Governor (Frack Me Now) Cuomo Trying To Fast Track Allowing Fracking in New York...Sign Petition to Ban Fracking

Make no bones about it...Governor Cuomo has fracked gas on his hands, frack money in his pockets, and rosy red lips from kissing to much gas ass...he is trying to force through fracking regulations that fall far short of protecting our communities, and we in the Anti-Fracking Camp are trying to stop him and the (un)Natural Gas industry that has spent tens of millions of dollars here in New York on FALSE ADVERTISING...propaganda that is.

Ban Fracking-Protect Our Water and Resources

You can help in the fight by reading the latest press release from "Food and Water Watch" clicking on the link and signing the petition, then taking the link to this article and emailing it to your friends...BETTER YET, put the link to this article up on your Facebook Page....we need to reach 150,000 signatures and have just 6 more days to reach our goal.

PRESS RELEASE

Sign the petition to Ban Fracking Now! We are just shy of our goal to deliver 150,000 signatures to our legislators on May 3rd.

After attending the Senate Fracking Forum in Albany yesterday, I thought it essential to reach out to you at this critical time. Despite the proliferation of questions regarding health and safety, Governor Cuomo's administration is poised to finalize regulations that would allow fracking in New York, and we must stop it! Will you add your name to the letters urging our elected officials to support a ban on fracking?

My colleague, Eric, sent the below email to you back in February asking for you to take action. Since then, many legislators have stepped forward in support of legislation to ban fracking; yet others are still under the impression that we would be able to regulate this mess. How can we regulate a process that still poses more questions than answers?

Regulations aren't free. They cost the public money and they tie up government personnel. Wouldn't it be better to invest in a clean energy future and Ban Fracking Now?

We are organizing several events around the state where we will be delivering petition signatures to our elected officials on May 3rd. Please take moment to sign the letters to our elected officials urging them to support a ban on fracking in New York:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8617

Thanks for taking action,

Corinne Rosen
New York Organizer
Food & Water Watch

Should Fallsburg BAN Fracking?

We Already Have Unsafe Water in Fallsburg

At the next Town of Fallsburg executive session FRACKING is going to be on the table for discussion...more specifically, a BAN ON FRACKING, which this blog and this write supports.  Why is this item on the agenda you might ask?  Because I have asked the "Town of Fallsburg" to amend our zoning regulations to ban not just the act of fracking, but all of its sundry processes including disposal of fracking fluids in our community.

Now the conventional wisdom on the board is "We do not need such a ban, it is highly unlikely the industry would want to frack in our community anyway."  OK, but what if they do?  Surely the board is familiar with the old saying, "A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."?  If the industry has no real interest in doing any fracking in our community, what is the harm in having a ban ALREADY IN EFFECT?  

The Town of Fallsburg covers a pretty big area when you start looking at the sum parts of the whole...IE, it includes our little hamlet of Mountaindale, all of our beautiful streams, water falls and SAFE DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES.  Wouldn't it make more sense to put a ban in effect...just in case the (un)Natural Gas industry and their biased experts are LYING TO US?  

If you support a ban on fracking, you are strongly encouraged to contact our Town Supervisor Steve Vegliante ( svegliante@fallsburgny.com) or call the board secretary (Linda Ingber) at (845) 434-8810 ext. 5 to express your support of a town zoning regulation amendment to ban fracking.  You can also show your support for such a ban by leaving a comment in our comments section.

Letter Seeking Ban

Dear Town of Fallsburg Board:

The Town of Fallsburg Zoning Code as adopted in Article 1, Section 310-1.2 specifically instructs the town in sections A-E, charges the towns elected officials and employees with the following duties and responsibilities:

To preserve the character and rural scenic beauty of the landscape and protect this gateway to the Catskill Forests from inharmonious and destructive uses of land; (emphasis added)

Create an orderly pattern of growth by encouraging concentration of new residential development (emphasis added) in areas that can conveniently be serviced with public facilities and discouraging intensive residential development in areas of difficult accessibility that would involve excessive costs for road improvements, road maintenance, school bus transportation and utility installation;

Regulate population density to reflect the desired character of the Town;

Prevent intrusion of incompatible uses into residential areas, by establishing proper standards for improvements in new residential developments and preserving, protecting and enhancing natural beauty wherever possible; (emphasis added)

Provide for open spaces and to preserve the natural and scenic qualities of lands; (emphasis added)

Furthermore, the town of Fallsburg Zoning Code in Chapter 141 Fresh Water Wetlands in Section 141-1 specifically instructs the town, charges the town’s elected officials and employees with the following duties and responsibilities: 

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the protection, preservation and conservation of the freshwater wetlands within the boundaries of the “Town of Fallsburg”, pursuant to and in accordance with all of the proceedings, concepts and definitions set forth in Article 24 of the Environmental Conservation Law and Title 23 of Article 71 of such law relating to the enforcement of Article 24, as such law may from time to time be amended.

