Epic State of the State Rally Thronged by 2,000+ Fractivists/Thanks So Much/Keep Slugging

Greetings:

I want to thank each and every individual, group and institution that made our 2014 State of the State Rally a stupendous success. The event was thronged by more than 2,000 Fractivists who made their overwhelming presence known to everyone attending Governor Cuomo's address. The result was epic pandemonium.

Activists were barred from gathering along the Empire State Plaza Concourse between the Capitol and the Convention Center (aka The Egg). This was clearly intended to prevent a repeat of last year's pinnacle moment when hundreds of Legislators and political heavyweights heading to the State of the State address were subjected to the full force of 1,500 screaming, sign-waving Fractivists.

The ploy did not work. Despite being confined behind steel barriers, we massed around the entrance to the Egg. The chanting, drumming, stomping, pounding and general mayhem went on for hours at deafening levels. Activists paraded around with signs, banners, posters, art, costumes and all kinds of political messages. Troopers were everywhere. The political spectacle was better than ever.

I did not see even one pro-fracker. We totally dwarfed them last year and they did not come back to get embarrassed again.

We also vastly outnumbered a smattering of pro-gun Safe Act opponents. There were maybe a couple of dozen of them in a sea of Fractivists.

In short, we succeeded in dominating this critical day of political protest. Governor Cuomo once again did not dare mention shale fracking in his speech.

You can check out a radio clip, pictures of stalwart grassroots activists and video of grassroots democracy on full display.

http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2014-01-09/wgxc-inter...

http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/news/2014-01-09/penned-ant...

http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/photos/2014/01/08/cuomo-st...

Take Nothing For Granted

After a great Rally like this, it is easy to rest on our laurels, but that would likely be a tragic mistake.

After you bask in the glory of this important achievement, I implore you to get right back to the hard work of maintaining New York's nearly six-year long shale fracking moratorium. Take nothing for granted. We could be losers in a heartbeat.

Keep Pressuring Governor Cuomo

Governor Cuomo has not yet made his final shale fracking decision one way or another. We must keep cranking up the heat to prevent him from permitting shale gas fracking.

Dr. Shah continues to undertake his DOH "review" without any public participation whatsoever. He promised transparency after his "review" is done. That is ridiculously unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the chilling reality is that unless we require Governor Cuomo to halt his DOH "review," it can be completed any time. Ten days later a Final SGEIS could be adopted. Unless a legal challenge results in a court granting a "stay," shale fracking permits could be granted without further delay. There is no assurance that a "stay" would be granted.

Watch Two Videos That Spell Out What You Can Do to Maintain New York's Shale Fracking Moratorium

Despite all the progress we have made to hold off shale fracking in New York, we are still hanging by a thread. Keep pushing harder than ever.

Halt the DOH "review:" http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/videos/2013/08/23/walter-h...

Bird-dog Governor Cuomo: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/videos/ithaca_rally

Cautionary Notes

1. Do not believe anyone who tells you to "thank" the Governor because he "kicked the fracking can down the road." The Governor must not be thanked until he fulfills our requests to halt the DOH "review" and undertake a comprehensive "Public Health Impact Study" openly and transparently with formal public participation.

If these goals can be achieved, Governor Cuomo would earn our thanks because shale fracking very likely would not be permitted in New York for many years to come, if ever.

2. Do not believe anyone who tells you that giant corporations do not want to frack New York's Marcellus Shale. The American Petroleum Institute, Exxon, Shell and Constellation Energy reportedly spent nearly $700,000.00 in our state during the first half of 2013 on lobbying, public education outreach and other activities. They obviously have not given up on fracking New York.

3. In the days to come, we must continue to bolster our ranks and generate increased opposition to shale fracking hazards. Keep knocking on doors and talking to your neighbors. We must find new converts by using every opportunity to proselytize about shale fracking hazards. We must keep driving up polling results against shale fracking or Governor Cuomo could proceed.

4. Governments giveth as well as taketh away. Under Democrat Mayor Matt Ryan, Binghamton adopted a two-year shale fracking moratorium. That moratorium was overturned by legal challenge and was in the process of being appealed when Mayor Ryan's term ended. One of the first acts by the new Mayor, Republican Rich David, was to withdraw that appeal.

Conclusion

New York's shale fracking moratorium remains in full force because no Final SGEIS has been adopted more than three years after Executive Order No. 41 required the fatally flawed original Draft SGEIS to be "revised."

If we can similarly halt the DOH "review" and "send it back to the drawing board," shale fracking might not be permitted in our state for many more years to come, if ever.

From coast to coast, shale fracking for natural gas and oil has engulfed most of the nation. If we lose strategic focus, we could share the same terrible fate. After all we have achieved, that would be too sad for words. Moreover, the nation's best hope to safeguard public health and the environment from shale fracking hazards would be dashed.

Each day between now and November 4, 2014 will be a political eternity as Governor Cuomo runs hard for reelection. Please keep calling, emailing and bird-dogging the Governor. Every single effort we make in the coming months will count.

More to come shortly. Onward and upward.

Very best regards,

Walter

Keep calling and emailing Governor Cuomo to request that he:

1) put on-hold Dr. Shah's shale fracking "review" because it lacks public participation and

2) undertake a comprehensive "Public Health Impact Study" openly and transparently with formal public participation to resolve shale fracking hazard concerns once and for all.

Emphasize that you are a registered voter (if true) who is extremely concerned about Marcellus Shale fracking hazards.

Express outrage that Governor Cuomo proposes to base New York's most important environmental decision on a secret DOH "review" that lacks any public participation regarding how the "review" should be undertaken.

Underscore that preventing shale fracking public health hazards is a top priority for you and that you will "remember in November" when it comes time to cast your ballot.

Email Governor Cuomo: http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact/GovernorContactForm.php

Call the Governor:

Albany: 518-474-8390

New York City: 212-681-4580

Binghamton: 607-721-8367

Tweet the Governor: @NYGovCuomo

Facebook him: https://www.facebook.com/GovernorAndrewCuomo?sk=wall

Send Governor Cuomo a letter which requests that the DOH "review" be put on-hold: http://apps.toxicstargeting.com/ms_email_template.php

Sign a coalition letter to Shale Fracking Panel Members to make sure that they cannot shill for the Governor by taking crumbs: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/letters/2013/10/17/letter-...

Join more than 22,000 signatories to the Withdraw the Revised Draft Coalition letter: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/2011

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