Mike Soraghan

Natural Gas Drillers Protest Nomination of Fracking Critics for EPA Review Panel

The Independent Petroleum Association of America challenged the nomination of two prominent fracking critics—Theo Colborn and Robert Howarth—to an EPA review panel studying hydraulic fracturing. Industry leaders accused them of bias, citing Colborn’s work on health impacts and Howarth’s draft report suggesting shale gas emissions may rival coal. The dispute highlighted tensions between environmental scientists and industry advocates as the EPA began evaluating the risks of hydraulic fracturing and its implications for climate and public health.

Source: New York Times: Greenwire (2010) Read More

N.Y. Democrat Fires Back at Obama Admin in Fight Over Shale Drilling

A leading congressional critic of shale drilling is scolding the Obama administration for failing to try to slow drilling in the Northeast’s Marcellus Shale.

Source: The New York Times | Greenwire (2010) Read More

Obama Admin Rejects Timeout for Natural Gas Drilling in N.Y., Pa.

President Obama and federal officials declined calls to seek a temporary halt on Marcellus Shale drilling in the Delaware River Basin pending a cumulative environmental impact study, despite appeals from Rep. Maurice Hinchey and environmental advocates. The dispute exposed tensions between economic development and watershed protection, with critics arguing that comprehensive risk assessment should precede regulatory approval in order to safeguard the basin’s Special Protection Waters.

Source: The New York Times: Greenwire (2010) Read More