Environmental Action


Bill McKibben in Al Jazeera:

New pipeline to challenge Obama's promises
Obama finally has the opportunity to make good on his environmental promises, but will he?

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Take Action! 



The Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act (H.R. 2766), (S. 1215)—was introduced to both houses of the the 
United States Congress on June 9, 2009, and aims to repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the Safe Drinking Water Act. It would require the energy industry to disclose the chemicals it mixes with the water and sand it pumps underground in the hydraulic fracturing process (also known as fracking), information that has largely been protected astrade secretsControversy surrounds the practice of hydraulic fracturing as a threat to drinking water supplies.[1] The gas industry opposes the legislation.[2]

The House bill was introduced by representatives 
Diana DeGette, D-Colo., Maurice Hinchey D-N.Y., and Jared Polis, D-Colo. The Senate version was introduced by senators Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. 



NY State Action from the Working Families Party:



Do you have 2 minutes to call Governor Paterson right now? 


The moratorium on hydraulic fracture gas drilling arrived on his desk yesterday, and he's got 10 days to sign it - but the drilling industry is pushing back hard.1 

We can't let the governor waver now, after all our work to get this bill through both the State Senate and the Assembly. He needs to know that he can make history by signing this moratorium on 'fracking,' and be a hero for millions of New Yorkers and others across the country who want to keep our water safe. 

We want to make 2,500 calls to the governor's office ASAP. If you're near a phone, can you call right now? Click here for simple instructions: 


WFP supporters shut down the State Senate's phone lines in August when we were pushing them to pass the moratorium bill - and they responded to our grassroots action. Now it's time to show Governor Paterson that thousands of New Yorkers want him to do the right thing - and will remember him as a hero if he does. 

Drillers are making outrageous claims that this bill will unintentionally stop safer kinds of gas drilling along with horizontal hydraulic fracturing. But the truth is that the drilling industry hoped to get around the fracking ban by drilling other types of wells and then converting them into horizontal fracking operations. 

We can't let that happen, and we can't let their deceptions and donations win. For months, the Governor has said he favors putting a hold on fracking - now it's up to us to convince him to deliver on that promise. 

Please, take 2 minutes to call Governor Paterson right now and tell him to sign this fracking bill: 


Thanks,

Dan Cantor
WFP Executive Director

Source:
1) "Paterson Unsure if He'll Sign Fracking Ban" - Poughkeepsie Journal, 12/1/10