Environmental Geochemistry Issues Semi-Monthly

Cuomo to Ban Fracking in New York State, Citing Health Risks  (Thomas KAPLAN, New York Times ; December 17, 2014) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/nyregion/cuomo-to-ban-fracking-in-new-york-state-citing-health-risks.html?_r=0 N. B .:  A link to the 184 paged document entitled "A Public Health Review of High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing for Shale Gas Development" (ZUCKER, 2014)   is available within the body of the aforementioned New York Times article. Update: New York's heralded fracking ban isn't all its cracked up to be (Kristen LOMBARDI, State Impact NPR Pennsylvania ; December 8, 2017) https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2017/12/08/new-yorks-heralded-fracking-ban-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/

U. S. Taxpayers Help Fund Oil-Train Boom Amid Safety Concerns  (Jarrett RENSHAW, Reuters ; December 14, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/14/us-railways-crude-insight-idUSKBN0JS0DR20141214

This is a continuation of "The New NDAA and Native American Lands" blog post, dated December 5, 2014.  This information speaks to the "Resolution Copper Mine Project" sponsored by Rio Tinto PLC (55%) and BHP Copper, Inc. (45%). Defense Bill Passes, Giving Sacred Native American Sites to Mining Company  (Michael MC AULIFF, Huffington Post ; December 12, 2014) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/12/defense-bill-passes-rio-tinto_n_6317946.html U. S. Congress Approves Land Swap for Rio-BHP Copper Mine in Arizona  ( Reuters ; December 12, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/12/us-rio-tinto-copper-resolution-idUSKBN0JQ28L20141212 San Carlos Apache Leader Seeks Senate Defeat of Copper Mine on Sacred Land (Gale COUREY TOENSING,  Indian Country Today Media Network ; December 8, 2014) http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/12/08/san-carlos-apache-leader-seeks-senate-defeat-copper-mine-sacred-land-158181 Report:  Rio Tinto, BHP Billingto...

U. S. Supreme Court Rejects BP Challenge to Gulf Settlements (Lawrence HURLEY, Reuters ; December 8, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/08/us-usa-court-bp-idUSKBN0JM1KR20141208 Prior History and Documentation : U. S. Court Rejects BP Bid to Require Proof of Gulf Oil Spill Losses  (Jonathan STEMPEL,  Reuters ; December 25, 2013) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/25/us-bpspill-ruling-idUSBRE9BO08W20131225 BP Appeals Ruling that Victims Needn't Prove Spill-Loss Link  (Laurel Brubaker CALKINS,  Bloomberg Businessweek ; December 26, 2013) http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-12-26/bp-appeals-order-victims-needn-t-prove-losses-tied-to-spill Actual United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana Case Documentation :   http://www.deepwaterhorizoneconomicsettlement.com/docs/FILED_Amended_Complaint_Economic_Class_Doc_6412_5-2-2012.pdf

Feds Approve Pipeline to Bring Marcellus Shale Gas to New York, New England  (Katie COLANERI, State Impact/NPR ; December 3, 2014) https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2014/12/03/feds-approve-pipeline-to-bring-marcellus-gas-to-new-york-new-england/ Pipeline Developper Turns on Pressure (Brian NEARING, Times Union ; December 5, 2014) http://m.timesunion.com/business/article/Pipeline-developer-turns-on-pressure-5939036.php N. B.:  For more information concerning the Constitution Pipeline, please consult the following websites below : Constitution Pipeline Frequently Asked Questions  (Piedmont Natural Gas) http://www.piedmontng.com/investors/constitutionfaq.aspx Constitution Pipeline  http://constitutionpipeline.com/

Mishaps at Nuke Repository Lead to $54 M in Fines  (Cole MILLER, KRQE News 13 ; December 6, 2014) http://krqe.com/2014/12/06/mishaps-at-nuke-repository-lead-to-54m-in-fines/ New Mexico Levies $54 M in Penalties Against the DOE for Mishaps at Nuclear Repository ( FOX Business/Associated Press ; December 6, 2014) http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2014/12/06/new-mexico-levies-54m-in-penalties-against-doe-for-mishaps-at-nuclear/ New Mexico Slaps Federal Energy Agency with $54 Million in Fines  (Laura ZUCKERMAN, Reuters ; December 6, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/07/us-usa-nuclear-newmexico-idUSKBN0JL01F20141207 N. B . :  Information on the Salt Haul Truck Fire  of February 5, 2014 and the  "Radiological Release Event"  ( i. e. , Nuclear Waste Leak) that occurred on February 14, 2014, with included documentation in pdf form , may be found at the following U. S. DOE website link: What Happened at WIPP in February 2014 [Waste Isolat...

