[xz2y]

Congratulations to Vermont for being forward thinking and banning the gas and oil industry from polluting a beautiful state. I was thrilled to read the news! VT doesn't have huge gas deposits, but it sends a message that one state, at least, is not for sale to gas and oil companies.

Vermont First State to Ban Fracking | Care2 Causes

[brattpowered]

Enlightened place.

[looking4home]

If it doesn't have the gas deposits the companies want, then the state is in no real danger of being exploited, is it? This is just a smokescreen to divert attention away from a host of very real problems.

[Dreamn]

Originally Posted by looking4home

If it doesn't have the gas deposits the companies want, then the state is in no real danger of being exploited, is it? This is just a smokescreen to divert attention away from a host of very real problems.

Yeah, but is sure keeps some quack engineer with a hunch that he's found something from fracking a hole through the bedrock, and filling it with a secret sauce of hydraulic fluid and benzene, doesn't it?

[Dreamn]

With stats like these: who needs an EPA?

The report, which examined nearly 3,000 reported violations at almost 4,000 Pennsylvania natural gas wells between January 2008 and August 2011, found that nearly two-thirds of the violations were administrative in nature, and less than 2 in 5 were linked to environmental concerns.

The report, released Tuesday by UB's new Shale Resources and Society Institute, also found that during 2008 there were slightly less than 3 environmental violations for every 5 wells drilled, or 58.2 percent. In the first eight months of 2011, there was a little more than 1 environmental violation for every 4 new wells drilled, or 26.5 percent — less than half the 2008 level.

'Fracking' risks found to have been diminished - Business - The Buffalo News

Oh wait, they don't monitor fracking anyway!

[Cambium]

Thats awesome news. We need leaders like in Vermont to come down here and do the same!

[FrugalYankee]

It's really a shame that our legislators spend their time with non-issues like this instead of dealing with the state's REAL problems, although I suppose this at least has a tiny bit more substance than the M&Ms resolution.

And of course VPIRG is "right there" applauding, as this will favor the financial interests in wind energy of the VPIRG board of directors.

[68vette]

Originally Posted by FrugalYankee

It's really a shame that our legislators spend their time with non-issues like this instead of dealing with the state's REAL problems, although I suppose this at least has a tiny bit more substance than the M&Ms resolution.

And of course VPIRG is "right there" applauding, as this will favor the financial interests in wind energy of the VPIRG board of directors.

I wouldn't worry about wind energy bandwagon that much. The Fed is cutting subsidies after looking at what we are getting on the dollar. Good article: Obstacles Facing US Wind Energy | Gail Tverberg | FINANCIAL SENSE The way it's talked about, you would think a large % of our power is wind generated. I was very supprised to see that it's a little over 2%. The cuts in subsidies is having a hit in Vermont as well. NRG in Hinesburg just had a layoff. The cut or elimination of subsidies along with low natural gas prices is going to hurt the wind and solar industries. Off topic, but this was just in the news today.

[FrugalYankee]

My concern is not so much wind energy yay or nay so much as it is financial interests disguised as a "public interest" lobbying for laws which in any way favor their businesses - possibly even with tax credits which the rest of us get to pay for.

At any rate I see this anti-fracking law as a waste of time for everyone concerned except for the value it has for some in showing the rest of the country that once again, little Vermont stands up and says "no" to everything.

What else have our dear legislators been up to anyway?

[harry chickpea]

Pretty durned funny! As part of my historical research, I have access to a lot of the information on core bores. The idea of fracking in Vermont getting anything out of the ground makes as much sense as pumping water into a maple tree to get syrup. By voting against this, the government gets to say "We are against child beating by troglodytes in unknown caves in Vermont!" There is no downside, cause there ain't nuthin' there to begin with.