1. Despite a natural gas drilling moratorium in New York, that state’s Chemung and Broome Counties are feeling the economic lift from drilling next door in Pennsylvania. But to the New York Times, the ex-pat workers, largely from Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, have awfully low-brow tastes, don’t you know. (NYT link below the fold.)

2a & 2b. The Daily Beast seems to have turned over reporting on energy issues to complete idiots. They should stick with things they do best, like candid upskirt photos of the Kardashian sisters. (Two DB links below the fold.)

3. Betty Sutliff is a member of the Upper Wayne County Property Owners Alliance. Her northeastern Pennsylvania county is prospective for Marcellus gas development, but a board called the Delaware River Basin Commission (representing New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the U.S. government) has blocked development. In addition an influx of well-heeled interlopers who own second homes in NE PA are vocal in their anti-gas rhetoric, although they have almost no skin in the game.

There exists a minority of those who vehemently oppose natural gas development. They would oppose it if it were 200% safe.  For this group it really isn’t a question of safety.  Instead,  it is a new ideology aimed against anything fossil.  Simplistically, these folks look at any fossil fuel development as an addiction that should be conquered “cold turkey.”

Most of these individuals own very little land and think (mistakenly, as UGI [retail natural gas price cut] demonstrates) they have nothing to gain economically from natural gas exploration and production.  They also are  typically residents who do not reside here full-time or have moved to the area after living elsewhere.  They don’t want their peace and serenity, not to mention their viewscape, tampered with at all for any reason.

However well-funded, well organized, and vocal they may be, they do not speak for the majority of residents here who have called this area home for generations.  This is noticeable by the landslide victories of  pro gas candidates in local elections which show the majority of people in favor of moving forward with exploration and production of natural gas.

Well said, Ms. Sutliff. The loudest voices in the debate are the ones with the least knowledge and the least stake in the game. And they would be the first one to cry “Conspiracy!” if the cost to heat their home doubled, or if there were no gas available at all.

These elitists portray natural gas as bad for the environment (a very tenuous position), but in reality they know that cheap gas is the #1 enemy of their Mother Gaia-approved alternatives.

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