EDC brings suit over offshore drilling (Erin LENNON; Santa Maria Times ; December 3, 2014)

Congress Raids Ancestral Native American Lands with Defense Bill  (Michael MC AULIFF, Huffington Post ; December 3, 2014) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/03/ndaa-land-deals_n_6264362.html Congress Gives Native American Lands to Foreign Mining Company with New NDAA  ( RT.com ; December 5, 2014) http://rt.com/usa/211531-native-indian-lands-mining/ Congressmen Admit to Not Reading NDAA Before Voting for It; "I Trust the Leadership" ( RT.com ; December 5, 2014) http://rt.com/usa/211879-ndaa-congress-read-bills/ Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA) Rules Committee Print 113–58 House Amendment to the Text of S. 1847 ( December 2, 2014 ) http://antiwar.com/docs5/ndaa2015.pdf N. B. :  Please refer to Section 3003, Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation (Page 1103 - 1130) of this document.   NDAA PDF made available to the Public through "Antiwar.com"! Uhh...   ...

Oil Spill One of the Worst Pollution Disasters in Israel's History, Officials Say (Zafrir RENAT, Shirley SEIDLER, and News Agencies, Haaretz ; December 4, 2014) http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/1.629958 N. B. :  Embedded Video footage from Israel Environmental Protection Office The Aftermath...    Negev Arava Oil Spill Israel:  Oil Secrets to Spill (John REED and David SHEPPARD, Financial Times;  January 26, 2016) https://www.ft.com/content/6260b762-c067-11e5-846f-79b0e3d20eaf Cleaning up oil in Arava (Rebecca KUROPATWA, Jewish Independent;  13th February 2015) http://www.jewishindependent.ca/cleaning-up-oil-in-arava/ Hebrew University Scientists hope to provide solution for Arava oil spill cleanup (Sharon UDASIN, The Jerusalem Post; January 1, 2015) http://www.cfhu.org/news/jerusalem-post-article-hebrew-university-scientists-hope-to-provide-solution-for-oil-spill Selected Studies Oil spill effects on soil hydrophobicity a...

Toxic Living:  California Neighbors Sue After Finding Homes Were Built on Oil-Saturated Soil (Sarah NETTER, ABC News ; May 19, 2010) http://abcnews.go.com/Health/toxic-oil-found-half-million-dollar-california-homes/story?id=10647662 Carson Declares Emergency Over Contamination in Housing Tract  (Christine MAI-DUC, Los Angeles Times ; July 30, 2013) http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jul/30/local/la-me-0731-carson-contamination-20130731 Carson Officials, Law Firm, Excoriate Shell Oil over Proposed Carousel Contamination Clean Up (Sandy MAZZA, Daily Breeze ; March 24, 2014) http://www.dailybreeze.com/environment-and-nature/20140324/carson-officials-law-firm-excoriate-shell-oil-over-proposed-carousel--cleanup Carson Homeowners Continue to Fight Shell Oil Company on Soil Contamination  (Carlos GRANDA, KABC-TV Eyewitness News 7 ; September 16, 2014) http://abc7.com/news/homeowners-continue-to-fight-shell-oil-on-contamination/311032/ Carson Praises Shell Oil's...

