Concentis’ Post

Arizona Communities are Sinking Due to Saudi Arabian-Owned Farms Drilling Groundwater Out of the State Arizona, despite taking measures to address water overuse in October, continues to grapple with the consequences of extensive groundwater drilling over several years.   The aftermath includes properties sinking in regions like McMullen Valley, with communities now situated three feet or more below their 1991 levels. A significant portion of this subsidence, nearly a foot, occurred since 2015, coinciding with the commencement of corporate drilling for groundwater. Al Dahra has Sunk Wenden, AZ by Four Feet The impact is not uniform across the state, and some areas, such as the town of Wenden, witnessed more severe consequences.    Corporate activities, particularly by entities like Al Dahra, an Emirati-based company, have led to the sinking of the entire town by four feet. This alarming situation has prompted concerns from Arizona's Attorney General Kris Mayes, who describes it as both stunning and horrific for the affected residents.  As the McMullen Valley Sinks, Aguila and Salome Go Down McMullen Valley, situated at the confluence of La Paz, Maricopa, and Yavapai counties and home to fewer than 3,000 residents in communities like Aguila, Salome, and Wenden, faces a critical challenge.  The majority of its inhabitants, consisting mainly of farmers and retirees, intend to spend their entire lives in the valley. However, they share a common problem that is exacerbating over the years–the sinking of their land. Companies Continue to Drill Under Arizona’s Relaxed Laws Efforts to address the issue saw Governor Katie Hobbs revoking a lease for a Saudi Arabia-owned farm in October.  However, it appears that certain companies, including Al Dahra, continue drilling under the state's relaxed water laws. The persistence of corporate activities, even after regulatory interventions, raises questions about the effectiveness of current water management policies. 

Civitas Resources, a Denver-based oil and gas company financed and owned by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), wants to drill 166 new fracking wells that could cause earthquakes and contaminate water for millions of Coloradans. CPP Investments | Investissements RPC is the largest shareholder in Civitas, which makes the greenwashed claim that it's "Colorado's first carbon-neutral energy producer." Civitas Resources is proposing to develop a 166-well oil and gas project in suburban Denver that could imperil a decades-long, multimillion-dollar effort to prevent carcinogenic chemicals stored on one of the U.S.’s most contaminated industrial sites from leaking into groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is warning that Civitas’ fracking proposal could cause small cracks in bedrock cradling millions of gallons of toxic waste and allow contaminants to enter an aquifer system that millions of Coloradans rely on. “The EPA is concerned that hydraulic fracturing surrounding and underneath the site could lead to a significant unintended release of hazardous substances,” the agency wrote in May to Dan Harrington, who leads Civitas’ development initiatives. This “contamination is held in place by a bedrock layer which could, under certain conditions, be subject to microfractures from fracking.” Civitas’ proposed drilling near the Colorado Superfund site also raises new health and safety concerns that local residents say aren’t adequately addressed in state or local regulations. Increasingly, residents are demanding stricter rules about where fracking can take place and detailed studies that provide benchmarks for how much activity should be allowed.   “The county must insist on studies to understand the potential risks associated with fracking-induced seismicity on both the Lowry Landfill Superfund Site — and the Aurora Reservoir Dam,” wrote Kevin Lynch, an associate professor of law at the University of Denver Environmental Law Clinic.   “The EPA will need to monitor the Lowry Landfill Superfund Site for decades to come, and thoroughly monitor the impact of this and any proposed projects close to the site,” said the region’s congressman, Jason Crow. “There should be no question about the safety of Coloradans’ water.” #copolitics #cdnpoli #pensions #sustainablefinance #fracking #greenwashing

Innovation will pave the path to the sustainable future of water in the #Permian.   Midland Mayor Lori Blong, spoke recently about the implementation of technology to improve the quality of subterraneous water in the region for municipal and agricultural use. Locals continue to experience the effects of fracking in the Permian Basin as seen by a huge leap in seismicity and the continued degradation in the quality of groundwater sources.   These challenges are caused in part by fracking itself, but are greatly exacerbated by the huge volumes of hyper-saline brine water (called produced water) that flow from the well and require disposal. The majority of this water is re-injected into Saltwater Disposal Wells (SWDs) which are widely regarded as the culprit of most groundwater contamination in the area.   Pivotal Fluid Solutions takes a proactive approach to the Permian water crisis: treating and reducing volumes of produced water and returning it to beneficial reuse before it can cause environmental damage. Cleaner and sustainable oilfield operations is the long term answer to many of the challenges we are experiencing.   Visit www.pivotalfluids.com to see how we treat and reclaim value from produced water.   Full article from Ben Shaffer of the Midland Reporter-Telegram: https://lnkd.in/g-x5vykf  

