State tracks anti-Marcellus Shale drilling groups, notifies law enforcement

[RamboLiberal]

Big Driller may be watching you.

According to recently leaked documents, the Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security has been tracking anti-gas drilling groups and their meetings — including a public screening of the film “Gasland,” a documentary about the environmental hazards of natural gas drilling. The office has included the information in its weekly intelligence bulletins sent to law enforcement agencies.

The bulletins are also sent to gas companies drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

Activists and environmental groups have responded with outrage and some alarm.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/09/post_122.html

[JPZenger]

1. State Agency Reported Results to Gas Industry and their PR Firm

The spying did not consist of looking for violent threats. They regularly catalogued all of the activities of groups critical of gas drilling and reported the results to the gas industry and their PR firm, the Bravo Group.

It is worthwhile to read the whole article, at the above link. The spying was only uncovered because of an accidental leak.

It is good to finally see some real journalism in PA.

[JPZenger]

10. Rendell Orders Spying Stopped - Hours After He Finds Out About It

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/09/rendell_ends_monitoring_of_opp.html

[livetohike]

2. I can't wait to get my name on this list - we have a local meeting

next Tuesday. Things are happening really fast up here in Jefferson County....too fast for regulation and lots of people are just looking at the "fast money" instead of the fact their property/water may be so fouled up that their dreams of leaving livable property to their children will be over.

[RamboLiberal]

3. Rendell to discuss the monitoring tonight (Tue)

HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell will hold a news conference this evening concerning media reports that the state Office of Homeland Security has been keeping track of people who attended recent meetings opposed to Marcellus shale drilling, including a Pittsburgh City Council meeting and gatherings in Allegheny, Butler and Philadelphia counties.

Gene Stilp, a Harrisburg citizen activist and opponent of natural gas drilling, said the Philadelphia City Paper and the Harrisburg Patriot-News obtained leaked information about the monitoring efforts by state Homeland Security officials, which were supposedly done in the interest of public safety.

Mr. Stilp said word got out recently when the state office mistakenly sent an e-mail about its tracking efforts to an opponent of the drilling. One event that was monitored was a screening of the anti-gas drilling film "Gasland'' in Philadelphia, as well as a Pittsburgh council meeting about gas drilling, he said.

"I am demanding that the state House and Senate hold hearings on this,'' he said today. "This is not the way Pennsylvania government is supposed to run.''



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10257/1087480-100.stm#ixzz0zXdxyIY1

[larwdem]

12. gene stilp

GENE STILP. Is a fucking nut case. don't go by what he says. look him up!
more like a tea bagger than a democrat.

[MrMickeysMom]

4. Thanks, RL

You know what else kills me? The wonderful Oil and Gas act that allows folks who want to drill 24 7 (Pennico is one that's in our area now) without having to go through our Planning Commission. They don't have to heed anyone's municipal ordinance as they're managed to side step it.

[howaboutme]

5. It all comes down to

often international business interests taking precedence over the American people and our Constitutional rights, and the laws that most of us must obey. If I want to put up a new garage I must follow the steps in township ordinances, yet oil and gas interests and others are exempted.

[MrMickeysMom]

6. Well... we can thank our General Assembly...

In fact, I think I will!

[Altoid_Cyclist]

7. It's probably obvious where I stand on the whole Marcellus Shale idea.

Between the PA DEP actions in the past and Gov. Rendell losing three top aides to the drilling companies, it's almost as if we're back to the days of the "Robber Barons".

However, PA residents are finally starting to wake up to the risks to their health and the environment from the nearly unregulated destruction taking place under the guise of "clean energy".

I'm just hoping that enough people let their voices be heard and enough politicians and regulatory agencies admit that they've been asleep at the wheel up to now. In the meantime, I'm just getting more determined that this industry must be stopped before it's too late.

This is one of the reasons that I don't trust the PA DEP to be in a position to properly do their job.

This is part of a letter from the Bradford County Commissioners to John Hanger PA DEP secretary.



"On April 1, 2009 Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, (D.E.P.), eliminated local conservation districts from the permit process of Erosion and Sedimentation and Stream and Wetlands in relation to the natural gas industry."


April 7, 2009 - Some specific concerns we have in regards to your decision are as follows:

The lack of input D.E.P. has sought in regards to this decision, both from the public and from conservation districts.

The lack of staff, training and local contacts for D.E.P. to adequately manage and issue these permits.

The fact that this change will eliminate municipal notice of drilling activity.

D.E.P. is telling local conservation districts to turn over all gas industry related records, which represent decisions made at the local level.

More interesting links about the Marcellus activities:

http://gasdrillingawarenesscoalition.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/contributions-from-drilling-companies-to-campaigns/

http://www.earthworksaction.org/SplitEstate.cfm

http://solveclimate.com/blog/20090929/fracking-accidents-prompt-calls-oversight

http://frackmountain.wordpress.com/beta/

http://www.marcellusmoney.org/donations

[RamboLiberal]

8. This is not the way PA govt supposed to run

HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell has terminated what he called a horribly misguided state contract with a Philadelphia firm that led to wrongful and improper reports being disseminated about environmental groups, tax protesters, people at gay and lesbian rallies and even supporters of more funding for education.

At a news conference Tuesday evening, Mr. Rendell said he hadn't known until Tuesday about a one-year, $125,000 contract between the state Office of Homeland Security and the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response.

"I am appalled that this contract was entered into without my knowledge," he said. "I am appalled that information was disseminated about groups that were exercising their constitutional right to free speech and to protest. They shouldn't be on any list (of possible security threats). This is extraordinarily embarrassing."

The contract started last October and was due to expire next month. Its original purpose was to inform state police and homeland security officials about "credible threats to critical infrastructure" around the state, meaning potential attempts by terrorists to destroy roads, bridges, buildings, power facilities or other important facilities



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10258/1087582-454.stm#ixzz0zc8xtzYu

[RamboLiberal]

9. Lawsuit planned after protesters put on terror list

An activist who believes he was improperly included on a state terror threat list said this morning he is preparing a federal lawsuit.

"When people's civil rights are trampled, it's a federal issue," said Gene Stilp of Harrisburg, who holds a Virginia law license but does not practice as an attorney.

-----

Stilp said he believes he was among those monitored based on Rendell's comment that the 25-foot inflatable "pink pig" that Stilp takes to rallies was included in the monitoring. "The pig! They were after the pig," Rendell said.

Stilp owns the pig and frequently displays it at the Capitol at protests over what he sees as government excesses.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_699551.html

[old mark]

11. Rendell "apalled" by revelation that PA Homeland Security is distributing this

information on every possible gathering as possible terrorism events...link to article:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10861756/appalled-pa-gov-shuts-down-reports-on-protests.html?puc=outbrain&cm_ven=outbrain&obref=obnetwork

Animal rights protestors, anti-drilling groups, environmental groups, every imanignable group that protested or even held meetings or rallies had their information sent to police as possible terrorists.

Rendell says he never was told...


mark