A determined group of activists turned out on a weekday to remind Governor Cuomo that New Yorkers don’t want fracking anywhere. This took place within view and earshot of the Governor’s New York City office. One of our friends on the inside told us that the Governor was due to be in town that day!

Here are some pictures by our activist friend, Dennis Edge.  And below the pictures, we have copied in the Food and Water Watch press release describing this event.

Real people don't want fracking

These are our friends, and yours

That about says it all

The Press Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday June 28, 2011

Contact: Corinne Rosen Tel: 718-943-8064 Email: crosen@fwwatch.org

NEW YORKERS RALLY FOR BAN ON FRACKING Participants Urge Governor Cuomo’s Leadership on Ban Bill

NEW YORK, NY – On Monday, New York City residents called on Governor Andrew Cuomo to support a statewide ban on a dangerous gas drilling technique known as hydraulic-fracturing, or fracking, at a press event and rally in front of his Manhattan office.

A number of anti-fracking groups, including Food & Water Watch, United for Action, Earth Day New York, and Frack Action, were joined by over 50 concerned New Yorkers who shouted in unison, “Ban fracking now!”.

David Braun of United for Action expressed his gratitude to the governor for showing leadership in legalizing gay marriage in New York and urged him to continue protecting the basic rights of New Yorkers, like the right to clean and safe drinking water: “It is excellent that Governor Cuomo has taken such a strong stand in support of gay rights and imperative that he continue to defend the rights of New Yorkers on the issues of the day – issues like dangerous gas drilling, which continues to jeopardize the health of the public and of our environment.”

Fracking involves injecting water, sand and toxic chemicals deep underground to break up dense rock formations and release natural gas. Opponents of fracking cite the high potential for water and air pollution as a leading reason to ban the practice. Over 1,000 cases of water contamination have been reported near fracking sites.

“We are here to remind the governor that he has a choice,” said Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award nominated documentary Gasland. “He can either serve the people or serve gas companies.”

Following the event, participants delivered Food & Water Watch’s latest report, “The Case for a Ban on Gas Fracking” to the governor’s office. The report outlines how the natural gas industry’s use of water-intensive, toxic, unregulated practices for natural gas extraction are compromising public health and polluting water resources necessary for human health and sanitation, businesses and agriculture.

Late last year, New York State passed a six-month moratorium on the practice. In late May, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued the federal government for not assessing the environmental impacts of fracking near the Delaware River, which supplies drinking water for 15 million Americans.

Currently, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is finalizing its environmental impact statement on fracking.

The Case for a Ban on Gas Fracking is available here: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/the-case-for-a-ban-on-gas-fracking

A map of municipalities that have taken action against fracking is available here: