Greetings,
Marcellus Shale events are unfolding very quickly. Hold onto your hats for the months ahead.
First, we received extensive press coverage for reaching our goal of 10,000 signatories to the Withdraw the draft SGEIS coalition letter and for asking Andrew Cuomo to spell out in detail his proposed Marcellus Shale "sacrosanct" waters policy.
A front-page article ran in multiple papers in the Finger Lakes/Southern Tier region over several days.
- See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2010-09-26/drilling-opponents-strugg...
- There also was radio coverage. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2010-09-28/hang-hydrofracking-opposi...
- Cover letter to Governor Paterson: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/paterson-letter-...
- Letter to Andrew Cuomo at: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/cuomo-letter-Sep...
Second, I was very pleased to make a presentation last Friday to Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan and her Ridgewood Democratic Club faithful. Assemblywoman Nolan has been a leader to safeguard New York City's water and is a signatory to the Withdraw the draft SGEIS coalition letter. I was honored to speak to so many elected officials, civic leaders and Marcellus Shale activists in Andrew Cuomo's home borough. I also met Assemblyman Rory Lancman, who represents the 25th Assembly District, and Assemblyman Darryl C. Towns, who represents the 54th Assembly District.
Third, Anti-fracking activist Mark Ruffalo was the featured guest at a major fundraiser for Barbara Lifton in Ithaca last Sunday. Assemblywoman Lifton has been a staunch advocate of environmental and public health safeguards for Marcellus Shale. She was one of the first elected officials to sign the Withdraw the draft SGEIS coalition letter. Mark and I answered questions from the floor. It was wonderful to talk to so many anti-fracking activists attending the event.
Fourth, I spoke at Binghamton University on Monday night with Mark Ruffalo, Julia Walsh of Frack Action, Dave Frey of Binghamton Environmental and Professor Adam Flint of the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition. It was a stupendous event with a packed house of 400 to 500 students, faculty, citizens, anti-fracking activists plus a few landowner coalition reps. Thanks to the students and all others who helped make the event a success.
We continue to bolster turn-out at anti-fracking public events in central New York. We rallied 50 people in Binghamton on August 5th, 200 citizens in Ithaca on August 19, more than 300 activists at the September 13th EPA hearing and hit the jackpot at Monday's massive event.
See press coverage at:
- http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2010-09-27/actor-ruffalo-among-anti-...
- http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2010-09-28/video-students-bu-listen-...
- http://www.toxicstargeting.com/news/2010-09-28/video-hydrofracking-drama...
- See photos at: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/photos/binghamton-presenta...
We are cranking up a serious amount of heat to withdraw the draft SGEIS. Keep slugging. The electoral campaigns are just getting rolling. More on that shortly.
Cheers,
Walter
