By SUSAN CHEW
A hydraulic fracturing natural gas well blowout in Pennsylvania recently caused the evacuation of seven families and thousands of gallons of chemically contaminated water into a stream.
Hydrofracking companies have dumped unknown quantities of contaminated water into rivers with over 2,250 violations reported.
Natural gas is not “alternative” energy. Its production emits more CO¯ into the atmosphere than the mining of coal. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has advised people in Wyoming not to drink water near drilling sites. Residents’ aquifers in Dimock, Pa., have been contaminated and must have clean water delivered.
And yet, a House of Representatives bill, under the guise of promoting “alternative” energy, has been introduced to give subsidies for the purchase and use of natural gas vehicles.
Congressman Michael Grimm has voted in favor of this bill, perhaps not aware that he represents more than 500,000 of the 15 million people whose water will be contaminated by hydrofracking in the Marcellus shale, part of which lies under our own watershed.
We don’t want hydrofracking in New York State, and especially in the New York City watershed. We want incentives for clean, renewable energy.
[The writer is affiliated with New Yorkers for Clean Water.]