Often, hot issues don’t become hot until they hit home and that’s exactly what Gasland, a new film by Josh Fox, is about. The film examines the disastrous consequences of natural gas extraction via hydraulic fracturing.
That’s a big word so let’s break it down:
Hydraulic fracturing is a process by which a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals is injected into the ground in order to free up natural gas. This can not only cause gas to leak into drinking water aquifers but also produces toxic waste waters that are either officially evaporated or unofficially dumped in nearby areas. Essentially, the drinking water and air surrounding fracturing sites becomes hazardous yet companies continue to run their operations smoothly thanks to the Halliburton Loophole (conveniently passed while the CEO of the company was the Vice President of the Bush administration), which inhibits them from being accountable to the EPA and federal environmental regulations. While this has happened hundreds of times in the west, the scariest revelation of Gasland is that due to the presence of a large natural gas shale, New York, Pennsylvania, and a chunk of the north east could become home to the next major fracturing sites. In case you’ve never explored it, the Empire State’s beauty is undeniable. It’s even been said that before major urbanization and development, the land could have easily been the Yellowstone of the east. Now all of this, including the lives of state residents is in jeopardy. If drilling ensues, it could result in the contamination of drinking water in cities such as Buffalo all the way down to New York City.
Being political and/or getting motivated isn’t always easy but neither is drinking water you can literally light on fire. For more information on this issue, the film, where to see it, and how you can help, visit it’s website…. www.gaslandthemovie.com
