Morgantown Goes To Court Over Fracking Ordinance

http://www.dailymail.com/News/201107070903
Friday July 8, 2011
Company to seek millions if gas drilling ban upheld
by From staff reports

The natural gas company suing to end the City of Morgantown's ban on hydraulic fracturing is confident that a court will strike down the ban.

But, if not, Charleston-based Northeast Energy wants about $42 million from the city to make up for its lost investment and the gas it won't be able to get out of the ground if the ban is kept in place.

In a series of filings in Monongalia County Circuit Court on Thursday, Northeast asked Circuit Judge Phillip Gaujot to temporarily prevent Morgantown officials from enforcing the law while the company "fracks" its wells.

To get gas from the Marcellus shale, companies like Northeast use a water-intensive technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," to free gas from shale rocks. City officials and many residents are concerned chemicals in the frack fluid could enter the public water supply, despite industry assurances the practice is safe.

The company would need a few weeks to frack the Morgantown site and would be ready to do so in mid-August, said Northeast's attorney in the case, Mike Garrison.

"Northeast intends to prosecute its claim against the City of Morgantown aggressively and to the fullest extent," he said.

Garrison added, "In the unlikely event, however, that the ordinance is upheld, Northeast will seek tens of millions of dollars from the city for compensation for the unlawful taking of the property rights and the permanent damage to its investment in this project."

The surest way out of the problems with marcellus gas drilling is to say "no" to leases and make a determined choice to protect Pocahontas County and your family's land into the future. Regulations and ordinances are ways to attempt to hold this tiger by the tail; the best and most effective solution is to choose not to lease in the first place or not to renew your lease. I believe that in life choices have to be made and it is naive and wishful thinking in situations like this that one can have your cake and eat it too.

Insurance "compensation" for ruined water is not compensation at all. The victim of a car accident in a wheel chair is never "compensated" for his loss in court and would gladly trade ever dollar to be back like his was before the accident. Just say "no"!

The only way to get shale gas is to frack and rupture the shale. My wife has property in Upshur County where water was ruined by merely core drilling. Pocahontas County has some of the best water in the world why on earth would we trade that for a fast buck and a ruined future??

We observe that the Mike Garrison who is representing the drillers in the suit against Morgantown is the same Mike Garrison who, before he was forced to resign as president of WVU, arranged to have then Governor Manchin’s daughter granted a degree she did not earn. It will be recalled that the same daughter was given a cushy, highly paid job with Milan Pushkar’s drug manufacturing company. What used to be Mountaineer Field is now Milan Pushkar Stadium. Milan Pushkar has been a long-time patron of now Senator Manchin. Those who have followed the Marcellus Shale controversy will recall that WVU has conducted several public meetings on the Marcellus Shale that minimized the potential for harm and oversold the economic boom that would result.