Thursday, February 3, 2011

Governor Cuomo's speech disrupted! No Hydro-Fracking!

Governor Cuomo’s speech disrupted!

No Hydro-Fracking!

2/3/11

This morning Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke to a large crowd at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY about the 2011-2012 budget. I didn’t care what he was talking about, but the fact that he was having a public speech, presented me with an opportunity. My plan was 2-fold; disrupt his speech to bring much needed attention to the destructive drilling process known as Hydro-Fracking and openly challenge him to stand up to the oil and gas industry. In his speech he talked about plans for consolidation, ‘cleaning up Albany’ and jobs, jobs, jobs. He didn’t once mention the environment. He says ‘New York is open for business,’ well I say ‘No Drilling, No Compromise!’

Towards the end of Cuomo’s speech, he went off about how democracy works when people get up and do something, so I did. I went to the front of the room to present Cuomo and the crowd a banner that said “Don’t Frack with NY. Regulations will not Make Hydro-Fracking Safe!” I was quickly apprehended by a bald man in a suit and was directed to the back. Before I was escorted out I yelled ‘Cuomo, I trust in you, no hydro-fracking’ to challenge him to put the health of the people and environment before business. He heard me loud and clear.

Heralded as the solution to Global Climate Change, natural gas may actually be worse than oil and coal with respect to greenhouse gas emission when you factor in methane leakage from gas wells and the indirect carbon costs of developing, processing and transporting each fossil fuel. We have already seen how Hydro-Fracking has contaminated the air, water and soil throughout the U.S in states such as Colorado, Arkansas and neighboring Pennsylvania. We cannot allow gas companies to destroy New York. No Fracking Way!

No Drilling, No Compromise!

This action was taken in solidarity with everyone fighting against the false solutions of natural gas and the illusion of ‘safe’ hydro-fracking!

Check out the video/media coverage:

· http://www.capitaltonight.com/2011/02/hydrofracking-opponent-disrupts-cuomo-speech/

· http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2011/02/03/hydrofracking-foe-interrupts-cuomo-speech/

· http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/55835/hydrofracking-foe-interrupts-cuomo-speech/

· http://albany10.cityspur.com/2011/02/03/hydrofracking-opponent-disrupts-cuomo-speech/

For more Info on Hydro-fracking:

· www.marcellusearthfirst.org

· www.shaleshock.org

· www.sparc.info

· www.catskillmountainkeeper.org

· www.marcellusprotest.org