Welcome Obama to Pennsylvania–And Show Him Fracking Isn’t!

President Obama is visiting two battlegrounds of fracking tomorrow: New York and our own Scranton, Pennsylvania. Obama wants to talk about the future of higher education, but we want to remind him of the damage he’s doing to our state and climate’s future through his support of fracking and LNG exports. Details and a schedule are below.

In a post mentioning Protecting Our Waters and Food and Water Watch’s planned actions,  the NRDC’s Switchboard blog explains:

Although Americans concerned about climate change have rightfully applauded the President’s newly announced climate initiatives, especially his decision to set carbon standards for power plants, his strong endorsement of expanded domestic natural gas development has concerned some environmentalists and local citizens (as well as the editorial board of the Albany Times Union). This is particularly so in the face of the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent withdrawal from three high-profile, potentially precedential, investigations related to alleged drinking water contamination from fracking, which raises red flags about the seriousness with which the Administration is taking its on-going study of fracking’s risks. Determined to ensure the President understands these concerns, activists across Pennsylvania and New York plan to make their voices heard at each stop along the President’s journey.

Activists’ rumblings are already being noticed by various media outlets.

Reports State Impact Pennsylvania:

President Barack Obama is heading to Scranton tomorrow to talk about higher education, but the elephant in the gymnasium at Lackawanna College will be fracking.

As Obama touts his new plan to make college more affordable for the middle class, environmental activists already have plans of their own – to line up on the street outside the college to call for a ban on fracking.

And on Time’s website:

President Obama is planning to tout his education plan when he visits upstate New York this week, beginning with an appearance in Buffalo today—but much of his audience is likely to be interested in only one subject: fracking.

Where?  501 Vine St. Scranton, across the street from the Lackawanna College Student Union

Where do I park? Parking is free in the Hill Section of Scranton which is immediately uphill (southeast) of the venue and closer to Dunmore which is east of the venue, on your way out of downtown. Give yourself a half an hour added travel time to find parking and walk to the venue. If you choose to park at a meter, the limit for most meters is two hours.

1PM: Pre-Press Conference with Ray Kemble, Vera Scroggins, Craig Stevens, and other impacted residents as they wait on line for the doors to open into the student union. (if you can show up for this, please do)

3PM: Assemble for the Rally

3:30PM: Rally Begins

4:55PM: President Speaks

6:00PM (or after President’s departure) Post-Press Conference with Ray Kemble, Vera Scroggins, Craig Stevens, and other impacted residents.