They're Here:  Oil Pipeline Terminal Near Bakersfield Receives First Train Shipment  (John COX, The Bakersfield Californian ; December 2, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x1952135308/Theyre-here-Oil-pipeline-terminal-southwest-of-Bakersfield-receives-first-train-shipment Lois HENRY:  Rail Shipments of Volatile Oil Should Be Transparent  (Lois HENRY, The Bakersfield Californian ; December 2, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/columnists/lois-henry/x1952135303/Rail-shipments-of-volatile-oil-should-be-transparent Documentation U. S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil:  Background and Issues for Congress (FRITTELLI et al., 2014) http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc306472/m1/1/high_res_d/R43390_2014May05.pdf N. B .:   Pages 20 - 22 beginning with "Railroad Operations" is rather informative. 49 Code of Federal Regulations (C. F. R.) §172.820; 73 Federal Register 72182   "Additional Plan...

Why A Small North Dakota Town is Taking On Big Rail  (Ernest SCHEYDER, Reuters ; November 25, 2014) http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0J91OL20141125?irpc=932

Community Groups Press for Studies on Fracking, Especially Near Schools  (Carol FERGUSON, KBAK/KBFX Eyewitness News ; November 18, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/health/Community-groups-press-for-studies-on-fracking-especially-near-schools-283140261.html Hydraulic Fracturing, Stimulations, and Oil & Gas Drilling Unjustly Burden Hispanic & Non-White Students  (Kyle FERRAR, CA Program Coordinator, FracTracker Alliance ; November 17, 2014 ) http://www.fractracker.org/2014/11/caschooldemos_stimswells_ej/ FracTracker Alliance Report : Hydraulic Fracturing Stimulations and Oil Drilling Near California Schools and within School Districts Disproportionately Burdens Hispanic and Non-White Students  (Kyle FERRAR, The FracTracker Alliance ) http://www.fractracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Fractracker_SchoolEnrollmentReport_11.17.14.pdf

Keystone XL Pipeline Dies in Senate  (Timothy GARDNER and Susan CORNWELL, Reuters ; November 19, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/19/us-usa-keystone-idUSKCN0J20EQ20141119 Yet, it is far from over... Republicans:  Keystone Pipeline Down, But Not Out (Dina CAPPIELLO, Associated Press ; November 19, 2014) http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_KEYSTONE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT I invite you to review my former blog posts concerning alternative options for Crude Oil Transport:   Via Rail and Barge (October 23, 2014), and/or through the Energy East Pipeline (October 8, 2014).

Mercaptan Leak in Texas (November 2014) Brothers Among 4 Killed in Chemical Leak at Texas Plant  (Alice BARR. KHOU-TV/USA Today ; November 16, 2014) http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/15/4-workers-killed-in-chemical-leak-at-texas-plant/19104375/ Federal Investigators Begin Probe of DuPont Plant Deaths (Erwin SEBA, Reuters ; November 16, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/16/us-usa-chemicals-death-idUSKCN0J00XA20141116 Mercaptan Spill in Alabama (September 2012) Eight Mile Residents Complain of Symptoms Linked to Mercaptan Exposure (Ben RAINES, AL.com ; May 3, 2012) http://blog.al.com/live/2012/05/eight_mile_residents_complain.html Mercaptan Spill Investigation Report - Eight Mile, Mobile County, Alabama USA  (Alabama Department of Public Health ; September 2012) http://www.adph.org/tox/assets/Eight_Mile_Mercaptan.pdf Toxicity Information on Methyl Mercaptan (Methanethiol) Toxic Substances Portal - Methyl Mercaptan ( Ag...

Keystone: House sends oil pipeline bill to Senate - 14NEWS, the Tri-State's News (Dina CAPPIELLO, Associated Press ; November 14, 2014)

New Tracers Can Identify Frack Fluids in the Environment [Press Release 14-140, National Science Foundation (NSF) ; October 20, 2014] http://www.nsf.gov/mobile/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=133027 Additional Images (Avner VENGOSH, and Nathanel WARNER) http://www.nsf.gov/mobile/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=133027&org=NSF Article :   New Tracers Identify Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids and Accidental Releases of from Oil and Gas Operations (WARNER et al., 2014) http://sites.nicholas.duke.edu/avnervengosh/files/2011/08/es5032135.pdf

