Page 16 ■ Thursday, February 9, 2012


NATION & WORLD


Filmmaker without credentials arrested at fracking hearing


WASHINGTON (AP) — An Oscar-nomi-


nated documentary fi lmmaker was arrested at a House hearing Feb. 1 after trying to fi lm the pro- ceedings without the required media credentials. Joshua Fox of Milanville, Pa., was led out of


the room in handcuffs and charged by Capitol Police with unlawful entry. He was released later by the Capitol Police


with a misdemeanor citation for, in his words, “practicing journalism,” The New York Times re- ported. He said he did not have to pay a fi ne or post bail. A court date was set for Feb. 15. Fox directed the anti-drilling documentary


“Gasland,” which was nominated last year for an Oscar. Fox also is an activist who has spoken out against hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which was the subject of the House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee hearing. Fracking takes place when large volumes of


water, sand and chemicals are injected into wells to break up underground rock formations, al- lowing natural gas to escape. The oil and gas industry has criticized Fox and


his fi lm for what they say is a sensationalized at- tack on fracking.


Democrats forced two votes, one to allow Fox


to fi lm the hearing and a second to recess the hearing for a week so that Fox could obtain cre- dentials. Both motions were defeated on a party- line vote. Committee Republicans issued a statement


saying that committee rules state, “Personnel providing coverage by the television and radio media shall be currently accredited to the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Galleries.” “The individual removed was not accredited


by the House Radio and TV Gallery and had refused to turn off his camera upon request by Capitol Police,” the statement added. The hearing was available for viewing on the


committee’s Internet site, which is routine prac- tice for most congressional committees. A Democrat on the committee, Rep. Zoe Lof-


gren of California, said Republicans were trying to hide criticism of the Environmental Protec- tion Agency. She said, “If Republicans want to undermine the use of science at EPA they can’t hide it from the American people because they have a right to know.”


Associated Press


This photo obtained by The Associated Press shows Oscar-nominated documentary fi lmmaker Joshua Fox being arrested on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 1. Fox was arrested at a House hearing Feb. 1 after trying to fi lm the proceedings without the required media credentials.


Coal-to-gas plant in discussions with Idaho National Laboratory


CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Texas


company that plans to build a plant to convert coal to gasoline in Carbon County is still negotiating with Idaho National Laboratory about reviewing the project, the head of the company said Feb. 6. Robert Kelly, chairman of DKRW


Advanced Fuels, said he expects the lab- oratory review will take about 30 days once an agreement is reached. DKRW last year asked Wyoming to


purchase up to $300 million in indus- trial development bonds to help fi nance the $2 billion project. The state Legisla- ture would have to authorize any invest- ment above $100 million. Kelly said the company doesn’t in-


tend to push for authorization for the investment in the legislative session that starts next week. He says lawmakers and Gov. Matt Mead must decide how they want to proceed. “We’ve told the governor and all the


legislators this all along, they need to do what they feel comfortable doing,” Kelly said. He said that if they are comfortable investing up to $100 million, it wouldn’t require any legislative action. State Sen. Phil Nicholas, R-Laramie,


chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has said he believes legisla- tive leadership would be comfortable investing a maximum of between $50 million to $100 million in the bonds. State Treasurer Joe Meyer has said


he wouldn’t invest state funds in the venture without certifi cation from the Wyoming Business Council that it had vetted and approved the investment. The council had asked for the national laboratory review, which offi cials have said could cost $130,000. DKRW proposes to build its plant


near Medicine Bow, a town of some 300 people about 100 miles west of Chey- enne. It would transform coal mined underground at the site into 10,600 barrels of gasoline per day to serve the Denver market. Kelly has said the plant would use


technology licensed by Exxon and Gen- eral Electric that has been proven at industrial sites around the world. He said using the nation’s coal reserves to produce gasoline to reduce dependence on foreign oil should be particularly im- portant to Wyoming, the nation’s lead- ing coal producing state.


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