So What is the Least Costly Power? Good Article...

This is a subject area where I have personal experience. For 15 years we've lived off the grid and generated our own electricity. We own three small windmills and a dozen solar panels. At no time have more than two of the windmills worked. At present all of them are broken. For us, wind energy has been a very costly mistake. On the other hand, our solar panels have been 100 percent reliable and produce electricity even on cloudy days.

Large-scale wind power plants will always be more expensive than any other power source for one simple reason: wind is unreliable. The instant the wind fails, each and every wind turbine must be backed up by an additional coal, gas or nuclear power plant all powered up and ready to go. That wastes a lot of fuel.

When we build industrial wind power plants we pay for them four times. First, we pay for the turbines themselves which are almost totally subsidized by our tax dollars. Second, we pay for another traditional (coal, gas or nuclear) plant to supply power when the wind quits. Third, we pay higher electric rates for the new power lines and substations to ship wind energy to Maryland and other states. Fourth, we pay higher taxes and fees when states force universities and industries to buy high-priced 'renewable' power.

As for being 'green', on a per-watt basis industrial wind energy does more harm to the environment than any other source of power. It requires about 1,000 huge wind turbines to produce the same amount of power as one nuclear plant. The turbines must be at least 1,000 feet apart. That's 200 miles of turbines on our ridges -- to do what? To generate less useful power than one nuclear plant which could be built next to an existing plant?

When the wind is not blowing, it doesn't matter how many turbines we build, we get no electricity. As for reducing America's 'carbon footprint,' despite all the money that has been spent on industrial wind power in the US, there is not one study proving that it has reduced carbon emissions.

It is unfortunate that people who care about the environment have been convinced that wind energy is good for the environment. No other energy source disrupts more land, ruins more views, or kills more eagles and bats than the wind industry. Our investment in huge wind turbines is the worst thing we can do to our environment and to our economy. -- Rich

Why do we have to entertain any of these choices when we already have what we and America need....farms and good water.

Ruth
I couldn't agree more. Your common sense is showing!

Solar panels have a useful life of 20 years or more and do not produce harmful emissions.

What is the cheapest source of electricity? Conservation. The cheapest, 'greenest' electricity is electricity that is not used. Americans waste -- totally waste -- half of the electricity we produce. Conservation alone can meet America's growth in electricity demand for two decades or more.

After conservation, what source of electricity does the least environmental damage? Nuclear power. Nothing else comes close. Unfortunately, the media and eco-hysterics have folks believing that nuclear power is a threat to people and the environment. More than a half century of experience with nuclear power proves such fears to be irrational. -- Rich

Ruth I heat with wood. I raise a large garden and put most of it up. I raise steers and lambs. So I am relatively self sufficient. In a complex society, we specialize and no one does everything; even doctors don/t treat themselves. So in the energy debate, I don/t worry I am not drilling or winding etc when I and the county are producing other needed services and commodities. In a very short time from now, if we stay smart, water will be worth more than gas.

Exactly, Pocahontas is not an island. Speaking of tourism, could Snowshoe operate without power?

If everyone were as conservative in their use of energy as are most local residents; the nation would have energy to spare.

If ripping up our land and selling off our resources at fire-sale prices were sound economic policy; West Virginians would be the wealthiest people in the nation.

If West Virginia raised its 5% severance tax on fossil fuels to the 37% charged by some other states; the state could end all sales taxes and cut income taxes by half. What better way to attract new businesses and create good jobs?

The time to demand that our elected state officials do right by us is right now. -- Rich

No frankly Ruth I don't. This county has much to offer as it is. We do not have to have gas drilling because we use electricity or drive cars. We use steel knives and plows, do we need a foundry to justify our use? We use energy as does everyone else but not everyone produces it especially at the cost of other equally valuable services and commodities they produce. Our pure water, our farm produce, our safe haven environment is a priceless renewing energy depot for the ravaged and parched spirits coming to us from areas ruined by crowding, heavy industry, pollution; places where the water is not fit to drink and the air rank and odious. Our pure fuel also gives our lives a very special meaning and we should be darn careful not to throw it away. You are going to pay higher fuel prices if this county gets ruined or not. The profits from oil and gas are astronomical; just ask your neighbor Senator Rockefeller. Don't delude your self into thinking that all of a sudden when you can't take a drink from your kitchen tap that your sacrifice and the sacrifice you made for children yet unborn is going to do a darn thing except make people in texas and wall street and the middle east richer for longer. The Roman empire used slaves as their energy source to build their great cities and roads, we use oil and diesel....let us not become slaves to that.

