Post by melody on May 2, 2013 22:07:11 GMT -5
ANTI-FRACKING GROUPS PRESENT PETITIONS TO GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
4/30/13
By Jeff Cox, PLS
The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and a coalition of community, public health, religious and environmental groups today held a Capitol Hill rally to deliver petitions with over 100,000 signatures to the Governor’s Office calling for an immediate moratorium on gas drilling “until our environment and public health can be protected. According to the center’s field director Adam Garber, “The voices of concerned Pennsylvanians have spoken loud and clear today: If this track record of pollution, destruction and environmental violations is what we’re seeing in fracking’s ‘infancy’ stage, the people of Pennsylvania don’t want to see maturity.”
Garber said, “Today is not just about the dangers of fracking. It is about the growing army of concerned citizens from every corner of the Commonwealth who have joined together to call for our elected officials to put our environment and health first.” He added, “When we first started this campaign with our allies and launched our effort the public response has been overwhelming.” According to Garber, “Pennsylvanians from all walks of life signed the petition: Democrats, Republicans and Independents; residents from our cities, suburbs and rural Pennsylvania; and from every corner and county of the Commonwealth.”
Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny), a leading critic of the natural gas drilling industry, announced that today he has started to circulate a memo to members of the Senate asked them to co-sponsor legislation to place a temporary moratorium in the Commonwealth on natural gas drilling for one year after the effective date of the legislation. He explained the bill would establish a commission to study and analyze the environmental, social and economic impacts of natural gas drilling and recommend changes to the Commonwealth’s statutory and regulatory framework to ensure the protection of the public and the environment. Sen. Ferlo further explained the recommendations would include the protection of rivers and water ways, the protection of drinking water and management of waste water as well as storm water runoffs and spills. He added that other issues would include reviewing the air quality laws and regulations; the permitting and inspection standards; and the impact on the State labor market. Sen. Ferlo said, “It is very critical that we do a moratorium.”
Rev. William Thwing, pastor at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Johnstown and current President of Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, told participants that the delegates of the western Pennsylvania conference of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on drilling in Pennsylvania “until state regulations are put in place which will ensure the safety of our citizens.” He added, “We are one of several faith communities in Pennsylvania who have called for a moratorium.” According to Thwing, during the drafting of the resolution, the conference worked closely with Lutheran, Methodist and Jewish colleagues. He pointed out the Pennsylvania Council of Churches has also called for a moratorium on shale drilling until “rock solid regulations and a strong shale drilling police force are firmly in place to ensure the enforcement of the regulations with stiff penalties for violators.”
A former worker at a gas drilling well, Rick Sawyer, told participants he was speaking on behalf of two of his former colleagues and friends who have become too sick to attend the rally. He spoke about his one friend has been ill for 18 months and has seen 42 doctors. Sawyer commented, “None of them knows what is wrong with us.” He claimed, “They won’t tell us anything. They are scared to death of the gag order the gas industry has on these doctors.” Pointing out that Pennsylvania was one of first states where Marcellus shale was found, Sawyer asserted, “They call us the ‘canary in the coal mine.” He added, “Well, the canary is sick.” He concluded, “It’s got to stop and it’s got to start right here. This is where it stops.”
Karen Feridun, founder of Berks Gas Truth, pointed out that Berks County is not in the fracking region but two natural gas pipelines are planned to cross the county. She noted one of the pipelines is to go through one of the largest forested areas in southeast Pennsylvania. Feridun said her group is “trying desperately to stop this.” She added, “I am very interested to see the industry’s response to these petitions we have here today and tell us how on earth they are going to make this process safe.” Feridun remarked, “There are plenty of people in this building who thing their job is to get gas done and we are here with our 100,000 petitions to tell them no.” She continued, “You are not here to get gas done, you are here to protect our best interests.
Sam Bernhardt, an organizer for Food & Water Watch, told the rally, “After years of poisoned drinking water, toxic spills and air pollution, Pennsylvanians are increasingly becoming fed up with fracking.” He added, “Across the state, local officials have been feeling the heat from residents, and now our leaders in Harrisburg are feeling the heat as well. Pennsylvanians are sick of fracking.”
Ljubica Sarafov, Mid-Atlantic Field Organizer for Democracy for America, said her organization’s Pennsylvania groups are “extremely concerned about the dangerous impacts fracking has on human health and the environment.” She went on to say, “Our members are willing and ready to demand Governor Corbett and legislators to protect Pennsylvanians from fracking.”
Iris Marie Bloom, Director of Protecting Our Waters, argued, “This is a heavy industrial toxic experiment that has failed.” She asserted, “We never consented to be guinea pigs for this industry.” Bloom also said, “It’s time to admit this fracking experiment has failed and call a halt before more people get hurt.”
As the groups prepared to deliver the petitions, Garber told the rally participants, “This is just the beginning. A hundred thousand people for a moratorium is not the end of this process.”
