Going 100% Green Will Pay For Itself in Seven Years, Study Finds
A Stanford University professor whose research helped underpin the U.S. Democrats’ Green New Deal says phasing out fossil fuels and running the entire world on clean energy would pay for itself in under seven years.
It would cost $73 trillion to revamp power grids, transportation, manufacturing and other systems to run on wind, solar and hydro power, including enough storage capacity to keep the lights on overnight, Mark Jacobson said in a study published Friday in the journal One Earth. But that would be offset by annual savings of almost $11 trillion, the report found.
“There’s really no downside to making this transition,” said Jacobson, who wrote the study with several other researchers. “Most people are afraid it will be too expensive. Hopefully this will allay some of those fears.”
Read more at Bloomberg
If the World ran on Sun, It wouldn’t Fight over Oil
by Bill McKibben
No one will ever fight a war over access to sunshine – what would a
country do, set up enormous walls to shade everyone else’s panels?
(Giant walls are hard to build – just ask Trump.) Fossil fuels are
concentrated in a few places, giving those who live atop them enormous
power; renewable energy can be found everywhere, the birthright of all
humans. A world that runs on sun and wind is a world that can relax.
Read more at The Guardian
Warren Buffett is spending billions to make Iowa 'the Saudi Arabia of wind'
Warren Buffett is spending billions to turn Iowa into "the wind capital of the world, the Saudi Arabia of wind," he told the Financial Times.
Berkshire Hathaway's billionaire boss isn't emulating Greta Thunberg, however. Rather than leading the charge on climate change, hoping to cut carbon emissions at any cost, he told the newspaper he was simply taking advantage of government incentives for renewable-energy investments.
"We wouldn't do [it] without the production tax credit we get," he said.
Read more at Business Insider
ExxonMobil Eyes $3.4-$3.6B Gain From Norway Asset Divestment
Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM expects a gain of $3.4-$3.6 billion from the divestment of Norwegian assets. This will likely give a boost to its fourth-quarter 2019 results. The company’s recent regulatory filing showed that the gains from this divestment can offset lower margins from chemicals and refining businesses.
Read more here
New York Confirms Plan for 1GW-Plus Offshore Wind Solicitation in 2020
The Empire State’s second offshore wind procurement targets 1 gigawatt of capacity — “and perhaps substantially more.”
New York confirmed plans to issue its second solicitation for offshore wind farms this year, expected to add at least 1 gigawatt to the state’s pipeline.
The upcoming solicitation, to be overseen once again by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will run alongside a separate competitive process to award $200 million in public funding for offshore wind-related port infrastructure improvements, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who gave his 10th State of the State address on January 9, 2020.
The offshore wind solicitation "is expected to yield at least an additional 1,000 megawatts of clean power, and perhaps substantially more," according to a detailed document (PDF) laying out the various plans in Cuomo's 2020 State of the State.
The new capacity will come on top of the 1.7 gigawatts of capacity the state awarded in its first offshore wind solicitation last summer to developers Ørsted and Equinor.
Read more at Greentech Media
Showing posts with label fracking ban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fracking ban. Show all posts
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Friday, October 17, 2014
FRACKING NEWS
Excerpts from articles in the news:
NY high court rejects Dryden fracking suit revival
New York’s highest court rejected an attempt to revive the fight against the Town of Dryden and its fracking ban.
In a precedent-setting decision last June, the Court of Appeals ruled 5-2 that communities have the right to use local land-use authority to prohibit oil and gas operations within their borders.
On Thursday, the court denied a motion by the trustee for bankrupt Norse Energy to re-argue its case against the Town of Dryden.
Read more here.
More New Yorkers Oppose Fracking: Poll
A new poll conducted by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental activist group, shows 56 percent of New Yorkers oppose fracking in the state. The survey of 802 New Yorkers was conducted by a third-party research firm in late September.
A similar survey by Quinnipiac University in mid-August found that only 48 percent of voters opposed fracking.
Anti-fracking activists have redoubled their efforts in recent weeks, following Gov. Cuomo on the campaign trail in an attempt to have him take a stance on fracking before the election, but the governor has kept a steadfast ambivalence on the subject.
Read more here.
Report: New York Governor’s Office Altered And Delayed Fracking Study
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration edited and delayed a fracking study commissioned by the state, according to a review by Capital New York.
The New York news outlet reported Monday that the Cuomo administration had altered a report on the natural gas extraction technique commonly referred to as fracking. The report was commissioned in 2011 and was “going to result in a number of politically inconvenient conclusions” for the governor. A comparison of the original draft of the report, which was put together by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the final version, showed that some of the original descriptions and mentions of fracking-related health and environmental risks were “played down or removed.”
Read more here.
Duke researchers explore potential dangers of fracking
With North Carolina's ban on fracking set to expire next year, Duke researchers are looking into the potential dangers of the technique.
“We sampled hundreds of homes with private drinking water wells, and found that people living near shale gas wells are more likely to have methane, ethane, and propane, the components of natural gas, in their water,” said Robert Jackson, formerly of the Nicholas School of the Environment and now a professor of environment and energy at Stanford University.
“I think there’s a perception amongst some people in Raleigh that they don’t want to hear about problems that might occur,” Jackson said. “I think the Mining and Energy Commission was designed to establish rules to help drilling come to North Carolina, not to decide whether or not drilling should come to North Carolina. That discussion never really happened.”
Read more here.
Residents Harmed by Fracking Demand EPA Administrator Drink their Tainted Water
Want EPA to Reopen Investigation of Drinking Water Contamination By Fracking
WASHINGTON - Affected community members from Dimock, Pennsylvania, along with advocacy organizations, rallied outside of EPA Headquarters to demand that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy either re-open investigations into fracking’s impact on people and the environment, or drink frack water from Pennsylvania that her agency has told residents is safe.
The action came after a year of gathering over 250,000 petitions, thousands of calls, and dozens of events asking McCarthy to meet with them, following the Los Angeles Times story that revealed the Obama Administration had shut down the EPA fracking investigation that found their drinking water contamination linked to drilling and fracking operations.
“My water is brown and smells so bad it will make you nauseous, yet EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy tells me and my neighbors that this poison is safe to drink,” said Ray Kemble, a resident from Dimock, PA who was part of the EPA’s fracking-related water investigation in 2012. “To make matters worse, Gina McCarthy is promoting more and more fracking across the country, meaning my story will be shared by millions of Americans. This has to stop.”
Read more here.
Frackers are dumping toxic waste into California’s groundwater
California can officially add one more disaster to its rapidly growing list of water woes: The EPA just found that at least nine fracking sites throughout the state have been dumping billions of gallons of contaminated wastewater into its protected aquifers.
