3000 (approx) New Yorkers (state) united today in Albany to call on Gov. Cuomo to lead the nation in constructing a truly renewable energy economy in New York rather than continuing down a damaging path towards continued reliance on dirty, destructive fossil fuels.
> Here is a marvelous interactive infographic “DEEP DIVE” *
Protesters included myself, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Lois Gibbs of Center for Health, Environment & Justice, Jim Dean of Democracy for America, Stanford U professor and ecology advocate Mark Jacobson, and Oren Lyons and Phil Aroneanu of 350.org.
EcoWatch explains –
With Gov. Cuomo (D-NY) weighing whether or not to allow fracking in New York State, the NY Crossroads rally will draw attention to this pivotal moment in the state’s energy future. With or without regulations in place, fracking is a menace to the environment, public health and emits greenhouse gases at disturbing levels that undermine its credentials as a bridge fuel, beneficial for the environment to avoid climate change. Gov. Cuomo has insisted that his decision would be guided by science, but his administration’s actions thus far have lacked transparency and scientific rigor.
The oil and gas industry has poured millions of dollars into New York to lobby, influence elected officials and saturate the state with pro-fracking propaganda, but grassroots opponents remain more passionate than supporters. Although the gas industry’s spokespeople and propaganda campaign assure the safety of fracking, New Yorkers are not buying it and remain opposed to fracking, while the truth is coming out that fracking is far from safe and that the gas industry cannot be trusted. A recent investigation by the Times Tribune in Pennsylvania revealed many cases of water contamination from fracking.
From Michael Virtanen at NewsTimes.com –
“There is no compromising our water, our air, our health and our future,” organizer Julia Walsh told demonstrators, noting they were working against the oil and gas industry lobby. The demonstrators called instead for the Cuomo administration to further increase the state’s renewable energy sources, including a proposal that wind power provide 40 percent of its needs by 2030.
Hydraulic fracking (“fracking”) involves using pressurized fluids to fracture rock layers to release oil, gas, coal seam gas, or other substances.
Energy industry advocates like to explain that the process of fracking provides easier access to deposits and lets oil or gas “travel more easily from the rock pores,” where it’s trapped, “to the production well.”
Fractures (hence the term) are created by pumping mixtures of water, proppants (sand or ceramic beads) and chemicals into rock or coal formations.
“Acidizing involves pumping acid (usually hydrochloric acid) into the formation. It dissolves rock so pores open for easier flows. Fracking and acidizing are often done together. Studies show from 20 – 40% of fracking fluids remain underground,” reports Stephen Lendman
According to hydrodynamics expert John Bredehoeft:
“At greatest risk of contamination are the coalbed aquifers currently used as sources of drinking water.” Contamination associated with hydrofracturing threatens the usefulness of aquifers for future use.”
> Here is a marvelous interactive infographic “DEEP DIVE” *
*The DEEP DIVE presentation above is from supporters of ‘FRACAct‘ (Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act) which would require the energy industry to disclose all chemicals used in fracturing fluid as well as repeal fracking’s exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act.
And that is the problem in large part: Fracking uses extremely toxic and destructive chemicals in huge volumes that threaten the aquifers that provide our water and yet, amazingly, fracking is exempt from important regulation and law, like the Safe Drinking Water Act.
“It also affects the health condition of those people who are living quite close to the affected area. It is an ideal weapon which “fuels” the genocide-like contamination of the supply of food in U.S.,” reports Carolanne Wright at NaturalNews.com
Another danger of fracking is that each time the process is used there is an outside chance of it triggering an earthquake.
Do we really need these catastrophic risks, in New York or anywhere?
