August 27th Don't Frack NY Rally in Albany, NY

Over a thousand concerned citizens of New York and surrounding states came out yesterday with a massive show of unity among grass roots campaigns to Ban Fracking in NY State. This ground swell of support around a single issue is probably the biggest single issue movement since Civil Rights. Looking around at the people present yesterday, I saw people from literally all sectors of society. All ages, races, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds are coming together to say NO! Hell No! Ban Fracking NOW!!

all photos courtesy of Eric Walton

 Gas Industry Supporters love to claim that allowing Hydrofrackers drilling access to NY State land will provide economic recovery & job opportunities to local people. This claim is easily debunked when looking to the states that have already fallen victim to their claims such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Wyoming and West Virginia. People in these states would surely have something to say about these claims.

The Gas Industry claims are designed to create a rush to invest because the cost of drilling is so high, often higher than the actual yield from the drill. They claim an increase in jobs, but the industry brings with it wildcat crews to work the rigs from out of state. These crews travel from drill rig to drill rig with the industry. They come into communities and flood the real estate market, which in turn jacks up their prices, resulting in an increase in local homelessness. Locals get priced out, usually the most vulnerable citizens such as the poor and elderly end up with no place to go.

 The Industries claims of increase in job opportunities are exaggerated. For example, in Pennsylvania, the Gas Industry claimed that it created 90,000 jobs over a 4 year period. Not according to the Pennsylvania Dept of Labor which reported just 10,000 jobs were created by Gas Industry and out of that, 7,000 went to out of state workers!~

 Economic Boom claims are also extremely bloated by the Gas Industry to make it sound more appealing. Speculation is no different than gambling. They are using their claims to create a Ponzi Scheme which will benefit Wall Street and hurt farmers and residents.

 Estimate by Prof. John Schwartz of Ithaca College: Potential gain from Shale drilling in NYS would be $1.1 Billion Annually - $22 billion over a 20 year period. (if the bubble lasts that long) This figure is not minus other factors such as environmental damage, human health costs, fires, explosions etc.. Conversely, the Proven gain from traditional industries that Hydro Fracking would destroy, such as Tourism, Farm, Dairy, Recreation, Hunting, Wildlife Watching, Fishing, Grapes & Wine is over $20 Billion Annually. Do the math. That's over $400 Billion in a twenty year period! How many jobs would we loose from these industries if NY allows Fracking?

 Furthermore, it's imperative that Fracking is Banned in all 62 counties in NY because if drilling is allowed in one county, the water table is affected in all the surrounding counties. Water isn't separated by county lines. Those are human constructions.

*facts courtesy of the publication "The Flowback"