Sen. Avella on Fracking Forum

The entire process of allowing the gas companies into New York State is a complete scandal.  It has been recently revealed in the press that the DEC and the gas companies have been in collusion since day one.  It was also revealed last year in the NY Times that Governor Cuomo has accepted at least $1,000,000.00 from the gas industry in contributions to his campaign.  So, DEC Commissioner Martens and Governor Cuomo cannot claim ignorance.  Neither can they be trusted.

If you have your eyes open and have done even a bit of study, you will find that hydro-frakcing is a disastrous process for the water supply, land, land owners, people’s health and the local economies.  The only one it benefits are the gas companies.  The only acceptable solution is for a total state-wide ban on hydro-fracking.

Liz,
 

You are always well informed on the issues and question
guests incisively. 

This awesome interview with Senator Avella is one example.

Senator Avella shines a light on the mounting concerns
related to hydrofracking — from collusion of the DEC with the gas industry to major health and legal concerns. 

High volume, high pressure horizontal drilling is a
relatively new process,

the ramifications of which are not well understood.   Senator Avella brings

to the forefront the fact that research is just beginning to
emerge, evidenced

by testimony from Dr. Robert Howarth of Cornell and other
researchers. 

The forum, gave us the opportunity to hear concerns of
economists, legal experts, the medical community and others.  

Thanks for spotlighting the senator’s tireless work to
examine the most

critical environmental issue of our time. 

Governor Cuomo has said that “the science” should inform his decision of whether to allow fracking in 5 counties of the Southern Tier, but what I found particularly disturbing to learn, from the preeminent scholars who spoke at Senator Avella’s forum yesterday, is that “the science” that many of these scholars have submitted to the DEC has been utterly ignored.  Appalling.

Just say “Know”.  Shale gas drilling is a disaster waiting to happen.  Even if the 600 or so toxic chemicals could be eliminated, the radon that occurs naturally in the Marcellus shale would render the gas radioactive.

Maybe someday there will be a way to extract this gas safely.  What the hell is the mad rush to use up every drop of fossil fuels on earth? Are there to be no future generations? Maybe if fracking destroys the air and water there won’t be. 

Fracking needs to be made the crime that it is, with stiff sentences for the perpetrators.

I viewed much of the testimony.  It is a sad state of NY politics that the Senate minority had to use this forum to once again demonstrate the dangers of allowing horizontal “fracking” for natural gas to occur in New York State.  The majority Republicans should be ashamed for not allowing this testimony to be a part of the public record. 

thanks, to Sen. Avella for speaking out about the horrors of fracking and for willing to stand up to the Gas Industry and protect NY and not allow this injustice on the people…