Erie County Bans Fracking and Its Waste

The Buffalo News - 12.14.2013 -

We did it! After a year of tireless organizing, we've passed a fracking ban on Erie County-owned lands — and we've banned toxic fracking wastewater from entering our county.  

This was a landslide victory, with 9 out of the 11 legislators voting in support of the ban.

Without all of your hard work, this never could have happened. Here's what you and other Erie County residents have done in the past year to protect your water:

• Collected 3,845 petition signatures
• Spoke at a County Energy & Environment Committee meeting
• Visited with several of our elected officials
• Educated your friends and neighbors about fracking
• Flooded the legislature with phone calls for an entire week this summer
• Testified for a ban on fracking at last week's public hearing
• Packed the room with anti-fracking signs at Thursday's vote

I'd also like to thank our bill sponsor, County Legislature Chair Betty Jean Grant, who stood on the side of the people and protected our air, land and water by introducing this bill. Will you join us in sending a thank you card to Legislator Grant and the other eight legislators who voted to pass this historic bill?


Our fight to protect New Yorkers from fracking is not yet over, but our victory in Erie County moves us one step closer.

Thank you for making this happen!   


Rita Yelda
Western NY Organizer,
Food & Water Watch,
ryelda(at)fwwatch(dot)org