Ono, Lennon, Sarandon Tour Susquehanna County Gas Drilling Sites

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Susquehanna C...

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Susquehanna County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MONTROSEYoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Susan Sarandon spoke out against fracking Thursday during a tour of natural-gas drilling sites in Northeast Pennsylvania, warning about what they view as the danger to air, water and human health.

The celebrities boarded a tour bus in New York City and headed to rural Susquehanna County to see gas wells, compressor stations and other evidence of the Marcellus Shale drilling boom, and to visit with residents who say they have been negatively impacted by drilling.

Tom Shepstone of Energy In Depth, an industry group, trailed the sleek silver Mercedes tour bus – which had trouble negotiating an icy hill at one point and had to creep back down – and declared the celebrity visit to be a publicity stunt.

“They don’t pay mortgages here, they don’t have to get jobs here, they don’t have to pay taxes here, they don’t have to support their families here.  They just come up here to pick on this area and use it as part of their trendy cause,” he said.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/gas-drilling/ono-lennon-sarandon-tour-susquehanna-county-gas-drilling-sites-1.1431533

Friday’s Storm Causes Widespread Damage in NEPA

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Wayne County

Image via Wikipedia

Friday’s wicked thunderstorm carried a punch in Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wayne Counties

The National Weather Service issued a preliminary report that an EF-1 tornado touched down near Honesdale, Wayne County.  There was significant tree damage along Route 6 and buildings were damaged.

In Montrose, Susquehanna County, straight-line winds were responsible for damage from the same storm.  Straight-lines winds are non-tornadic in nature and are sometimes called microbursts or downbursts.

Scranton experiences widespread damage from straight-lines winds Friday evening as well.

Wind speed estimate information should be available Sunday.