Democracy Now! Addresses the Gas Industry

Congress to Investigate Safety of Natural Gas Drilling Practice Known as Hydraulic Fracturing

The top Democrats on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce have asked eight oil-field companies to disclose the chemicals they’ve used and the wells they’ve drilled in over the past four years. Last week, Waxman also revealed two of the largest gas drilling companies have pumped hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel-based fluids into the ground in violation of a voluntary agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Guests:

Josh Fox, director of GasLand. Won Special Jury Prize for Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. In GasLand, Josh Fox travels across the United States to meet people whose lives have been impacted by natural gas drilling.

Lisa Bracken, lives on a wildlife sanctuary near Divide Creek in Colorado. Divide Creek suffered environmental damage in a blowout cause by natural gas drilling. She appears in GasLand.

Joe Levine, co-founder of the groups Damascus Citizens for Sustainability and NY-H2O, which oppose the gas drilling.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!

Democracy Now! Reports on Gas Drilling in NY

Environmental Battle Brews in New York over Natural Gas Drilling

Last week, government regulators opened the door to natural gas drilling inside the Marcellus Shale watershed, which supplies drinking water to some 15 million people, including nine million New Yorkers. Stretching from New York to Kentucky, the shale is believed to hold some of the world’s largest deposits of natural gas. Proponents say the drilling will boost the nation’s economic recovery and reduce dependence on foreign oil. But environmentalists are warning the drilling could contaminate New York’s water supply as it has in other states. The proposed regulations are now open for public comment until the end of the next month, followed by a final decision early next year.

Sharif Abdel Kouddous, sitting in for Amy Goodman, interviews three guests on DEMOCRACY NOW! seen on Free Speech TV Channel 9415 (DISH Network).

Guests:
Albert Appleton, Former commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and former director of the New York City Water and Sewer System. Teaches courses in sustainability and economics at Hunter College and Cooper Union.

Brad Gill, Executive director of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York, an oil industry trade group which supports drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

Joe Levine, co-founder of the groups Damascus Citizens for Sustainability and NY-H2O.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!
NO DRILLING IN NY WATERSHEDS!