Not only do many of these aquifers supply drinking water to residents throughout the Central Valley, they’re also reaching dangerously low levels due to overuse, as many farmers rely on aquifers for irrigation and have been overpumping groundwater supplies as the drought carries on.
According to a letter sent to the EPA by the California State Water Resources Board, roughly 3 billion gallons of wastewater were illegally injected into aquifers throughout central California. The EPA ordered the report following contamination concerns after 11 fracking wastewater injection wells were shut down in July by state officials.
Read more here.
Michigan landfill operator suspends receipt of low-level radioactive waste
A Van Buren Township hazardous-waste landfill operator, slated to receive up to 36 tons of low-level radioactive waste from a Pennsylvania fracking company, announced Monday that it will suspend receipt of such materials from all oil and gas operations pending a review by the state.
The announcements follow an Aug. 19 Free Press report on plans by a Pennsylvania oil and gas development company, Range Resources, to ship radioactive fracking waste to Wayne Disposal. The sludge was rejected by landfills in western Pennsylvania and its shipment to a landfill in West Virginia was halted by the state and voluntarily discontinued by the company, as West Virginia reforms its laws for handling such waste.
Ohio and West Virginia, two states with more intensive fracking activity than Michigan, have changed regulations on how to store, treat, process and dispose of radioactive oil and gas drilling wastes. Pennsylvania also doesn’t allow the materials in its landfills. Each of the states leaves it to oil and gas developers to find a disposal site. As Ohio tightened its regulations, state officials listed the Wayne Disposal site in Van Buren Township as an option for Ohio drillers.
Read more here.
NY high court rejects Dryden fracking suit revival
New York’s highest court rejected an attempt to revive the fight against the Town of Dryden and its fracking ban.
In a precedent-setting decision last June, the Court of Appeals ruled 5-2 that communities have the right to use local land-use authority to prohibit oil and gas operations within their borders.
On Thursday, the court denied a motion by the trustee for bankrupt Norse Energy to re-argue its case against the Town of Dryden.
Read more here.
More New Yorkers Oppose Fracking: Poll
A new poll conducted by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental activist group, shows 56 percent of New Yorkers oppose fracking in the state. The survey of 802 New Yorkers was conducted by a third-party research firm in late September.
A similar survey by Quinnipiac University in mid-August found that only 48 percent of voters opposed fracking.
Anti-fracking activists have redoubled their efforts in recent weeks, following Gov. Cuomo on the campaign trail in an attempt to have him take a stance on fracking before the election, but the governor has kept a steadfast ambivalence on the subject.
Read more here.
Report: New York Governor’s Office Altered And Delayed Fracking Study
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration edited and delayed a fracking study commissioned by the state, according to a review by Capital New York.
The New York news outlet reported Monday that the Cuomo administration had altered a report on the natural gas extraction technique commonly referred to as fracking. The report was commissioned in 2011 and was “going to result in a number of politically inconvenient conclusions” for the governor. A comparison of the original draft of the report, which was put together by the U.S. Geological Survey, and the final version, showed that some of the original descriptions and mentions of fracking-related health and environmental risks were “played down or removed.”
Read more here.
Duke researchers explore potential dangers of fracking
With North Carolina's ban on fracking set to expire next year, Duke researchers are looking into the potential dangers of the technique.
“We sampled hundreds of homes with private drinking water wells, and found that people living near shale gas wells are more likely to have methane, ethane, and propane, the components of natural gas, in their water,” said Robert Jackson, formerly of the Nicholas School of the Environment and now a professor of environment and energy at Stanford University.
“I think there’s a perception amongst some people in Raleigh that they don’t want to hear about problems that might occur,” Jackson said. “I think the Mining and Energy Commission was designed to establish rules to help drilling come to North Carolina, not to decide whether or not drilling should come to North Carolina. That discussion never really happened.”
Read more here.
Residents Harmed by Fracking Demand EPA Administrator Drink their Tainted Water
Want EPA to Reopen Investigation of Drinking Water Contamination By Fracking
WASHINGTON - Affected community members from Dimock, Pennsylvania, along with advocacy organizations, rallied outside of EPA Headquarters to demand that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy either re-open investigations into fracking’s impact on people and the environment, or drink frack water from Pennsylvania that her agency has told residents is safe.
The action came after a year of gathering over 250,000 petitions, thousands of calls, and dozens of events asking McCarthy to meet with them, following the Los Angeles Times story that revealed the Obama Administration had shut down the EPA fracking investigation that found their drinking water contamination linked to drilling and fracking operations.
“My water is brown and smells so bad it will make you nauseous, yet EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy tells me and my neighbors that this poison is safe to drink,” said Ray Kemble, a resident from Dimock, PA who was part of the EPA’s fracking-related water investigation in 2012. “To make matters worse, Gina McCarthy is promoting more and more fracking across the country, meaning my story will be shared by millions of Americans. This has to stop.”
Read more here.
Frackers are dumping toxic waste into California’s groundwater
California can officially add one more disaster to its rapidly growing list of water woes: The EPA just found that at least nine fracking sites throughout the state have been dumping billions of gallons of contaminated wastewater into its protected aquifers.
Not only do many of these aquifers supply drinking water to residents throughout the Central Valley, they’re also reaching dangerously low levels due to overuse, as many farmers rely on aquifers for irrigation and have been overpumping groundwater supplies as the drought carries on.
According to a letter sent to the EPA by the California State Water Resources Board, roughly 3 billion gallons of wastewater were illegally injected into aquifers throughout central California. The EPA ordered the report following contamination concerns after 11 fracking wastewater injection wells were shut down in July by state officials.
Read more here.
Michigan landfill operator suspends receipt of low-level radioactive waste
A Van Buren Township hazardous-waste landfill operator, slated to receive up to 36 tons of low-level radioactive waste from a Pennsylvania fracking company, announced Monday that it will suspend receipt of such materials from all oil and gas operations pending a review by the state.
The announcements follow an Aug. 19 Free Press report on plans by a Pennsylvania oil and gas development company, Range Resources, to ship radioactive fracking waste to Wayne Disposal. The sludge was rejected by landfills in western Pennsylvania and its shipment to a landfill in West Virginia was halted by the state and voluntarily discontinued by the company, as West Virginia reforms its laws for handling such waste.
