Upstream & Downstream: More on the Marcellus Shale: a forum featuring Peggy Utesch of New Castle, Colorado. Peggy's work on the gas drilling issue in Western Colorado has brought citizens, municipalities and gas companies together to look at the long-term impacts that will result from an intense level of projected development - more than 20,000 wells -- and seek solutions that benefit both industry and residents. The result was a Community Development Plan that aims to protect landowners while reducing conflict with the gas industry.
Peggy will speak about her experience with fracking in her home state. What happens upstream, and impacts downstream – flooding, salinization, erosion, pollution. Private roads that used to carry 10 cars a day, now carry 100 semis 24/7. Roads and traffic volume increase 10 fold. Blowouts release several tons of toxic materials to atmosphere. Groundwater becomes contaminated. Wells get contaminated. The ozone release is higher than LA in some rural areas of Wyoming and can cause permanent lung damage.
9:30 a.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Ave, Pittsburgh, 15213 (in the Schweitzer Room). For more information, call 412-621-8008. All are welcome!
Mother Earth News is hosting its first-ever sustainable living fair aimed at getting people more directly involved with the well-being of Mother Earth. Experts from Mother Earth News, PASA, and others will lead sessions on sustainable living, small-scale agriculture, natural health, do-it-yourself projects, and more.
In addition to the expert-led sessions, fair-goers will be invited to participate in fun-filled, family activities ranging from listening to musical entertainment and strolling around a green shopping pavillion.
For tickets and more information, visit the Fair's website. A fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle event, featuring dozens of practical, hands-on demonstrations and workshops from leading authorities on:You'll enjoy a vast eco-friendly marketplace, organic local food and beverages as well as outdoor equipment and livestock demonstrations.
Seven Springs Mountain Resort, 777 Waterwheel Drive, Seven Springs, PA 15622
Stay in the loop! Sign up now for the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR e-newsletter and get weekly updates.
Mother Earth News magazine has been helping folks live self-reliant, sustainable, meaningful lives for 40 years. With an audience of more than 3 million readers worldwide, it is the largest and longest-running environmental lifestyle magazine on the planet.
Join Allegheny Cleanways for the annual cleanup of the Lawrenceville Riverfront as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Day. We’ll be removing litter and debris from along the Lawrenceville Riverfront Trail and adjacent Allegheny River riparian buffer zone. Come dressed appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather. We suggest long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and sturdy boots or close-toed shoes. We’ll provide all the equipment and supplies you’ll need as well as refreshments afterwards.
9 a.m. - 12 noon. Access from #10 40th Street in Lawrenceville. More information and a map are online.
There will be several cleanups scheduled in October - many on the weekend of October 17th, as part of the annual Fall Reddup. Stay tuned to Facebook and the events page on our website for updates.
Also...don't forget, if you'd like to help out on a more regular basis, we are always in need of "dump busters" - volunteers who are willing to help clean up and monitor smaller sites on a more regular basis. The Dump Busters program runs just about every day, so you can decide when and how often you'd like to help, based on your availability.Join us for our annual cleanup of the Lawrenceville Riverfront as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Day. We’ll be removing litter and debris from along the Lawrenceville Riverfront Trail and adjacent Allegheny River riparian buffer zone. Come dressed appropriately and be prepared for inclement weather. We suggest long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and sturdy boots or close-toed shoes. We’ll provide all the equipment and supplies you’ll need as well as refreshments afterwards.The 2010 Rachel Carson Legacy Conference : Challenging Marcellus Shale - Consequences and Alternatives will address the health, environmental and community effects Pennsylvania will face with the development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas fields.
We have gathered people from New York, Colorado and Pennsylvania with experience and expertise in evaluating hte results of the deep shale fracking industry.
The Alternatives approach will be highlighted by keynote speaker Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt of Sweden founder of The Natural Step process for reaching a sustainable economy. He will be followed by Ken Melamed, Mayor of Whistler, B.C., who will describe the Whistler 2020 plan as implemented based on Dr. Robert's approach and a panel of renewable and sustainable energy businesses illustrating current economically viable applications of renewable energy systems.
Agenda:
A View from the Field: Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania John Stolz Duquesne University
Panel 1: Environmental Concerns and Policy Needs
Panel 2: The Consequences: Communities and Society
Keynote Session:
Introduction: Andre Heinz
Keynote: Karl-Henrik Rob̬rt РThe Natural Step, Sweden
The Natural Step - An example from Whistler, B.C. - Mayor Ken Melamed, Canada
Panel 3: Solutions For A sustainable Energy Future
Interactive Workshops (Concurrent Sessions)
Each session will develop a set of recommendations for action to be shared with the plenary group. Results will be posted in the proceedings of the Conference
A: Community Action Plan for Mitigating Marcellus Shale Development
B: Building a Sustainable Energy Infrastructure –The next steps
Closing: Call to Action
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CMU's Mellon Institute, S. Bellefield Ave. in Oakland, 15213. $50, $25 for students. More information and registration online.
Sustainable Pittsburgh and the Community College of Beaver County are teaming up to present this cutting-edge conference where businesses and organizations will learn practical ways for moving a company from sustainable concept to sustainable reality, and what it will take train the current workforce.
Throughout the day, attendees will hear from regional and national experts and
• Obtain first-hand information on how to implement a sustainable plan
• Learn about what products to use
• Capture the return on your investment when "going green"
• Hear about construction, renovation, energy audits, and funding sources
Guests will also have the opportunity to attend mini workshops on such topics as
• GBC LEED programs
• Mechanical systems
• Grant development
• Energy Auditing I and II
• Municipal leadership
• Business (employer) leadership
• Building design
• Energy company available funding
• Sustainable construction with EPS
• Storm water management and utilization
• Lighting system primer
• Variable frequency drive applications
• Recycling EPS
8:30-3 at the Athletics and
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at
No fee to attend, but space is limited; to register send full contact information to: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org
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Ms. Starr is the host of "Living Green with Faith," which offers tips for living a healthier, organic lifestyle, can be heard live every Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. on 1620 AM.
