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Kent Environmental Council
JUNE 2014
In This Issue
Green Building 101: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Local Solar Proprietor Addresses Issues Including Tax Credits, Energy Credits, Loans and More at KEC Informal Breakfast in April
Goodbye Edith
KEC Honors Bob Brown with 2014 Edith Chase Environmental Conservation Award
Anti-Injection Well Advocate Offers Explicit Documentation on Improper Inspection of Two Portage County Wells
Northern Portage Residents Appeal for Curb on Tanker Traffic, Limits on Road Use, Stepped-Up Water Testing
For Kent's 24th Annual Cuyahoga River Day, It's . . . Play Ball!
Sustainability Tip: Are You Making These Seven Common Recycling Mistakes?
Suggested Reading - Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA
Before You Go to the Grocery Store . . .
Global Warming Is Real!
The Environment in the News
Save the Date: July 5 - Kent Heritage Festival
Help Wanted!
KEC Membership
Quick Links
  
  
  

Featured Article

 

 

    

Green Building 101: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
  
KEC Board

Charles Frederick, Vice Chair
Iris Meltzer, Secretary 
Dick Lewis, Treasurer 
 
Welcome to the June 2014 issue of the Kent Environmental Council newsletter.  

Green Building 101: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

The city of Kent and Kent State University have undertaken an impressive building campaign in the last few years, with more building construction expected for the next few years. The Kent Environmental Council has always encouraged green building concepts, especially for public works projects. With the regional professional architecture program and inaugural graduate landscape architecture program housed at the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) at Kent State, it is timely to reflect upon green building industry standards and help public officials, local stakeholders and community members understand the necessity to pursue green building projects for the local community. This article about building architecture is the first of three to introduce green building concepts to the community so officials can find the best solutions for the area's shared future. A second article will cover landscape architecture, while a third article will cover community design.

 

Artist's rendering of the new College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State University. The building is trying for LEED platinum designation (the highest level). Image courtesy of cleveland.com

 

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was established in 1993 as a collaborative effort among a variety of professional and academic institutions involved with the building industry.  The mission of the USGBC is to:

 

Transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

 

In support of its mission, the USGBC launched the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) pilot program in in August 1998. LEED is a third-party rating system intended to standardize the assessment of environmentally responsible buildings. Before LEED, other similar programs existed, but they had been implemented primarily in Europe.  

  

In 2000, LEED version 2.0 was released. With this release, the building industry began to incorporate LEED practices. LEED has continued to grow and change over its lifetime. LEED now has rating systems established for five types of development: building design and construction, interior design and construction, building operations and maintenance, neighborhood development, and homes.  

 

Within each of the rating systems, LEED offers a variety of certification levels. To receive certification, a project must meet the minimum criteria and points. LEED has four certifications levels: certified (40-49 points), silver (50-59 points), gold (60-79 points) and platinum (80 or more points). In order for a project to be considered for LEED certification, the project must be registered with the Green Building Coalition, and documentation must be provided upon completion of the project. The USGBC does assess a fee for the review of LEED documentation and LEED certification.

 

Projects can earn points in nine credit categories. Which credits a project attempts is voluntary; however, each category contains prerequisites that must be met. The credit categories are integrative process, location and transportation, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, and regional priority.

 

In addition to certifying building projects, LEED provides opportunities for individuals to be recognized as experts. Individuals who have met the minimum standards and passed the applicable exams are considered LEED green associates or LEED accredited professionals. These individuals are acknowledged has having an expertise with regard to managing and documenting LEED projects. 

 

LEED is the first system in the United States to successfully organize and quantify green building standards for the stakeholders that include design professionals, the construction industry and the general welfare of the public. It has progressed with the changing needs of the stakeholders with a very strong architectural influence. The USGBC has consistently pursued rigorous research to lead the green building industry and provide the format to officially recognize sustainable construction and maintenance methods; however, while LEED has been considered a strong architectural framework for residential to commercial building projects, an issue concerning the complexity of landscapes has surfaced. The next article will look at landscape architecture in a more holistic manner and promote the understanding of a site as the first step for green building. 

