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Prohibit Gelled Propane Fracking Coalition letter Gains 750+ Signatories and Extensive Media Coverage/New York's Much-Ballyhooed Statewide Fracking "Ban" Has a Dangerous Loophole That We Must Close ASAP
Please call Governor Cuomo during business hours at 518 474 8390 to request that he immediately prohibit the use of "gelled propane," Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and all other so-called "environmentally friendly" non-water shale gas fracking methods in New York pending an environmental impact assessment conducted pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR).
Please support Toxics Targeting's unique, on-going campaign to keep shale fracking 100% out of New York: http://toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/donate
Greetings,
It is now beyond dispute that New York's definition of "high-volume hydraulic fracturing" contains a dangerous loophole that fails to prohibit "gelled propane," also known as Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), and other so-called "environmentally friendly" fracking methods that do not use water. See definition at the end of this alert.
Two gelled propane/LPG fracking applications are now under review by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the Town of Barton in Tioga County. This is precisely where Governor Cuomo reportedly supported "phased-permitting" of shale fracking along the border with Pennsylvania.
New York Still Not Safe From Threat of Shale Fracking
The battle to safeguard New York from shale fracking is obviously far from over. In only one week, our campaign to require Governor Cuomo to prohibit gelled propane/LPG fracking is barreling along full-steam ahead. Our efforts just received excellent media coverage. Thanks to the Binghamton press corps for their hard work on a super busy news day.
See: Walter Hang Interview on Binghamton Now - 7/23/2015
Anti-Fracking Activists Call For Ban on Alternative Methods of Fracking
Group calls on Cuomo to close fracking loophole
Activists Call on Gov. Cuomo to Ban 'Green Alternative' Fracking
Red Alert: Take Urgent Action Today
Please take urgent action to make sure that New York remains 100% free of shale fracking. Do not believe assertions that Governor Cuomo totally "banned" shale fracking or that firms will not frack New York due to the unrewarding economics of shale gas extraction.
New York remains under systematic shale fracking assault by the biggest corporations in America. Let me briefly explain what is going on and how we can best respond.
Statewide Shale Fracking Prohibition Has a Big Loophole That Must Be Plugged
When the Final SGEIS (Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement) Findings Statement was issued on June 29th, it sounded great:
"Selection of the No Action alternative means that the Department will not establish a high-volume hydraulic fracturing permitting program; that no individual or site-specific permit applications for wells using high-volume hydraulic fracturing will be processed; and that high-volume hydraulic fracturing will be prohibited in New York State (emphasis added)."
The problem is that hidden in a Findings Statement footnote is the definition of high-volume hydraulic fracturing. It only applies to "300,000 gallons or more of water (emphasis added)" and does not prohibit "gelled propane," LPG and other "environmental friendly chemical approach" fracking methods that were specifically rejected because:
"they all fail to limit unavoidable adverse environmental impacts and fail to address the risks and uncertainties of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (emphasis added)."
Gelled propane/LPG is extraordinarily flammable and explosive. When used for fracking, it does not eliminate generation of highly toxic and radioactive "produced water," otherwise known as "brine" or a wide array of other environmental hazards.
Call Governor Cuomo During Business Hours at 518 474 8390 to Request That He Immediately Prohibit Gelled Propane and LPG Fracking in NYS.
Respectfully request that the Governor immediately prohibit the use of "gelled propane" LPG and all other so-called "environmentally friendly" non-water shale gas fracking methods in New York pending an environmental impact assessment conducted pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR).
Beat the Bushes for Signatories to Our New Coalition Letter
Our coalition letter includes detailed documentation to support our request and has already been delivered to the Governor with a respectful cover note. We will update his office as more signatories are added.
Impressive Coalition Letter Signatories
Our coalition letter has more than 750 signatories, including an amazing array of physicians, artists, elected government officials, attorneys, nurses, health professionals, psychotherapists, educators, religious leaders, scientists, academic researchers, geographers, biologists, farmers, small business owners, philanthropists, students and concerned citizens of every ilk.
The signatories are identified with more than 100 environmental, civic, cultural, historic preservation, artistic, public interest, academic and sustainable energy groups, institutions and government bodies. See the impressive list below.
They hail from all over New York as well as Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon, California and London, United Kingdom.
Big Green Groups Fail to Support Gelled Propane/LPG Coalition Letter
Not one statewide or national environmental group in New York is a signatory to our latest coalition letter. That has been pretty much par for the course over the last six years.
Some big green groups reportedly assured their members that they are working "behind the scenes" to address gelled propane/LPG concerns. With all respect, that is unacceptable. Organizations must publicly oppose gelled propane/LPG fracking or it will appear that they tacitly approve of the "environmentally-friendly chemical alternatives" approach.
