Category Archives: Fracking

Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines

Dougherty County, Fracking, Georgia, Law, New York, Pennsylvania, , , , , , , , , ,

County attorneys are paid to be cautious. County and city Commissioners are elected to represent the people. Which will Albany and Dougherty County listen to about unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous pipelines like Sabal Trail?

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 4 August 2014, LOCAL GOVERNMENT 101: Albany’s municipal government based on charter, codes,

Dougherty County officials, who represent residents outside the city limits, say municipalities like Albany have more governmental flexibility in that they are not completely bound by state mandates. But Albany’s city attorney says that is not exactly accurate.

“The state has the authority to preempt any local laws other than zoning,” Nathan Davis says. “If state law ‘moves into an area’ — such as the fireworks law that went into effect in July — municipalities must have a local ordinance that matches the state law.

“There has been in our community a call by some to create an ordinance that would impact the ultimate decision of whether that (Sabal Trail Transmission) pipeline is allowed Continue reading Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines →

Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs

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The woman who stood up for Love Canal residents and caused the federal government to create Superfunds now calls for a nationwide fracking ban. And with no fracking, there will be no new pipelines!

Buffalo News, 13 July 2015, Another Voice: Federal fracking ban should follow New York’s lead,

By Lois Marie Gibbs

On June 29, New York took the final step in the process to ban fracking, following the announcement of the ban last December based on significant public health risks. In many ways, the ban stems from the large movement of activists and scientists who raised their voices and showed clearly that fracking has unacceptable dangers. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo deserves tremendous praise for standing up to the oil and gas industry and protecting the public health and safety of all New Yorkers.

Unfortunately, the federal government’s plans for fracking contrast poorly Continue reading Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs →

Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level

Fracking, Georgia, Jefferson County, LNG, New York, Pennsylvania, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Local ordinances lead to state laws banning fracking and pipelines. And don’t forget Sabal Trail has to get permits from the Georgia Department of Transportation for road crossings and an air quality permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for the Albany compressor station, or no pipeline. There is plenty local, state, and federal elected officials can do to stop this invading fracked methane destruction and hazard. Rev. Ezekiel Holly called on local officials to act. Here are some ways how.

How about a county ordinance rooted in the Comprehensive Plan? A local ordinance was used by Jefferson County, Florida to keep Nestle out of the same Floridan Aquifer. Local ordinances have been used in Pennsylvania to stop pipelines, and upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Local ordinances were used across New York State to ban fracking, and upheld by the state Court of Appeals, until the state government finally took up the cause and banned fracking statewide.

Now New York state residents are saying Continue reading Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level →

Stopping fracking means stopping pipelines: Yoko Ono et al. in the New York Times

FERC, Fracking, Hazards, New York, Pennsylvania, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gasland posted on facebook a picture of an ad against fracking, pipelines, and LNG export in the New York Times 9 July 2015 by Yoko Ono, Gasland, Food and Water Watch, and many other groups. 300x502 Ad in New York Times, in Imagine there is no Fracking!, by Yoko Ono, for SpectraBusters.org, 9 July 2015 You can sign onto that letter here.

Everything it says applies as much to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida and the Williams-Spectra-FPL Transco-Sabal Trail-FSC fracked methane pipeline chain as it does to New York and Williams’ “Constitution Pipeline”. Here are a few excerpts:

By now the whole world knows that Fracking is bad for your health! It is bad for communities and it is bad for the climate. That is why I am so glad that New York State and Governor Andrew Cuomo banned fracking.

But now we are facing the gas industry who are still trying to Frack New York. The fracked gas industry wants to build a pipeline that would cut across New York state like a scar that never heals. It goes by the ridiculous and Orwellian name “The Constitution Pipeline”. How dare they!

We cannot allow another poisonous plan for our beautiful state that we all love.

