest Rangers. Their mission of protecting the state’s natural resources remains consistent with Colonel Fox's vision.

Last month, the DEC held a ceremony to honor Fox on the 100th anniversary of his death. The ceremony was held at his graveside in Ballston Spa.

So what has all this have to do with camping you ask?

Well for one thing, campers probably benefit the most from Fox’s vision, inasmuch as forest fires have been kept at a minimum in both the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, the last in 2006 when 900 acres was lost in Cherrytown (Ulster County). In addition forest rangers patrol state campgrounds making sure that everyone has an enjoyable stay.

If you’ve been thinking about sleeping under the star’s you would be wise to pick up a copy of Car Camping for Everyone, by Mary and Bill Burnham (Knack publishers, $19.95). Part of the Knack, Make it Easy series, this 224 soft cover full-color how-to book, is a culmination of years of trial and error for this outdoor adventure couple, providing a quick-reading picture driven approach to learning.

In the book, Mary, who grew up camping in the Adirondacks, recommends how you can keep your first outings simple and inexpensive. “There are lots of things you can do without when camping but a tent is not one of them. Use your budget to buy a good tent,” Mary said.

As she points out, you can get something decent for around $100 at one of the big box stores, but you should think about borrowing a tent from a friend or rent one from an outdoor store."

While borrowing or renting a tent will allow you to give it a test drive, the Burnham’s don't recommend buying a used tent sight unseen. And to save money on sleeping bags, Mary recommends packing up your blankets and pillows.

“You can spend a lot on a down sleeping bag, but unless you're camping in extremely cold weather, just go with your old comforter and some pillows. A closed cell foam pad or one of the inflatable beds people use for their guest rooms at home will keep you comfortable. If you get an air mattress, make sure you can plug it into a cigarette lighter to inflate it,” she said.

You can’t get away from cooking no matter where you pitch a tent and for this, Mary recommends a Coleman two-burner suitcase stove that uses propane canisters. “The little backpacking stoves are good, but they’re also more expensive,” she said, adding that you could also borrow one from a friend or rent one.

“Garage sales are a great place to find pots, pans, and other useful items,” she said.

As you gain more camping experience, you'll get a better idea of what you need and want based on the kind of camping you're doing, how long your trips are, where and when you’re camping and how comfortable you and your family need to be.

To purchase a copy of the book and/or learn more about the Burnham's outdoor adventures log onto: www.burnhamvirginia.com/books .

News and Notes: The Coxsackie Sportsman’s Club, will offered a handgun safety course on Saturday at 9 a.m. Applications for the four-hour course are available at the Greene County Sheriffs Office in Catskill. Advance registration is required. For more information call Jim Lee at 518-943-3428 or Bob Dingee at 518-945-1378. The club is located at 97 Reservoir Road, West Coxsackie. Directions can be found on the web at: www.cox-sports.org .

The first of several summer 3-D shoots will be held at the Glencadia Rod and Gun Club, Nutten Hook Road (off Cty Route 9J) on Sunday. Other dates include Aug. 9 and Sept. 13. For more information call 518- 799-3006.

Dropping anchor ‘til next time.

Camping offers an economical alternative

By Dick Nelson

link to complete article is here:

http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2009/07/07/sports/sports1.txt

If the number of people who spent the Fourth of July weekend sitting around a campfire is any indication on how the economy is affecting family vacations, I guess the $819 billion stimulus plan the Obama administration said was needed to turn the economy around has yet to reach the working man.

Just about every campsite operated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation were filled to capacity, with many private campgrounds reporting a high volume of campers as well.

Not that camping hasn’t always been popular with nature lovers. But every time the economy slows, camping is seen as an economical alternative for people looking to get away.

Whether you pitch a tent, or sleep under the stars, the forest has always provided a genuine outdoor experience, and much of that experience can be attributed to the dedication of forest rangers who are involved in various aspects of wild areas including managing the plants, trees, animals and the development and use of state lands.

They also play a large part in the management of fire control in wilderness areas, as well as educating the public about fire prevention in the outdoors.

Here in New York, the single most individual responsible for keeping forest fires to a minimum is the late William F. Fox. Considered the “father” of the state’s modern-day forest rangers, Fox, a lieutenant colonel in the Civil War, became New York’s “Superintendent of Forests” in 1891. He quickly came to the conclusion that the then-current fire patrol system which used “fire wardens” — firefighters who only worked when there were fire emergencies, and local ad hoc firefighters -- couldn't handle the job of forest protection.

A visionary, he wanted a paid staff to cover the Adirondacks and Catskills, and in a report to state leaders outlined how he would organize the patrols by assigning each ranger to a township seven-miles square. The ranger would reside in a log cabin built in the woods near the center of the township.

This forest guard would keep a sharp watch out for suspicious characters that might be a possible incendiary. In sum, Fox said he wanted to shift the emphasis from reacting after fires started to prevention by patrolling the woods.

It took several years and two major forest fires before the legislature acted on Fox’s proposal, and in 1909, then Gov. Charles E. Hughes signed legislation that brought sweeping changes to the Forest, Fish and Game law that included the creation of a fire patrol service in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Fox died shortly thereafter at age 69.

Further legislation followed, replacing the “Forest, Fish and Game Commission” with a “Conservation Commission” and creating the title “forest ranger” in 1912. Though he didn’t live to see his vision fully carried out, Fox is still credited with being the father of the forest rangers.

