Tag Archive for Greenpeace

NY State Department of Environmental Fracking Conservation?

 

New York Dept. of Fracking

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officials and Fracking Interests are running hand in hand… so what about the Environmental Conservation interests of New Yorkers?

 

Disturbing news is emerging that despite public outcry, the NY State Dept of Environmental Conservation(DEC) is succumbing to intense lobbying efforts from the fracking industry,
***stop press as we just learned ***
or worse may actually already be in bed with them.

It was recently reported in this Huffington Post article “Fracking Industry Enjoyed Privileged Access to Controversial New York DEC Environmental Review” that while public and environmental groups were getting the runaround and being forced to jump through hoops to be heard (and 70,000 chimed in against!), the fracking lobby has not only had direct access to the DEC, they had:

  • several months’ (reports range from 6-10 weeks) early notification of impending regulations and recommendations so they could strategize, organize and maximize their lobbying efforts properly,
  • they have had input on tailoring upcoming regulations, and
  • may have even steered the environmental review process.
  • at best, the DEC have left all these accusations highly questionable-at worst they’re all true.

Then Came this article from Brendan Demelle at desmogblog.com: Science Trumped by Politics In Cuomo’s NY Fracking Plans?

After Governor Cuomo said the regulations would be based on science conducted (which seemed to support the public outcry) and not politics, it seems state employees and regulators may not necessarily see it that way since they allowed fracking industry:

access to drafts of the state’s permit plans,… used that information to lobby hard against testing for radioactivity in wastewater, for example.

it goes on to say

seventy New York state legislators on both sides of the aisle pointed out six major issues they said were under-addressed …
Instead of focusing on issues like these, DEC staff were busy discussing zoning questions with industry lawyers and providing drillers with a chance to weigh in on the expense of complying with environmental protections.

We love the one where the fracking industry is now talking about getting rid of fracking waste “water”- by legally spraying it on local roadways!
You must read it.

****stop press*****
As if this all wasn’t outlandish enough…
it is now coming to light that the person at the DEC in charge of all this, is being outed as a fracking and drilling proponent who also publicly supports climate change denial.

Is that who we want in charge of our state’s Environmental Conservation!!

Read about it here: Top New York Regulator Promoting Shale Gas Signed A Climate Denial Petition Stating That Increases In CO2 Are ‘Beneficial’

It begs the key question:

So is Bradley Field, the petroleum engineer and drilling proponent who can’t remember if he is a climate change denier; the holder of a singularly influential position to determine the outcome of shale gas development in New York state as the issuer of permits and the overseer of regulations — Is this Bradley Field nonpartisan? It’s a relevant question.

Not only relevant, it begs other questions:

  • should any singular unelected government official wield so much power?
  • Shouldn’t that person in charge of environmental conservation always err in favor of environmental conservation?
  • and who is watching the “watcher”?

Now, Grenpeace’s Executive Director Philip Radford has weighed in, and we need to stand with them:Why Is Governor Cuomo Letting a Climate Science Denier Regulate Fracking?  They are asking Mr Field to step down and asking you to sign the petition telling Governor Cuomo to get rid of him. 

 

We will continue to follow this story…

editors note:
Truth be told, I’ve started and stopped writing this artcle 3 times, the original story here goes back weeks…and I can’t let it go.

To now, All Our Energy has sought to remain pragmatic on political issues and it is overwhelmingly clear, we cannot. Our voice must be heard.

The Greenpeace Billboard They Don’t Want You To See!

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada- A Canadian billboard advertising company has refused an already paid-for ad from Greenpeace.

In an apparent attempt to hush opposition to larger and more powerful clients, who are currently spending millions promoting dirty energy, the advertising company refused this “outrageous” billboard ad.

20120628-072017.jpg

Yes- the Great White North (or is that now oil-spill Brown?) are bought and paid for by oil, too!

Read all about it in this great article
Greenpeace Clean Energy Billboard Rejected By Pattison by Carol Linnitt at desmogblog.com

So much is being spent, even opposition as un-controversial as this is being silenced.

There have been numerous recent spills and millions being spent by the dirty energy industries in pro fracking, pro-drilling, and pro…um “pipeline-ing”- millions being spent promoting the Keystone XL

___________ (you fill in the blank)

All in the name of trying to “clean up” their images and shift grassroots, groundswell public opinion that is already swelling against them.

Feel free to fill in that blank in the comments below….

Global Wind Day: June 15

Global Wind Day Logo

As mentioned in our previous post
Global Wind Day Photo Contest, we want to remind everyone that the date is fast approaching.

What is Global Wind Day?

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to change our world.
It is also a day for discovery of the work that has already begun by pioneers around the world. In more than 75 countries around the world, wind farms are in operation, generating energy from a clean and renewable source.-GlobalWindDay.org

We hope you got your photo contest entries in on time.

Check out the Events Map where you can search for local and all other worldwide Global Wind Day events.

20120601-063929.jpg

The nearest ones to our local area are the Greenpeace-related Energy Week Boston, MA and in Ocean City, NJ where the Sierra Club have organized a kite flying event open to all, to show the power of wind.

It’s no coincidence that these places are where offshore wind projects Cape Wind and the planned NJ offshore projects (Garden State, Fisherman’s Energy, Blue Water -plus, some are just proposals) are close to becoming a reality, and it’s on people’s minds.

Maybe next time, we’ll be holding an event ourselves! What kind of fun wind-related event would you like to be a part of? Let us know!

You can follow more at GlobalWindDay.org
and
EWEA, the European Wind Energy Association’s blog post Global Wind Day to be Celebrated Across North America