BillHustonBlog: [NYGCG] "Frack Us" Collaborators Sell Out Towns to the Collaborators at the DEC and to Compulsory Integration

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chip Northrup <northrup49@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM
Subject: [NYGCG] "Frack Us" Collaborators Sell Out Towns to the Collaborators at the DEC and to Compulsory Integration

Please forward to the local lists -

"Frack us" resolutions put towns at risk - by not exercising the town's right to adopt a road protection or land use protection plan.

The DEC has already said they take these resolutions as indication of the towns willingness to be fracked - without further review.

Meaning the town will have no time to adopt a road or land protection ordinance once permits are issued.

From a liability standpoint, they are worse than doing nothing. No town out West would so something this foolish.

If your town has adopted one or is at risk, would send them a letter immediately, certified mail if necessary.

Put your town on notice - pronto.

The DEC cannot protect any roads

The DEC will not protect any land uses and no local water sources

The DEC can and will compel homeowners into gas well spacing units -

Absent local ordinances, your town is unprotected.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/100132075/New-York-s-Nonexistent-Environmental-Agency

On Wed, Jul 18, 2012 at 5:37 PM, Walter Hang <walter@toxicstargeting.com> wrote:
Greetings,

I write to thank all the activists who wrote to request that their local government officials "adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time supporting Marcellus Shale gas extraction." Those letters have been sent to all five county legislatures in the reported Fracking Demonstration Project area and a total of 33 municipalities.

Multiple favorable replies have been received: Mr. P___ – Thank you for this information which I have forwarded on to the Town Board and our attorney. At this time the Board is not voting on any resolutions or moratoriums regarding fracking. We are collecting as much information as we can from residents, the DEC and the State and waiting for their recommendations. Hal

I wrote to tell Governor Cuomo the good news. See: http://toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/letters/2012/07/18/cuomo

It is worth noting that you are among more than 25,000 signatories to two key coalition letters who have supported the principle of "equal protection" from shale gas fracking hazards for all New Yorkers.

The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York has two competing coalition letters supporting "...developing the natural gas reserves that underlie New York State in the Marcellus Shale formation immediately." and "...exploring for clean-burning natural gas."

I was shocked to learn that those letters only have a total of only 221 and 155 signatories, respectfully. Can you believe that? JLCNY's grassroots citizen support is virtually non-existent. See: http://www.jlcny.org/site/index.php/tool-box/petitions

When I originally circulated my form letter, many activists wrote me to say that I had missed the boat: "I am sorry to say that the towns of Wheeler (where I live) and Bath, both in Steuben County, have signed the resolutions supporting fracking." and "Well, you can let Walter know that the town of wheeler in Steuben passed a pro fracking resolution already (over the objections of dozens of landowners/residents). It specifically said they would not allow a ban nor a moratorium to be passed. So, this boat has sailed. Thanks for thinking of us anyway."

This is not true. Dan Fitzsimmons, president of the JLCNY, was quoted in a 7/10/12 article in the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin about the JLCNY resolution passed by various municipalities: "The resolution reflects a 'neutral' stance toward drilling (emphasis added)... and merely states that the town is accepting DEC's leadership over the issue."

There you have it straight from the proverbial horse's mouth. The JLCNY resolution is not pro-fracking. See: http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20120710/NEWS01/207100393/Broome-towns-facing-opposition-fracking-resolutions

As you know, The New York Times reported on 6/13/12 that: "Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration was pursuing a plan to limit fracking to portions of several struggling upstate New York counties along the border with Pennsylvania, and to permit it only in communities that express support for the technology (emphasis added)."

See: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/nyregion/hydrofracking-under-cuomo-plan-would-be-restricted-to-a-few-counties.html

IT IS NOW PLAIN THAT NO LOCAL RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED ANYWHERE IN THE REPORTED FIVE-COUNTY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AREA SPECIFICALLY DECLARING THAT A VILLAGE, TOWN OR CITY WANTS SHALE GAS FRACKING TO BE PERMITTED IN THAT LOCALITY PER SE.

I IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO FORESTALL ANY SUCH PRO-FRACKING RESOLUTIONS FROM BEING ADOPTED.

LOCAL RESIDENTS MUST SEND THE FORM LETTER BELOW TO EVERY MUNICIPALITY THAT IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.

Hurry up. Leave no stones unturned. Anyone in the five demonstration project counties living outside the red towns is a sitting duck for frackers.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toxics-Targeting/95035142437
  Twitter:  http://twitter.com/ttmarcellus
Form Letter

Fill in the blanks and Email it ASAP to Your Local Town/Village/City as well as County authorities.

Honorable _____
Mayor/Town Supervisor/Town Board Member/County Executive/Village Trustee/County Legislator/Environmental Management Council Member/Natural Gas Advisory Committee Member
Address

Dear _____:

My name is ______ and I live at _______________. I write today to request that the Town/City/Village/County of ____ adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time supporting Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Since 2008, a shale gas fracking moratorium has been in effect in New York pending adoption of comprehensive environmental and health safeguards pursuant to a Final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS).

Until a Final SGEIS is adopted, I believe that it would be premature and entirely inappropriate for the Town/City/Village/County of ____________ to adopt any pro-fracking policies.

Executive Order No. 41

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a Draft SGEIS in the fall of 2009, but Governor Paterson deemed the proposal to be inadequate and incomplete.

In December 2010, he signed Executive Order No. 41 which requires DEC to analyze shale gas fracking's environmental impacts "comprehensively" and to make "revisions" the draft SGEIS to comply with applicable legal requirements.

Upon taking office, Governor Cuomo immediately signed a "continuation" of Executive Order No. 41. As a result, DEC issued a Revised Draft SGEIS in September 2011 and is currently reviewing approximately 67,000 public comments regarding that proposal.

Documented Shortcomings of DEC's SGEIS Proposals

DEC's Draft and Revised Draft SGEIS proposals have received intense criticism from the elected officials, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, academic researchers, physicians, scientists, farmers, local businesses as well as concerned citizens across New York and in our own community.

Please review a detailed coalition letter with more than 22,000 signatories which requests that Governor Cuomo withdraw the Revised Draft SGEIS until 17 documented concerns have been fully resolved.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/2011

I also ask you to review a coalition letter with more than 2,700 signatories that opposes any Fracking "Demonstration Project" in the Southern Tier and requests strict enforcement of Executive Order No. 41.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/cuomo/coalition_letter/2012/demo-order-41

Finally, you can review a bi-partisan letter co-signed by a total of 76 Assembly and State Senate representatives which requests that Governor Cuomo resolve six critical concern before permitting shale gas fracking.

See: http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/letters/2012/06/13/legislators-letter

Conclusion

For all these reasons, I request that the Town/City/Village/County of ___ adopt no resolutions or public policies at this time in support of Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Shale gas extraction in New York is a highly complex issue that warrants careful and transparent public policy consideration. If the Town/City/Village/County of ____ ultimately addresses that matter, I request that all deliberations strictly comply with the New York State Open Meetings Law regarding public disclosure and participation.

See: http://www.dos.ny.gov/coog/openmeetlaw.html

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about my request. I can assure you that I am entirely open to your views. I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Thank you for your consideration and your public service.

Very truly yours,

_____

address

Reported Landowner Coalition Resolution