Ohio and West Virginia, two states with more intensive fracking activity than Michigan, have changed regulations on how to store, treat, process and dispose of radioactive oil and gas drilling wastes. Pennsylvania also doesn’t allow the materials in its landfills. Each of the states leaves it to oil and gas developers to find a disposal site. As Ohio tightened its regulations, state officials listed the Wayne Disposal site in Van Buren Township as an option for Ohio drillers.
Read more here.
[Click image to enlarge]
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Senator says Fracking "inherently dangerous" - Calls for Ban
The evidence is in, so ban fracking .
It's proven a nightmare to Pennsylvanians .
By Liz Krueger .
Krueger is a state senator representing Manhattan’s east side and parts of Midtown.
If anyone in New York was still buying the utopian vision being sold by the oil and gas industry regarding fracking — free energy! new jobs! no risk! — a flood of recent news should end the delusion once and for all.
Consider fresh reports about the experience of Finleyville, Pa., where residents were promised easy money with no headaches back in 2008.
But once the trucks and heavy machinery came in and the fracking began, everything changed. Families found their homes unlivable. Houses vibrated and were filled with continuous noise. Air quality warnings and gas odors forced some to flee.
In one especially disturbing case, a pregnant woman was advised by her doctor to relocate to an area further away from a drilling site.
Given the gas industry’s track record, what came next in Finleyville shouldn’t be a shock — but, in its utter shamelessness, it was pretty rare, even for them.
In 2013, homeowners were offered $50,000 to sign away their rights to hold the drilling corporation, EQT, legally responsible for its negative consequences, and those of any future operations.
These agreements covered health problems, property damage, and other negative effects including noise, dust, light, smoke, odors, fumes, soot, air pollution or vibrations.
And the liability releases wouldn’t just exempt the drillers from damages related to drilling, but from its construction of pipelines, power lines, roads, tanks, ponds, pits, compressor stations, houses and buildings as well.
It’s telling that these very same companies that seek legal cover from damage claims consistently insist in public that fracking is safe and has no damaging effects on the environment, health or quality of life.
Despite industry claims that fracking has been a rousing success, people across Pennsylvania are suffering from its effects.
The state’s former health commissioner recently confirmed that state government was derelict in considering the public health impact of the drilling process. Its health department discouraged its employees from addressing public complaints about health issues believed to be related to fracking.
And Pennsylvania’s experience is no anomaly.
In January of this year, the Associated Press published findings from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and West Virginia demonstrating connections between fracking activities and water contamination. Contaminants include methane, arsenic and various hormone-disrupting substances.
Even the gas industry’s claims about fracking’s economic benefits have been debunked. An independent report by the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative disproved industry assertions that every gas well created 31 jobs, finding instead that it was only four.
For the past few years, the oil and gas industry has tried to lure New Yorkers with false promises.
But New Yorkers are smarter than that. The grassroots opposition to fracking in our state grows stronger by the day, with an accompanying abundance of science to substantiate our cogent opposition. A new Qunnipiac poll puts opposition statewide at a record high of 48%, compared to 43% support.
New York finds itself at a crossroads. We know that, with the technology and engineering methods currently in use, fracking is inherently dangerous and would result in irreversible harm to New Yorkers; health, our natural resources and our billion-dollar agricultural industry.
Yet the Cuomo administration is still officially reviewing how fracking impacts people’s health.
The state’s highest court recently upheld the rights of cities and towns to ban fracking within their borders. This is a step in the right direction, but pollutants caused by fracking will not conform to municipal boundaries.
As elected officials, it is our job to weigh the facts and science, and then act to protect New Yorkers. It is time for both houses of the state Legislature to pass a bill banning fracking — and for Gov. Cuomo to sign it.
Published on September 1, 2014 in the New York Daily News
It's proven a nightmare to Pennsylvanians .
By Liz Krueger .
Krueger is a state senator representing Manhattan’s east side and parts of Midtown.
If anyone in New York was still buying the utopian vision being sold by the oil and gas industry regarding fracking — free energy! new jobs! no risk! — a flood of recent news should end the delusion once and for all.
Consider fresh reports about the experience of Finleyville, Pa., where residents were promised easy money with no headaches back in 2008.
But once the trucks and heavy machinery came in and the fracking began, everything changed. Families found their homes unlivable. Houses vibrated and were filled with continuous noise. Air quality warnings and gas odors forced some to flee.
In one especially disturbing case, a pregnant woman was advised by her doctor to relocate to an area further away from a drilling site.
Given the gas industry’s track record, what came next in Finleyville shouldn’t be a shock — but, in its utter shamelessness, it was pretty rare, even for them.
In 2013, homeowners were offered $50,000 to sign away their rights to hold the drilling corporation, EQT, legally responsible for its negative consequences, and those of any future operations.
These agreements covered health problems, property damage, and other negative effects including noise, dust, light, smoke, odors, fumes, soot, air pollution or vibrations.
And the liability releases wouldn’t just exempt the drillers from damages related to drilling, but from its construction of pipelines, power lines, roads, tanks, ponds, pits, compressor stations, houses and buildings as well.
It’s telling that these very same companies that seek legal cover from damage claims consistently insist in public that fracking is safe and has no damaging effects on the environment, health or quality of life.
Despite industry claims that fracking has been a rousing success, people across Pennsylvania are suffering from its effects.
The state’s former health commissioner recently confirmed that state government was derelict in considering the public health impact of the drilling process. Its health department discouraged its employees from addressing public complaints about health issues believed to be related to fracking.
And Pennsylvania’s experience is no anomaly.
In January of this year, the Associated Press published findings from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and West Virginia demonstrating connections between fracking activities and water contamination. Contaminants include methane, arsenic and various hormone-disrupting substances.
Even the gas industry’s claims about fracking’s economic benefits have been debunked. An independent report by the Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative disproved industry assertions that every gas well created 31 jobs, finding instead that it was only four.
For the past few years, the oil and gas industry has tried to lure New Yorkers with false promises.
But New Yorkers are smarter than that. The grassroots opposition to fracking in our state grows stronger by the day, with an accompanying abundance of science to substantiate our cogent opposition. A new Qunnipiac poll puts opposition statewide at a record high of 48%, compared to 43% support.
New York finds itself at a crossroads. We know that, with the technology and engineering methods currently in use, fracking is inherently dangerous and would result in irreversible harm to New Yorkers; health, our natural resources and our billion-dollar agricultural industry.
Yet the Cuomo administration is still officially reviewing how fracking impacts people’s health.
The state’s highest court recently upheld the rights of cities and towns to ban fracking within their borders. This is a step in the right direction, but pollutants caused by fracking will not conform to municipal boundaries.
