Hundreds march in Ann Arbor protesting climate change

By John Counts | johncounts@mlive.com 
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on December 12, 2015 at 6:00 PM, updated December 15, 2015 at 12:15 PM

The irony of Saturday's high temps didn't escape the hundreds who marched in Ann Arbor demanding action to combat climate change.

"Thank you all for being here on this (blustery) cold December day," joked Washtenaw County Commissioner and state representative hopeful Yusef Rabhi as the temperature hovered near 60 on the University of Michigan's Diag after the march.  More ...

Rover Pipeline Suing Washtenaw Co Landowners

April 13, 2015

By Darcie Moran | dmoran@mlive.com 
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on April 13, 2015 at 5:40 AM
The company behind a planned natural gas pipeline that could run through Washtenaw County has sued several landowners to gain access to their property for surveys. More ...

Enough Land Leased for 20 Oil Wells in Residential and School Areas in Scio TwpCOFBY

CITIZENS FOR OIL-FREE BACKYARDS 

2531 Jackson Ave., #211
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-821-6888
oilfreebackyards.org
Press contact: Laura Robinson 734-929-8229 

March 25, 2015 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

RECORDED LEASES MOVE INTO RESIDENTIAL AND SCHOOL AREAS IN SCIO TOWNSHIP;
ENOUGH LAND NOW LEASED FOR 20 OIL WELLS 

In our ongoing monitoring of oil and gas leases in Washtenaw County, COFBY has found that 62 new oil and gas leases comprising a total of 582.75 acres have recently been recorded by West Bay Exploration in Scio Township. This more than doubles the amount of land in previously recorded leases for oil and gas exploration and development in the township. These numbers represent only recorded leases, and thus there are likely others that have not yet been recorded. Scio Township recently extended its moratorium on oil and gas exploration and development until June 4. 

Importantly, these new leases allow drilling rigs and wells directly abutting areas zoned for single-family residential use, and one lease allows subsurface development inside a residential subdivision—the first recorded lease in Scio Township in a residentially zoned area. In addition, surface development leases (i.e., those allowing rigs, wells, and associated facilities) have been signed 525 feet from an elementary school, directly on a tributary to the Huron River, near areas typified by residences but not zoned residential, and closer than ever before to the Huron River itself. 

Oil and gas companies typically record leases prior to applying for drilling permits, or to transfer mineral rights to other oil and gas companies. Most of the leases recently recorded were signed over nine months ago. According to typical MDEQ well-spacing guidelines for this area and based on the pattern of the recorded leases, up to 20 oil wells on 40-acre drilling units could be drilled on the total number of acres (1062.75) now leased in Scio Township. Of these 20 drilling units, 9 are already fully leased and could begin to be used without compulsory pooling of additional unleased acreage, and 11 more would require some compulsory pooling to establish a 40-acre drilling unit. Based on new MDEQ compulsory pooling regulations, effective March 11, 2015, a well may be completed in a drilling unit that is not fully leased as long as a company has engaged in a “good-faith effort” to lease all the land in the drilling unit. 

Residential areas affected by these leases include the following: (1) Marshall Road between Zeeb and Egeler; (2) north and east of West Delhi and Miller Road, allowing drilling within 300 feet of residences on Miller Rd and directly behind the Downs subdivision on East Delhi Road; (3) R-1 residentially zoned area north of Pratt Road between Zeeb and West Delhi Rd., an area of subdivisions containing 120 single-family dwellings, allowing drilling within 300 feet of residences (4) north of Dexter-Ann Arbor Rd between Morrison and Zeeb, allowing drilling within 1450 feet of the Huron River; and (5) north of Miller Rd between East Delhi and North Wagner, with a Huron River tributary passing directly through the leased area and directly abutting R-1 zoned residential areas containing 172 single-family dwellings.

“As expected, now that spring has arrived, West Bay is making its unwelcome presence known in Scio once again,” states Laura Robinson, President of COFBY. “The extent of the recorded leases is immense and gravely concerning for the township and its residents, as Scio lies in a band of potential oil and gas reserves stretching over the county. We hear about stories circulating in the community about how some residents felt pressured or coerced into signing leases, and how there are regrets. What we’re looking at now is the incursion of the industry into and directly next to areas that are zoned residential in Scio—not simply used, planned, or typified by residences as was the case with the Wing well of last summer. We’re looking at noise, air pollution, heavy truck traffic, and potential contamination being allowed 525 feet from schoolchildren. We’re looking at a Huron River tributary, leading to Ann Arbor’s water supply, running directly through leased land. And it’s all allowed under current state law. In short, what we’re looking at is the groundwork being laid for an oil field. It’s a scenario faced by many communities that should be able to protect the health, safety, and welfare, as well as the quality of life, of their residents, and be able to plan their communities as they see fit, but who are prohibited from doing so. It’s unsafe and unfair to Michigan citizens, it’s unfair to Scio and to other Michigan townships, and it needs to change—now. Townships are doing all they can. It’s time for state legislators to address local control, setbacks, and the preservation of individuals’ rights to invest in their home purchases.” 

