Posts Tagged ‘Josh Fox’

New York State Of Mind – Now Available In Frack-Free

December 21, 2014

New York will ban fracking — huzzah!

Despite the media’s subdued coverage, fractivists will always remember where they were when they first heard the news. I was sitting at my desk, reading emails.

Citing Health Risks, Cuomo Bans Fracking in New York State, by Thomas Kaplan, New York Times, December 17, 2014.

New York State Prohibits Fracking Delaware Riverkeeper Network Applauds New York’s Assessment and Conclusion, Press Release, The Delaware Riverkeeper Network, December 17, 2014. 

Cuomo’s announcement was not only momentous, it was a surprise gift, and it was met with gratitude, tears of joy, and dancing in the streets. A spontaneous gathering thanked Cuomo, who merrily took one of the activist’s signs with him to commemorate the historic occasion. This very festive video was posted on Facebook by Sabrina Artel.

On msnbc, however, Alex Wagner characterized Cuomo decision like that of a reluctant, job-killing environmental anti-hero who was shying away from the limelight for the sake of appearing politic. I think she sells Cuomo short. I get the sense that the governor simply preferred to let science have its day.

(more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, Energy, fracking | 1 Comment »

Dear President Obama, Please Meet With Citizens Impacted By Fracking

July 11, 2013

Right after the release of Gasland II on HBO, Josh Fox sent this letter to President Obama, and he asked fellow fractivists to share it, too.

Finally got to see the film, and I felt relieved and recharged because Fox has successfully captured, in granular detail, an accurate portrait of big energy fracking U.S. democracy, and a fossil-free movement that is growing larger and ever more determined. The complexity of images, information, and emotions validated my impression of the shale gas invasion over the past few years, both in Pennsylvania and around the world. Given that this form of extreme fossil fuel extraction is ramping up exponentially worldwide, and entire regions of my home state are being transformed into endless industrial zones, the request seems pretty damn reasonable. Sharing!

Request to President Obama: Please meet with the Scientists and Families in GASLAND, Part II

Josh’s letter to President Obama, July 8th, 2013:

Dear President Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary Moniz, Heather Zichal and Valerie Jarrett,

I write to request a meeting with you and families directly impacted by oil and gas drilling and fracking—as documented in Gasland Part II—to…gether with a small group of scientists and engineers who are also featured in the film.   (more…)

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Posted in Energy, Environment, epa, fracking, Politics, shale gas pollution, US Energy Policy | Leave a Comment »

Think About It – Cement Won’t Last Forever

June 21, 2013

Energy From Shale is yet another generic new front group created by America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) to advertise the illusion that the highly polluting process of shale gas production is really shiny, clean and green. They recently launched their first PR effort, asking us to “Think About It.” Believe me, ANGA, I have.

Even when done correctly, fracking cannot be done safely. 

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All cement wellbore seals, every last one of them, will fail over time. Cement simply doesn’t last forever. Steel can crack. Even if drillers get everything exactly right the first time, cement will become porous due to heat and pressure. Earthquakes, whether caused by nature or deep waste injection wells, hold the potential to damage seals. In about 50-60 years tops, according to gas industry estimates, most wellbore seals will fail, eventually enabling pathways for fluids and gases to communicate  with aquifers, geological formations or the environment.

Image Credit: George E. King Engineering, March, 2009

This is an aspect of the drilling issue that simply cannot be ignored. When it comes to the future security of our drinking water supplies, this is the crux of it.

Now, It’s About Gas. Ultimately, It’s About Water.

“It’s not roulette. It’s a certainty,” Gasland II filmmaker and citizen of the United States, Josh Fox, recently said on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher. “This is a problem the gas industry can’t fix.”

Headless Fed: EPA Punts Fracking Study

The good news is, drillers have the technology to reseal and replug failed wellbores. The bad news is, they have to do it fairly often. More than 5% of wellbore seals fail immediately.    (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, Energy, Environment, fracking, Politics, shale gas pollution, US Energy Policy | 1 Comment »

Got Civil Rights? Flaunt Them In Harrisburg With Josh Fox on June18th

June 15, 2013

Now We’re Cookin! (But Not With Gas)

CALL TO ACTION!  

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Rally In Harrisburg With Gasland II Filmaker Josh Fox  

Tell Pennsylvania Governor Corbett, “No More Cover Ups for the Drillers!”

Tuesday, June 18 – 12 Noon

Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg PA

Please join Clean Water Action, Delaware Riverkeeper Network and many others. (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, Environment, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, Pennsylvania Watersheds, Politics, Unconventional Gas Drilling | Leave a Comment »

Five Thousand Fractivists Take It To Washington

July 29, 2012

I may have been the 5000th protester, but I got to shake Josh Fox’s hand and thank him for keeping our tap water safe! For every person who made it to the Stop The Frack Attack! rally in Washington DC, many more were there in spirit. This movement is growing!

