 Tap water catches fire in the trailer for the documentary: Gasland Coming to a kitchen sink near you: hazardous flammable tap water as frack drilling comes to New York State and oil and gas companies continue their "gold rush" for natural gas. The unconventional gas extraction method used is called hydraulic fracturing, horizontal drilling or "fracking." During the process over 500 chemicals, along with thousands of gallons of water, are injected deep into the earth to fracture rock and release natural gas deposits. Local ground water systems are often contaminated. Oil and gas companies are currently exempt from disclosing the chemicals they use (many of which have been found to be known neurotoxins and carcinogens) because of a 2005 Energy Bill loophole masterminded by Dick Cheney and passed by congress under George W. Bush. Fracking is totally unregulated by the EPA. Oil and gas companies are targeting New York's southern tier counties including Thompkins, Sullivan, Delaware and Ulster counties. July 25, 2010 ACTION ALERT: CALL ALBANY NOW NYS Senate goes back to session WEDNESDAY 7/28. Call Senator John Sampson: ask him to bring moratorium bill to a vote! July 22, 2010 ACTION ALERT: CALL PELOSI NOW From Jason Fox: URGENT! Please reach out RIGHT NOW to tell Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer NOT to strip the fracking disclosure provision out of the oil spill response bill! It would mandate disclosure of fracking chemicals for natural gas drilling wells on federal lands – a big first step forward to protect communities. For Speaker Pelosi, call 202-225-0100 or go to http://www.speaker.gov/contact/. For Majority Leader Hoyer, call 202-225-3130 or go to http://www.majorityleader.gov/email_and_rss/email_the_leader/ Learn more at www.gaslandthemovie.com July 17, 2010 ACTION ALERT: CALL ALBANY NOW The legislation session is coming to a close next week. Instead of moving the Thompson Bill (S8129) which would require an 11 month moratorium in NYS to the floor for a vote, Senator Sampson is playing politics with our health. Let him know he has an obligation to protect our state water, land and air. Tell NYS Senator John Sampson to support and bring the Thompson Bill (S8129) to a vote. Tell NYS Senator John Bonacic to support and pass the moratorium now. Email the NYS Senate: http://www.nysenate.gov/contact_form Learn more at www.frackaction.com
Image: © Copyright 2010 Pro Publica Inc., Fracking Exemption from Clean Water Storm Water Eliminated! Hinchey Congratulates Arcuri on Passing Amendment in Committee to Eliminate Fracking Exemption from Clean Water Act Storm Water Runoff Rules, July 2, 2010 Washington, DC - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today released the following statement regarding Congressman Michael Arcuri's (D-NY) successful effort to pass an amendment that would eliminate the special exemption that natural gas drillers have from the Clean Water Act's storm water runoff rules. The amendment was offered during markup by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of H.R. 5629 - "Oil Spill Accountability and Environmental Protection Act of 2010." The special exemption for natural gas drillers was carved out in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, which Hinchey strongly opposed and voted against. "I congratulate Congressman Arcuri for his successful committee amendment to eliminate the exemption that natural gas drillers have from the Clean Water Act storm water runoff rules. The inclusion of his amendment in the Oil Spill Accountability and Environmental Protection Act of 2010 represents the first successful effort to eliminate the special exemptions that were created for the industry in the 2005 Energy Policy Act, which I strongly opposed. "This is a very positive sign for those who are concerned with the harmful risks to water resources posed by the hydraulic fracturing drilling process that is currently unregulated by the federal government. I look forward to working with Congressman Arcuri to ensure that this important amendment is made law, and I will continue working to pass additional legislation to close other loopholes and special carve outs that exempt big energy companies from the safe and clean drinking water rules that New Yorkers rely on for the security of their health and the protection of their homes and property." Congress must get rid of the Unconventional Gas Drilling or Fracking StatementUCDW is following the issue of unconventional gas drilling closely. We believe every NYS resident’s water should be protected. At our monthly meeting on November 9, 2009, UCDW membership voted to support the Executive Committee of the Atlantic Chapter (New York State) of the Sierra Club resolution calling on the NYS legislature to enact a BAN on Unconventional Gas Drilling in NYS. The Atlantic Chapter of Sierra Club resolution: “WHEREAS extensive environmental and health damages would be caused by horizontal drilling and high pressure hydrofracturing gas extraction techniques due to the contamination of water, soil and air by the toxic chemicals used in drilling and fracturing, and the naturally occurring toxic chemicals brought to the surface from deep in the ground, “WHEREAS these environmental and human and animal health damages will have damaging economic consequences on residential property values, and on the state’s tourism, agriculture, forestry, winery, real estate development and educational businesses, “WHEREAS the infrastructure costs of building and repairing roads, water treatment facilities, and other public services would far exceed any economic benefit to local communities, and “WHEREAS it is yet to be proven that the green house effects of the production and use of natural gas produced by horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing are any less than those of the production and use of coal when the life cycle emissions of natural gas production and the higher impact of methane as a green house gas are taken into account. “Be It Resolved that the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club calls on the New York State Legislature to enact a ban on permitting gas wells that use horizontal drilling and hydro-fracturing to release gas from tight sand and shale formations such as the Marcellus.” Hinchey outlines 11 steps he says are needed before Marcellus Shale Drilling is permitted Hinchey proposed 11 steps he believes should be undertaken before drilling is permitted in New York: * A cumulative impact analysis of natural gas drilling in the Marcellus formation to understand the full impact of drilling; READ FULL STORY AT MIDHUDSON NEWS Dec 2009 Ulster County Democratic Women (UCDW) joins New York State environmental organizations, and others, calling for Governor Paterson to withdraw the dSGEIS and order DEC back to the drawing board on their review of potential gas drilling in New York's Marcellus Shale. Due to the influence of powerful oil and gas companies, as well as our current economic woes, this process has been fast-tracked. Undue haste risks damage to our very air, water, health and communities that we can't afford. And our state will face necessary and costly future clean ups. All the above must be done honestly and transparently, using current science and techniques. This review must be deliberate, not hasty. On behalf of UCDW membership, JoAnn Chamberlain
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RESOURCES DEC NYS map of active Marcellus wells ACTION Send Frack Action Letter to NYS Legislators Write to Newspapers and your representatives in government Join No Fracking Way on Facebook VIDEOS:
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