Natural gas not ‘cleaner than coal?’

To the editor:

Let’s step back and look at one of the framing justifications for the headlong move toward natural gas.

Natural gas is cleaner burning than coal in electricity generation, and thus thought of as a good “bridge fuel” to get us beyond coal. But it is mostly methane, and leaks of natural gas into the atmosphere in the course of its lifecycle before it is burned (extraction, piping and shipping) are potentially large enough to offset the supposed beneficial effects that differentiate natural gas from coal in terms of air pollution, greenhouse effects and global warming.

Natural gas leaks are invisible and not well monitored. However, Prof. Robert Howarth of Cornell estimates that 1.5 percent of natural gas consumed is leaked into the atmosphere; government scientists and gas industry officials think it’s probably higher. Methane, toxic to human and animal life, is also a powerful greenhouse gas, about 70 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year timespan. A spike in methane leaks, as we will likely see in the nationwide boom in shale gas extraction, could within a few short years increase the greenhouse effect and help raise global temperatures ( greenleft.org.au/node/44113 ).

Methane is escaping into the atmosphere naturally from multiple places like landfills and the seafloor, and massive amounts of methane recently escaped unnaturally in the prolonged BP gusher in the Gulf. To minimize the risk of further increasing greenhouse effects, global warming and climate change, we need to forget about “bridge fuels,” ban unconventional shale gas extraction, and go directly to sustainable energy in solar, wind, hydro, biomass and other sources to generate electricity, while exploring the efficacy of transportation fuels like ethanol from sources such as those listed by poet.com .

Honesdale, PA

EPA comment period ending

To the editor:

I would like to remind readers that the public comment period to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ends on August 14. [The final public meeting has been postponed from August 12 to an unknown date and location in September. It is not clear yet whether registration to comment at the meeting will be reopened. See page 5]. You can email comments to hydraulic.fracturing@epa.gov . Snail mail can be sent to Jill Dean, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Mailcode 4606M, Washington, DC 20460.

The EPA is looking for input from the public on the scope of their proposed study of fracking. My letter expressed concern about air and water quality. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection study showed that this process of gas extraction would pose an unacceptable risk for the New York watershed. That tells me that this is a serious matter, which the EPA needs to study.

Time for the Pike chamber to take a stand

To the editor:

In June, we attended the Milford screening of the movie ”Gasland.” We were pleased to see about 300 people also viewing the movie and showing concern for the possible degradation of our area.

There are many problems with drilling for natural gas and the regulations and oversight of the gas drilling industry are inadequate. I was disappointed that the Pike County Chamber of Commerce was not represented and we did not hear their viewpoint on this issue, particularly because Pike County heavily relies on tourism and recreational income.

It’s time for the Pike County Chamber of Commerce to take a stand.