BISMARCK - North Dakota health officials (click title to entry - thank you)
have cited an Oklahoma oil company, accusing it of polluting state waters and failing to quickly clean up the spills.
The state Department of Health announced Tuesday that it issued violation notices to Continental Resources Inc. for two separate incidents in April. Continental is one the oldest and biggest operators in North Dakota's booming oil patch in the western part of the state.
Court documents show that about 10 barrels of drilling mud and oil overflowed from a waste pit at one of the company's wells in Divide County and contaminated soil and water. In the second incident, about two barrels of oil spewed from a well in Williams County and spread to water, where one dead duck was discovered. A barrel is about 48 gallons.
Continental spokeswoman Kristin Miskovsky said the company received the notices of violations late Monday and could not comment on them.
Dave Glatt, chief of the health department's environmental health section, said fines could run up to $5,000 daily for violations. The company has about two weeks to respond to the violation notices, which include polluting state waters and failing to clean up the spills in a timely or sufficient manner....
Some of the residents are complaining that the USA EPA wants to make autonomous sampling in regard to fracking. According to the people complaining the State of North Dakota always was involved in the sampling. Sounds corrupt to me. Why is it the current EPA has to be involved with any State agency where legitimate concerns for the citizens exist? North Dakota can take their samples and the EPA can take theirs.
I am confident the EPA will bring state of the art testing to North Dakota while the quality of the State's sample is yet to be known. Just because excellant technique is used to obtain the sample that does not mean the ANALYSIS is state of the art. The State labs charge for their analysis services and it is expensive for individuals. If the EPA can collect samples that will bring peace of mind to citizens then it needs to be done. If the EPA can bring 'objective' sampling where citizens might be apprehensive regarding the State's interest in the petroleum industry that is more reason for a separate analysis.
The US EPA doesn't practice junk science and if the State of North Dakota insists it does then where is the proof?
The state Department of Health announced Tuesday that it issued violation notices to Continental Resources Inc. for two separate incidents in April. Continental is one the oldest and biggest operators in North Dakota's booming oil patch in the western part of the state.
Court documents show that about 10 barrels of drilling mud and oil overflowed from a waste pit at one of the company's wells in Divide County and contaminated soil and water. In the second incident, about two barrels of oil spewed from a well in Williams County and spread to water, where one dead duck was discovered. A barrel is about 48 gallons.
Continental spokeswoman Kristin Miskovsky said the company received the notices of violations late Monday and could not comment on them.
Dave Glatt, chief of the health department's environmental health section, said fines could run up to $5,000 daily for violations. The company has about two weeks to respond to the violation notices, which include polluting state waters and failing to clean up the spills in a timely or sufficient manner....
Some of the residents are complaining that the USA EPA wants to make autonomous sampling in regard to fracking. According to the people complaining the State of North Dakota always was involved in the sampling. Sounds corrupt to me. Why is it the current EPA has to be involved with any State agency where legitimate concerns for the citizens exist? North Dakota can take their samples and the EPA can take theirs.
I am confident the EPA will bring state of the art testing to North Dakota while the quality of the State's sample is yet to be known. Just because excellant technique is used to obtain the sample that does not mean the ANALYSIS is state of the art. The State labs charge for their analysis services and it is expensive for individuals. If the EPA can collect samples that will bring peace of mind to citizens then it needs to be done. If the EPA can bring 'objective' sampling where citizens might be apprehensive regarding the State's interest in the petroleum industry that is more reason for a separate analysis.
The US EPA doesn't practice junk science and if the State of North Dakota insists it does then where is the proof?
Novmember 17, 2011 at 2 AM.
The Environmental Protection Agency's study of fracking (click here) needs to be North Dakota-specific. The study data needs to be verifiable and the process needs to be transparent. To that end North Dakota, wisely, has been aggressive in maintaining oversight and preparing for the possible consequences of the study.
The state's action has been prudent.
Historically, the EPA and the state would partner to gather data for a study. But that's not how the present EPA fracking study got started. The EPA wanted to do its own collection samples and do its own tests.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple and other state officials successfully protested that decision, and the EPA agreed to roll back its data collection so that when federal workers gather samples, a representative of the North Dakota Health Department will observe the work and collect a like sample for the state.
"Trust but verify" is how Dalrymple put it....
If the State of North Dakota can accept federal funding for their roads and rivers, which will probably need dredging to prevent future flooding, then the federal EPA has a vested interest in the outcome of the quality of those waters!
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota's Congressional delegation (click here) says more than $31 million in federal grants have been awarded to North Dakota to repair the state's flood-damaged roads.
In a joint statement, Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Rep. Rick Berg say the road repair work is one more step in the state's effort to recover from flooding.
The delegation says the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation and is intended to help with the repair work on federal highways and roads.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation and the Devils Lake Basin will each receive $10 million in grant money. The West James River Basin will get $5.8 million, the Southern Mouse River Basin will receive $4.5 million and the Sheyenne/James River Basin $1.1 million....
The North Dakota Department of Transportation and the Devils Lake Basin will each receive $10 million in grant money. The West James River Basin will get $5.8 million, the Southern Mouse River Basin will receive $4.5 million and the Sheyenne/James River Basin $1.1 million....
"Main Stream Media" never presents this correctly. They like to report about the money, but, not the SIDE EFFECTS to the environment and human health. When the media reports on these issues there is only ONE SIDE for the public to understand. When the media reports on these issues, there is a SINGLE ARTICLE or SINGLE REPORTING while the price of "Sweet Crude" receives substantial reporting.
In case no one noticed PEAK OIL happened in 2005; six years ago; there might be a REAL reason why the prices go up and never come down. Huh?
The FLOODING in North Dakota is highly significant. It is not an OCCASSIONAL flood. It is not a 1000 year flood. The flooding of the Midwest is ongoing without abating. If the flooding strong enough to destroy roads, it is strong enough to destroy a oil line. The last thing the Midwest needs are oil spills and gas explosions in the most productive agricultural land in the world. I thought said that one before. I guess it was worth repeating.
In case no one noticed PEAK OIL happened in 2005; six years ago; there might be a REAL reason why the prices go up and never come down. Huh?
The FLOODING in North Dakota is highly significant. It is not an OCCASSIONAL flood. It is not a 1000 year flood. The flooding of the Midwest is ongoing without abating. If the flooding strong enough to destroy roads, it is strong enough to destroy a oil line. The last thing the Midwest needs are oil spills and gas explosions in the most productive agricultural land in the world. I thought said that one before. I guess it was worth repeating.