 

Resources:

United States Green Building Council 

Northeast Ohio Chapter of the United States Green Building Council 

College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Kent State University 

 

  

--Charles Frederick, RLA, LEED AP, Graduate Landscape Architecture Program CAED

--Peter Marks, Associate Professor, CAED

Local Solar Proprietor Addresses Issues Including Tax Credits, Energy Credits, Loans and More at KEC Informal Breakfast in April

Solar Panels John Flower of Dovetail Solar addressed consumer issues at the Kent Environmental Council's informal breakfast in April. Flower first asked for questions from the audience, responding, for example, that Dovetail does not lease its solar equipment because so few relevant programs are available. Other topics discussed include the following:

 

  • A three-year window remains (on the federal level) for a program that offers a 30-percent tax credit, the value of which may vary depending on one's income.
  • The Office of the Ohio Treasurer's Eco-Link program offers loans at 1.49 percent interest with no money down.
  • The Solar Renewable Energy Credit program requires energy companies to show the purchase of renewable energy credits.

 

Flower then explained a handout he distributed that evaluated a cost versus return on kilowatt usage and kilowatt unit cost. He noted that solar panels, without battery storage, are grid-based--meaning that when the grid goes down so does the solar system. Battery storage is improving and can be purchased at additional cost. Both systems include a five-year year warranty and have an expected inverter lifespan of 15 to 20 years. He added that Dovetail's warranty includes possible roof penetration issues. On the issue of wind power, Flower said that Dovetail no longer offers wind systems for residential application because of a lack of dependable equipment suppliers.

 

Breakfast participant Jenny Shaw said that the system Dovetail installed on her outbuilding has cut her electric utility cost by approximately 50 percent. She also suggested that those interested in a solar system consider ground-based panels if their property allows. This suggestion was made to facilitate the ease of snow removal from panels during the winter months.

 

Other discussions ensued, generally around the issue of government subsidies and current (though recently contested) requirements of energy suppliers in Ohio to provide an escalating scale of renewable sources to their portfolio.

 

In closing John offered two copies Green Energy Ohio, one of which included a listing of renewable energy suppliers, products and installers; he also encouraged the breakfast participants to join the organization. He also recommended the book When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine, by Jay Warmke.

  

--Brad Brotje

Goodbye Edith

The Kent Environmental Council wished a fond goodbye to Edith Chase during the Who's Your Mama Environmental Film Festival in April.  Edith was presented with a corsage and certificate of appreciation, citing KEC's heartfelt gratitude for all her years of dedication to the Kent Environmental Council, to the Cuyahoga River, to the Great Lakes and to the environment in general. Her range of interests and knowledge has inspired us all. She will be missed. She was accompanied by her daughter and son, who were in town to help her get ready for her move to Ithaca, New York, where she now resides.

 

Edith Chase (seated) with family and friends in downtown Kent

 --Lorraine McCarty

KEC Honors Bob Brown with 2014 Edith Chase Environmental Conservation Award

At the Portage County Environmental Awards Dinner, KEC member Caroline Arnold presented Bob Brown, now retired manager of the city of Kent Water Reclamation facility with the Edith Chase Environmental Conservation Award for 3024. Arnold noted that it was a special privilege to recognize Brown's unique contributions to the Kent community and to the wider environmental conservation movement.

 

Brown recently retired as manager of the water plan after nearly 30 years of service. During that time, he guided the community through the fight with the city of Akron over their water-diversion policies and then helped the community and the Kent Dam Advisory Board to succeed with a plan that modified the dam to create a popular park in downtown Kent and a free-flowing Middle Cuyahoga River for the wildlife and kayakers of the region.

 

Brown has assisted KEC with countless events and projects, including the annual River Day and Earth Day celebrations and the annual Heritage Festival in Kent. In 2002, he authored "Kent's Constant Companion: A History of the Cuyahoga River," which appeared on the KEC website.

