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Philadelphia, protected by a fracking moratorium, shows its famous love by sending replacement water for Pennsylvanians impacted by shale gas drilling

September 23, 2013
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John Fenton (WY), Gerri Kane (PA), others impacted by fracking speak out as Philadelphia is inundated by shale industry CEOs

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release: September 23rd, 2013

Contact: Tracy Carluccio, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, 215.692.2329
Iris Marie Bloom, Protecting Our Waters, 215.840.6489
Karen Feridun, Berks Gas Truth, 610.678.7726
Adam Garber, PennEnvironment, 267.515.1220
Matt Walker, Clean Air Council 215.567.4004 x 121

“New Study Finds High Levels of Arsenic in Groundwater Near Fracking Sites” (Propublica, August 8th, 2013).  “Are Fracking Wastewater Wells Poisoning the Ground beneath our Feet?” (Scientific American, June 21st, 2012). “PA Health Assessment finds Fracking Makes People Sick,” (EcoWatch, August 27rd 2013). “Something in the Air: High Methane Found Near Fracking Operations” (Boulder Weekly, August 29th 2013).

Headlines, studies and footnotes are accumulating into mountains of evidence that fracking is the opposite of what its promoters claim. It’s not clean, it’s dirty. It’s not safe, it’s dangerous. Abundant? The supply may last more like 13 years (Snake Oil, Post-Carbon Institute). And it’s not even “American” any more, as foreign investors and overseas exports increasingly drive the market for this extremely climate-destructive fossil fuel extracted using extreme methods.

Stop by the Arch Street Methodist Church this week during the Shale Gas Outrage Water Drive (noon Tuesday September 24th until the closing Press Conference and Sendoff Thursday the 26th 9:30 – 10:30 AM) to check out the absurdity to which organizers are now driven: collecting water for Pennsylvanians whose water has been impacted by fracking (shale gas drilling in any phase), to keep their families safe and healthy.

On Thursday September 26th organizers take on the larger industry with a counter-conference, teach-in style, at Friends Center: the Freedom from Fracking Conference.

PRESS CONFERENCE Thursday, September 26th 2013

When: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

What:  John Fenton, Gerri Kane, other speakers, Q and A, Water Drive send-off

Where: Arch Street Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia PA 19107

SHALE GAS OUTRAGE WATER DRIVE SEPT. 24th – 26th

While shale industry insiders and public officials meet inside the Philadelphia Convention Center from September 24th through September 26th, anti-fracking organizations will be outside collecting jugs of water and cash contributions to purchase water for Pennsylvanians who have lost their water to drilling operations.

Where:  Arch St. United Methodist Church, Philadelphia, PA 19107

When: Starts September 24th at 12pm; concludes on September 26th at 10:30am when the water is sent to impacted Pennsylvanians

Hours: Volunteers will be there most of the time. Shifts include 12 – 1:30 Tuesday and Wednesday; each day; 8:30 – 10 Wednesday; 5-6:30 pm both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Visuals: Donated water jugs marked with messages from donors; signs, banners, volunteers loading water onto a truck, residents impacted by fracking

Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia

FREEDOM FROM FRACKING CONFERENCE

What: The conference theme is the True Cost of Fracking. Panels and keynotes will focus on the toxic impacts of shale gas development in Pennsylvania and beyond, and how we can stop it.

Where: Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

When: 2 p.m. to 8 PM on Thursday, September 26th

Complete Schedule here: http://shalegasoutrage.wordpress.com/conference-schedule/

John Fenton, keynote speaker, on his Pavillion, Wyoming ranch. Image from Indian Country Today Media Network.

Keynote speaker: John Fenton is a Pavilion, Wyoming rancher whose water was impacted by fracking. The impacts on his land and life were  poignantly captured by director Josh Fox in his Gasland documentaries. Fenton will advocate for the EPA’s investigation into water contamination in Pavilion, abruptly stopped earlier this year, to be reopened.

Conference sessions will include:

  • Understanding the economic costs of fracking
  • Health impacts of shale gas development
  • Reports from people in impacted communities
  • Air, climate, & health impacts of shale gas infrastructure
  • The need for a drilling moratorium and other action
  • The shale industry in Philadelphia, including the Mariner East pipeline, the Delaware River’s port system; LNG, natural gas liquids, Bakken crude transport by rail, and action campaigns!

Organizers of both events:

DELAWARE RIVERKEEPER NETWORK * PROTECTING OUR WATERS * PENNENVIRONMENT * CLEAN AIR COUNCIL * BERKS GAS TRUTH

To see the list of over 63 endorsing organizations, Freedom from Fracking Conference Schedule, and more, go to: www.shalegasoutrage.wordpress.com

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