If you are a member of any big green groups, please ask them very firmly to sign the coalition letter. Do not accept any lame excuses. You can always threaten to withhold contributions. If you are a heavy hitter, please lean very hard.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the citizens who battled so long and well to prevent adoption of an inadequate SGEIS have been instrumental in making sure that not even one shale gas production well has ever been fracked in New York. But we have much more work to do. I implore you to stay focused and to keep pushing. Everything good that we have achieved in the last seven years is on the line.
Please continue to "trust, but verify" because "nothing can be taken for granted," "the devil is in the details" and "it ain't over till it's over."
Thanks so much. Onward and upward.
Cheers,
Walter
Signatories to New Coalition Letter Identified with More Than 100 Environmental, Civic, Religious and Other Groups, Organizations and Institutions from Coast to Coast
Chenango Community Action for Renewable Energy
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Lakeshore Env Action
Chris Dennis Environment Fund
Enfield Neighbors for Safe Air and Water
Southern Oregon Blue Skies Project
Concerned Citizens of Rural Broome
Energy Conservation Specialists, LLC
Cayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance
Dryden Resource Awareness Coalition
Sanford-Oquaga Area Concerned Citizens
Sustainable Tompkins
NY4Whales.org
Rochester Defense Against Fracking
Blue Quarry Designs
Residents Allied for the Future of Tioga
Independent Strategies
ClearView Psychotherapy Associates
Bronx River Bicycle Works
VeRSE, Hoyt Foundation, cooperative Gallery 213
Far Rider Farm
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability
Cornell University
SUNY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY at ALFRED
University of Rochester Medical Center
American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS)
Kingstoncitizens.org
Earth Guardians Fruita, Colorado
Serenity Software
Lamoka-Waneta Lakes Association
First Ward Alderperson
City of Ithaca
ithaca city school district
Fossil Fuel Resistance
Olive Defense Against Fracking
American Federation of Musicians Local 802
NYRAD
Symphoria
Ithaca College
Social Justice and Outreach Committee
Church of the Assumption, Fairport NY
Colorbrightongreen.org
Transfiguration Monastery
Quest Farm
Kestrel Haven Migration Observatory
Goldpetals
PAUSE
WVKR
R-CAUSE (Rochesterians Concerned About Unsafe Shale-gas Extraction)
Rochester, N.Y.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
BeanCounters Unlimited
Handmade Frames, Inc.
Earth Guardians NY
Shamrock Hill Farm
Concerned Citizens of Otego
Protect Orange County
A Stone's Throw Bed & Breakfast
Church Women United in New York State
Village Independent Democrats
Yurt at Loomis Lair
franciscan mountain retreat
Concerned Citizens of Allegany County
Town of Ithaca Conservation Board
Rogers Deadfall Furniture
Siena College
Groton Resource Awareness Coalition
Vestal Residents for Safe Energy (VeRSE)
Transition Catskills
Bergen Swamp Society
Climate Justice
Sierra Club
O. C. Peace and Justice
Finger Lakes Zero Waste Coalition, Inc.
Stewart Park and Reserve Coalition (SPARC)
Earth Guardians NY
Ithaca-SHIP
Lakehouse Graphics
Marist College
Green Party
Montclair State Univerity
Park Foundation
Wells College
Covert Counts; Finger Lakes Sierra Club
Councilwoman
Town of Binghamton
Advocates for Springfield
Southern Cayuga Anti-Fracking Alliance
Compressor Free Franklin, Franklin Local, Ltd,
Geography and Environmental Planning
Ban Unconventional Gas Extraction
Common Ground
REALNYS
Village Trustee
Village of Cooperstown New York
Grassroots Environmental Education
Preserve the Hudson Vally, Stop the CPV plant
Catskill Heritage Alliance
Creating Change Consulting
Build a better future
Community Science Institute
Great Lakes Brewing News
Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy
Environmental Climate Task Force First Unitarian Rochester
Regional Action Group for the Environment- RAGE
Concerned Residents of Oxford
"1 High-volume hydraulic fracturing is defined as the stimulation of a well using 300,000 or more gallons of water (emphasis added) as the base fluid for hydraulic fracturing for all stages in a well completion, regardless of whether the well is vertical or directional, including horizontal. The 300,000-gallon threshold is the sum of all water (emphasis added), fresh and recycled, used for all stages in a well completion. Well stimulation requiring less than 300,000 gallons of water (emphasis added) as the base fluid for hydraulic fracturing for all stages in a well completion is not considered high-volume, and will continue to be reviewed and permitted pursuant to the 1992 GEIS, and 1992 and 1993 Findings Statements."
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DEC’s Unplugged Abandoned Wells Database & Overview Map
Marcellus Shale Interactive Map