It is the belief of the majority of citizens who reside, recreate and travel through the geographical footprint of the “Town of Fallsburg” that allowing the industrial practice of Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) for exploration of, and drilling for Natural Gas runs contrary to these and other sections of the “Town of Fallsburg” Zoning Rules and Regulations.  It is further believed that any elected official of the “Town of Fallsburg”, any employee of the Town of Fallsburg who would support the industrial practice of Hydraulic within the scope of their OFFICIAL DUTIES (emphasis added) would be violating their “Oath of Office and/or Terms of Employment”.

Recent court cases here in the state of New York related to local ordinances seeking to ban the industrial process of Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) have seen local ordinances upheld, with the judges in two recent cases ruling that such bans are legal, a natural extension of a community's local government right and responsibility  to control land use.   A amendment to the “Town of Fallsburg” Zoning Rules and Regulations, banning the industry practice of Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking), based upon these recent court decisions,  would not be a frivolous waste of the town board’s time, but in fact would serve to preserve our safe drinking water supplies, our communities, and preserve the character and rural scenic beauty of the landscape and protect this gateway to the Catskill Forests from inharmonious and destructive uses of land (emphasis added).

As a citizen of the hamlet of Mountaindale which lays within the geographical and governmental control of the Town of Fallsburg, I am respectfully requesting that the town board take all necessary steps to enact changes as more fully outlined in the below proposed amendment into the “Town of Fallsburg Zoning Ordinance”.

Respectfully Submitted,

Sherwood Martinelli

62 Main Street Apt 2A Mountaindale NY 12763  (845) 693-4513

Proposed Amendments to Town of Fallsburg Zoning Ordinance

The Town of Fallsburg Zoning Ordinance is herby amended as follows:

1.       Section (insert proper section) Definitions is amended by adding new definitions to read as follows:

“Natural Gas” shall mean any gaseous substance, either combustible or noncombustible, which is produced in a natural state from the earth and which maintains a gaseous or rarified state at standard temperature and pressure condition, and/or gaseous components or vapors occurring in or derived from petroleum or other hydrocarbons.

“Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Exploration” shall mean geologic or geophysical activities related to the search for natural gas, petroleum or other subsurface hydrocarbons including prospecting, geophysical and geologic seismic surveying and sampling techniques, which include but are not limited to core or rotary drilling or making an excavation in the search and evaluation or natural gas, petroleum, or other subsurface hydrocarbon deposits.

“Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Exploration and Production Materials” shall mean any solid, semi-solid, liquid, semi-liquid or gaseous material used in the exploration or extraction of natural gas.

“Natural Gas Exploration and/or Petroleum Production Wastes” shall mean any garbage, refuse, cuttings, sludge, flow-back fluids, produced waters or other discarded materials, including solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material that results from or is associated with the exploration, drilling or extraction of natural gas and/or petroleum.

“Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Extraction” shall mean the digging or drilling of a well for the purposes of exploring for, developing or producing natural gas, petroleum or other subsurface hydrocarbons.

“Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Support Activities” shall mean the construction, use, or maintenance of a storage or staging yard, a water or fluid injection station, a water or fluid gathering station, a natural gas or petroleum gathering line, venting station, or compressor with the exploration or extraction of natural gas or petroleum.

2.       Section (insert proper section) is amended by adding a new section (insert proper section) to read as follows:

            Section (insert new section code here) Prohibited Uses

A)      Prohibition against the Exploration for or Extraction of Natural Gas and/or Petroleum. No land in the Town of Fallsburg (and it geographical/governmental outlaying footprint) shall be used: to conduct any exploration for natural gas and/or petroleum; to drill any well for natural gas; to transfer, store, process or treat natural gas; or to dispose of natural gas exploration or production wastes; or to erect any derrick, building or other structure; or to place any machinery or equipment for any such purposes.

B)     Prohibition against the Storage, Treatment and Disposal of Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Exploration and Production Materials.  No land in the Town (and it geographical/governmental outlaying footprint) shall be used for:  the storage, transfer, treatment and/or disposal of natural gas and/or petroleum exploration and production materials.

C)     Prohibition against the Storage, Treatment and Disposal of Natural Gas and/or Petroleum Exploration and Production Wastes. No land in the Town shall be used for: the storage transfer, treatment and/or disposal of natural gas and/or petroleum exploration and production wastes.

D)      Prohibition against Natural Gas and/or Support Activities. No land in the Town shall be used for natural gas and/or petroleum support activities.

E)      Invalidity of Permits.  No permit issued by any local, state, or federal agency, commission or board for a use which would violate the prohibitions of this section or of this ordinance shall be deemed valid within the town (and it geographical/governmental outlaying footprint).

3.      These amendments shall take effect upon adoption and publication as provided by law.

Hydraulic Fracturing Hearing Today In Sullivan County...Protesters Are Invited

Hydraulic Fracturing WILL KILL YOU

The state of New York, Governor Cuomo, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are holding one of only four Public Hearings (more appropriately these meetings should be called Dog and Pony shows) today on the Sullivan Community College campus here in Sullivan county. There will be two sessions today:

Location: Sullivan County Community College, Seelig Theatre
112 College Road, Lock Sheldrake New York 12759

Times: 1:00-4:00 PM
6:00-9:00 PM

Below are the rules...it is suggested these be ignored, and instead the meeting should be turned into an Occupy Movement style protest/sit in as we here in Sullivan County make it absolutely clear that we do not want Hydraulic Fracturing in our communities.