Special Report:  For These Oil and Gas Bets, The Odds Favor the House  (Emily FLITTER, Reuters ; November 11, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/11/us-usa-privateplacements-oilandgas-speci-idUSKCN0IV1H620141111 G20 States Still Subsidize Fossil Fuel Exploration ( Deutsche Welle ; November 11, 2014) http://www.dw.de/g20-states-still-subsidize-fossil-fuel-exploration/a-18056293 A link to the report spoken about in the aforementioned Deutsche Welle article may be found below: Overseas Development Institute & Oil Change International Report The Fossil Fuel Bailout:  G20 Subsidies for Oil, Gas, and Coal Exploration (BAST et al., 2014) http://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9235.pdf

Texas City Bans Fracking in it Birthplace, Court Battles Loom (Marice RICHTER, Reuters ; November 5, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/us-energy-texas-fracking-idUSKBN0IP1K120141105 Voters Approve Fracking Bans in San Benito and Mendicino Counties  (Dan BACHER, DailyKos.com ; November 5, 2014) http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/05/1342317/-Voters-approve-fracking-bans-in-San-Benito-and-Mendocino-Counties N. B .:  A current list of cities within the United States that have passed measures against hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") in their local communities (by state) may be found at the following website link provided below: Local Actions Against Fracking ( Food&WaterWatch.org Website) http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/anti-fracking-map/local-action-documents/#california

This is a continuation of the original blog post entitled, "Arvin Gas Leak Linked to Fracking?" dated May 6, 2014. Arvin Residents Want More Test Results Before Moving Home (James BURGER, Bakersfield Californian ; October 28, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x400518943/Arvin-residents-want-more-test-results-before-moving-home County Wants its Own Study on Arvin Gas Leak ( KBAK/KBFX BakersfieldNow.com ; October 14 2014) http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/County-wants-its-own-study-on-Arvin-gas-leak-279210892.html?tab=video&c=y Results Released from Arvin Gas Leak Tests  (Caitlin REARDEN, KBAK Eyewitness News ; May 9, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/Results-released-from-Arvin-gas-leak-tests-258711331.html

What constitutes a "barge"? The following definitions provided are found on pages 3 and 4 of the July 2014 CRS Report 7-5700 (Report available below in blue ): River or Coastal Barges - These marine conveyances have the ability to transport between 20,000 - 300,000 barrels (i. e. , 840,000 - 12.6 million gallons ) of Crude oil per vessel.     Small to Medium-sized Tankers -  Ranging from a "Handysize product" to either an "Aframax or Suezmax" size,  these marine conveyance transport Crude oil shipments from 300,000 - 1.3 million barrels ( i. e. , 12.6 million - 54.6 million gallons ) per vessel . Shipping U. S. Crude Oil by Water:  Vessel Flag Requirements and Safety Issues  (John FRITELLI, Congressional Research Service; July 21, 2014) http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43653.pdf   Selected News Articles (2013 - 2014) With Production on the Rise, Oil by Barge Traffic Sets off Greater Safety Concerns  (Jesse SNYDER. Al...

EXCLUSIVE - California Getting More Bakken Oil by Barge than by Rail (Rory CARROLL, Reuters ; October 23, 2014) http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/23/california-bakken-barge-idUKL2N0SC0VL20141023

Sacramento Crude Oil Transfers Halted by Lawsuit (Tony BIZJAK and Curtis TATE; Sacramento Bee ; October 22, 2014) http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/article3229042.html News Report Targets Fracking (John COX; Bakersfield Californian ; October 22, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x782602746/New-reports-target-fracking N. B.:  The two reports and the NRDC news release spoken about in the aforementioned article by John COX are available for perusal below. Reports Fracking's Toxic Loophole [Eric SCHAEFFER and Courtney BERNHARDT, Environmental Integrity Project   (EIP) ; October 22, 2014] http://environmentalintegrity.org/wp-content/uploads/FRACKINGS-TOXIC-LOOPHOLE.pdf Drilling in California:  Who's at Risk?  [Tanja SREBOTNJAK and Miriam ROTKIN-ELLMAN, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) ; October 2014] http://www.nrdc.org/health/files/california-fracking-risks-report.pdf NRDC News Release (Octob...

