Interest in the Marcellus Shale is heating up at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which just launched a tipline where New Yorkers can report sightings of illegal gas and oil drilling. The agency is asking residents of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and West Virginia to "report suspicious oil and gas well activity in the Northeast." And they have some pretty specific guidelines for what they want to know.

The "Eyes on Drilling" campaign has a hotline -- 1-877-919-4372 -- and an email address: [email protected].

Sue Heavenrich, a writer who has been blogging about gas drilling in upstate New York at The Marcellus Effect, explains why the EPA is interested:

The Daily Freeman reports that Woodstock dentist Michael Tischler (who's also a photographer) recently started a foundation that will:

...raise money to provide high-quality dental care to underprivileged children and raise awareness about the importance of good oral hygiene to overall health.

Part time, spring through summer/fall. From Ulster Corps:

Nestled next to the southwest side of the Marlboro Hills, ten minutes from the center of college town New Paltz, New York, Liberty View Farm is a boutique farm and orchard of organically grown apples. Certified Naturally Grown by Hudson Valley peer review process, farmer Billiam van Roestenberg and René de Roneqe community-acclaimed farm business boasts a traditional American farmhouse; chickens, goats, bees and sheep; ornamental vegetable garden and hoop house.

How cold is it in upstate New York? A sampling from the Twitterverse:

@CatskillsCyclng 0F outside and a Phoebe is whistling its summer "Feee-beee" call. Someone has to lead the charge, eh? Sign me up!

@sleepjunky 4 degrees Fahrenheit, without the wind chill. It's like I woke up in Upstate New York or something.

@GarrettYankou -6 degrees right now in the Catskills. Then there's the wind. So stop you're bellyaching.