Public Hearing Procedures (Designed to LIMIT Public Involvement)

Because of the significant interest (opposition) in the draft SGEIS and draft regulations for high-volume hydraulic fracturing, the following procedures will apply at the public hearings to ensure that as many speakers as possible have an opportunity to verbally provide comments at the hearings: (They fail to mention that PUBLIC OFFICIALS are given first preference to speak at these dog and pony shows.)

1. Each speaker will have three (3) minutes to comment. An audible reminder will be given when there are thirty (30) seconds remaining. All speakers should be respectful of the time limit so that as many comments as possible can be heard. (God FORBID the hearing should last past nine, or for multiple days, or that more than four hearings be held for the entire stater of New York...again, we are witnessing a Dog and Pony Show of the worst kind and it is imperative we show up in LARGE NUMBERS)
   

2. A visible timer will be displayed at the front of the room to allow each speaker and the audience to see how much time is remaining. Please be ready to speak when your name is called. (Funny how they use the term "PUBLIC HEARING" to limit and curtail our First Amendment rights to redress.)
   

3. Any person who has registered will be allowed to speak, if time is available, on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, it will not be possible for anyone to speak twice if other speakers have not yet had an opportunity to speak. This includes afternoon and evening hearings in the same location as well as subsequent hearing locations, unless all other commenters have had an opportunity to speak. (So if you are a stakeholder with kids, a stakeholder who has a job that sees you get off late afternoon, still having a long commute, and cannot get too this hearing before say 7:00 PM, your voice should not be heard on this important issue?)
   

4. Time allotted to one person will not be transferable to another speaker. (This is all but criminal...if five citizens who are uncomfortable speaking wish to have their words spoken by a proxy, it should be allowed...Industry is allowed a spokesperson all the time, so are public officials, and additionally the time clock rarely if ever applies to them.)
   

5. If the total time for all the speakers who have signed up is less than the available time, the time for each speaker will be increased.
   

6. Elected officials and federal agency representatives will be allowed to speak at the beginning of the meeting since these speakers' comments represent the concerns of the constituents that elected them or the federal agency they speak on behalf of. (It is NOT unusual for these elected officials or their "proxies to use up an hour or more of these meetings.)
   

7. Speakers will be seated in the front row in the order that they arrive. The first 8-10 speakers will be seated in these rows and should come up to speak when called by name. When there are 2-3 speakers remaining, additional speakers will be called to fill the row.

If you live, work, play or drive through Sullivan County, if you are a citizen in surrounding counties who has not been granted a hearing on this issue that will affect ALL CITIZENS of New York, it is imperative that you grab a protest sign and show up for these two meetings. If we have any hope of stopping this railroad before it gains more steam, today is the day. We must let our voices be heard, and the best way for this to happen is through the exercise of our First Amendment Right to protest at and in the meeting.

Old Fracking News WORTH A SECOND LOOK...Pay ATTENTION New York...Natural Gas Industry ADMITS TO RUINING DRINKING WATER in Pittsburgh...PARTLY

KDKA-photocredit

A little late to close the barn door AFTER THE COW is gone...it will be a bit late to Save New York's Safe Pure Drinking Water has been forever TAINTED with deadly chemicals...now we all watch the Natural Gas Industry commercials here in New York (Sullivan County)...listen to HOW SAFE FRACKING IS, how they will NOT HARM OUR WATER.  Well. the Marcellus Shale Drilling Industry has admitted responsibility for CONTAMINATING PITTSBURGH's CLEAN DRINKING WATER...well, admitting partial fault, which for them is HUGE.

Do you really want to believe the (un)Natural Gas Industry's FALSE ASSURANCES, or do we here in New York want to say Thanks, but not thanks to FRACKING in the Marcellus Shale...the answer should be obvious to all those that have not had a frontal lobotomy.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Officials with the Marcellus Shale drilling industry made a shocking admission Tuesday morning.

The president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, which represents natural gas companies, said the group now believes the natural gas exploration industry is partly responsible for rising levels of contaminants found in area drinking water.

The group came to the conclusion after reviewing research from Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.

One of the major factors that led to the conclusion was the discovery of bromide in the water. It’s a salt that is also found in drilling wastewater.

Now, the DEP is calling on Marcellus Shale drillers to stop taking wastewater to 15 treatment plants in the state.

Watch The KDKA-TV News At 5 p.m. For Andy Sheehan’s Full Report

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Fracking Video...Easy To Understand...Please Watch

From the folks over at Fracked Again, a MUST WATCH video presentation on the EVILS of Fracking...it is like watching the old drivein movie cartoons at intermission encouraging us to go buy refreshments.  I urge you to both watch it, and to share it with your friends, neighbors and countrymen.  Meanwhile, you can read Chesapeake Energy's PROPAGANDA FACT SHEET here.