Filmmaker Josh Fox With A Cluster of Reporters

“This issue’s not going away,” said filmmaker Fox, flanked by reporters on the march.   (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, Energy, Environment, fracking | 1 Comment »

Babes In Truthland

July 18, 2012

Rep. Jesse White’s Search For An ‘Honest and Fact-Based’ Discussion

There’s nothing irrational about wanting to protect our land, air and water from the ravages of industrial shale gas drilling. Today, Truthland is making the rounds with sponsored viewings in drilling regions across the state. I suppose the showings are meant to mimic the viewings of Gasland that fractivists regularly host in their homes. Make no mistake, Truthland was created by and for the Gas Industry, so they could have an artsy puff piece, sort of a mockumentary answer to Josh Fox’s powerful, Golden Globe winning, Academy Award-nominated film. But serious propaganda it ain’t, and if the ramifications of people believing this dreck weren’t so serious, one might even say it’s a gas. Truth is, Truthland only generates more exposure for Gasland, and makes us impatient for the promised sequel, Gasland2. Until then, Fox fills the factual void with this emergency short film, The Sky Is Pink.

Rep. Jesse White [D-46th] recently attended a viewing of Truthland in his district “to learn” …   (more…)

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Gas, Lies & Videotape

July 7, 2012

Wanna see a gas industry executive lying like a dirty rug to an understandably concerned citizen at public Zoning Board meeting in Pennsylvania? Watch.

“Shouldn’t have any in it,” drones Chief Gathering’s expert witness, an employee whose name is not readily apparent, in response to questions about specific toxins from a resident concerned about the air impacts of a newly permitted Glycol Dehydration Unit near her home in Monroe Township. She wanted to know if Chief’s new unit would emit benzene, toluene or formaldehyde. He said the station will emit only methane. She also asked if the emissions would affect her children’s asthma. She was told, simply, “I don’t believe it does.”

Something smelled off to Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition Luzerne County, who picked up on Chief’s misinformation right away. They submitted data, along with the gas guy’s testimony, to two highly regarded experts seeking their take on this brand of bullshit from industry boots on the ground. GDACLucerne then posted the responses with the video on YouTube. It’s footage like this that makes the gas industry wince, and want to ban citizens from videotaping public township meetings. (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, Environment, fracking, fresh water pollution, shale gas pollution, Unconventional Gas Drilling | Leave a Comment »

“My Body of Water”

May 10, 2012

Coaltion-building is key to defeating the gasholes who want to Frack with the Delaware River Watershed. Luckily, we’ve got some serious NYC star-power to help fuel the movement to protect it.

Protect Our Drinking Water! Stop Hydraulic Fracturing!

“My Body of Water” is a short spot created by Citizens for Water, Damascus Citizens, Catskill Mountain Keeper, and Bone/Levine Architects, and it features Adrian Grenier, Leighton Meester, Norman Reedus, Zoe Kravitz, Sandra Bernhard, Ezra Miller, Nigel Barker, Christina Mclarty, Nev Shulman, Toure, Mehdi Nebbou, Alek Wek, Alysia Reiner, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Chris Taylor from Grizzly Bear. Thanks to Josh Fox and Faith Zerbe of Delaware Riverkeeper Network for passing it along. Enjoy!

For more information, please visit iHeartH2O.org

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The Uncensored Consensus: Fracking Really Is a Bad Thing

March 25, 2012

I’ve been called every nasty name you can think of, in the Comments sections of articles about Fracking that is. Epithets hurled at me include: tree-hugger, Chicken Little, anti-, Leftie, kool-aid drinking hippie and – my personal favorite – a nimby. I’ve also been called a liberal, idealistic, elitist, obstructionist and a dumb Democrat. Those are the accusations that actually make me stop and think. Have I somehow gotten this “frac’ing” thing all wrong? Is it possible that drilling for shale gas is the best thing since sliced bread? Maybe I’m merely raging against the machine, opposing something that truly is a “blessing under our feet”?

Most recently, in the Comment section of Lucia Graves’ Huffiington Post piece, Josh Fox Condemns Fracking About-Face By USDA, I was called a “green zombie” by someone named Oil Patch. (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, fracking, hydraulic fracturing, shale gas pollution, Stop Fracking PA! | Leave a Comment »

Occupy DRBC! Filmmaker Josh Fox Urges Peaceful Protest on November 21

November 10, 2011

Josh Fox, whose Oscar-nominated documentary Gasland inspired a global movement, is calling all water activists to stand up to and say NO! to Fracking in the Delaware River Basin on Monday, November 21, 2011 in Trenton, NJ. The rally begins at 8am at The Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, NJ, where the next Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) meeting is to be held. If the commission votes to enact its new draft regulations for industrial gas drilling, the Delaware River Watershed, source of drinking water for 15.6 million people, will be immediately be open to 300 new frack wells, with many more to follow 18 months later. Fox has his detractors, even in the mainstream media, but a Gasland sequel is reportedly in the works with HBO, and there’s buzz over a possible trilogy. I’m a card-carrying fan. This Vimeo clip features Fox’s most recent call-to-action. (more…)

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Posted in anti-fracking movement, hydraulic fracturing, Pennsylvania Watersheds, Politics | 2 Comments »