The Strange Adventure of Dick and Liz in Drumshambo

by Leah Doherty Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:33

Last night Leitrim County Council unanimously passed a motion for a 5 yr moratorium on 'fracking' - this follows a vote calling for a ban last week by Roscommon CoCo and prior to that Donegal Town Council passed a motion calling for a ban. Now on to the next crowd Sligo/Cavan/Monaghan/Donegal/Mayo etc... Congrats to all the local groups and anti-fracking campaigners in the north west - we're doing something right!!! Alot of people have worked really hard on this - but remember it's not over yet by a long shot and we will need all the support we can get. This is a major national issue for the protection of our water, landscape and health of rural communities. Local councils know that Dick Roche's Stategic Infrastructural Act will be used to try and push through fracking in 11 counties in the Shannon Basin region overriding opinion/decisions of local authorities - but this is a good start at least and strengthens our stance. Today NI assembly will vote on same - fracking is due to start there before here (just across the border in Fermanagh which will seriously affect us too, this is where the shannon waters flow from) and many of us feel if it goes ahead there we're in a very weak position here - so we have to support our ant-frackers in NI as much as possible - so at the very least please sign and share the petition to ban fracking in NI - thanks http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/northern-ireland-no....html

by Leah Doherty Mon Dec 05, 2011 13:58

Roscommon County Council Call for a ban on fracking http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1202/1....html Bundoran TOwn Council also recently called for a ban on Fracking. Leitrim County Council voting for a five year moratorium today monday 5/12/11 Licenses - http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Natural/Petroleum+Affairs+Divis...n.htm Peer reviewed reports on dangers of fracking - http://nofrackingireland.wordpress.com/reports/ Propublica series of reports on fracking - http://www.propublica.org/series/fracking Award winning documentary 'Gasland' and general info - http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/ New York Times Fracking Series - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/DRILLING_DOWN_SER....html

by Leah Doherty Mon Dec 05, 2011 13:22

Please go to this site to sign petition - http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ban-hydraulic-fract....html "We are calling on the Irish Government to immediately ban the process known as Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) in Ireland. Hydraulic fracturing is the method used for the extraction of natural gas (shale gas) from the ground. This horizontal drilling process involves the pumping of millions of gallons of water, mixed with hundreds of highly toxic chemicals, thousands of feet deep into the ground. Already in the U.S.A and Australia, pollution caused by this process to land, to air, to surface water and to groundwater has resulted in a terrible health toll and catastrophic environmental damage. Countless cases of death have been reported among wildlife and livestock. A litany of serious ‘fracking’ related health problems for people in communities in areas where this technology has been used have also come to light. Because of this damning body of evidence, which includes academic reports (1), moratoria on ‘fracking’ have been put in place in the state of New York, in the state of New Jersey, in the North Rhine Westphalia (Germany), in South Africa. The French Government has recently banned hydraulic fracturing in France. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has only recently begun an investigation into the safety of the process. Their final report is not expected until 2014. At present in Ireland there is no regulation in existence that covers this extraction method, and there has been no research published into the potential consequences of such activity here. Presently, a number of oil and gas companies who have already been granted exploratory licences, are preparing to use this process to profit from shale gas in the Lough Allen and Clare Basin Regions – an area which includes twelve counties (2). If hydraulic fracturing is allowed the aftermath may be an irreversible disaster for us and our environment. It may result in the contamination of our water table and of Ireland’s most extensive and important river and lake network. We will not allow the safety of our water and the health of our children to be put at risk." Facebook - NO FRACKING IRELAND - all caps other FB pages Protect Our Environment No Fracking Here/What the Frack

by Leah Doherty Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:10

An Taisce have come out and said that they no longer have an energy officer, Elizabeth Muldowney finished working for An Taisce in Sept. KFV COnsulting have said Elizabeth Muldowney does not work for them 'she is an associate' . .. . THis is crazy stuff ! " Elizabeth Muldowney, BA Int’l, M.Econ.Sc. (Energy Policy) Elizabeth has worked in Ireland’s energy sector for the past 8 years. Whilst energy policy and development is her passion, she has in the past worked in the industry field writing IBEC’s first energy cost survey report in 2005. She then went on to work in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and contributed to the CHP in Ireland report presented to the Dept. of Finance. In addition to this she was project manager on SEAI’s innovative Energy MAP programme for SME’s and on Energy Awareness programmes for various organisations in Ireland including Chorus, eircom and AIB. She took up her three year post with An Taisce in 2008 to develop a new unit: Energy. As part of this she established their National Energy Forum which is an annual gathering of various energy and non-energy stakeholders that aims to be an Action Tank and not a Think Tank. One of the actions undertaken as a result of the forum was presented as a success story to the International Energy Agency (IEA) in September 2010. She is currently researching and developing An Taisce’s National Energy Policy which will be launched in September 2011. EIA Diploma Portobello Institute - Tutor Profile - July 2011 Page 3 She is also responsible for the review of EIS’s for all energy projects in Ireland and submits comments to relevant planning authorities on a regular basis. Elizabeth sits on the Irish Government’s Renewable Energy Development Group (REDG) and on Eirgrid’s Energy Planning Steering Group. She also acts as an advisor to Drumshanbo’s Lough Allen Basin Smart Energy Hub (LABS Energy Hub) Action Plan group on a voluntary basis." http://www.engineersireland.ie/media/engineersireland/c...o.pdf

by Leah Doherty Sat Dec 03, 2011 20:51

An Taisce's Energy Officer Elizabeth Muldowney also works for KFV Consulting (a multinational company at the forefront of the Fracking industry globally)

"This, she (Muldowney) believes, will separate fact from fiction and by following the lead of the Irish National Energy Forum, the rest of Europe and the UK will be better positioned to progress with a roadmap for shale gas exploration."