 

In addition to his professional services, Brown always had a calm, good-humored, can-do attitude and exceptional interpersonal skills. 

 

Along with the conservation award, Arnold presented Brown with a framed appreciation certificate prepared by McKay Bricker of Kent.

 

--Lorraine McCarty 

Anti-Injection-Well Advocate Offers Explicit Documentation on Improper Inspection of Two Portage County Wells
Teresa Mills from the Center for Health, Education and Justice speaks about injection wells.

At KEC's Spring Forum in April, Theresa Mills from the Center for Center for Health, Education and Justice (CHEJ) spoke about injection wells, including how they are constructed, inspected and regulated. The state of Ohio has 234 permitted and 201 active injection wells, said Mills. She gave also explicit documentation on the improper inspection of two Portage County wells. 

 

It was especially interesting to this writer to note that the reason Ohio has so many injection wells and that other states ship their waste here stems from the ease of the permitting process in Ohio. In 1983, the Ohio governor and attorney general filed an affidavit requesting primacy (the right to issue permits) and were granted this for class 2 injection wells. In Ohio, it takes 30 to 45 days to get a permit for an injection well; in nearby Pennsylvania, it can take three to four years because requests for permits in that state must go through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

 A few other things I learned from this presentation are scary to me. One is that many of the fluids put into class 2 injection wells really should go into class 1 injection wells (that are built stronger), but there are not enough class 1 wells in Ohio to hold all the waste that is being generated. I also had not known that the wet sludge residue left from fracking may be radioactive. This wet sludge is treated by adding sawdust to make it more solid (which greatly increases the volume). Then a coffee filter is painted with it; if no liquid drips through the filter, then the mixture is deemed to be solid. The pieces of this solid are then broken up and thrown into landfills. Efforts are under way to lobby for changing both of these practices, but much more work needs to be done. For more information or to help lobby, contact Theresa Mills.

 

CHEJ has petitioned the U.S. EPA to take over the permitting and monitoring of injection wells in Ohio and remove the ODNR from being the agency primarily responsible for regulating injection wells. CHEJ officials cite inadequate inspections that could pose very dangerous situations to local residents and to the environment. Ohio Citizen Action's Nathan Rutz is working closely with CHEJ officials on a citizens' audit of the 201 active injection wells in Ohio. The results of this audit will be presented to the U.S. EPA as evidence of improper regulating and monitoring of these wells and as a demonstration of citizen concern. Anyone interested in volunteering (two to four hours per well) can email Rutz or call him at 216-861-5200.  

 

To view a video of Mills' presentation at the forum, click here

 

--Lorraine McCarty
Northern Portage Residents Appeal for Curb on Tanker Traffic, Limits on Road Use, Stepped-Up Water Testing

Residents along Allyn and Sheldon roads in northern Mantua and Hiram townships were stymied about how to proceed effectively with their concerns for safety in their neighborhood. Concerned Citizens Ohio encouraged them to prepare a presentation for the Portage County commissioners and the Portage County Health Department, which they did.

 

In April, the residents made a very clear case to the commissioners and 50 other people present that tanker traffic affects the safety, relaxation and enjoyment of country living for children and property owners and the condition of road surfaces. The commissioners were quite receptive to the residents' concerns. Residents urged county officials to write road-use maintenance agreements (RUMAs) with the trucking companies/well owners to limit the hauling of waste water from oil and gas wells.They asked for no truck traffic during school start and end times during the school year and no trucks on weekends and holidays. They also urged enforcement of truck weight limits. Mickey Marozzi, chief Portage County engineer, is now reviewing other RUMAs (such as those in Trumbull County, an area that sees a great deal of tanker traffic) and trying to develop criteria for Portage County. These RUMAs would be voluntarily negotiated by the county and each company. Since Portage County has no scales to weigh trucks to know if weight limits are met or exceeded, the suggestion to share scales with another county was welcome and being investigated, although it is still not clear who would operate the scales.

