There's no shale on Cape Cod, just sand. That's why our utility company's plan to spray herbicides under the power lines is such a bad idea. Toxic chemicals will filter down into our sole-source aquifer. We drink this water. In thinking about water, which we have not done here for a while, it's important to remember the battle being waged in New York and Pennsylvania where some legislators think injecting toxic chemicals into the ground to recover natural gas deposits is okay. It's not. New York State residents were able to obtain a moratorium until May 2011. Check out the details:
What Really Happened? Did We Win or Lose?
On Saturday, Governor Paterson issued an executive order barring horizontally-drilled high-volume hydraulic fracturing in New York State until July, 2011. At the same time, he vetoed a bill that would have barred all hydraulic fracturing in the state until May, 2011. .
Fact: New York is the first state in the union to legally impose a statewide moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF).
"Fact: The governor and both houses of the state legislature have called for a moratorium on HVHF because of substantial health and safety concerns.
Fact: By the time the executive order expires in July 2011, New York will have held off HVHF for three years-some HVHF well permit applications will have been sitting on the shelf in Albany for more than two and a half years.
Fact: Under the new executive order nothing is permitted now that was not already allowed under the de facto moratorium that's been in effect since June 2008.
At heart, the ultimate success of our efforts will depend upon one thing and one thing only-our ability to educate people about the realities of fracking. This was made evident last summer when two polls showed that an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers want nothing to do with fracking once they understand the risks involved. Every day that we can delay HVHF is another opportunity to provide the public with the facts."
For more information, go to Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy.
