OPINION / COMMENTARY
In Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Texas, we have collected cases of the industrialization of fracking areas that has degraded water quality, air quality and threatened human health. The nature of mineral rights and the such could result in the destruction of our state parks.
Fracking destroys roads and harms the quality of life wherever it has taken place.
The threat of fracking for Marcellus Shale could be a great threat to the people and permanently harm the resources of New York State. All citizens should be informed and involved and comment to the state during this review period that ends January 11, 2012.
The momentum, size and wealth of the industry has outgrown the government’s ability to be little more than a witness and facilitator to fracking.
We have horror stories of poisoned wells, surface water and waste water pollution of streams everyplace fracking has occurred but the industry denies or sweeps aside the claims on the basis they are anecdotal and fail to also fully describe the benefits of fracking that they claim outweigh the occasional detriments.
But we have no way of knowing since there is no long term or wide spread report or accurate source of information. The NYSDEC is nearing the completion of its preparation of an impact study to determine if permits can be issued by the state to allow fracking to take place in certain selected areas.
On this basis the Niagara Group of Sierra Club has assembled facts and background information on their website at http://stopdrillinggoclean.org/, including a link to the DEC site so you can record your own comments. Also use our site for a link to visit the Atlantic Chapter site for access to more information.
Visit our website at: http://stopdrillinggoclean.org/
Joanne Hameister ¦
Monday 5 December, 2011
I happen to have a jaded view of all the attempts that seem to be aimed at harvesting all of the earth's natural, non-renewable resources so that there's not much left for future generations; I interpret the motives to be more profit-driven than necessary for survival. Whether or not the horror stories are only anecdotal at this point is not an issue with me; they should be regarded as an early warning and a potential travesty for those who come after us and who must find a way to remediate and fix. We should know; we’re trying to deal with some of the travesties of our forefathers.
Dr. Marvin Resnikoff has commented on this fracking issue from a radiological point of view. His newsletter is on the GrowNY site at http://growwny.org/whats-new/947-to-frack-or-not-to-frack-is-that-the-question
Joanne
Larry Beahan ¦
Monday 5 December, 2011
Right on.
I'd like to see the our WNY Environmental Alliance get togehter as a whole and speak out to the Governor and the DEC not only on the dangers of hydrofracking but on the whole problem of fossel fuels promoting climate change.
But I'd be satisfied with the first step of a quick comment to the governor on the inadequacy of thecurrent fracking SGEIS that is on the table.
Larry Beahan
Art "Happy" Klein ¦
Tuesday 6 December, 2011
I will publish and emphasize our continuing investigations and concern about the long and short term consequences of fracking; attempts of government to assess and control fracking and discussion of the economics of natural gas and its validity as a bridge fuel to the future.
The Sierra Club has a vision of a world beyond carbon, that eliminates all fossil fuels, that must be the sole goal of any realistic global energy strategy.
When any questions arise refer to: http://stopdrillinggoclean.org/
We will help from there.
I urge the caring folk who do act and follow up to make their views known with comments in this blog. Be effective and copy your correspondence to each of your elected officials up the Chain to the Governor along with NYSDEC. CC all!
Our intent is a seamless block: No Fracking in NY