Mine Cited for Orange Sludge in Arizona Waterways (Brenna GOTH, azentral.com ; October 14, 2014) http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/10/14/arizona-mine-cited-orange-sludge-waterways/17268221/ Patagonia Residents on Alert after Abandoned Mines Found Leaking Sludge  (Sona WASU, Tucson News Now ; October 15, 2014) http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/26799656/patagonia-residents-on-alert-after-abandoned-mines-found-leaking-sludge Arizona Department of Water Quality - Water Quality Division Monitoring and Assessment:  Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/assessment/tmdl.html U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Lead Queen Mine (Pinal County, AZ) http://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10048321 Trench Mine (Santa Cruz County, AZ) http://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=10186789 Trench and Josephine Mine Group (Santa Cruz County, AZ) http://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/show-mrds.php?dep_id=100483...

Today's date ( October 9, 2014 ) marks the beginning of a 15-day Public comment period for proposed SB 4 revisions which will expire on October 24, 2015 at 5:00 pm PDT. Comments for SB 4 revision now being accepted - KernGoldenEmpire ( KernGoldenEmpire.com ; October 9, 2014) For your consideration :  California Senate Bill (SB)4 "Bill Status" http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml California Department of Conservation  Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) "Well Stimulation:  2nd Revision of Proposed Regulations Released" http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dog/Pages/Index.aspx

Hold on!  This just in! Un petit bémol ... Board of Supervisors Faces Lawsuit Over Oil Refinery ( KernGoldenEmpire .com ; October 9, 2014) http:// www.kerngoldenempire.com /story/d/story/board-of-supervisors-faces-lawsuit-over-oil-refine/22758/t5s4ZJ5rl0S3H4iUCxAmWw Complaint Document filed: Association of Irritated Residents, Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club vs. Kern County Board of Supervisors, Kern County Planning and Community Development Department (Respondents), Paramount Petroleum Corporation and Alon U. S.A. (Real Parties in Interes t) http:// earthjustice.org /sites/default/files/files/Final%20Complaint%20with%20Exhibits%20Kern%20County%20Alon.pdf Since 2014... County Supervisors declare end to moot oil project approved in 2014 (John COX,  Bakersfield Californian ; January 23, 2019) https://www.bakersfield.com/news/county-supervisors-declare-end-to-moot-oil-project-approved-in/article_a04cdf92-1dcf-11e9-ba00-6306560b76b...

Keystone Be Darned:  Canada Finds Oil Route Around Obama  (Rebecca PENTY, Hugo MILLER, Andrew MAYEDA, and Edward GREENSPON, Bloomberg News ; October 8, 2014) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-08/keystone-be-darned-canada-finds-oil-route-around-obama.html Energy East Pipeline Project - A Pipeline from West to East (TransCanada.com) http://www.transcanada.com/energy-east-pipeline.html TransCanada Energy East Pipeline Website http://www.energyeastpipeline.com /

Toxic Exports Allowed:  EU Drops Labeling of Canadian Tar Sands as Highly Polluting ( RT.com ; October 8, 2014) http://rt.com/news/194048-eu-sand-oil-imports/ EU Scraps Plan to Label Canada's Tar Sands as Highly Polluting  (Barbara LEWIS and Scott HAGGETT, Reuters/Huffington Post ; October 7, 2014) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/07/eu-tar-sands-label_n_5944180.html?utm_hp_ref=green European Proposal Scraps Mandatory "Dirty" Label for Tar Sands   (Barbara LEWIS, Reuters ; June 5, 2015 ) http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/05/eu-tarsands-idUKL6N0OC18M20140605 Proposal for a Council Directive on Laying Down Calculation Methods and Reporting Requirements to Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Relating to the Quality of Petrol and Diesel Fuels [Brussels, 6.10.2014, COM( 2014) 617 final, 2014/0286 (NLE)] http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/fuel/docs/com_2014_617_en.pdf

Settlement agreement reached with two oil firms - KernGoldenEmpire

This is a continuation of my original blog post dated September 10, 2014... Valero Refining Company and Benicia, CA California Officials Challenge Benicia Crude Oil Train Plan (Tony BIZJAK, Sacramento Bee ; September 24, 2014) http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/24/6733887/california-officials-challenge.html County Makes Recommendations for Crude by Rail  (Barry EBERLING, Daily Republic ; September 21, 2014) http://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/solanocounty/county-makes-recommendations-for-crude-by-rail/ Final Valero Crude by Rail Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Comment Letter (Deb SELF, Executive Director San Francisco Baykeeper ; September 15, 2014) https://baykeeper.org/sites/default/files/blog_files/2014.9.15%20Final%20EIR%20Comment%20Letter%20w%20attachment.pdf Kinder Morgan Material Services LLC, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, and Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery:  Richmond and Martinez, CA Richmond:  Judge Tosses Out Suit Seeking to Stop Crude Oil Sh...