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/gas-exploration-issues-...-3560

 Elizabeth Muldowney An Taisce's Energy Officer is as stated in the article above also an employee of KFV Consulting, a multinational company who as far as I can see work at bringing on side the business community and public opinion in areas where multinationals hope to enter. Just weeks after the fracking licenses were handed out in Aril 2011, Elizabeth Muldowney along with local businessmen organised an energy symposium in Drumshanbo on the banks of Lough Allen, The taoiseach Enda was present and the elephant in the room was fracking.

http://www.rjkenergy.com/en.php/programme/programme/day...-27th

 One of the discussions that at this symposium that stuck out for me was, '“The need for an energy-specific planning body bypassing An Bord Pleanala and Local Authorities.” They also used the exact same map that Finavera (Lough Allen Natural Gas Company) have used re fracking.

http://www.antaisce.org/Portals/8/documents/newsletters...1.pdf

Towards the end of the summer 2011 according to RIchard Moorman CEO of Tamboran, Elizabeth Muldowney met Moorman and brought him around Drumshanbo looking at various places/businesses including the Food Hub where Elizabeth Muldowney suggested Tamboran could set up office. Moorman stated he was not going to do this (be publically present in the community) because of public opposition to Tamboran. When I spoke to Elizabeth Muldowney during the summer she told me that next year her energy symposium would be on the topic of hydraulic fracturing.

 An Taisce recently called for a moratorium on fracking in Ireland - of course this is the classic case of 'it's ok folks we'll deal with this issue, you don't have to worry about a thing'. Just like how they dealt with Shell in Mayo - http://www.shelltosea.com/content/email-taisce-corrib-g...-deal

 The question that now needs to be answered is -  who is KFV Consultant Elizabeth Muldowney (also energy officer of An Taisce) working for? Who is their client in Ireland? Tamboran? Shell? the Irish government? Or all three?

 Lest we forget - from An Taisce's website -

"Today, An Taisce continues to work as an independent, free from bias voice. In addition An Taisce promotes Sustainable Living through the Green Schools, Green Homes, and Green Communities programmes run by An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit. The Environmental Education Unit also works with IBAL (Irish Business Against Litter), manages the Clean Coasts and Blue Flag progammes, and runs The National Spring Clean."

This situation clearly compromises any involvment by An Taisce with regards to fracking in Ireland or any other issue - to put it simply An Taisce cannot be trusted at all.

KFV Consulting -

 'Planning for European Shale gas

Resistance to shale gas development is, in particular, hydraulic fracturing and the management of water and waste streams.

Widely agreed water management conditions and strategies have the potential to influence the pace of drilling

To develop each resource will require robust regional strategies that will extend well life and maximise production economics.

Kanthi Ford, Director, KFV Consulting.

Elizabeth Muldowney, Principal Consultant , KFV Consulting.'

http://www.smi-online.co.uk/events/programme.asp?is=5&r...day=2

http://www.kfvconsulting.com/?page_id=10

Clients

"KFVC is well known for change management and cultural diversity work in Energy, Utilities, Financial Services and the Public Sector. To date, most of the activity has taken place on the international stage – in Europe, South America and the Middle East. With our exciting new client portfolio we expect to create success for our clients even further afield."

 Clients have included:

BG plc | BP Corporation | DTi | Hess Limited | Lloyds Bank plc

National Grid | National Health Service | Nexen | Nirex

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) | Shell

Training and Development Agency (TDA) | Water Services – Belfast

Wood Group Engineering (WGE)

 "KFVC in collaboration with GTI, GFZ and EFD introduce proven technical solutions to unconventional gas drilling techniques""KFVC is representing a unique model for collaboration between America’s Gas Technology Institute, Germany’s GFZ  and Austria’s EFD.  Together, they are providing some exciting Europe- wide technical solutions to the challenges of Unconventional Gas production specifically in the areas of sustainable environmental operating practices – environmental roadmapping, water treatment, demonstrator projects and communications.  All based on 30 years of USA experience.The initiatives come under the banner of E-SOP-I (European Sustainable Operating Initiative).   They are topics that GTI know, from experience, are key to future success in developing Unconventional Gas."

by Anon Mon Jul 18, 2011 00:36

The investor profile of one of the companies involved, lots of details....http://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/LON:ENEG/Enegi-Oil/

by Serf Thu Jun 30, 2011 05:16

For those of you unfamiliar with the term "fracking" watch the documentary "gasland"

Here it is in full. Just ignore the polish subtitles. it's in english.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3L4YJo5TPk

Gas "Fracking" is a disgusting and cynical corporate crime against the environment.
They pour a highly toxic and corrosive "proprietary" chemical cocktail down a hole to chemically release the gas, then it comes out. The highly toxic chemical soup ends up who knows where, lough allen, your water supply, in your vegetables etc. and the gas itself pops up all over the place. The most disgusting method yet for extracting fossil fuel.

I guess it's no problem for the sociopaths in business / privatisation friendly FG though

These treasonous politicians must really hate their country and its people to give out licences to do this. Why not nationalise the offshore corrib gasfield instead if they want gas at cheaper rates?

of course we all know why don't we? swiss bank account number xxxxxxxxxx. Thats why!!
Probably the same reason they'll allow this shit to happen here too.