As elected officials, it is our job to weigh the facts and science, and then act to protect New Yorkers. It is time for both houses of the state Legislature to pass a bill banning fracking — and for Gov. Cuomo to sign it.
Published on September 1, 2014 in the New York Daily News
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
FIGHT FRACKING and its TOXIC WASTE in AMHERST
4 WAYS TO FIGHT FRACKING & FRACKING WASTE
in AMHERST, NY
in AMHERST, NY
1) Attend Open Public Meetings to Ban Fracking in Amherst, NY
Williamsville Public Library, 5571 Main St, Williamsville, NY 14221
Williamsville Public Library, 5571 Main St, Williamsville, NY 14221
Upcoming meeting of Amherst Against Fracking:
Thursday, 09/11/2014 at 6 p.m.
The town of Amherst, NY must pass a local ban to safeguard our resources
and health from the pollution and industrialization that fracking for
natural gas brings to communities. Over 170 towns and cities across NY
have stepped up to protect their residents
from fracking, and now it's time for the Amherst Town Board to do the
same. A town-wide ban on fracking & fracking waste disposal
(including road spreading) would protect residents from exposure to
harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, contaminated water,
increased municipal costs, and the list goes on. All Amherst and
Amherst-area residents are encouraged to join this coordinating meeting
to become part of the local movement against fracking.
2) Sign the Online Petition to ban fracking in Amherst here: http://bit.ly/1piVgQY
When an Amherst, NY resident signs the petition, it immediately emails the Town Board!
3) Attend the Amherst Planning Board Meeting on Town-wide Fracking Ban
Thursday, August 21st at 6:30 p.m.
Town of Amherst Municipal Building
5583 Main Street, Williamsville, NY 14221
On Thursday, August 21st at 6:30 p.m. in Amherst Town Hall, the Amherst
Planning Board will have a meeting where they will be discussing the
fracking & fracking waste ban for the town. This meeting is a
necessary step in the creation of a this new law because
some of the language it contains pertains to planning and zoning. The
Planning Board consists of a president and 6 members, none of whom are
elected officials. This means that they will not be familiar with the
harms of fracking or the legalities surrounding
banning fracking/fracking waste on a town-level that we've explained in
past Town Hall meetings. We need Amherst and Amherst-area residents to
attend and give public comment on why fracking and it's waste must be
banned in the town!
Join the Facebook event & invite friends:
https://www.facebook.com/
4) Call the Amherst Town Board -- Tell Them They MUST Ban Dangerous Fracking and Toxic Fracking Waste
Call Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
For detailed information, See This Flyer
Rita Yelda, Amherst Againgst Fracking / WNY Drilling Defense / Food & Water Watch
Rita Yelda, Amherst Againgst Fracking / WNY Drilling Defense / Food & Water Watch
Monday, April 21, 2014
Public Meeting: Amherst Town Board Proposes Fracking Ban
WHEN: Monday, April 28, 2014 at 7:00 pm
WHERE: Town of Amherst Municipal Bldg., 5583 Main St., Williamsville
MAP: Click Here
The Town Board of Amherst will propose a resolution that could lead to a local ban on fracking, disposal of fracking waste, and road spreading of brine in the town at their next meeting. We need you there to make sure that it passes!
Amherst and area residents are encouraged to attend to show your support for an Amherst-wide ban on dangerous fracking and the toxic waste it creates. We need to PACK THE ROOM because your presence encourages the board to vote the right way on the resolution.
You may also prepare 3-minutes of testimony to read in favor of a ban on fracking/fracking waste in Amherst. Be sure to emphasize how these things could impact Amherst residents. Non-Amherst residents are also allowed to testify. Speaking is optional and those wishing to speak should arrive 15 minutes early to sign up.
The town board of Amherst, NY must pass a local ban to safeguard our natural resources and health from the contamination that fracking brings to communities. A ban on fracking & fracking waste disposal (including road spreading) in Amherst would protect residents from exposure to harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, and contaminated water.
For more information or to get involved, contact Rita at ryelda@fwwatch.org
Join the Facebook event & invite friends: http://bit.ly/amherst01
WHERE: Town of Amherst Municipal Bldg., 5583 Main St., Williamsville
MAP: Click Here
The Town Board of Amherst will propose a resolution that could lead to a local ban on fracking, disposal of fracking waste, and road spreading of brine in the town at their next meeting. We need you there to make sure that it passes!
Amherst and area residents are encouraged to attend to show your support for an Amherst-wide ban on dangerous fracking and the toxic waste it creates. We need to PACK THE ROOM because your presence encourages the board to vote the right way on the resolution.
You may also prepare 3-minutes of testimony to read in favor of a ban on fracking/fracking waste in Amherst. Be sure to emphasize how these things could impact Amherst residents. Non-Amherst residents are also allowed to testify. Speaking is optional and those wishing to speak should arrive 15 minutes early to sign up.
The town board of Amherst, NY must pass a local ban to safeguard our natural resources and health from the contamination that fracking brings to communities. A ban on fracking & fracking waste disposal (including road spreading) in Amherst would protect residents from exposure to harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, and contaminated water.
For more information or to get involved, contact Rita at ryelda@fwwatch.org
Join the Facebook event & invite friends: http://bit.ly/amherst01
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Amherst Fracking Ban Coordinating Meeting
WHEN: March 25, 2014 at 6:00 PM WHERE: Williamsville Public Library, 5571 Main St. Williamsville
The town board of Amherst, NY must pass a local ban to safeguard our natural resources and health from the contamination that fracking brings to communities. A ban on fracking & fracking waste disposal (including road spreading) in Amherst would protect residents from exposure to harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, and contaminated water.
But the only way to get the town board to pass a local ban is by making it happen ourselves -- which is possible and is something that over 150 municipalities across NY have done!
All Amherst and Amherst-area residents are encouraged to join this coordinating meeting so we can map out the campaign and brainstorm next steps.
For more information contact Rita at ryelda@fwwatch.org.
Join the Facebook event & invite friends: https://www.facebook.com/
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Ban Fracking and Its Toxic Waste in Amherst
AMHERST FRACKING BAN COORDINATING MEETING
Tuesday, February 18, at 7:00pm
Spot Coffee, 5330 Main St., Williamsville [Map]
Tuesday, February 18, at 7:00pm
Spot Coffee, 5330 Main St., Williamsville [Map]
We plan to urge the
town board of Amherst, NY to pass a local fracking ban to safeguard our
natural resources and health from the contamination that fracking brings
to communities. A ban on fracking as well as on fracking waste disposal and road spreading would protect Amherst residents from
exposure to harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, and contaminated
water.