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced today the final Public Lands Rule, which gives conservation the same importance as other land uses, such as oil drilling and mining. HECHO supports this rule, which will modernize how the Bureau of Land Management manages the 245 million acres under its care, conserving and restoring degraded public lands and waters while balancing responsible development. Thanks to President Joe Biden's administration for this step forward to more sustainable land stewardship. Read more in our statement: https://ow.ly/bLQR50Rjt0H #publiclands #conservation #publiclandsrule #oilandgas #oilandgasreform

As I was going to conduct geophysical survey for groundwater I was greeted by this sign post along Chileka. Blantyre road. My first thoughts were how sustainable are these manual drilled boreholes, do we need to work and improve on them. But then, I remember the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH element in the implementation of swallow boreholes( manual drilling). As we strike for clean water, it is also important to civilize the community on the best practices in as far as groundwater is concerned. I believe as we move towards providing clean water for all, we should bear in mind the pace we are moving in doing so. And most importantly, the sustainability of the project. Manual drilling has been in existence for so long as it is considered cheap compared to other drilling methods which are up to standard. By manual drilling, it entails the drilling method of the borehole which heavily depends on human force to drill a borehole and complete the whole water supply. Mostly, these kind of techniques are used in a geological formations which are soft and groundwater is relatively at a shallow level. Of course, it can provide safe drilling water and its mostly used in rural areas where alternatives are not yet available.

Navigating the Depths: A Comprehensive Exploration of the Environmental Impact of Dredging and Sustainable Practices Dredging, the process of removing sediment and debris from the bottom of water bodies, is crucial in maintaining navigable waterways, preventing flooding, and supporting various infrastructure projects. #Dredging #Pumps #Contract #Partnership #Sustainability #Portacquisition #USACE #Mining #Leadership More on this on PDWire.com

📢BREAKING: WWF-Norway takes legal action against the government for opening areas for #DeepSeabedMining, citing insufficient impact assessment. Norway has opened for #DeepSeabedMining, before having the proper knowledge and data on what impact this will have on marine life and ecosystems. WWF-Norway therefore believes the government is breaking Norwegian law by opening up for deep seabed mining - before adequately understanding the consequences. “It will set a dangerous precedent if we allow the government to ignore its own rules, override all environmental advice, and manage our common natural resources blindly," says WWF-Norway CEO Karoline Andaur. WWF-Norway is now taking legal action against the Norwegian government. Learn more: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJjXtcZP  

Not sure I agree with their probabilities of failure ( and can guess where that number came from) but a significant ruling against the Donlin Gold Mine that Federal entities approving it did not take adequate account of the risk of significant harm to waters and lands on which 6 downstream tribes rely. Haven't had a chance to review the actual decision but it sets important limits on what state and federal law can allow, at least with respect to indigenous peoples. " Anchorage, Alaska — In a major victory for Southwest Alaska Tribes who depend on the Kuskokwim River and the surrounding lands and waters for their continued existence, a U.S. District Court in Alaska ruled today that key federal agencies responsible for permitting the Donlin mine failed to fully consider the project’s harms in the environmental study for the project.Specifically, the judge’s ruling found that federal agencies failed to realistically study the impacts to downstream waters and villages from a potentially catastrophic tailings dam failure. The mine developers are proposing to build a 471-foot-tall tailings dam to contain more than 500 million tons of toxic mine waste. The court found that the risk of a catastrophic tailings spill was a 1 in 1,000 chance in a year or 2 in 100 (2%) in 20 years. As the court stated, “to put these numbers into perspective, these same odds for the risk of an airplane crash would likely deter nearly anyone from flying” and yet federal agencies failed to consider the risk."

The Pebble mine saga continues, now with various lawsuits filed by the mining company and the state to try to overturn EPA's action barring permitting. The state has an eye-popping claim: that the feds owe Alaska $700 billion in compensation for disallowing the Pebble mine to be built. This mine is very controversial and public opinion polls have consistently shown that a majority of Alaskans oppose it. Especially opposing it are people in the Bristol Bay region (with some notable exceptions) because of what they (and EPA) believe would be irreparable harm to salmon, salmon habitat and all those who depend on it. Bristol Bay is home to the world's largest sockeye salmon runs. #Alaska #Pebblemine #salmon #BristolBay https://lnkd.in/gMgauSJ5

Freshwater shortages, excess produced water volumes and seismicity issues are coalescing into a water management crisis for US oil and natural gas companies, particularly in the arid Permian Basin. In response, Texas, New Mexico and Colorado are developing new regulations and funding pilot projects to recycle and reuse produced water, despite lingering safety questions and concerns about the environmental and health impacts of these methods.  #freshwater #producedwater #watershortages #water #seismicity #watermanagement #oilandgasindustry #permianbasin #texas #newmexico #colorado #reulations #recycle #environment