Exposing demonizers of shale gas

As readers of American Thinker may know, I have been a big proponent of  shale gas-a resource that in America is abundant, cheap,  located on-shore.  America developed the technologies that allow us to tap this bonanza: horizontal drilling and "fracking."  Companies can drill over vast differences and then frack (crack) the shale rock that holds the gas.  Voila! 

The price of gas has been plummeting for years as our natural gas supplies have soared due to shale gas (now 25% of our natural gas is from this source -- and it is climbing). Our chemical plants and factories are reviving because of this cheap feedstock; communities are booming where the exploration is enriching residents; consumers around the nation have benefited tremendously as their gas bills plunge. We may soon be in a position to export this bounty and reduce our dependence on energy from adversaries.

Yet many liberals have tried to put roadblocks in the way of our developing this resource. I have written columns regarding their profit-making motives and the reasons why Democratic politicians have done their bidding (see Cheap Natural Gas and its Democratic Enemies).   Among big donors to Democrats are principals of green energy ventures that could not compete should cheap natural gas flood the markets.

Their media handmaiden has been the New York Times, which has been on a crusade to kill off the shale gas revolution. The paper's lead writer on this topic is Ian Urbina.

Fracking is a contentious issue in New York State, where politicians have successfully slowed if not stopped the ability of New Yorkers to have access to this cheap energy within their borders. There are efforts by New York politicians to put a halt to exploration and production operations in that state.

Diana Furchtgott-Roth does a superb job in "Exposing the Demonizers of Shale Gas" of  naming names regarding who is behind the efforts to stop us from tapping our shale gas wealth.

The key points she brings up regarding the Times zealotry can be summarized:

• "One wonders whether the Times's three-part series was meant to nudge the Empire State towards a negative decision."
• "To support his bubble theory, Mr. Urbina includes two known opponents of domestic energy production among his sources. Art Berman, described as "a Houston-based geologist" who said "the shale gas revolution is being oversold" is a board member of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas, a group that promotes "cooperative initiatives in an era of depleting petroleum resources." On April 1, ... Mr. Berman proposed, to thunderous applause, getting rid of private cars and replacing them with public transportation."
• "Another source, Deborah Rogers, is described by Mr. Urbina as "a member of the advisory committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas." Mr. Urbina did not mention is that she is a steering committee member of the Oil and Gas Accountability Project, a group that considers natural gas to be a dirty energy product and that is working to ban hydraulic fracturing." 

Read the whole thing.  She does a wonderful job in covering all the manifold benefits that have flowed to our country, courtesy of shale gas.