Huron Valley Group Sets Its Conservation Agenda

February 21, 2015

Huron Valley Group Sets Its Conservation Agenda

By Nancy Shiffler and Dorothy Nordness

The Huron Valley Group Conservation Committee has worked on a variety of issues over the years.  Recently committee members worked through a planning process to organize our efforts around a set of broad themes and to identify the specific activities our members will work on to address these issues.   What follows briefly describes these themes and our current and expanded activities, along with some of the people working in these areas.

Climate Change and Sustainability - this area of effort includes a broad array of interests and efforts.  The Ann Arbor area is lucky to have leadership in the local government on some of the efforts to reduce our community’s carbon footprint.

• Engage in and support effective implementation of community Climate Action Plans
• Support the effective implementation of Ann Arbor’s Urban Forest Management Plan (James D’Amour and Rita Mitchell)
• Support efforts to expand use of renewable energy options and energy efficiency in new and retrofit construction (Bill Kidd)
• Support the Chapter’s “Beyond Coal” campaign.  (Brad van Guilder)
• Promote community and individual solar projects (John Ford, Bill Kidd)
• Advocate for local and state legislation that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation  
• Promote increased recycling and reuse (Robert Gordon)

Extractive Industries (Oil, Gas, and Minerals) – there’s much to do here as fracking and pipeline transportation of hydrocarbons continue to pose threats to the environment is all sorts of ways.

• Advocate against fracking and other destructive drilling practices (Nancy Shiffler, Dick Brown)
• Work with township citizens to promote more local control of and public participation in decisions about oil and gas drilling in their communities (James D’Amour, John Ford, Nancy Shiffler)
• Fight the permitting of unnecessary and destructive pipelines locally (e.g., the ET Rover and Nexus natural gas pipelines), statewide (e.g., the Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac), and nationally (e.g., the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline). (Nancy Shiffler, Dick Brown)

Local Foods and Sustainable Agriculture – Here’s an area where your everyday actions can make a difference by choosing to purchase your food fresh from small local farmers.  The Chapter has recently partnered with other organizations working to support and increase sustainable food production in Michigan and to educate the public about the large role that big agriculture plays in our carbon footprint – a big job. (http://moreformichigan.org)

• Encourage members to support locally and sustainably grown foods through farmer’s markets, community supported agriculture (CSA’s), shopping at local co-ops, buying organic, etc. (Dick Brown, Dorothy Nordness, Ginny Maturen)
• Support sustainable agricultural practices, e.g., organically grown crops, hormone-free meats, non-GMO crops. (Dick Brown, Dorothy Nordness, Ginny Maturen)
• Advocate against subsidies that favor factory farms over small farms (John Ford, Dorothy Nordness)
• Advocate for stronger controls on air and water pollution from factory farms. (John Ford)
• Educate about and encourage members to grow native plants (Toni Spears, Dick Brown, Dorothy Nordness)

Parklands, Public Lands, and Open Space – This topic spans issues in the city of Ann Arbor as well as township and tri-county efforts to provide and maintain excellent parks and open space for residents and visitors. 

• Protect funding for parkland acquisition and maintenance (James D’Amour, Toni Spears, Rita Mitchell, Lydia Fischer)
• Oppose repurposing, leasing, or sale of parkland for non-park uses (James D’Amour, Nancy Shiffler, Rita Mitchell)
• Support the protection and stewardship of natural areas through programs such as the Ann Arbor NAP program, the Washtenaw County Natural Areas and Open Space program, and the work of local land conservancies.  
• Support good stewardship and oversight of local parks, Metroparks and county and state parks and recreation areas.  (Toni Spears, Lydia Fischer)
• Support trail systems such as the Ann Arbor Greenway and the county Border-to-Border trail.  (Rita Mitchell, Dorothy Nordness)

Transportation – Getting involved here means continually urging local officials to work towards more safe and sustainable forms of transportation in your area which results in more people walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation.  

• Support effective public transit (Robert Gordon)
• Monitor the expanded AAATA transit operations (Robert Gordon)
• Encourage the development of infrastructure that supports biking and walking
• Support sustainable regional transit, including bus and train service. (Lydia Fischer, Robert Gordon)

Water Resources – If there is one thing Michigan is about, it’s water.  We are surrounded by the world’s largest freshwater lakes and they need our constant and committed protection.  Where do our rivers and streams go?  Right into those lakes.  Don’t sit by -- help our water resources be clean for now and into the future.

• Advocate for stronger cleanup measures for the Pall-Gelman pollution (James D’Amour)
• Support planning and improvements for water and sewer infrastructure.
• Encourage localized storm water management, such as rain gardens and porous pavement (Toni Spears, Lydia Fischer, Rita Mitchell)
• Support efforts to reduce phosphorus and fertilizer run-off in rivers, particularly as related to algae blooms in Lake Erie (Dorothy Nordness, John Ford)
• Support effective wetlands protection (Dorothy Nordness)
• Protect Those Wonderful Lakes (All of us!!)

This is an ambitious agenda, and we will provide periodic updates about our efforts on our website and in our newsletter.  

The bottom line – there is plenty of room for you to join our efforts.  We meet on the fourth Monday of the month with a usual break in August.  If you are interested in joining us and helping with any of these issues, please contact  …

Dorothy Nordness (734-668-6306) or Bill Kidd (734-883-0633)