Cecile Lawrence - Green for US Senate Media Release
www.cecilelawrence.org - www.gpny.org

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2010
For More Info:
Cecile Lawrence, 607 625-5844
Howie Hawkins, 315 425-1019

(Binghamton NY) Cecile Lawrence, the Green party candidate for US Senate to fill Clinton's term, joined with other area residents today in calling for state Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Cuomo to support a ban on hydrofracking.

Area residents opposed to allowing hydrofracking for natural gas will picket outside of Cuomo's media event at the State Office Building Wednesday afternoon.

"As a United States Senator, I will work tirelessly to protect the health and well-being of New York residents and all Americans to block the dangerous technique of hydrofracking for natural gas into stone shales such as the Marcellus and the Utica shales. I want Mr. Cuomo to join me in pledging to oppose hydrofracking. Mr. Cuomo has not given any indication of his stand on this critical issue," said Ms. Lawrence. Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, has announced his support for a ban on hydrofracking.

Lawrence noted that there is have strong evidence of aggressive and unethical, perhaps illegal, behavior by landmen as they approach vulnerable farmers and other owners of acreage in upstate New York, Pennsylvania and other states.

"We hear rumors of the dumping of toxic fracking waste at the side of the road, being spread on roads as “salt” to keep down dust and melt winter’s snow. Where is Mr. Cuomo on this issue? What about the massive withdrawals of water from our rivers, the mighty Susquehanna, the Chenango, and other rivers, as well as our wonderful numerous streams, creeks and lakes? What about the dire situation of so many of the people, the farmers, who produce the food for people all across the state, including New York City and even New Jersey and other states? Where is Mr. Cuomo on this issue?" Lawrence asked.

"As the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico reminds us, 'Drill, Baby, Drill' inevitably means 'Spill, Baby, Spill.' Using hydraulic fracturing of rock formations in gas drilling results in the contamination of water, air and soil. And accidents inevitably happen, which result in major spills that can extend contamination far from the well site," added Hawkins. (www.howiehawkins.org)

The Greens pointed out that Big Oil and Big Gas have set their sights on upstate New York. They want to “frack” the Marcellus and Utica shale formations, and possibly other sandstone and limestone layers, to release natural gas trapped in the rock across much of upstate New York. Hydrofracking means injecting toxic-laden fresh water and sand at extremely high pressure into rock layers to shatter the stone and release the gas. Each frack injects 2 to 9 million gallons of water with 20,000 to 90,000 gallons of toxic chemicals. Where it has been done in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania — in fact, in over 30 states — hydrofracking has generated immense environmental problems