4/13/2010
Greetings,
Many thanks to everyone who has been emailing, calling and beating the bushes for more signatories to the coalition letter requesting the Marcellus Shale draft SGEIS to be withdrawn (http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/coalition_letter). We have been getting help from as far away as northern Germany and from some incredibly esteemed citizens.
I am providing a short email you can use as a template. Feel free to spell out your concerns in your own words after you first request the draft SGEIS to be withdrawn. See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/sample-letter
DEC is reportedly trying to prevent callers from speaking to anyone in a leadership position, such as the Commissioner (Pete Grannis), the Executive Deputy Commissioner (Stewart Gruskin) or the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the Division of Mineral Resources (Val Washington). Try your best to reach them or leave a message and request a call back. After all, they work for taxpayers. Be brief, to-the-point and polite.
Speaking to the Division of Mineral Resources is pretty much a waste of effort. As one county health official wrote in a document I released last week: "A representative I spoke with at the NYS DEC Division of Minerals insists that the potential for drinking water well contamination by oil and gas well drilling is almost non-existent." Speak to them only as a last resort.
Let me know how you make out. This could be the moment of truth. Keep slugging.
Best regards,
Walter
P. S. Here is an interesting "Do we want a Chemical Chernobyl in New York" letter to inspire you: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/dec_letter/outreach
