Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Broome Cooperative Extention offers BIASED presentations on Natural Gas development

http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2013/09/re-nyrad-broome-cooperative-extention.html

This is a conversation with David Bradstreet of Cornell Cooperative extension.

Context: CCE is holding a series of presentations by people relating to energy.
Many people seem to perceive that these presentations (as well as CCE itself)
are biased in favor of shale-gas development, and are PROMOTING such.

At the beginning of the first presentation, a woman in the audience was
highly distressed that this event was promoted as "why gas pipelines are necessary",
was yelling, and stormed out before the event began.
While David did a good job at facilitating this discussion,
and allowed a lot of discussion, I would tend to agree about the
framing of this series, as well as the fact that Williams Company,
with an abysmal safety record and a history of LYING and BRIBERY,
would be allowed to speak unopposed, without counterpoint.

Here is a conversation I've been having with David.
I consider these emails to be not personal, and of a professional nature,
thus am republishing this exchange here and on my blog.

I would encourage you all to a) contact CCE and demand more balance to
these presentations, and b) PLEASE ATTEND this series and participate
to keep the whole thing honest.
Please forward to other local lists working on fracking/pipelines.

Thanks -- BH
 
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Letter #1, me to David:
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From:  William Huston [williamahuston@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 10:14 PM
To: David Alden Bradstreet
Subject: Fwd: [NYRAD] Broome Cooperative Extention offers natural gas presentations

Hi Dave-- I tracked down the email.

Apparently this wording came from the CCE Newsletter "Extension Connection".
See the quoted text below:

The phrase "why they are needed" is apparently triggered that woman.

Also I will tell you that I have heard from many people there
is, at least a perception, that CCE is not neutral on this issue,
and that CCE is actively involved in PROMOTING HVHF in NY,
and really does not want to entertain a discussion of any experts
who can speak about the harms. This is FYI, and explains
the last question I asked you in the interview.

Thanks again. No matter what the framing,
the discussion is extremely valuable.

Best,
BH


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: joan itaska  
Date: Fri, Sep 13, 2013 at 7:54 AM
Subject: [NYRAD] Broome Cooperative Extention offers natural gas presentations



Just got my Extension Connection:
Broome County Cooperative Extension is offering FREE presentations on Natural Gas in the coming weeks. All are at 6 PM at the Coop on Upper Front Street
9/19 Natural Gas Infrastructure - Pipelines and generators why they are needed - no presenter named
9/26 Fragmentation of Forest and Wildlife - Impact of pipelines - Mike Zagata
10/3 There's no such thing as a free megawatt: Hydrofracking as a Gateway Drug to Energy Literacy - Don Duggin-Haas Museum of the Earth
10/17 Compulsory Integration - Robert Wedlake HHK
10/31 Climate Change and the Need for Alternative Energy - no presenter named
11/14 Gas Drilling and Private Water Supplies - management and testing strategies and reports no presenter named


 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter #2, David's response:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 12:04 PM, David Alden Bradstreet <dab15@cornell.edu> wrote:

Bill, the woman is right, it does say " how they work and why they are necessary ".......in relation to pipe line infrastructure...just as we have pump stations on water and sewer lines to push the material or water along.......again the first evening was to better understand how lines are built and what their components are.....not address the drilling/frac question....I have heard from many of last weeks participants and they were pleased with the evening........david

********
David A. Bradstreet
Extension Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County
840 Upper Front Street
Binghamton, NY  13905
Phone:  607-773-3300
Fax:  607-723-5951
Experience, Educate, Empower

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter #3, my response:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Thanks David.

Still, many people seem to have the impression that CCE is pro-fracking, and not neutral.

Many people on the various lists I'm on perceive this series as proof---
lots of industry folks represented,
and no attempts to balance the information or seek the truth.

For example, Helen Humphreys is a Public Relations specialist with Williams.
(PR people are not known for speaking the honest truth)

WILLIAMS SAFETY RECORD

Do you know that Williams Company has had 6 major fires/explosions in the last
two years, with four in the NE US, and three being within 30 miles of Binghamton?

WILLIAMS HONESTY / CHARACTER

Do you know that Williams Company has been caught LYING TO FERC
with regards to their infrastructure (crime under 18 USC § 1001)
and project segmentation? (crime under National Environmental Policy Act.)

See:

WILLIAMS USES MONEY TO "GREASE THE SKIDS" of consent:

Do you know that Williams Company is spending money all up
and down the Constitution Pipeline route offering "grants" (bribes)
to organizations to purchase consent to a pipeline
that nobody wants, and will ENABLE FRACKING in NY?


Williams' questionable assertions at CCE event without counterpoint:

Williams reps last week made several questionable assertions,
including that NY has a "dreadful lack of infrastructure",
but provide NO EVIDENCE to support this assertion.

Cornell Cooperative Extension should provide Balance and Truth

I (and others) feel it is rather irresponsible for CCE to bring up
PR people from this shady corporation with a criminal history
and many explosions and other accidents,
 which is destroying the rural landscape of my home state
of Pennsylvania WITHOUT BALANCE or Counterpoint.

I hope you reconsider, and offer more speakers in this series
which can present the facts from another point of view than
the fact that fracking and natural gas infrastructure is inevitable.

Best regards,
BH




--
--
May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)
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