4/30/13
By Jeff Cox, PLS
The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and a coalition of community, public health, religious and environmental groups today held a Capitol Hill rally to deliver petitions with over 100,000 signatures to the Governor’s Office calling for an immediate moratorium on gas drilling “until our environment and public health can be protected. According to the center’s field director Adam Garber, “The voices of concerned Pennsylvanians have spoken loud and clear today: If this track record of pollution, destruction and environmental violations is what we’re seeing in fracking’s ‘infancy’ stage, the people of Pennsylvania don’t want to see maturity.”
Garber said, “Today is not just about the dangers of fracking. It is about the growing army of concerned citizens from every corner of the Commonwealth who have joined together to call for our elected officials to put our environment and health first.” He added, “When we first started this campaign with our allies and launched our effort the public response has been overwhelming.” According to Garber, “Pennsylvanians from all walks of life signed the petition: Democrats, Republicans and Independents; residents from our cities, suburbs and rural Pennsylvania; and from every corner and county of the Commonwealth.”
Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Allegheny), a leading critic of the natural gas drilling industry, announced that today he has started to circulate a memo to members of the Senate asked them to co-sponsor legislation to place a temporary moratorium in the Commonwealth on natural gas drilling for one year after the effective date of the legislation. He explained the bill would establish a commission to study and analyze the environmental, social and economic impacts of natural gas drilling and recommend changes to the Commonwealth’s statutory and regulatory framework to ensure the protection of the public and the environment. Sen. Ferlo further explained the recommendations would include the protection of rivers and water ways, the protection of drinking water and management of waste water as well as storm water runoffs and spills. He added that other issues would include reviewing the air quality laws and regulations; the permitting and inspection standards; and the impact on the State labor market. Sen. Ferlo said, “It is very critical that we do a moratorium.”
Rev. William Thwing, pastor at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Johnstown and current President of Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, told participants that the delegates of the western Pennsylvania conference of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on drilling in Pennsylvania “until state regulations are put in place which will ensure the safety of our citizens.” He added, “We are one of several faith communities in Pennsylvania who have called for a moratorium.” According to Thwing, during the drafting of the resolution, the conference worked closely with Lutheran, Methodist and Jewish colleagues. He pointed out the Pennsylvania Council of Churches has also called for a moratorium on shale drilling until “rock solid regulations and a strong shale drilling police force are firmly in place to ensure the enforcement of the regulations with stiff penalties for violators.”
A former worker at a gas drilling well, Rick Sawyer, told participants he was speaking on behalf of two of his former colleagues and friends who have become too sick to attend the rally. He spoke about his one friend has been ill for 18 months and has seen 42 doctors. Sawyer commented, “None of them knows what is wrong with us.” He claimed, “They won’t tell us anything. They are scared to death of the gag order the gas industry has on these doctors.” Pointing out that Pennsylvania was one of first states where Marcellus shale was found, Sawyer asserted, “They call us the ‘canary in the coal mine.” He added, “Well, the canary is sick.” He concluded, “It’s got to stop and it’s got to start right here. This is where it stops.”
Karen Feridun, founder of Berks Gas Truth, pointed out that Berks County is not in the fracking region but two natural gas pipelines are planned to cross the county. She noted one of the pipelines is to go through one of the largest forested areas in southeast Pennsylvania. Feridun said her group is “trying desperately to stop this.” She added, “I am very interested to see the industry’s response to these petitions we have here today and tell us how on earth they are going to make this process safe.” Feridun remarked, “There are plenty of people in this building who thing their job is to get gas done and we are here with our 100,000 petitions to tell them no.” She continued, “You are not here to get gas done, you are here to protect our best interests.
Sam Bernhardt, an organizer for Food & Water Watch, told the rally, “After years of poisoned drinking water, toxic spills and air pollution, Pennsylvanians are increasingly becoming fed up with fracking.” He added, “Across the state, local officials have been feeling the heat from residents, and now our leaders in Harrisburg are feeling the heat as well. Pennsylvanians are sick of fracking.”
Ljubica Sarafov, Mid-Atlantic Field Organizer for Democracy for America, said her organization’s Pennsylvania groups are “extremely concerned about the dangerous impacts fracking has on human health and the environment.” She went on to say, “Our members are willing and ready to demand Governor Corbett and legislators to protect Pennsylvanians from fracking.”
Iris Marie Bloom, Director of Protecting Our Waters, argued, “This is a heavy industrial toxic experiment that has failed.” She asserted, “We never consented to be guinea pigs for this industry.” Bloom also said, “It’s time to admit this fracking experiment has failed and call a halt before more people get hurt.”
As the groups prepared to deliver the petitions, Garber told the rally participants, “This is just the beginning. A hundred thousand people for a moratorium is not the end of this process.”