Dear Readers: Please celebrate having two of The Upper Delaware River Valley’s sons nominated for Academy awards: Josh Fox for “Gasland” and Mark Ruffalo for “The Kids Are All Right.”
At this auspicious time in world history, send your own letter about Hydraulic Fracturing to President Obama. (Many thanks to Marcia Nehemiah for sending both this link and one for today’s NY Times report on hydraulic fracturing to The Upper Delaware Network.)
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Dear President Obama,
While you watch the Oscars tonight, you will see clips from “Gasland.” Please watch them carefully. The people in the movie are my brothers and sisters.
The waters of the Delaware River Valley meet the thirsts of 17+ million people and they are under threat. (Lower Valley, Upper Valley)
I thought the Gulf, Flower Mound, Dimock, PA and scores of others would be sufficient to show the careless disregard with which gas extractors ply their dangerous trade. I was wrong.
Gas extracted from my valley does not represent energy independence: much of it will ship to BP, Norway, and others.
“Big Coal” lied to us years ago and its agenda was shoved down our throats with the connivance of our leaders and representatives. Pennsylvania and New York are no better off — and are probably worse — for that sad chapter in our histories.
“Big Energy?” “Clean Gas?” Just more “Big Coal.”
How many more people have to sicken? How many more fields & forest lands have to be destroyed? (Please support a National Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing!)
How many more neighborhoods, livelihoods, properties have to be wasted by 600+ undisclosed “proprietary” chemicals? (Please support the Frac Act!)
There comes a point when ambition and greed are just unseemly, Mr. President. And as we saw and voted in 2008, ignorance of the cost of something is not an excuse for supporting it. (The Iraq War.)
Please! Watch the movie. No matter what control you believe your opponents wield, it’s nothing to the power being generated by the flora and fauna in my valley or the risk they face.
Sincerely,
Liz Bucar
Breathing Is Political 