‘Shale’ Natural Gas A Global Warming Solution Jeffrey McManus Chesapeake Climate Action Network

‘Shale’ Natural Gas A Global Warming Solution Jeffrey McManus Chesapeake Climate Action Network Threat

Natural gas can be extracted responsibly

Responsible? violations since January 2008 – 2/3 rd caused or could have caused environmental harm Chief Oil & Gas – 198 violations at 83 wells Samson – 12 violations at 2 wells

Rapid Development 2008 – 195 new wells 2009 – 768 new wells 2010 – 1,400 new wells

Natural gas can be extracted safely

Safe? Moundsville, WV 7 injured

Safe? Independence Township, PA 3 workers injured

Natural gas “Twice as clean as coal”

Natural gas “Twice as clean as coal” Half as dirty

Natural gas “Twice as clean as coal” Half as dirty It is still a fossil fuel

Misleading Comparison Combustion is the last stage Natural gas life cycle – Exploration, Production, Processing, Transport, Storage, Distribution, Combustion Direct, Indirect, & Fugitive Emissions

Problem: Unburned natural gas Methane – Potent greenhouse gas – Gas drilling = 1/5 th global emissions (human-caused) 100 years – 25 times worse than CO 2 20 years – 72 times worse than CO 2 Why 20 years?

Fugitive Emissions Even small leakages into atmosphere have very large global warming consequences Sources of fugitive emissions – Leaks – Intentional venting U.N. Environment Program – CO 2 reductions over years – no impact on 2 degree change by 2050 – Methane & “Black Carbon” reductions immediately felt. Delay until 2070

EPA Report ( November 10, 2010)

9,000 times Fracking

EPA Report ( November 10, 2010)

Life Cycle Emissions Shale gas, Conventional gas, Coal, Oil *Cornell study under peer-review

‘Shale’ Natural Gas Twice as clean as coal

Just as bad

‘Shale’ Natural Gas Twice as clean as coal

DIRTY

Natural gas can serve as a ‘bridge fuel’ as we transition to renewable sources.

America’s Blind Jump Lobbying for subsidies and guarantees to make gas an indispensible energy source Creating a market for the supply – Generation: new power plants built to run on gas $2 million and three years – Transportation: natural gas vehicles – Aviation: natural gas planes Industry’s ‘infrastructure trap’ – “Switching the needle”

Look before you leap What’s at risk? – Environment, Public Health, Climate – $ Billions taxpayer and industry investment spent for limited/no gain Unanswered questions – Let’s pause before making major policy decisions – Decide based upon science, not industry rhetoric – EPA Fracking Life-Cycle Study No rush – The shale gas is not going anywhere soon – Wait for better technology Federal lands

Don’t Frack with Maryland HB 852 The Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act of 2011 Pause until July 2013 Puts onus on gas companies

A Truly Clean Alternative Criterion wind farm – 70 MW – 162 mostly local & union workers – $10 million shot into economy – $1.1 million in utility tax revenue (2 nd largest) Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2011 – MW – 79% Eastern Shore homes – 2,000 manufacturing & construction jobs (5 years) – $1.9 Billion economic impact (5 years) – 8,200 job-years – $14 million in state tax revenues – 400 operations and maintenance jobs – Cost -- $1.44/month =replace two 60W bulbs w/ Compact Flourescents