WRC Town Hall Meeting: "Fracking" in Michigan

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash will hold a town hall meeting to focus on the impact of new state-issued oil and natural gas drilling leases in Oakland County.

Seismic Testing, Use of Dynamite Approved on Highland Township Property

Large booms that were reported in the Highland area for several months were determined to be caused by a company doing seismic testing using dynamite.

Residents who reported hearing loud booms all over Highland for the last several months may soon hear a lot more.  The Highland Township Board of Trustees approved the request of West Bay Geophysical to conduct seismic testing for gas and oil with the use of dynamite in the township park off Hickory Ridge Road where the soccer fields are located.  The approval is conditional upon the company providing the township with a copy of the insurance certificate and its agreement to notify the fire department and area residents of days and times testing would be conducted.  It was determined last month that the booms residents heard were from the company, which has been working in the area along land belonging to Oakland County.  The request was …

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Marjorie Findley

2:24 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013

Chuck, What is the approximate date for seismic testing? And how will the results be made available to the public ? eg; Township board meeting Thanks   more ›

Seismic Testing, Dynamite the Cause of Mysterious Booms in Highland

For several months large booms have been reported in Highland, the cause of the booms are dynamite used by a company doing seismic testing in the area.

Last November residents all over Highland reported hearing loud booms or explosions. The explosions were so powerful that people said their homes shook. Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Highland Substation investigated the noises, but couldn't find the source. It wasn't until a few weeks later that the source was discovered. Highland Supervisor Rick Hamill said the noises heard throughout the township were dynamite explosions used by a company conducting seismic testing in the township. That company, Hamill said, was seeking permission at Wednesday night's township meeting to conduct similar testing on township land. That request was tabled after several board members expressed questions and concerns. The company, West Bay…

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Brooke Tajer

7:39 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013

That would be great. I know I and some other editors have talked about putting together an informational package of articles on the topic. We are seeing this pop up all over southeast Michigan.   more ›

County to Hold Town Hall on Fracking

County officials will host a special town hall, "The Coming Dangers to Our Lakes & Stream, Oil & Gas Leasing/Is Fracking in Our Future?"

Oakland County Commissioners Jim Nash (D-Farmington Hills) and Craig Covey (D-Ferndale), announced a special public Town Hall meeting to look at the impact of new state issued leases allowing drilling for oil and natural gas all across Oakland County. The meeting will be held at the Oakland County Commissioners’ Auditorium, 1200 N. Telegraph, in Pontiac, Michigan, on the Oakland County campus, on Wednesday, September 12, from 6-to-8 pm. Fracking, the common term for hydraulic fracturing, often drills  wells up to two miles into the Earth, fills it with millions of gallons of water mixed with sand and undisclosed salts and chemicals and subjects it to bursts of extremely intense pressure to loosen rock formations to release natural gas.  …

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