 

When the residents met with the Health Department with concerns about the water being affected by the wells being drilled, an agreement was reached that nine people who live around the well will take samples of the water. Concerned Citizens Ohio will monitor for alkalinity, salinity, total dissolved solids, chloride and nitrates, but their results are not EPA certified. In the event of an unusual monitored result, the Portage County Health Department will provide professional, certified testing as requested by the well owner. The purpose of the monitoring wells is to determine if or when contamination from the Allyn Road injection well has entered the aquifer in the area.

 

The Allyn Road injection well was drilled as a regular well in 1973 and was converted to an injection well in 1974. With concern about the potential failure of the cement casing on very old wells in general, the issue is important to the residents of the area as well as to areas such as Kent, because the Allyn Road well sits directly above the headwaters of the Cuyahoga River. There are 18 active injection wells in Portage County eight permitted ones. The county's 13 abandoned wells could be converted to injection wells.

 

--Lorraine McCarty
For Kent's 24th Annual Cuyahoga River Day, It's . . . Play Ball!
Officials prepare for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with Bob Redmond, center, son
of Harvey Redmond after whom the bridge is named.

This year saw a great turnout for Kent's 24th annual Cuyahoga River Day with about well over 200 people attending a celebration of the recreational history of the river, the water trail, and the hike-and-bike trail. Everyone was excited to finally dedicate the new bridge to the Kramer Ball Field and to have the area open again for ball games. On display along the new bridge were photos and history of the Kent Islanders Base Ball teams from 1897 and 1900 that played ball at Kramer Field. The bridge is solid, pleasing to look at and took several years to build, complicated by the need to move the Eastern Pond Mussles that were beneath the bridge. According to John Idone, director of the Kent Parks and Recreation Department, each one of these marvelous mussels filter 18 gallons of water per day. The Friends of the Stow Street Cemetery shared information about the historic cemetery located above the trail.

 

The Tannery Trail, a beautiful, scenic walk or bicycle ride along the river's edge, also was dedicated. Crooked River Adventures' livery is now open for bicycle and kayak rental for the hike-and-bike trail and the Cuyahoga River water trail.

 

The crowd anxiously awaits the opening of the vintage baseball game as they mingle with the players.

Vintage baseball players were on hand to show both adults and children how the game was played in the 1860s. One child commented, "There were ball players from a really long time ago who didn't use gloves. . . . I think they were from the eighties." Everyone also enjoyed the free popcorn (courtesy  of KEC), pizza (courtesy of Karl Walter and Domino's) and juice (courtesy of McDonalds).

 

For more of the game in pictures . . .

 

A coin toss starts the game.

  

Play ball!

  

The pitch is underhand, and the ball is larger than today's regulation baseballs and smaller than a softball.

 

Batter up!

 

 What a start to the summer--until Mother Nature's cold and a rainstorm caused the game to halt, as people headed home.

 

Spectators head home after the vintage baseball game is halted because of rain.

 --Lorraine McCarty

Sustainability Tip: Are You Making These Seven Common Recycling Mistakes?

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

It took a long, long time, but curbside recycling has finally become commonplace in most U.S. communities. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans create 251 million tons of waste every year. 

 

We say that we "throw away" much of this waste but, of course, there is no away. Most of it (around 135 million tons) ends up buried in a landfill somewhere, where it takes centuries, if not thousands of years, to degrade, potentially leaching nasty chemicals into our soil and water supply.

 

Here's the sad part: According to Keep America Beautiful, the recyclable materials in the U.S. waste stream would generate more than $7 billion if they were recycled. That's equivalent to Donald Trump's net worth. In order to stop the flow of valuable materials to the landfill, we have to recycle.   