6:30 p.m. at the Peters Twp Public Library. To register for these events, please contact the library at 724-941-9430 or email programs@ptlibrary.org
A web seminar on Natural Gas Experiences of Marcellus Residents: Preliminary Results from the Community Satisfaction Survey, presented by Kathy Brasier, Penn State University
Five faculty from Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne University come together for a discussion on the Marcellus Shale, a geological formation underlying the state of Pennsylvania containing large reserves of natural gas, and a hot button economic and environmental issue for the Pittsburgh region and the state of Pennsylvania. Refreshments will be served, and an RSVP will be required.
The discussion will cover the panelists recent investigations, or expertise on several issues related to the Shale, including trends in the energy market, environmental risks and remediation, and the proposed severance tax on drilling.
Panelists will include Kent Moors, an expert in oil and natural gas policy from the Department of Political Science at Duquesne University; Kelvin Gregory, from the Department of Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon, who is leading a research team to develop new treatments for cleaning the water used in shale gas production; Jon Stolz, Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquense University, and an expert on environmental microbiology and the microbial metabolism of metals and metalloids; and Robert Strauss, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Heinz College. Carnegie Mellon's Joel Tarr, Richard S. Caliguiri University Professor of History and Policy, will moderate.
This panel was organized by the Center for Economic Development at the Heinz College, and is co-sponsored by the University's Smart Growth Club, an organization of students interested in local government, economic development, and environmental policy.
12-1:30 in Hamburg Hall 1502 or 1000, CMU's Heinz School. For more Information, contact Greg Lagana by email or 412-268-9810.
7 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 5th floor of the City-County Building, 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
Those who wish to speak (3 minute limit) should contact the Clerk's Office at 412-255-2138
Senator Jim Ferlo will host and moderate this innovative tele-town hall meeting, featuring; an engaging panel discussion, a toll-free number for thousands of callers to listen and ask questions, studio audience participation, live video streaming at www.senatorferlo.com.
Senator Ferlo represents a three-county district that includes most of the City of Pittsburgh, as well as suburban and rural communities. He sponsored the Statewide Marcellus Shale Drilling Moratorium Act in June. In addition, he supports a competitive severance tax that benefits local communities, and is inviting feedback from the community for additional regulatory proposals. "Regardless, when an issue like Marcellus Shale emerges, healthy conversation is critical to safety and good policy-making," said the Senator in a statement. Panelists include:
· Morgan O’Brien, CEO – People’s Natural Gas
· Richard Weber, President - Atlas Energy
· Scott Perry, Director - PA DEP, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management
· Nadia Steinzor, Marcellus Shale Organizer – EarthWorks
· Charles L. Christen, DrPH, MEd - University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
· James Kunz, Business Manager - IUOE Local #66
· Emily Collins, Director - University of Pittsburgh School of Law Environmental Law Clinic
Discussion begins at 6 p.m. Please join us by phone at 1-888-886-6603, Ext. 15390#, or RSVP for limited studio-audience seating at the Grey Box Theater in Lawrenceville (3595 Butler Street) by contacting Mikhail Pappas: 412.621.3006, mpappas@pasenate.com.
This conference highlights ways in which southwestern
This conference builds on the conversation launched during the Water Matters! Global Water Conference held in June 2010 as part of the
Topics to be covered:
Our Region’s Water Advantages – Why Pittsburgh?
Marcellus Shale Mining Impacts and Solutions f
Early Warning Detection Systems for Water Protection
The Future of Water Quality Regulations and Solutions
The Water Consortium Initiative in Southwest PA
Innovative Solutions to Clean Water
The conference will also feature three speakers on practical solutions related to Marcellus Shale water issues as well as a panel to discuss what engineering and policy practitioners believe to be the most important water-related issues for this region in order to ensure that the right responses to water demand are addressed.
7:30 am – 3:30 pm at the Regional Learning Alliance at Cranberry Woods, Cranberry 16066. Cost: $110 for ASCE, EWRI, or C4S members | $130 nonmembers | $50 students. Register by September 2, 2010 and save $20!
Breakfast and lunch provided More information, including registration and agenda, is available at www.C4SPgh.org.
Presented by: American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section; Environmental & Water Resources Institute; and Champions for Sustainability Recent publicity surrounding Marcellus Shale exploration tends towards polarized debate over whether drilling should be encouraged or banned.
The Pennsylvania State Legislature promised to pass a severance tax on deep natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale by October 1. Now we must make sure that a promise made is a promise kept.
The drilling companies are spending enormous amounts of money to stop the severance tax. They have hired lobbyists of every stripe - including former Governor Tom Ridge - and are working hard to keep the voice of the people from being heard.
The drillers will make enormous profits from the natural gas they take from our land - it's only fair that they pay a reasonable tax that will go to protect our environment and local communities that "host" the drilling, fund our natural resource agencies, and help balance our budget.
Join PennFuture on the Keep the Promise Tour to send the message that Pennsylvanians demand that the drillers pay their fair share. The Tour is traveling throughout the state, holding town hall meetings with legislators and other elected and appointed officials, representatives of land trust organizations and conservancies, anglers and hunters, and ordinary citizens who care about Pennsylvania's environment and economy, all to make sure our elected officials Keep the Promise.
8-10 a.m. at Georgetown Centre 526 East Bruceton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