Clarifications regarding the protection of Surface water systems ( i. e. , Rivers and Streams) under the Clean Water Act have been proposed by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers .  Information regarding the proposal's clarifications, as well as links to publicly comment, are available below:   Waters of the United States - Proposal to Protect Clean Water (U. S. EPA and U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2014) http://www2.epa.gov/uswaters Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Clean Water Act; Extension of Comment Period (Federal Register, 2014) https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/06/24/2014-14674/definition-of-waters-of-the-united-states-under-the-clean-water-act-extension-of-comment-period#addresses Summary of the Clean Water Act   - 33 U. S. C. §1251 et seq. (1972) [U. S. EPA] http://www2.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act N. B. :  The "Public Comment" period o...

Keystone XL Foes Claim Victory as Statoil Delays Oil Sands Plan (Jessica RESNICK-AULT, Reuters ; September 26, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/26/us-canada-oilsands-keystone-idUSKCN0HL16220140926 Statoil Stalls Canadian Tar Sands Project Amid Delays on Keystone XL Pipeline, In Victory for Environmental Groups (Maria GALLUCCI, International Business Times ; September 26, 2014) http://www.ibtimes.com/statoil-stalls-canadian-tar-sands-project-amid-delays-keystone-xl-pipeline-victory-1695492

Mexican officials issue alert for mine spill crossing into Arizona : Mexican officials issue alert for mine spill crossing into Arizona. Justin Schecker reports. ( KGUN 9 News; September 22, 2014) First Test Shows AZ San Pedro River Unaffected by Spill  (Beth GOTH, Arizona Republic ; September 23, 2014)* http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/09/24/first-test-shows-az-san-pedro-river-unaffected-spill/16139185/ (*) = As stated in this AZ Republic article, "The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality still has not confirmed what was released, what quantity or when..." No Contamination for the San Pedro River (Som LISAIUS, Tucson News Now ; September 24, 2014) http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/26614322/no-contamination-for-the-san-pedro-river   Information on the San Pedro River and its Drainage Basin: Arizona Water Atlas, Volume 3:  Section 3.8 - Lower San Pedro Basin http://www.azwater.gov/AzDWR/StatewidePlanning/wateratlas/SE...

For the 100th blog post of Environmental Geochemistry Issues Semi-Monthly , I found it appropriate to offer a brief review of what is touted to be the "Mexican Mining Sector's worst environmental disaster in recent history"* . (*) = Quote taken from the article entitled "Toxic Spill in Sonora Copper Mine Causes Environmental Disaster " (Geo-Mexico; September 11, 2014) http://geo-mexico.com/?tag=mining The Buenavista del Cobre Mine Tailing Pond Spill - August 6, 2014 Mine Waste Spill Contaminates Mexican Rivers (Eduardo MARQUEZ, newenergyconnections.com ; August 12, 2014) http://www.newenergyconnections.com/mineriamexico.com/?p=552 Toxic Spill at Grupo Mexico Mine Turns River Orange (Teresa MATICH, Copper Investing News ; August 13, 2014) http://copperinvestingnews.com/20499-toxic-spill-at-grupo-mexico-mine-turns-rivers-orange.htm l Acid Spill in Mexican Rivers Ruining Farmers' Livelihoods  ( France 24 - The Observers ; August 28...