 

If you're a regular participant in your community's recycling program, you're probably feeling pretty pleased with yourself right now. Not so fast. In order to get the most out of these reusable waste materials, we not only have to recycle, we have to recycle properly. That's right, there are rules to this recycling game and, unfortunately, many of us aren't following them. Below is a list of common recycling mistakes, along with information about why it's so important to get it right--for your recycler, your community and your world.

 

Now for the seven recycling mistakes you're probably making:

  

1. Separating (or not). Is your recycling program single-stream or dual-stream? Do you know the difference? Single-stream recycling allows paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and metal to be mixed together for pickup. Dual-stream recycling also is referred to as source-separated recycling. This means keeping the fiber component--paper and cardboard--separate from glass and plastic containers and cans. There are pros and cons to both methods. But separating (if you don't have to) or not separating (if you're supposed to) just makes things more difficult for those on the other end of your recycling bin. 

  

2. Including plastic bags. It is very rare for a local recycler to accept plastic bags. Plastic bag markets require that these materials be clean, dry and empty. Once they go into a recycling bin, they definitely do not meet the first two criteria. Solving this problem is easy: Don't use plastic bags, keep bags separate and return them to a local grocery store that accepts them for recycling (look for a bin near the front door).  

 
3. Leaving lids on plastic containers. While an increasing number of plastics are now recyclable (you should still check the number on the bottom against your local program rules), many people fail to realize that plastic caps are not recyclable and are a significant contaminant, both on and off the bottle. Left on, they often trap liquid, which is a contaminant. Separate them and throw them away. Always make sure bottles and glasses are empty and rinsed. 
 
4. Including nonrecyclable glass. All glass (or glasslike materials) are not created equal. Translucent bottles and jars are good to go. Ceramic dishes, china plates or cups, mirrors, laboratory glassware, light bulbs, Pyrex, porcelain and window glass are not. These materials have a different melting point and chemical composition from container glass. Seeing just one of these items in a load of container class can cause it to be rejected. 
  

5. Food-soaked cartons/packages. "Leave the grease-soaked pizza box and oily Chinese takeout carton (and anything similar) out of the recycling bin," explains the Fairport-East Rochester Post. "Ditto for dirty paper napkins. You can, however, tear off and recycle the unsoiled top of a pizza box." When it comes to recycling, any type of contamination is a no-no. That's why it's so important to clean the things that can be cleaned (aluminum, plastic and glass containers). 

 

6. Removing the labels from bottles and cans. Check with your local recycler, but in most cases this is an unnecessary step. Ha! I bet you didn't expect that one. Save yourself some time, and toss 'em in the bin, labels and all. Same thing goes for staples or other metal fasteners in paper and cardboard.

  

7. Shredded paper. "Shredded paper is too small to sort--the pieces literally fall through the cracks of the sorting machines and end up all over the floor of the facility--or worse, in with the glass," explains Go Green Woolridge. Some recycling centers will accept shredded paper if it is contained in a paper bag and labeled "shredded paper." And while we're on the topic of paper, be sure to consult your recycler's preferences when it comes to where paper should be placed. As this blogger  found out, sometimes placing it in the bin with the other recyclables is a no-no.  

 

Reprinted from a blog by Beth Buczynski, Care2, March 24, 2014

 

--Submitted by Iris Meltzer

Suggested Reading - Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA

KEC members George Sossebe and Iris Meltzer both recommend Poison Spring:  The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA, by E.G. Vallianatos with McKay Jenkins. According to Vallianatos, who worked for the EPA for 25 years, the EPA has not been forthright with the public about the safety of pesticides and chemicals used on farms and in homes. He chronicles the problems well and urges American consumers to hold their government accountable for policies that protect and reward polluters.
 