Today, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) — which evolved from the Conservation Commission — employs a statewide force of 134 uniformed Forest Rangers. Their mission of protecting the state’s natural resources remains consistent with Colonel Fox's vision.

Last month, the DEC held a ceremony to honor Fox on the 100th anniversary of his death. The ceremony was held at his graveside in Ballston Spa.

So what has all this have to do with camping you ask?

Well for one thing, campers probably benefit the most from Fox’s vision, inasmuch as forest fires have been kept at a minimum in both the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, the last in 2006 when 900 acres was lost in Cherrytown (Ulster County). In addition forest rangers patrol state campgrounds making sure that everyone has an enjoyable stay.

If you’ve been thinking about sleeping under the star’s you would be wise to pick up a copy of Car Camping for Everyone, by Mary and Bill Burnham (Knack publishers, $19.95). Part of the Knack, Make it Easy series, this 224 soft cover full-color how-to book, is a culmination of years of trial and error for this outdoor adventure couple, providing a quick-reading picture driven approach to learning.

In the book, Mary, who grew up camping in the Adirondacks, recommends how you can keep your first outings simple and inexpensive. “There are lots of things you can do without when camping but a tent is not one of them. Use your budget to buy a good tent,” Mary said.

As she points out, you can get something decent for around $100 at one of the big box stores, but you should think about borrowing a tent from a friend or rent one from an outdoor store."

While borrowing or renting a tent will allow you to give it a test drive, the Burnham’s don't recommend buying a used tent sight unseen. And to save money on sleeping bags, Mary recommends packing up your blankets and pillows.

“You can spend a lot on a down sleeping bag, but unless you're camping in extremely cold weather, just go with your old comforter and some pillows. A closed cell foam pad or one of the inflatable beds people use for their guest rooms at home will keep you comfortable. If you get an air mattress, make sure you can plug it into a cigarette lighter to inflate it,” she said.

You can’t get away from cooking no matter where you pitch a tent and for this, Mary recommends a Coleman two-burner suitcase stove that uses propane canisters. “The little backpacking stoves are good, but they’re also more expensive,” she said, adding that you could also borrow one from a friend or rent one.

“Garage sales are a great place to find pots, pans, and other useful items,” she said.

As you gain more camping experience, you'll get a better idea of what you need and want based on the kind of camping you're doing, how long your trips are, where and when you’re camping and how comfortable you and your family need to be.

To purchase a copy of the book and/or learn more about the Burnham's outdoor adventures log onto: www.burnhamvirginia.com/books .

News and Notes: The Coxsackie Sportsman’s Club, will offered a handgun safety course on Saturday at 9 a.m. Applications for the four-hour course are available at the Greene County Sheriffs Office in Catskill. Advance registration is required. For more information call Jim Lee at 518-943-3428 or Bob Dingee at 518-945-1378. The club is located at 97 Reservoir Road, West Coxsackie. Directions can be found on the web at: www.cox-sports.org .

The first of several summer 3-D shoots will be held at the Glencadia Rod and Gun Club, Nutten Hook Road (off Cty Route 9J) on Sunday. Other dates include Aug. 9 and Sept. 13. For more information call 518- 799-3006.

Dropping anchor ‘til next time.

Gas drilling co. begins application

 

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It's the opening salvo for gas drilling in one of the nation's most pristine — and protected — regions:

The nation's largest natural-gas corporation, Chesapeake, has applied to withdraw 1 million gallons of water per day from the Delaware River in nearby Wayne County, Pa.

The application, set for a public hearing July 15 before the Delaware River Basin Commission, is the first in the environmentally sensitive area regulated by the federally mandated interstate commission.

"We have a history of approving water withdrawals, but this is the initial one for natural gas," says DRBC spokeswoman Kate O'Hara.

The request for water to drill the gas-rich Marcellus shale has raised concerns, and some alarm, in an area rich in wildlife, lush land and small communities. Although the water would be withdrawn from the West Branch of the Delaware in Buckingham Township, Pa., it would also be used for wells in New York.

The Upper Delaware Council, based on the Delaware in Narrowsburg, has long tried to balance conservation and development in its management of the upper river corridor. While the UDC has yet to take sides on gas drilling, it's "definitely a concern," says Executive Director Bill Douglass.

"A little bit of water we can live with," he says, "but a lot over time "¦"

The trucks to cart the water to wells are another worry.

"Heavy industry should not be on the river corridor," says the UDC's senior resource specialist, Dave Soete.

The prominent environmental group Catskill Mountainkeeper is dead set against the withdrawal.

"We don't want to see any at this point because there are too many unanswered questions," says its executive director, Ramsay Adams. Those questions — about pollution and environmental destruction — are why the Department of Environmental Conservation has postponed issuing new regulations for gas drilling.

Chesapeake says it "typically operates above" local environmental regulations.

"As the play develops, Chesapeake will be moving from utilizing solely trucks to transport the fresh water "¦ by laying fresh water pipelines to reduce any impact truck traffic may have on a community," says its corporate development manager, Maribeth Anderson.

But even if this water withdrawal is approved, gas companies must clear other regulatory steps before they can drill — including those yet-to-be-

released DEC standards.

They include approval of the controversial — some say polluting — "fracking" process, which uses chemicals to extract gas from the shale.

"Our position is drilling will have an effect on (the river basin)," says DRBC spokeswoman O'Hara. "So they would have to go through all the steps to prove they're nonpolluting."

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