A bit of perspective regarding the current impact of the on-going drought in California... Some California Wells Run Dry Amid Drought (Scott SMITH, newsobserver.com ; September 21, 2014) http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/09/21/4170163/some-california-wells-run-dry.html Central California Residents Rely on Bottled Water as Wells Run Dry  (Veronica ROCHA, Los Angeles Times ; August 27, 2014) http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-central-california-residents-wells-go-dry-20140826-story.html N. B. :   A direct link to the featured video within the aforementioned L. A. Times Article may be found below. Video:  Drought in West Literally Moves Mountain (The Weather Channel) Drought in West Literally Moves Mountain : "With the drought in California still going strong, parts of the state are actually being lifted!" Wells in Tulare County are Going Dry (David CASTELLON, Visalia Times-Delta ; July 31, 2014) http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news...

Governor Signs First California Groundwater Rules (Fenit NIRAPPIL, Associated Press/UT San Diego; September 16, 2014) http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/16/governor-signs-first-california-groundwater-rules/ California Legislation: California Senate Bill 1168 - Groundwater Management (PAVLEY, DICKINSON, and RENDON; 2014) http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB1168 California Senate Bill 1319 - Groundwater (PAVLEY and NESTANDE, 2014) http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB1319 California Assembly Bill 1739 - Groundwater Management (2013 - 2014) [DICKINSON, PAVLEY, and RENDON; 2014] http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB1739

Alon USA Energy and Bakersfield, CA : Kern County Approves State's Biggest 'Oil Train' Project (Tony BIZJAK, Sacramento Bee ; September 10, 2014) http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/10/6695625/kern-county-approves-states-biggest.html Board of Supervisors Approve Oil by Rail Project (Carlos CORREA, KERO Bakersfield TV 23 News ; September 9, 2014) http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/board-agrees-oil-by-rail-project-for-alon-usa-energy Valero Refining Company and Benicia, CA : Sacramento Leaders Question Benicia's Crude Oil Rail Project (Tony BIZJAK, Sacramento Bee ; August 28, 2014) http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/28/6659775/sacramento-leaders-question-benicias.html Valero Crude by Rail - "The City of Benicia, CA" Website http://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/index.asp?SEC={FDE9A332-542E-44C1-BBD0-A94C288675FD} Valero Benicia Crude by Rail Project  - Draft Environmental Impact Report   (ESA, June 2014) http://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/vertical/Sites/%7B3...

Halliburton to Pay Victims of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Deutsche welle ; September 3, 2014) http://www.dw.de/halliburton-to-pay-victims-of-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/a-17896503 Halliburton to Settle U. S. Gulf Oil Spill Claims for $1.1 Billion  (Swetha GOPINATH, Reuters ; September 2, 2014) http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/02/us-halliburton-settlement-macondo-idUSKBN0GX1DT20140902 Halliburton to Pay $1.1 Billion Settlement over Gulf Oil Spill  (Kevin MCGILL and Jonathan FAHEY; AP/Huffington Post ; September 2, 2014) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/02/halliburton-gulf-oil-spill_n_5751914.html

Fracking Report Clears Way for California Oil, Gas Leasing to Resume  (Julie CART, L. A. Times ; August 28, 2014) http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-fracking-report-20140829-story.html Fracking Study May Allow Feds to Resume Lucrative Oil Leases in Kern (John COX, Bakersfield Californian ; August 28, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x1762555211/Fracking-study-may-allow-feds-to-resume-lucrative-oil-leases-in-Kern   Fracking Poses Little Risk of Air and Water Pollution , Report Finds; BLM to Restart Oil and Gas Leases (Molly PETERSON, 89.3 KCPP/scrp.org; August 29, 2014)* http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/08/29/46356/fracking-poses-little-risk-of-air-and-water-pollut/   Report: Advanced Well Stimulation Technologies in California:  An Independent Review of Scientific and Technical Information [California Council for Science and Technology (CCST); August 28, 2014] http://ccst.us/publications/2014/2014wst.pdf (*) = As ...