But the only way to get the town board to pass a local ban is by making it happen ourselves -- which is possible and is something that over 150 municipalities across NY have done! All Amherst and Amherst-area residents are encouraged to join this coordinating meeting so we can map out the campaign and brainstorm next steps.
But the only way to get the town board to pass a local ban is by making it happen ourselves -- which is possible and is something that over 150 municipalities across NY have done! All Amherst and Amherst-area residents are encouraged to join this coordinating meeting so we can map out the campaign and brainstorm next steps.
For
more information contact Rita at ryelda@fwwatch.org.
Invite friends on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Friday, January 10, 2014
Poloncarz Approves Fracking Ban in Erie County
The law bans fracking on all land owned by Erie County
Report from WGRZ.comBUFFALO, N.Y.- Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz approved legislation Friday to ban hydraulic fracturing on all lands owned by Erie County.
"Protecting our land and water resources is important to preserving our heritage," said Poloncarz in a statement on his decision to approve the local law.
The Erie County Legislature passed the fracking ban in December by a 9-2 vote. The ban also received overwhelming support in public hearings leading up to the vote.
A moratorium on fracking has been in effect throughout New York State since 2008 but Governor Andrew Cuomo has not yet announced if he will ban the practice altogether.
If Cuomo decides to lift the moratorium, fracking would only be allowed on all privately owned land and non-county owned sewage treatment facilities in Erie County.
Poloncarz approves fracking ban on county-owned land
Report from WBFO:One local anti-fracking group says it is pleased with the county executive's approval.
“We’re relieved that County Executive Poloncarz paid attention to the thousands of Erie County residents who spoke up in favor of a ban and the bipartisan group of Erie County legislators who voted in favor of it. The evidence is clear – fracking and its waste brings unacceptable risks of water contamination and health impacts. Erie County and the other counties statewide that have voted for a ban are sending a clear message to Governor Cuomo – that all parts of New York want him to ban fracking," said Rita Yelda of Food & Water Watch and Western NY Drilling Defense.
See also: Poloncarz Approves Fracking Law
Poloncarz stated “I am approving Local Law Intro. No. 4-2013 based on the demonstrated support of the public, as well as the support shown by a majority of Erie County legislators who expressed their concern about hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and disposal of fracking waste in Erie County.
He added that the law "bans it on County-owned lands such as Parks, in addition to prohibiting the acceptance of fracking waste at Erie County-owned sewage treatment facilities."
He concluded that "...the overwhelming and vocal public support for such a ban cannot be ignored."
Link to the full statement at the Erie County website.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Erie County Bans Fracking and Its Waste
 |
| The Buffalo News - 12.14.2013 - |
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
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
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Protect Water & Health - Call Erie County Legislators
Risky procedures associated with shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and the disposal of its waste threaten drinking water purity and our health. On December 12, 2013, the Erie County Legislature will vote on a proposed law to prohibit dangerous fracking, the disposal of its toxic and radioactive waste at county facilities and the spreading of fracking wastewater on roads.
Some legislators are still undecided about how they will vote. The proposed law might not be passed without additional pressure from concerned county residents.
Please call your legislator: Encourage them to co-sponsor the County ban on fracking and its waste (To find out the name of the legislator in your district and their office phone number, Click Here.)
Sample call script: “Hello my name is (full name) and I live in (town/city). I am calling to urge Legislator (last name) to co-sponsor the legislation to ban dangerous fracking and the toxic, radioactive waste it creates from entering Erie County.”
If no one answers, you can leave a recorded message for your legislator.
Attend the vote if possible: Show your legislator that you care about clean drinking water and public health. The vote will occur on Thursday, December 12 at 2:00 pm in the County Legislature Chambers on the Fourth Floor of Old County Hall at 92 Franklin St., Buffalo (arrive early to allow time to pass through security). [MAP]
For additional information, visit WNY Drilling Defense.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Public Supports County Ban of Fracking and Drilling Waste
By David Kowalski .
The Erie County Legislature is examining a proposed law to ban fracking on county-owned land, and to prohibit treating, disposal and road spreading of fracking and drilling wastes, which contain toxic and radioactive materials.
About 75 people packed the Erie County Legislature Chambers for the final public hearing on the
proposed legislation.
Many of those in attendance signed up to speak and all who spoke were opposed to fracking and its waste.
Erie County legislators said that throughout all of the meetings they've had about banning fracking on county land, no one has ever showed up to speak in favor of the fracking industry.
A box of petitions with 3,845 signatures of Erie County residents who support the proposed legislation was presented by Rita Yelda, organizer for New Yorkers Against Fracking and WNY Drilling Defense.
The Erie County Legislature will vote on the proposal on December 12th. Legislators Betty Jean Grant and Timothy Hogues cosponsored the legislation and said that they have five of the six votes needed for
it to pass.
"Nearly 15 counties across New York have stepped up to protect their residents against the dangers posed by fracking and fracking waste," Grant said. "Now it's Erie County's turn to take a stand and say that we will not allow fracking on our county land and we will now allow drilling waste to be stored or disposed of on county land."
Grant, however, noted that a ban would alleviate concerns over health issues related to fracking.
"This protects us from being exposed to the hundreds of dangerous chemicals used in the fracking process and from being exposed to the radioactive fracking waste," she said.
Below is a brief video (provided by WGRZ) that gives an overview of the proceedings:
The Erie County Legislature is examining a proposed law to ban fracking on county-owned land, and to prohibit treating, disposal and road spreading of fracking and drilling wastes, which contain toxic and radioactive materials.
About 75 people packed the Erie County Legislature Chambers for the final public hearing on the
 |
| Photos / WNY Drilling Defense |
Many of those in attendance signed up to speak and all who spoke were opposed to fracking and its waste.
Erie County legislators said that throughout all of the meetings they've had about banning fracking on county land, no one has ever showed up to speak in favor of the fracking industry.
A box of petitions with 3,845 signatures of Erie County residents who support the proposed legislation was presented by Rita Yelda, organizer for New Yorkers Against Fracking and WNY Drilling Defense.
The Erie County Legislature will vote on the proposal on December 12th. Legislators Betty Jean Grant and Timothy Hogues cosponsored the legislation and said that they have five of the six votes needed for
 |
| County Legislators Betty Jean Grant and Timothy Hogues |
"Nearly 15 counties across New York have stepped up to protect their residents against the dangers posed by fracking and fracking waste," Grant said. "Now it's Erie County's turn to take a stand and say that we will not allow fracking on our county land and we will now allow drilling waste to be stored or disposed of on county land."
Grant, however, noted that a ban would alleviate concerns over health issues related to fracking.