--George Sossebe and Iris Meltzer
Before You Go to the Grocery Store . . .
The Environmental Working Group annually produces a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, which highlight fruits and vegetables--ranking them from dirtiest to cleanest (the lower the number, the more pesticides it contains). The guide is compiled by analyzing U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S Food and Drug Administration testing data of conventionally raised produce. The agencies suggest that if you really like a fruit or vegetable that is ranked dirty, buy organic. The agencies also note that the value of eating fruits and vegetables. With the EWG's shopper's guide, consumers can have the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with less exposure to pesticides. To view the list of fruits and vegetables ranked from dirtiest to cleanest, click here. For more details about the issue of pesticides in food, click here.
  
--Submitted by Iris Meltzer
Global Warming Is Real!

Click here to see 10 new charts from Campaign for America's Future that will make you want to stop global warming.

 
--Submitted by Iris Meltzer
 The Environment in the News

Climate Report More Certain Than Ever

Record-Courier - May 6, 2014

The Obama administration is more certain than ever that global warming is man-made, according to the draft of the National Climate Assessment report released on this date. The report stresses that global warming is changing Americans' lives and will worsen and that global warming is not a future issue; rather, it is here now for the United States and the rest of the world, creating dangerous weather shifts.

 

  

Airports Most at Risk for Flooding

USA Today - May 8, 2014

 

Twelve of the nation's 47 largest airports are vulnerable to storm surges that are expected to increase from climate change, according the U.S. National Climate Assessment report released on May 6.  

 

 

Legislators OK Bill to Suspend Energy Targets

Akron Beacon Journal - May 29, 2014

 

Gov. John Kasich is expected to sign the bill sent to him that will suspend (for two years) the mandates from the administration's seven-year-old energy-efficiency goals and targets for solar, wind and other renewable sources. Opponents of the targets say requirements are driving up electricity costs, while environmentalists point to the need to decrease carbon emissions to curb climate change. Environmentalists favor the targets because alternative energy does not rely on carbon-based sources, which are involved in climate change. Former state utility regulator Ashley Brown says that it the competing goals of reduced pollution and lower electric prices are "mutually exclusive" and that it is almost impossible to achieve both. When electricity is cheap, Brown reasons, people use more, thereby increasing carbon based pollution. When electricity rates rise, whether or not renewables are factored in, then people use less.

 

  

Editorial Urges Governor Kasich to Speak Out for Renewable Energy

Akron Beacon Journal - April 20, 2014

 

Given the above article of May 29, it is worthy to note that in his editorial on this date, columnist Michael Douglas observes that according to the JobsOhio website, "Ohio ranks No. 1 in the nation for renewable and advanced energy, bringing in more renewable energy than any other state. . . . Ohio is committed to leading the world to energy independence with advanced energy, innovation, groundbreaking manufacturing processes and low-cost deployment of these assets to fulfill current and future demands for alternative energy solutions." Douglas also notes that 83 percent of Ohioans support energy- efficiency programs. He adds that the renewable energy standards fit nicely with much of Kasich's energy agenda but that his voice was absent from the discussion about a freeze on standards.

 

 

Obama Plan to Target Power Plant Emissions

Akron Beacon Journal - June 2, 2014

Record-Courier - June 2, 2014

 

West  Regulations for cutting earth-warming pollution from power plants by 30 percent by 2030 are expected to be final in the next year. These regulations will set the first national limits on carbon dioxide, the chief gas linked to global warming. While the federal proposals are not final, they are expected to be aimed at coal, the most common fuel source for electricity. About a third of U.S. annual emissions are from the nation's power plants. The United States is the second largest contributor to global warming on the planet and hopes to get other countries to act also when international talks begin next year. States, especially those that produce coal, are looking to blunt Obama's carbon plan.  

 

 

Volume of Drilling Wast Injected into Ohio Wells Grows 15 Percent

Akron Beacon Journal - May 29, 2014

 

An According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio accepted more than 16.3 barrels of liquid waste in 2013. This is enough to fill a train of taker cars nearly 242 miles long. Waste from out-of-state sources remained basically the same from 2012 to 2013. The increase came from a 36.7 percent increase of in-state-produced fluid waste, attributable to the growing Utica shale boom in eastern Ohio. Trumbull County was the No. 1 destination; Portage County ranked second with almost 2 million barrels.

