www.nocrackerplantov.com

From an Article by Scott McCloskey, Staff Writer, Wheeling Intelligencer, January 19, 2020

MOUNDSVILLE — For some of the nearly 50 people who turned out to view a documentary film screening, the film not only provided a new perspective about how widespread the plastic waste problem is worldwide — but it also validated their concerns about the proposed PTT Global Chemical America plant for Belmont County.

The Ohio Valley citizens group, Concerned Ohio River Residents, made the educational documentary prerelease screening of “The Story of Plastic” available Saturday afternoon at the Grave Creek Mound Historical Site theater in Moundsville. The group invited dozens of invited local “decision makers” and politicians in an effort to showcase the global plastic pollution crisis that the world now faces, according to Bev Reed, an organizer of the group.

She said while the 90-minute film still has still not been released to the public by its creator, Deia Schlosberg, she is hopeful the film will be made available to the public as soon as possible. Reed said the film is “very eye opening,” and that the group members feel very fortunate to have access to an early viewing.

“The Story of Plastic” focuses on exposing the truth behind the plastic pollution crisis, according to its creators. In the film, footage shot over three continents illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, heaps of trash; rivers and seas clogged with waste; and skies choked with the runoff from plastic production and recycling processes.

The film shows interviews with experts and activists, and scenes which reveal the impact of the flood of plastic on ecosystems and communities around the world, and the global movement rising up in response.

Reed said the film was meant to highlight the risks such industry would pose to the region, if the proposed Dilles Bottom ethane cracker plant would come to fruition.

“It shows shots from around the world of communities that are drowning in plastic … and shows why we need to be alarmed,” Reed said. “This cracker plant would create about 3 billion pounds of plastic feed stock pellets per year — much of what would be used for single use plastics. It’s impacting our human health. It’s impacting animal health.

“By 2050 plastic will outweigh fish in the world’s oceans so it’s very worrisome,” she added.

Reed said another issue is the proposed cracker plant would be built by companies from overseas and the profits would not stay here. “The whole reason (companies) want to build this is to use our gas, that we have here in the shale, and to create this plastic — all for their profit,” she said.

A panel discussion was held in the theater following the film. Dr. Randi Pokladnik, a local retired environmental scientist/research chemist spoke about the impacts that plastic — especially single-use plastics — and petrochemicals have on health, and the cracker plant’s potential impact on the Ohio River. Upon her introduction to the crowd, Pokladnik quickly noted how disappointing it was not to have one local politician in attendance.

“Why don’t the local politicians show up and watch this? What are they afraid of — that they might learn something that is disturbing,” Pokladnik said. “If you go into the grocery store today, it’s hard to shop without finding everything you pick up is encased in plastic. When I was little, I remember a lot of things came in glass and there wasn’t any plastic. You used butcher paper for meats and things like that. I think we have to, … as a population, rethink the way we look at our lifestyles because so much of this is unnecessary. … If you look at it, at the end of the day there’s a choice we have to make — do we have this ‘throwaway’ lifestyle that we think we can manage sustainably or do we live on a liveable planet.”

Also as part of the panel discussion, which the group live-streamed via Facebook, Beaver County, Pennsylvania resident Terri Baumgardner discussed what it’s like living near the Shell cracker plant and a panelist from Texas who lives near petrochemical facility participated via video conferencing.

Shadyside Resident Susan Brown, who is a Concerned Ohio River Residents member, said she learned a lot from watching the film. She said she’s trying to learn more about the health issues that cracker plant could possibly create if it would indeed be built in Belmont County.

“It was educational in a lot of aspects — in realizing how global the issues are … and what we should be doing,” said Brown, who is also a former resident of Dilles Bottom. “For me it’s the justice of it. … I’m just trying to be involved and make other people aware of it,” she added.

She said the companies using all of these throwaway plastics need to be held accountable for their actions. Brown said she feels gas companies should not be able to just come into an area and do what they want and produce what they want to produce.

Organic farmer Mick Luber, who said he lives “in the middle of all that fracking out there” in Cadiz, said he thought the film was very good. “It was in-depth, and from every perspective from around the world,” he said. Luber said it show just how much companies need to be held more responsible for all of the plastic packaging going on around the world.

While no final investment decision has been made in the proposed PTT Global Chemical America plant to be located in the Dilles Bottom area of Belmont County, the plant, if constructed, would use byproducts from fracked natural gas to make polyethylene, a component of plastic. Ethane is one of the natural gas liquids found in abundance in the local natural “wet” gas stream, particularly in the Utica and Marcellus shales. The Bechtel Corporation confirmed last June that it had been selected to oversee construction of the multi-billion dollar facility if a final decision were made to construct it.