'Unbelievable Devastation':  Massive Mining Waste Spill Causes Water Ban in Canada ( RT.com; August 6, 2014) http://rt.com/news/178320-canada-mine-tailings-breach/ N. B. :  Includes aerial footage videos of Mount Polley by Cariboo Regional District. Mount Polley Mine Tailings Breach:  'The Devastation Up the Lake is Unbelievable'  (Bal BRACH, CBC News; August 5, 2014) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mount-polley-mine-tailings-breach-the-devastation-up-the-lake-is-unbelievable-1.2728005 N. B. :  Includes photos, CBC event news coverage (article links), and raw video footage. Report: Independent Review of the Mount Polley Mine Technical Assessment Report for Proposed Discharge of Mine Effluent (2009) - Final Report June 2011 https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1262983/final-report-mpmc-master-ta-review-jun21-2011.pdf

Letter from 1985 Spares abo ut 100 Wells from Shutdown (John COX, Bakersfield Californian; August 4, 2014) http:// www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com /business/ kern -gusher/x603939181/Letter-from-1985-spares-about-100-wells-from-shutdown California Oil Regulators Add 95 Wells to Review (John COX, Bakersfield Californian ; July 12, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x634492505/Oil-regulators-focus-on-95-injection-wells N. B.:   Aforementioned article posted on Eaglefordtexas.com by Shane THIELGES http://eaglefordtexas.com/news/id/130690/california-oil-regulators-add-95-wells-review/ I believe that the statement found on page 2 in the following letter written by Eric JANTZ , Staff Attorney regarding The Safe Drinking Water Act and Energy and Mineral Resource Development says it quite eloquently: "Nevertheless, Congress did not intend to make protection of water sources secondary to mineral development." Aquifer Exempt...

Lake Erie algae bloom leaves 400,000 in Ohio without drinking water | WJLA.com ( WJLA/Associated Press;  August 3, 2014) Frequently Asked Questions: What are the Dangers of Harmful Algal Blooms? Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health (NOAA) http://www.glerl.noaa.gov/res/Centers/HABS/faqs_dangers_habs.html Recent Research Articles: Record-Setting Algal Bloom in Lake Erie Caused by Agricultural and Meteorological Trends Consistent with Expected Future Conditions (MICHALAK et al., 2013) http://www.pnas.org/content/110/16/6448.full.pdf Progress in Understanding Harmful Algal Blooms: Paradigm Shifts and New Technologies for Research, Monitoring and Management (ANDERSON et al., 2012) http://epic.awi.de/32439/1/Anderson_Hall_Cembella_annurev-marine-120308-081121.pdf Harmful Algal Blooms:   How Strong is the Evidence that Nutrient Ratios and Forms Influence Their Occurrence? (DAVIDSON et al.,2012) http://www.jlakes.org/web/1-s2.0-S0272...

Fracking Concerns in Ohio... Got Science?  Ohio Wake-Up Call on Fracking Disclosure Laws (Seth SHULMAN, Huffington Post; July 31, 2014) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-shulman/got-science-ohio-wake-up_b_5639164.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592 Glitch Sparks Smoky Fire at Gas Well (Jennifer SMITH-RICHARDS. The Columbus Dispatch; June 29, 2014) Glitch sparks smoky fire at gas well U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Pollution/Situation Report Statoil Eisenbarth Well Response (June 28 - 29, 2014) http://www.theoec.org/sites/default/files/Eisenbarth%20well%20pad%20fire.pdf

State Shuts Down Another Kern Oil Injection Well   (John COX, Bakersfiel d Califor nian; July 31, 2014) http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/business/kern-gusher/x603937712/State-shuts-another-Kern-oil-injection-well

State discusses new oil train regulations - KernGoldenEmpire

California Reviews Fracking Water Disposal Amid Contamination Concerns   (Rory CARROLL, Reuters ; July 18, 2014) http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0FO02Y20140719? irpc =932

North Dakota Wrestles with Radioactive Oilfield Waste   (Sarah Jane KELLER, High Country News; July 14, 2014) http://www.hcn.org/articles/north-dakota-wrestles-with-radioactive-oilfield-waste Articles:    Analysis of Reserve Pit Sludge from Unconventional Natural Gas Hydraulic Fracturing and Drilling Operations for the Presence of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM)   [RICH and CROSBY, 2013] http://baywood.metapress.com/media/bavktmrtlp36d4v5pn5u/contributions/k/6/2/1/k621376330557386.pdf Impacts on Shale Gas Wastewater Disposal on Water Quality in Western Pennsylvania (WARNER et al., 2013) http://biology.duke.edu/jackson/est2013.pdf