We must stop fracking, which means we must not transport fracked gas across our state where it is headed for foreign export markets. The danger to our homes, is also Continue reading Stopping fracking means stopping pipelines: Yoko Ono et al. in the New York Times →

Justice was served at last for the Seneca Lake protesters

Fracking, Hazards, History, Law, New York, Trees, Water, , , , , , , , , ,

This, Sabal Trail, is what a historical precedent looks like. They protested fracked methane storage, were arrested, charged, and the charges were just dismissed with prejudice, which means they case can’t be brought back on those charges. Everything they said about Seneca Lake applies equally to the Sabal Trail pipeline, the Palmetto Pipeline, Elba Island LNG export, and the rest of the whole cash-out-before-the-carbon-bubble-pops fossil fuel boondoggle.

Sometimes, in good conscience, citizens must engage in non-violent acts of civil disobedience to protect our sacred trust.

Surveying for the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is not “imperative”, no matter how many threatening letters Sabal Trail sends. These are our sacred trust: Continue reading Justice was served at last for the Seneca Lake protesters →

Anti-fracking resolution suggested to Thomas County, Georgia

Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hamilton County, Madison County, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Shale basins lie under our Floridan Aquifer in most of south Georgia and much of north Florida, plus northwest Georgia, so it’s time for Georgia counties to join Florida in passing anti-fracking resolutions.

Alton Burns wrote:

I submitted a request for a resolution to ban fracking in Georgia to the Thomas County Board of Commissioners on 3/15/2015. So please, I would like the people of Thomas County to reinforce this and the people of all counties in Gerogia to do likewise. Together we can stop this crime!

Here’s the text of the request he sent to the Thomas County Commission: Continue reading Anti-fracking resolution suggested to Thomas County, Georgia →

Columbia County, FL steps towards anti-fracking ordinance

Columbia County, Florida, Fracking, Law, , , , , , , ,

And of course our own Laura gave her usual valuable insights! An excellent presentation by OSFR well attended except by Suwannee County citizens. Columbia County voted to have their attorney consult with Alachua County to draft a resolution or ordinance against fracking and related issues. Thank you Merrillee, Jim and all the members of OSFR and other groups for a concise and excellent presentation. Now for the rest of North Florida counties… Like Suwannee County

Our Santa Fe River, 15 January 2015, Columbia Commissioners Take First Step,

And a giant step it was. The far-sighted and open-minded commissioners listened attentively and with interest to the detailed, informative and professionally delivered Power Point presentation by OSFR president Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson giving the many reasons for adopting an ordinance banning fracking in Continue reading Columbia County, FL steps towards anti-fracking ordinance →

Deaths and occupational hazards from fracking

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People die from fracking, both from contamination and on the job.

Deaths from fracking contamination

Cause and effect is notoriously difficult to prove for deaths from chemical or radiation contamination, but here are some that seem very likely:

New York State to ban fracking

Fracking, Hazards, Health, Law, New York, Safety, Water, , , , , , , , , , ,

Fossil fuels are going down, as the third most populous U.S. state follows the lead of dozens of its local governments and bans fracking. The sun is rising.

Jesse McKinley, New York Times, today 17 December 2014, Cuomo to Ban Fracking in New York State, Citing Health Risks,

The Cuomo administration announced Wednesday that it would ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State, ending years of uncertainty by concluding that the controversial method of extracting gas from deep underground could contaminate the state’s air and water and pose inestimable public-health risks.

“I cannot support high volume hydraulic fracturing in the great state of New York,” said Howard Zucker, the acting commissioner of health.

That conclusion was delivered Continue reading New York State to ban fracking →

FWW petition against FPL fracking

Florida, Fracking, Oklahoma, , , , , , , , ,

Tampa Bay Times opposes FPL fracking Oklahoma to send fracked methane through the Sabal Trail pipeline, and so can you, through this petition by Food & Water Watch: Tell PSC to deny Florida Power & Light’s request for fracked gas!

Remember, FPL’s parent NextEra Energy is buying into green energy in Hawaii. FPL should do the same in the Sunshine State.

You can also write letters to the editor, like Vickie Machado sent to the Miami Herald Don’t allow fracking in Florida, 6 December 2014, Continue reading FWW petition against FPL fracking →