When the loggers came through Pocahontas County they cut everything. The county was denuded of its trees, leaving only brush and timber waste. Then it caught fire and the fires burned everything, down to and including the roots. A lot of the topsoil ran off, and we didn’t have much to start with on the ridges.

When the logging started there was some quick money. There were some clapboard houses put up. Some people got jobs in the timber. But it was all soon gone, leaving devastation. It’s taken the better part of a century for the trees to come back. Louise McNeill, who lived through it, depicts it accurately, I think in Milkweed Ladies. You don’t have to be a Luddite to see the parallels that we face now from gas drilling and wind power.

I can’t resist quoting another great American poet:

“And here I sit so patiently,
waiting to find out what price,
you have to pay,
to get out of going through all these things twice.”

Bob Dylan,
Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again

"Taxation without Representation is Tyranny" was the rallying cry of the first American Revolution. As it was in 1776, the interests of the people are no longer represented in the halls of political power. Especially in this state, only huge corporations and deep-pocket contributors have the right -- and power -- to be heard.

Neither Tomblin nor Maloney show any awareness of, or concern for, the public interest. The current gang of state politicians are fully occupied doing favors for themselves and their friends. We, the people, are like dust on their custom-made Italian leather shoes.

The old, sold-out faces who have conned their way into power should fade away. It’s time for a new group of representatives in Charleston. People whose loyalty is to fellow West Virginians rather than to outside corporations. Check out the Mountain Party (www.mtparty.org.) As Jefferson wrote, “Every generation needs a new revolution.” Our time has come. -- Rich

There are just some things that can't be done neatly. "Surgical" bombing always seems to kill more people than intended, timber cutting does require logging roads, reclaimed strip mining sites are not the same as the land was before the mining no matter how much green grass is sprayed on top of the no longer "top soil", and a gas well is going to leave behind pipe lines, roads, storage tanks and undeniable changes. As to the water, the two million gallons per well of hazardous waste which before was your pure water, well its got to go somewhere and all choices and all handling of it represent huge potential dangers to our drinking water. The corporations and drillers are not your neighbors, not your community. The consequence of an accident is "fixed" with a check for a while and maybe a huge plastic water container next to your house in the yard. And then they are gone and.....soon you will be gone. Is this a chance you want to take?

I doubt that anyone knows how many drillers are present in the county because they do not go to the courthouse and register but you can bet that they abound if there is as much gas as is reported. Sale of mineral rights seems like it would be a public matter available to all. Our county paper should take up the issue and report the information.

Ruth here are some rough numbers from an SEC filing:
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Annual report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2010

Transition report pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Commission File Number: 001-32714

GASTAR EXPLORATION LTD.

Alberta, Canada 98-0570897

331 Lamar Street, Suite 1080

Houston, Texas
77010

(713) 739-1800

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

In December 2010, we completed the Marcellus Acquisition for $28.9 million. The acquisition consisted of approximately 62,000 net acres of leasehold in the Marcellus Shale concentrated in Preston, Tucker, Pocahontas, Randolph and Pendleton Counties, West Virginia, including a gathering system comprised of 41 miles of four and six inch steel pipeline, a salt water disposal well, and five conventional wells producing approximately 500 Mcf per day (gross) of natural gas.

Read more: http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/110310/GASTAR-EXPLORATION-LTD_10-K/#ixzz1XdY2XTn3

Thank you, now I have an idea of what we are facing. I am concerned how a balanced approach to the rights of the property owners versus the magnitude of Marcellus Shale drilling will play out. This is especially pertinent since your and Mr. Fleming's election platforms were focused on the rights of the property owners. Difficult decision lie ahead.

But I have a bit of an issue with a previous post - you have asked me to join you in education, prevention, technology activities to improve the county. Well, after 27 years as an educator who has spent countless hours working for the children of Pocahontas County, chaperoned hundreds of dances, took over 30 out of state field trips, supervised hundreds of basketball games (spent 11 hours yesterday at PCHS volunteering my time to the girls volleyball team), attended lots of PTO/LSIC meetings, brought tons of prevention programs to the school, have served the county school system as the Technology Coordinator, and have now expanded my mission to a countywide focus, you're asking me to join you in education, technology, and prevention activities? Seriously, you are asking me to join you? I can count few activities that you have attended regarding the issues of education, prevention, and technology within my arena of service. You need a bit of a reality check. I think you better be joining me and rest of the community who are doing what you are espousing is not happening. The arrogant and narrow minded tone of your message is insulting to me and to many of my colleagues, neighbors, and friends who are working hard for our children and community.

I thank you for the engaging conversation, but I realize that you are not interested in a balanced, community wide approach to the many, many issues that your constituents are facing. You are living in a microcosm. Don't count on my vote the next time.

Well said, Ruth!