You Can't Frack City Hall

First, the EPA hearing on Fracking has been cancelled, (first moved to Syracuse and then cancelled).

Yesterday, the senate held a press conference on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan to discuss the moratorium on Fracking that passed in the state budget. Mark Ruffalo, the Actor from The Kids Are All Right spoke substantially at the hearing alongside Senator Addabbo and Senator Malcom Smith. Julia Walsh of Frack Action spoke, concluding the conference, "On behalf of [her] generation." Susan Zimet, the Ulster County legislator that spoke at the Albany conference with Ruffalo and Pete Seeger told the story of Julia's hard work over the past three months, ("Her heart broke") and how Senator Sampson sat on the bill for a long time and then finally voted for it. (Photo, DNAinfo.com)

Senator Malcom Smith said, "We believe the economic development opportunities are there for us. We are looking forward to them after we assure ourselves," (that Fracking is safe). Kate Sinding of NRDC said, "Before a single drill enters the ground, let's make sure we know what the risks are. That's all that this bill does."

There were activists from Sierra Club, Food and Water Watch, and United for Action, as well as independent parties, including, Stephanie Lowe.

Mark Ruffalo said, "There seems to be a lot of Upstate/Downstate thing going on. You hear it a lot from politicians. They use it to keep us apart, to polarize us.... New York City needs Upstate New York. Upstate New York needs New York City. There's no difference between us. So when politicians come in with this load of bunk, that Downstate New York is trying to tell Up

state New York what to do, I say screw!" He then explained that New York's moratorium inspired Australia to pass a nationwide moratorium. Julie and Craig Sautner of Dimock PA, who's family has suffered from Fracking contamination came to their 2nd Frack Action action, but not their 2nd Frack action, brought their brown water and testified. Ruffalo referred to them as, "America," and "Us." A man who lives five miles from them and rode from Pennsylvania with them, wore a hardhat and a red Haliburton-construction suit and held a sign that said, "LET THEM DRINK GAS," with a crown on each side.

Walsh said, "Right now, as we stand here, in the midst of this disaster in the Gulf, in the midst of Hydrofracking contaminations, distasters and deaths happening across this country,

we recognize that this is time for a change. And it's a time for a change where we as every day citizens, as in all of social movement history in this country have done before, need to

stand up together, and to say to the government, 'You work for us. You represent us, and not this industry.' It was a momentous occasion that the New York State senate stood up for the People and not on behalf of the corporate, special interest that are controlling the country right now... If there is any entity across this state that could unite us, Upstate and Downstate, it is our water. So now in the face of an industry that says, 'We're coming in. We can create jobs. We can get this Natural Gas from under the ground and it's safe.' We know it's not safe. There is no regulatory body on the federal level, who is standing up, to look at what's happening across this country right now and taking action. The closest thing we have is hearings that the EPA is doing about groundwater contamination. That is not enough! We need a national moratorium across New York State, across this country, and lead the way." (Photo, DNAinfo.com)

The man in the Haliburton suit passed out flyers for Gas Stock: Free Concert Rally on August 21st at Luzurne County Fair Grounds(2). He said to me, "Bradford Coun

ty (PA) is being hit really bad, is being drilled heavier... I think the issue is people think if their water is people think... if their water is play, they think they're

all done. Takes a while for things to happen.

"In my opinion," he continued, "they think it will last forever," (the facilities). "Things rust..." He alluded to pipes breaking down and Fracking Fluid entering the aquifers. "Fifty years from now, if this doesn't stop, you won't want to live in Pennsylvania."

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc3hbk45qYU&feature=player_embedded#!

2. http://www.gasstockconcert.com/

Press:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/08/daily-politics-video-mark-ruff.html

http://dnainfo.com/20100810/downtown/mark-ruffalo-joins-pols-at-city-hall-say-no-fracking

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2010/08/09/ruffalo-senate-democrats-urge-assembly-to-take-up-drillling-delay/

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2010/August/11/frack_debate-11Aug10.html

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/40800/
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/mark_ruffalo_looking_good_while_qFsq5boBn2MQOyHEAvmL9J

(On hearing postponement)

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100811/BIZ/8110336/-1/SITEMAP

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20100809/NEWS01/8090387/Fracking+meeting++Change+of+venue+sends+rally+organizers+scrambling

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/8000-people-e-p-a-defers-hearing-on-fracking/?src=mv
http://www.frackaction.com/content/aug-12th-hearings-and-rally-canceled