"This protects us from being exposed to the hundreds of dangerous chemicals used in the fracking process and from being exposed to the radioactive fracking waste," she said.
Below is a brief video (provided by WGRZ) that gives an overview of the proceedings:
Monday, April 8, 2013
Hydrofracking Updates
Yes, a Drilling Moratorium.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 by: Times Union Editorial Board.Our opinion: The Legislature should pass a moratorium on fracking while multiple studies are under way.
Whether you feel that natural gas fracking is the economic salvation of New York or an environmental disaster waiting to happen, there is one indisputable fact about it: The science is not in. Not by a long shot. And that’s why a moratorium in New York makes sense.
State leaders who have vowed to let science guide their decision on whether to allow high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing could show they mean what they say by declaring that the idea is off the table at least until some serious study is done.
While the industry’s persistent public relations campaign has portrayed fracking as clean and safe, we simply don’t know if that’s true. At least five studies are under way or being considered on fracking as scientists and health researchers seek answers.
Read more at TimesUnion.com
Note: The New York Assembly has already voted to ban fracking for two more years.
The moratorium would last until May 15, 2015. In the meantime, the Assembly bill calls for the State University of New York to conduct an independent, comprehensive health review (A5424A-2013).
A similar bill to ban fracking for two more years was introduced by the Independent Democratic Conference in the Senate (S4236A-2013).
However, the GOP is against the moratorium and they prefer to wait instead for Governor Cuomo’s health commissioner to complete an ongoing review. Read more here.
UPDATE 4.9.2013 -- Letter: Governor Cuomo, insist on a drilling moratorium
To the editor of the Times Union -- Published Friday, April 5, 2013
On behalf of a bipartisan group of more than 635 local elected officials from all 62 counties across New York, we agree with the Times Union's editorial in support of a moratorium on fracking. Wisely, the Times Union cited a growing majority of New Yorkers who question the safety of fracking: "Safe? Prove it. We can wait."
We can — and must — hold off. Elected Officials to Protect New York, whose signatories represent more than 13.5 million New Yorkers, has long been calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to maintain the moratorium on fracking. An informed decision cannot be made until analyses have evaluated the health, economic and cumulative environmental impacts on local communities.
The facts and science are not in. New concerns arise weekly. Read more here.
TAKE ACTION: Call Governor Cuomo at 518-474-8390 and let him know your opinion about hydrofracking in NY State.
3rd NY Town Wins in Court over Fracking Ban
By on March 19, 2013ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A third upstate New York town has won a court challenge to its ban on natural gas drilling as two previous cases are about to be argued before a state appeals court.
Gas drilling company Lenape Resources, based in western New York, had sued the Livingston County town of Avon and the state Department of Environmental Conservation over the town's moratorium on drilling, saying the action threatened to put it out of business after it had operated in the town for decades. Lenape's owner, John Holko, also sought $50 million in damages. He named the Department of Environmental Conservation because he said the agency had a duty to stop towns from enacting local bans.
On March 15, Acting Supreme Court Justice Robert Wiggins in Livingston County ruled against Lenape on all counts. He cited Court of Appeals precedents as well as decisions in favor of local bans in the Upstate towns of Dryden and Middlefield.
Read more at The Post-Standard's Syracuse.com
Note: The basis for NY Supreme Court rulings upholding the gas-drilling bans in the Towns of Dryden and Middlefield was covered in my earlier post here (February 27, 2012) .
Sierra Club Blasts 'Sustainable Shale' Center's Partnership Between Industry And Environmental Groups
AP | By KEVIN BEGOS Posted: 03/21/2013PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Sierra Club and some other environmental groups are harshly criticizing a new partnership that aims to create tough new standards for fracking.
The criticism Thursday came a day after two of the nation's biggest oil and gas companies made peace with some national and regional environmental groups, agreeing to go through an independent review of their shale oil and gas drilling operations in the Northeast.
If Shell Oil, Chevron Appalachia and other companies are found to be abiding by a list of stringent measures to protect the air and water from pollution, they will receive the blessing of the new Pittsburgh-based Center for Sustainable Shale Development, created by environmentalists and the energy industry.
But some are questioning whether a partnership between environmentalists and the oil and gas industry should exist at all.
Read more at the Huffington Post
NOTE 1: "Sustainable shale" is an oxymoron, like "clean coal." How about "sustainable wind" or "sustainable sunlight"... that works!
NOTE 2: Even Pro-frackers don't like this industry-enviro "partnership." See MarcellusDrilling.com
Collapse of Salt Mine serves as Cautionary Tale on Fracking
By Margaret WoosterSpecial to The Buffalo News - 03/17/2013
This cautionary tale is relevant to one of the most important decisions confronting New York State in our time: whether to permit the construction of tens of thousands of new high-volume hydrofracking gas wells across the southern half of our state.
Read more at BuffaloNews.com
EPA Announces Expert Panel to Review Fracking Study
WASHINGTON | Mon Mar 25, 2013(Reuters) - The U.S. environmental regulator has selected experts in fields ranging from well-drilling to toxicology to review a highly anticipated report on the natural gas and oil extraction method commonly known as fracking.
The Environmental Protection Agency's science advisory board on Monday named 31 experts from universities, scientific labs and companies to review the agency's landmark hydraulic fracturing study that is expected to be delivered in 2014.
The study, first requested by Congress in 2010, may prove pivotal in the government's regulation of fracking that has unlocked generations' worth of oil and gas supplies.
Read more here.
Click here to view a list of Members of the Hydraulic Fracturing Research Advisory Panel
To view the Executive Summary of the Progress Report on the EPA hydraulic fracturing study (December 2012), click here.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Niagara Falls Bans Hydrofracking Wastewater Treatment
 | ||
| Treated waste flows into Niagara River - AP |
The water board has been interested in accepting hydrofracking wastewater as a way to raise revenues. However, NY State is still in the process of developing gas drilling regulations, and has not put forth a proven plan for successfully cleaning up the wastewater. Such a plan is essential because fracking wastewater contains not only added chemicals, some toxic, but also toxic and radioactive chemicals extracted from the undergound shale. Municipal wastewater treatment has proven to be ineffective in cleaning fracking wastewater in Pennsylvania and is now prohibited. These facts left citizens with strong concerns about chemical pollution and public health, evoking comparisons to the Love Canal tragedy in Niagara Falls. Canadians were also concerned about fracking wastewater treatment, since the Niagara River borders their country and drains into Lake Ontario, which is a source of drinking water for millions of people in Canada.
