Sign the petition at Artists Against Fracking asking Gov. Cuomo not approve a fracking bill that will allow 50,000-100,000 gas wells in New York, something which will almost certainly harm the water supply.
Why is fracking dangerous?
Aquifer. To drill down to the shale, one must drill through the aquifer. These drills are known to leak and sometimes even explode, releasing chemicals into this precious source of water.
Chemicals. The 2011 U.S. House of Representatives investigative report states that out of 2,500 hydraulic fracturing products, more than 650 contain chemicals that are known carcinogens. One would think that the Safe Drinking Water Act – a Federal law – would make such willful contamination illegal, but it is not being applied to Fracking.
Also, most of these chemicals are not biodegradable. Once they are introduced to the aquifer, they will remain there forever.
Wastewater. Each gas well requires 1-8 million gallons of fresh water. The used water is one of the most hazardous wastes in the U.S., containing carcinogenic Fracking chemicals,remnant oil and hydrocarbons, biocides, as well as naturally occurring radioactive materials, like radon, which is heavier than air and sinks into the communities where people work and live.
Air Pollution. There are air emissions associated with Fracking, which include methane leaks originating from wells, as well as emissions from the diesel or natural gas-powered equipment such as compressors, drilling rigs, pumps etc..