 

 

Ohio Ties Fracking Natural Gas Wells to Quakes, Sets New Rules for Permitting

Akron Beacon Journal - April 12, 2014

 

Train New permits for drilling within 3 miles of a known underground geologic vault or area of seismic activity (since 1999) greater than 2.0 magnitude will require companies to install seismic monitors. If those monitors detect a quake of 1.0 magnitude or greater, drilling activities would be halted while the cause is investigated and suspended completely if a probable connection to hydraulic fracturing is found.

 

 

Equipment to Monitor Earthquakes Installed Near Injection Wells

Akron Beacon Journal - June 4, 2014

 

With the growing number of injection wells and a growing volume of waste injected into them, there are fears of earthquakes such as the 4.0 quake traced to an injection well near Youngstown. The state is installing seismic devices at a cost of about $22,000 each, with 19 of 23 installed so far. According to Marc Bruce, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the monitors have not detected evidence of problems to date. Additionally, private companies have installed eight other seismic monitors and provide data to Columbus. Portage County does not yet have seismic monitors, because the state has been focused on deeper, high-volume injection wells in other areas. The devices are placed as far from a well as it is deep. The ODNR is planning to keep the portable devices in place for about a year and then move them if no problems are detected.
 

 

EPA May Regulate Fracking Chemicals

Akron Beacon Journal - May 10, 2014

 

Two The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is considering rules requiring oil companies to send details on the health and safety of chemicals used, while at the same time considering the use of incentives or voluntary steps to encourage disclosure. This announcement gives companies, environmentalists and interested members of the public 90 days to respond before any decisions are made. The industry has fought to preempt federal oversight, and many drilling companies are disclosing chemical information on the industry website, FracFocus.org. Critics cite the many exemptions the website allows that keep ingredients secret. Deborah Goldberg, a lawyer at Earthjustice, says, "The presumption should be on behalf of disclosure. . . . . One of the best incentives for safer chemicals is forcing disclosure of toxic chemicals." In April, Baker Hughes, the world's third largest oil-field services provider, said it would disclose all the chemical used in fracking fluids after negotiating with suppliers and customers.

 

 

Ohio House OKs Fracking Tax

Record-Courier - March 20, 2014

 

The The Ohio House moved a long debated fracking tax plan to the Senate, which will take time to review the bill. Its fate is uncertain. House Bill 375 sets the tax rate on oil and gas produced by fracking at 2.5 percent, with lower rates for vertical wells. The first $10 million of production will not be taxed, so companies can recoup their initial well investments. Of the resulting revenues, more than $20 million would go to state regulatory efforts, a new well-plugging program and geological mapping activities. The governor believes a higher tax is needed.  

 

--Lorraine McCarty  

 Save the Date: Saturday, July 5 - Kent Heritage Festival

July 5 (Saturday)

All day

Join us at our table, but enjoy the whole event!
Help Wanted!

KEC is looking for volunteers who want to get more involved in the organization. Here are two volunteer opportunities we hope you will consider:

 

  1. A member to develop new material for placement on the KEC website by our website production team
  2. A member to monitor water issues for KEC  

 

Interested parties should contact Lorraine McCarty at 330-554-3829.

KEC Membership

We welcome anyone who wants to join the Kent Environmental Council and support our efforts. If you are already a member, you will be receiving a reminder of renewal by mail the month before the expiration date for your dues. Remember, dues are the main source of income for KEC. We need your support to do our work. Just fill out the KEC membership form. Enclose the completed form and your check made payable to: Kent Environmental Council and mail  to: KEC, P.O. Box 395, Kent, OH 44240. To join or renew online with PayPal, click here. Membership levels are $45, Sustaining; $35, Family; $25, Individual; $15, Golden Buckeye; $10, Student; $500, Lifetime; and $200, Organization.  

 

 

BECOME A KEC MEMBER TODAY!
 

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