The Niagara Gazette reported on Monday that the ordinance adopted — patterned after a similar ban imposed by the City of Buffalo and other communities in recent months — describes hydrofracking and the handling of waste from the process as posing a "significant threat" to the "health, safety and welfare" of residents in Niagara Falls. It also suggests that any involvement in the process within city limits could cause "irreparable harm" to the city’s water supply and may cause significant health problems for city residents.
“The subject of hydrofracking is something that is going to effect everyone in our community,” said Councilman Glenn Choolokian, an employee of the city’s water board who pushed for the anti-fracking measures. “This dangerous process must be addressed now. It can’t be talked about in secret meetings anymore. If hydrofracking is such a great thing, let some other city be the test case.”
The Council also passed a resolution telling NY Gov. Cuomo that fracking should be banned in NY, like the statewide ban in Buffalo.
“I hope the governor gets the big picture here and bans it statewide,” said Council Chairman Sam Fruscione, who is expecting the council’s letter to be delivered to Cuomo within the next few days.
The language of the ordinance is similar to that used by two other NY towns whose local bans were challenged by the gas industry but were upheld by two different NY Supreme Court Justices.
“I’m sure we will be sued, but our job is to serve the city,” Fruscione said. “We’ll see what happens,” added Choolokian. “I feel very confident with the help we had on this.”
“Tonight, together, we draw the line in the sand against an industry and the state that desires to ruin this community,” said Roger Spurback, president of the Niagara Falls Block Club Council. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A tip of our hats for your response.”
“Tonight, together, we draw the line in the sand against an industry and the state that desires to ruin this community,” said Roger Spurback, president of the Niagara Falls Block Club Council. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A tip of our hats for your response.”
Monday, February 27, 2012
NY Supreme Court Judges Uphold Town Gas-Drilling Bans
On February 21, 2012, New York Supreme Court Justice Phillip R. Rumsey ruled in favor of the Town of Dryden, affirming its right to adopt zoning that prohibits natural gas drilling within its borders in Tomkins County.
In August, Dryden's town board passed a zoning law prohibiting gas drilling within town limits. The next month, a gas drilling company, Anschutz Exploration Corp., sued the town, saying the ban was illegal because state law superseded the municipal rules. In the case of the drilling company against the Town of Dryden, Judge Rumsey concluded that the town zoning ordinances is not preempted by the state Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law.
ProPublica reported that two very similarly worded laws govern the regulation of mining and oil and gas drilling. The oil and gas provision gives the state the power to "regulate the development, production and utilization of natural resources of oil and gas." The town of Dryden argued that it was not trying to regulate fracking but merely trying to protect its citizens and property. It pointed out that courts have allowed towns to ban mining, and said Dryden should be allowed to do the same for fracking. The justice agreed, concluding that the state's oil and gas laws don't prohibit localities from barring drilling.
The decision sets a precedent that citizens and their local governments can cite to legally ban gas drilling in other New York towns.
"By upholding Dryden's fracking ban, Judge Rumsey has brought a renewed sense of hope to the many cities and towns concerned with fracking. Regardless of fracking's documented dangers--particularly New York's failure to study industrial gas drilling's health impacts or responsibly plan for the treatment, transport, or disposal of hazardous fracking waste--the communities targeted for drilling need the power to determine for themselves when, where and if fracking is permitted," said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York.
It didn't take long for a different Supreme Court judge to arrive at a similar ruling in favor of another NY town.
On February 24, 2012, Otsego County Acting Supreme Court Justice Donald Cerio ruled that the Town of Middlefield was within its rights under state law to ban oil and gas drilling. Justice Cerio wrote in his decision that the clause in the state’s environmental conservation law that transfers regulatory rights to the state for oil and gas drilling does not prevent the town from banning it altogether.
UPDATE - February 28, 2012: While those opposed to fracking in New York are savoring these victories for home rule, the legal battles are likely not over. An attorney representing the gas drilling companies who were defeated in the courts discusses the cases and potential appeals in a news interview here.
In August, Dryden's town board passed a zoning law prohibiting gas drilling within town limits. The next month, a gas drilling company, Anschutz Exploration Corp., sued the town, saying the ban was illegal because state law superseded the municipal rules. In the case of the drilling company against the Town of Dryden, Judge Rumsey concluded that the town zoning ordinances is not preempted by the state Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law.
ProPublica reported that two very similarly worded laws govern the regulation of mining and oil and gas drilling. The oil and gas provision gives the state the power to "regulate the development, production and utilization of natural resources of oil and gas." The town of Dryden argued that it was not trying to regulate fracking but merely trying to protect its citizens and property. It pointed out that courts have allowed towns to ban mining, and said Dryden should be allowed to do the same for fracking. The justice agreed, concluding that the state's oil and gas laws don't prohibit localities from barring drilling.
The decision sets a precedent that citizens and their local governments can cite to legally ban gas drilling in other New York towns.
"By upholding Dryden's fracking ban, Judge Rumsey has brought a renewed sense of hope to the many cities and towns concerned with fracking. Regardless of fracking's documented dangers--particularly New York's failure to study industrial gas drilling's health impacts or responsibly plan for the treatment, transport, or disposal of hazardous fracking waste--the communities targeted for drilling need the power to determine for themselves when, where and if fracking is permitted," said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York.
It didn't take long for a different Supreme Court judge to arrive at a similar ruling in favor of another NY town.
On February 24, 2012, Otsego County Acting Supreme Court Justice Donald Cerio ruled that the Town of Middlefield was within its rights under state law to ban oil and gas drilling. Justice Cerio wrote in his decision that the clause in the state’s environmental conservation law that transfers regulatory rights to the state for oil and gas drilling does not prevent the town from banning it altogether.
UPDATE - February 28, 2012: While those opposed to fracking in New York are savoring these victories for home rule, the legal battles are likely not over. An attorney representing the gas drilling companies who were defeated in the courts discusses the cases and potential appeals in a news interview here.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Hydrofracking: DEC Must Protect Our Drinking Water -- Take Action!
High-volume hydraulic fracturing, also called hydrofracking or fracking, is a method to mine natural gas from shale rock seams deep underground. The process requires horizontal drilling from a vertical well, uses millions of gallons of water mixed with sand and some toxic chemicals, and produces large volumes of flowback wastewater containing additional toxic chemicals and radioactive elements extracted from shale. Fracking wastewater is hazardous.
A moratorium has been in
effect for the past three years while NY state considers permitting high-volume hydraulic fracturing. The NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has produced a revised draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) that is currently under public review. The public is strongly encouraged to send comments on the SGEIS to the DEC, which must be received or postmarked by January 11, 2012 (see links and postal address below).