Bechtel currently is overseeing construction of Royal Dutch Shell’s cracker plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The proposed PTT Global Chemical America plant at Dilles Bottom, just south of Shadyside along the Ohio River, would be of similar size and scale to the Shell plant. PTT, based in Thailand, has been studying and assessing the local market since at least late 2015, when it announced it would tap into the region’s large concentration of wet gas from Marcellus and Utica shale drilling and build an ethane cracker plant at the former FirstEnergy R.E. Burger power plant site.

See also: www.nocrackerplantov.com

1st Annual Shale Safety Institute, Nov. 2014

Shale drilling spawns need for safety training

Article by Casey Junkins, Martins Ferry Times Leader, November 28, 2014

As the Ohio Department of Natural Resources continues issuing permits for Utica and Marcellus shale oil and natural gas drilling, firefighters and emergency responders across the region realize they need to learn the proper manner for dealing with potential problems at well sites.

“Energy development in the Ohio Valley has presented many great opportunities, including a stronger local economy and incredible advancements and research,” Belmont College President Paul Gasparro said. “With this development has also come a heightened awareness regarding safety issues. Through the Shale Safety Institute, first responders and emergency service personnel are receiving the highly relevant training and education they need to be able to respond to oilfield related incidents and keep our communities safe.”

Recently, the college partnered with New York City-based driller Hess Corp. to welcome more than 250 local first responders today to the Shale Safety Institute 2014. Sixty-six fire and EMS stations sent representatives to participate in the training.

“Hess holds its commitment to social responsibility as one of its top values as a company,” Rob Williams, Hess manager of Operations in the Utica field, said. “Hess is dedicated to developing trusted partnerships to build programs like the Shale Safety Institute 2014 that can make long-lasting positive impacts in the communities where we work and live.”

A mass casualty session taught triage methods where participants practiced their skills on mannequins altered to represent emergency victims. During a foam application course, responders simulated spraying firefighting foam firsthand from a fire engine. Participants also practiced establishing a landing zone as a helicopter flew into the site.

“Training events, such as the Shale Safety Institute, are highly relevant to our local first responders. It is important to have hands-on instruction to familiarize ourselves with the necessary equipment and guidelines in case of an emergency situation,” Curtis Kyer, Belmont College Assistant EMS and Fire Coordinator, added.

Also, the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program recently completed its fall firefighter training series. First responders from the Barton Volunteer Fire Department, Brookside Fire Department, Cumberland Trail Fire District, Neffs Volunteer Fire Department, Sunset Heights Fire Department and Wolfhurst Volunteer Fire Department recently completed the training course.

“I learned a wealth of information that I will take back to my department,” said Lt. Robert Ice from the Wolfhurst VFD upon completing the training.

“As someone who works with the industry and the fire service, this training was very helpful,” said Lt. Charles Thompson II from the Barton VFD. “It provides a great overview of what could happen in the field and I think every firefighter should take the course.”

Those completing the course gain information in Ohio oil and gas activity and development, differences between emergencies and non-emergencies or common oilfield practices, common terminology and types of equipment used during oilfield activity, and hands-on techniques for responding to potential incidents, including live demonstrations.

Since 1999, the organization has trained more than 1,200 firefighters from Ohio and seven other states. The training curriculum was collaboratively developed by the group, the oil and gas industry, regulatory agencies, firefighters and emergency response experts and meets state and federal fire safety standards.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Noble County sheriff identifies dead worker from oil well explosion

By Bob Downing, Associate Press,  November 13, 2014

Summerfield, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say a worker at an eastern Ohio oil well has died in an explosion at the facility. Noble County Sheriff Stephen Hannum said in a statement Thursday that 48-year-old Norman Butler of Virginia died in the accident Wednesday afternoon near the CONSOL Energy well pad, about 40 miles north of Marietta.

Authorities say the explosion occurred near an oil well head and caused a fire, which was contained but continued to burn Thursday. Rescuers were also still on the scene late Thursday morning attempting to recover Butler’s body from the site.

A spokeswoman with Blue Racer Midstream, which owns and operates the facility, says all production wells and pipelines at the site have been secured. She says the company will continue to work with authorities to investigate the accident.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another Man is Dead Following a Well Pad Accident

From RESQ_WV, WTRF 7 News, November 29, 2014

Tyler County, WV – WTRF 7 News has learned one man is dead following an accident at an Antero Resources gas well pad in Tyler County. The accident happened around 2 p.m. Friday November 28th at the well pad on Braden Hill Road.

The victim’s name is not being released at this time. The Tyler County Sheriff’s Department, Middlebourne Fire Department, Shirley Fire Department, and Middlebourne EMS were all on scene.

The details of the accident are not being released, but the investigation is being handled by the Tyler County Sheriff’s Department.

NOTE: The Shirley Volunteer Fire Department of Tyler County has issued an appeal for money to purchase a new or used tanker truck.  This would replace the tanker that became damaged beyond repair at a gas well pad fire earlier this fall in Tyler County.

See also:  www.FrackCheckWV.net