Hydrofracking Drama Gets Hollywood Boost

The drama of the natural gas saga in the Southern Tier can often seem like something out of a movie, and tonight someone out of a movie added another scene to the screenplay.

"All I'm saying is if we're going to do this, let's do it safely, because once the cat's out of the bag, there's no getting it back in," said actor Mark Ruffalo.

Mark Ruffalo has starred in Hollywood hits such as 'Shutter Island' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' but his latest, ongoing role has been as an anti-drilling activist.

"I live in Sullivan County, this is my home, I'm not an actor who decided to do this because I want a hobby," Ruffalo said.

Ruffalo joined other opponents of hydro fracking at Binghamton University for a forum on the issue, which aimed to inform the public, and mainly students about what they say are the dangers of drilling in the Marcellus Shale.

"To have somebody so familiar speak about something that is important to everybody, I think that will make a difference," said BU senior Ben Williamson.

Some students may have been star struck, but say the celebrity support shows this environmental issue affects everybody.

"Whether you're famous, whether you're a millionaire, whether you're poor, whether you're middle class, whether you're a plumber, whether you're a lawyer, environmental issues affect the entire population," said Chiara Zaccheo.

And Ruffalo says sharing his thoughts with students is important for the future, because they will be the ones making the decisions regarding the issue in years to come.

Decisions that will affect those he cares most about.

"This is my life, these are my children, and I'd always intended for them to live on this farm through their generation and generations after that," Ruffalo said.