The SGEIS contains a surprising proposal along with a number of major gaps that the DEC needs to address.
The DEC SGEIS proposes that watersheds for New York City and Syracuse "should be off-limits to surface drilling for natural gas using high-volume hydraulic fracturing technology." This proposal amounts to an admission by the DEC that fracking and hazardous wastewater are threats to drinking water in these two watersheds. Given these threats, should fracking and hazardous wastewater be permitted in other State watersheds?
The DEC SGEIS proposes that watersheds for New York City and Syracuse "should be off-limits to surface drilling for natural gas using high-volume hydraulic fracturing technology." This proposal amounts to an admission by the DEC that fracking and hazardous wastewater are threats to drinking water in these two watersheds. Given these threats, should fracking and hazardous wastewater be permitted in other State watersheds?
 |
| NY State Watersheds - DEC |
All NY State residents have a right to clean water and deserve equal rights to protection from water pollution. What's good for NY City and Syracuse watersheds should apply equally to all watersheds in the State. Demand that the DEC protect all State watersheds from the threats of fracking and hazardous wastewater, not just NY City and Syracuse watersheds, in order to provide safe drinking water.
Fracking wastewater contains brine, radioactivity, carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals. In Pennsylvania, millions of gallons were sent to sewage treatment plants until it was found that the discharged water was contaminated. Some fracking wastewater from Pennsylvania was shipped to the City of Buffalo for treatment, but this is no longer permitted. Pennsylvania is now shipping fracking wastewater to Ohio for disposal in deep injection wells, a method that may be short-lived since it has been recently linked to earthquakes. NY geology is not suitable for injection well disposal. What is the DEC's plan for fracking wastewater disposal?
The DEC SGEIS does not describe a proven method to cleanup fracking wastewater. Disposal of the hazardous wastewater poses threats to NY drinking water, including watersheds in the state where gas drilling will not occur. The public needs to inform the DEC that they can not permit fracking in the absence of proven, cost-effective methods to remove all hazardous chemicals and radioactive elements from the wastewater.
Additional gaps in the SGEIS have been pointed out by the Governor's Advisory Panel on High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing. These include the absence of estimates on what resources will be needed by four major state agencies: Health, Transportation, Agriculture & Markets, and Public Service. The socio-economic analysis by a local firm, Ecology & Environment, highlighted the economic benefits but did little to quantify potential costs, according to some members of the Advisory Panel. The DEC directed the firm to also look at the cost on communities, the housing market and emergency services.
Even more gaps in the SGEIS have moved over 21,000 people to sign a letter requesting that Governor Cuomo immediately withdraw the SGEIS in order to resolve documented fundamental shortcomings. You can examine the letter and additional gaps here. The public can sign the letter online.
At the very least, the DEC should Extend the Moratorium. High-volume hydraulic fracturing is a very complex process. It is a threat to clean water and to our health and well-being. There are too many unknowns that require further research, evaluation and time. The gas will still be there as a reserve.
The revised draft SGEIS document and related documents are here.
TAKE ACTION: Send comments to the DEC on the revised draft SGEIS by January 11:
- Electronic submission using a web-based comment form on the DEC's website.
- Paper submission can be sent to: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-6510. Attention: rd SGEIS Comments. Please include the name, address, and affiliation (if any) of the commenter.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Take Action against Hydraulic Fracturing
The use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract shale gas poses risks to drinking water, human health and safety as well as the well-being of people in affected communities. Contaminated water wells near drilling pads in Pennsylvania contain levels of shale gas that are flammable and can be explosive. Radioactivity, heavy metals and toxic chemicals in the shale contaminate wastewater that flows back to the surface after fracking. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently found industrial fracking chemicals and carcinogenic benzene as contaminants in well water aquifers near drilling pads.
Fracking wastewater had been treated and discharged into Pennsylvania rivers until contaminants were identified downstream. Some wastewater was also dumped illegally in Pennsylvania streams and forests. Wastewater had been treated in Buffalo, but that is now prohibited to protect drinking water. The gas industry is seeking to treat fracking wastewater in Niagara Falls, risking pollution of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario and contamination of drinking water in the U.S. and Canada (for earlier blog posts on fracking, click here).
This 1 minute video conveys more concerns about fracking:
TAKE ACTION:
First, write a letter to Governor Cuomo on your own or with the help of an online Letterwriter. The Letterwriter contains written text about a number of the following key issues associated with fracking and fracking waste:
Your letter to Governor Cuomo will be printed and delivered to his office on your behalf, and a copy will be emailed to you.
Second, and Easy! Another way that you can contact Governor Cuomo is to Phone his office at 518-474-8390. Simply urge the Governor to prohibit fracking and fracking waste in New York State.
Third, Easy and Important: Send a brief email message to Senator Mark Grisanti, head of the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation. Simply ask him to support bill S4220 to ban fracking and all fracking waste. You can email Senator Grisanti here and phone his office at 877-796-1949.
Thank you for taking action against fracking!
Fracking wastewater had been treated and discharged into Pennsylvania rivers until contaminants were identified downstream. Some wastewater was also dumped illegally in Pennsylvania streams and forests. Wastewater had been treated in Buffalo, but that is now prohibited to protect drinking water. The gas industry is seeking to treat fracking wastewater in Niagara Falls, risking pollution of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario and contamination of drinking water in the U.S. and Canada (for earlier blog posts on fracking, click here).
This 1 minute video conveys more concerns about fracking:
TAKE ACTION:
Many citizens and politicians want to ban fracking and fracking waste. Urge Governor Cuomo and Senator Grisanti to prohibit fracking and fracking waste in New York.
First, write a letter to Governor Cuomo on your own or with the help of an online Letterwriter. The Letterwriter contains written text about a number of the following key issues associated with fracking and fracking waste:
- air pollution resulting from fracking operations
- potential contamination of public water supplies
- disposal of radioactive wastewater
- possible spills of toxic chemicals
- my child with asthma
- heavy truck traffic on back country roads
- effects on tourism
- effects on agriculture
Your letter to Governor Cuomo will be printed and delivered to his office on your behalf, and a copy will be emailed to you.
Second, and Easy! Another way that you can contact Governor Cuomo is to Phone his office at 518-474-8390. Simply urge the Governor to prohibit fracking and fracking waste in New York State.
Third, Easy and Important: Send a brief email message to Senator Mark Grisanti, head of the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation. Simply ask him to support bill S4220 to ban fracking and all fracking waste. You can email Senator Grisanti here and phone his office at 877-796-1949.
Thank you for taking action against fracking!
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