Today’s Essential Reads
FRACKING:
There Will Be No Hydro-Fracking in City – Mayor
Mayor Brad Woodside is reiterating that New Brunswick’s capital city is off-limits to companies that want to employ hydro-fracking techniques to search for shale gas or petroleum.
Fracking Hurting Health Right Now
This morning, riding my bike down Christian Street, across the South Street Bridge and into West Philadelphia after an early morning meeting, I inhaled far more dirty exhaust than I wanted to. A city bus belched directly into my lungs and I held my breath as I passed the cloud.
DeGette, Other Top Energy Dems Seek Better Definition of ‘Diesel Fuel’ in Gas Fracking
Coming up with a definition of diesel fuel seems like a fairly straightforward task, but in the world of natural gas drilling and the process of hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – nothing ever comes easy.
A New York official has proposed creating an industry-bankrolled fund to cover contamination or damage caused by hydraulic fracturing.
BP OIL SPILL:
BP Responding to Asphalt-Like Tar at Deer Island
A spokesman for BP and the Gulf oil-spill cleanup said today that a reconnaissance team has been dispatched to Deer Island in response to reports of a field of asphalt-like oil residue found by fishermen recently.
Domestic Shrimp Industry Facing Unprecedented Market Challenges
The domestic shrimp industry has faced countless hurdles over the last decade, including unfairly dumped imports, successive devastating hurricanes and the worst economic recession in recent history. The industry has always been able to pull itself up and weather the storm. The BP Oil Spill was initially thought to be just another bump in the road from which the industry would bounce back. Unfortunately, 2011 market conditions are presenting unprecedented challenges. While the unfortunate events occurring prior to the BP Oil Spill caused supply side issues and temporary pricing pressures, the post-spill environment presents uncharacteristic demand side issues resulting from unfounded consumer fears over the safety of Gulf shrimp. The net result is a 2011 shrimp season marred by greater lost profits than the oil-spill plagued 2010 season.
We are pleased to report that bipartisanship did break out before Congress blew town, and this pleasant change from Washington’s regular programming could benefit Florida.
Oil From BP Spill Still in Evidence on Mississippi Islands
Dark-amber mats of oil as big as a large man’s foot sit on the sand 10 feet from the water, and farther inland along the beaches of Horn Island’s west end.
RADIATION:
Japan’s Rice Crop Tested for Contamination From Fukushima Plant
Japan’s rice harvest is a time of festivities celebrated even by the emperor as farmers reap the rewards of four months of labor in a 2,000-year-old tradition. Not this year, with radiation seeping into the soil.
