Welcome to my campaign blog. I will post information about issues I feel are critical to the future of Pennsylvania and its citizens.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Art Exhibit tomorrow August 3 in Williamsport

Come down to Democratic Headquarters 337 Pine St. Williamsport for First Friday. My exhibit "Birds and Others" will be on display with music by Doug McMinn and cake to celebrate President Obama's birthday! 5-9pm.

This has been a very busy summer on the campaign trail. We have been to the Ralston parade, Montrose parade, Lewisburg parade, Demfest at Knoebels Grove, Lycoming County Fair in Hughsville, and the Troy Fair in Bradford County.

Coming up will be the Victorian Tea in Laporte, Union County West End Fair, Harford Fair in Susquehanna County, and Sullivan County Fair in Forksville.

I look forward to meeting you at one of these events!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

We had a very busy day yesterday.  We attended the rally for education in Harrisburg at the Capitol rotunda and visited with Representative Mirabito to encourage him to vote increased school funding. Later we drove to Milford to meet with the Susquehanna County Democrats.

Sunday, June 3, 2012


Forcing natural gas out of shale rock through hydraulic fracturing is riskier than conventional gas development and requires tougher rules than those now in place, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a new report.
The IEA says such measures are entirely feasible, adding at most 7 percent to the costs of drilling. And the agency says they are necessary.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Today Aqua America will begin to tear down some of what is left of the Riverdale Mobile Home Park in Jersey Shore, PA.

I attended Hands across Riverdale Prayer Vigil last evening. While it was going on people were trying to salvage what they could: their outdoor plants and the siding from their former homes to sell for scrap.






Band Rock above Ralston on May 30, 2012.
In the background are eight drilling rigs and two windmills.

Seismic testing equipment along Rock Run near Ralston on May 30, 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

North Carolina warns its citizens.


WATCH OUT FOR FRACKING SURPRISES WHEN BUYING PROPERTY

Thursday, April 19, 2012
 
Some North Carolina homebuyers have been surprised to learn that the mineral rights to their own backyards don’t belong to them, according to public comments and recent news reports. “Split estates” – where the mineral rights are reserved by the seller or assigned to a third party -- are relatively rare in North Carolina but common in some Western states like Texas and Colorado.
 
The issue has come up in North Carolina as the state debates whether or not to allow the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to drill for natural gas.
 
Buying a home or piece of real estate without the mineral rights included can make it difficult to get a loan. It can also make the property worth less at resale, and can give the homeowner less say so about any future oil or gas exploration on the property. 
 
If you don’t own the mineral rights, someone else has the right to extract minerals, including oil and gas, from or through your property without getting your permission first or compensating you. Oil and gas rights can also be leased to energy developers, sometimes for periods of 10 to 20 years. 
 
If you’re buying a home or other piece of real estate, protect yourself from this kind of surprise by:
  • Reading all documents thoroughly, looking especially for information about mineral rights.
  • Asking the seller specifically if anyone else owns or has leased the mineral rights to the property.
  • Getting them to put what they tell you in writing.
  • Having your own attorney review your documents and represent you at closing.
 
As always, you can contact our Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or online atwww.ncdoj.gov.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Images from Dimock, PA April 20, 2012

Williams compressor station 3 weeks after explosion
Notice the potable water trailer in the background

Carter Road, Dimock 1

Carter Road, Dimock 2


Dimock is a town divided

Petro Plutocracy

I saw this article by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the petro plutocracy and its considerable influence on our government this morning:

"The oil barons must find great comfort in historic data assembled by the Center for Responsive Politics demonstrating that, in 94% of American elections, the candidate with the most money wins."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr/petro-plutocracy_b_1498524.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false





Sunday, May 6, 2012

About the background image

This is a photo I took of Rock Run near Ralston, McIntyre Township, Lycoming County PA in June of 2005.


This wonderful stream is undergoing seismic testing for fracking for the second time in a year. Although the McIntyre Wild Area is owned by the people of Pennsylvania, the mineral rights are owned by gas companies and they are apparently determined to exploit every square inch of it. Try to visit it soon.
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGN190-045

If you think fracking is just our local problem, look at this map:


http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/12/30/world/major-shale-gas-basins.html?ref=world

Why I have decided to run for office this year:



Pennsylvania had a beautiful and healthy environment in which to live and raise a family. Sadly, some elected officials in our state sold us out to the oil and gas companies, including my opponent, who scored a perfect 0% on the Marcellus Shale scorecard.

I am appalled that not only are the oil and gas companies poisoning our land, air, and water; they also plan to drill where ever they want and sue us for fighting back.  The counties voted to accept the minimal impact fee. In return they will lose all local zoning rights. Responsible drilling with much more stringent oversight is needed. A moratorium should be declared on all further drilling in our state forests, half of which have already been sacrificed. Act 13 is a travesty. All who supported it should be voted out of office this year.