Indiana Apprenticeship Program

Graduates Its First Green Technicians

This Monday, the Apollo Alliance was proud to co-sponsor an event honoring the first “Green Technician” graduates of an Indianapolis training program run by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 481 and the National Electrical Contractors Association of Central Indiana. After receiving their certifications, the newly minted Green Technicians displayed an array of solar panels and a wind turbine they recently installed at the Electrical Training Institute, where they received their instruction.

“Each graduate of the Green Technician program will be an Industry Certified Technician, ready to work on anything from windmills to retrofits of existing buildings that need to become more energy efficient. We are incredibly proud of their achievement,” said Jim Patterson, director of the Electrical Training Institute.

U.S. Representative Andre Carson, D-Ind., and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler were on hand to honor the graduates. “It’s important that American workers stay at the cutting edge of green technology so they can access the high-quality jobs that are being created in the global clean energy economy,” Shuler said. “The race is on to build a 21st century clean energy infrastructure, and the AFL-CIO continues to push for it to be nurtured here in the U.S. and built by American workers.” Continue reading Steal This Idea for Western PA: Green Jobs, Union Apprentices →

Labor Unions Speak Out:

‘Why We’re Marching on March 20’

By Bill Hackwell
March 13, 2010

The statement below was released by the ANSWER Coalition:

Labor organizations and unions are joining with thousands of others who will be marching on Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 20.

Among the over 1,500 endorsers of the National March on Washington are U.S. Labor Against the War, New York City Labor Against the War, North Carolina Labor Against the War and New Jersey Labor Against War.

The United Steelworkers (USW) are sponsoring a bus to D.C. leaving from their headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh.

Dan Kovalik, the senior associate general counsel for USW, said:

“The USW will be sending a bus of protesters from its headquarters in Pittsburgh to the March 20 demonstration for peace. The time is long overdue that our nation’s resources be spent on real health care reform, a social safety net and job creation rather than on weapons of mass destruction and senseless wars. We march for that change in our government’s set of priorities.”

United University Professions (UUP)—the union representing more than 34,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 State University of New York campuses and several other New York State schools—passed a resolution at its 2010 Winter Delegate Assembly calling on UUP leaders, chapters and members to build UUP participation in the March 20 demonstration in D.C. as part of the labor contingent. Continue reading Steelworkers Have Bus Seats for DC Antiwar Demo March 20 →

Gas Drilling Rig with Holding Tank for ‘Fracturing’ Sludge

GOP Whitewashes
Marcellus Shale Dangers
In Western Pennsylvania

By Carl Davidson
Beaver County Blue

If you’re looking for a full-throttled booster of the natural gas industry to be your representative in the Pennsylvania legislature, then Jim Christiana’s clearly your man.

But if you’re looking for a representative that puts the general public of Beaver County’s largely working-class 15th District in first place, and then brings local business into line with their common interests, you’ll be happy there’s an election this year.

That’s the main conclusion I drew from Christiana’s ‘Informational Event’ on the Marcellus Shale and the natural gas industry held at the Shadow Lakes County Club in Aliquippa, PA, at 8am in the morning, Friday, March 5, 2010. Continue reading Christiana Wants No Fed Oversight on Drilling →

Natural Gas Drilling Tip Line

EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Region has a natural gas drilling tip line for reporting dumping and other illegal or suspicious hauling and/or disposal activities.

Tip line number (toll free): 877-919-4372 (877-919-4EPA)

Tip email address:       eyesondrilling@epa.gov

Tip mailing address:    EPA Region 3
                                   1650 Arch Street (3CEOO)
                                    Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029

Continue reading EPA Tip Line for Gas Driller Contamination or Dumping →

Trout Unlimited opposes gas drilling in the Monongahela National Forest

by Randy Shannon

The Pennyslvania Commonwealth Court has ruled that gas drillers must present their appeals of Municipal regulations to the local zoning board first and not to the Court of Common Pleas.

The Commonwealth Court also specifically upheld six regulations affecting the use of land by shale gas drillers. These six regulations are:

1. identifying a zoning district in which gas production activities can be conducted;

2. establishing setback requirements in relation to public buildings, public or private streets, property lines, and properties designated as landfills or properties that contain hazardous substances;

Continue reading PA Commonwealth Court Upholds Authority of Municipal Zoning Boards to Hear Challenges to Municipal Ordinances by Gas Drillers →

H2Ohhhhh, No You Don’t!

By Jessica Lee
From the November 20, 2009 issue | Posted in Jessica Lee , Local | Email this article

WATER DEFENSE: Hundreds rally at a natural gas drilling hearing in Lower Manhattan Nov. 10. PHOTO: JAISAL NOOR

Several hundred New Yorkers attended the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC ) hearing Nov. 10 at Stuyvesant High School in Lower Manhattan to protest the state’s plan to allow natural gas drilling in the Marcellus shale geologic formation. Permits would be issued to companies using controversial hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques near drinking water sources, such as the Catskill Mountains north of the city. The DEC recently announced an extension for public comments to the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement from Nov. 30 until Dec. 31.

On Nov. 16, the New York City Council passed a non-binding resolution (Res. 1850) requesting that state policy makers ban the drilling practice within the New York City drinking water watershed. “We can’t sell off our water supplies for some short-term financial gain,” said Councilmember James Gennaro (D-Queens). Councilmember Tony Avella (D-Queens) proposed another resolution (Res. 2191) that would call for a statewide drilling ban.

‘No oil drilling without tribes’ consent’, UN tells Peru 2 September 2009

An Indian blockade at Bagua. © David Dudenhoefer

The UN has told Peru’s government it should not allow oil and gas drilling on indigenous peoples’ land without their ‘informed consent’.

If the government agrees to the UN’s call, it would mean that no drilling could take place in rainforest inhabited by uncontacted Indians, as they are unable to give their consent. This is something that indigenous organisations, Survival and many others have long been calling for.

Continue reading Peruvian Farmers Blockade Gas Drillers – No Drilling without “Informed Consent” →