Tell the Governor New Yorkers Don’t Want Fracking Rubber Stamped

Photo courtesy Jessica Riehl
View more images on our Flickr site

Photo courtesy Jessica Riehl

Today, pro-fracking organizations are gathering in Albany under the banner “Real People for Real Jobs” to urge the state to put a rubber stamp on its fracking plan, claiming it will bring jobs and revenue to upstate New York. We want all New Yorkers to have a bright economic future, and that future does not lie with fracking. The facts show fracking will hurt rather than help upstate New York’s economy.

Please Call Gov. Cuomo today to tell him you are a New Yorker and you want a real plan for economic growth and you don’t want fracking rubber stamped.

Gov. Cuomo’s Office: 866-584-6799, or 518-474-8390

Instructions:

1. First dial the number. Please be respectful toward the person who answers. Riverkeeper’s suggested message is:

My name is _______ and I live in ______. I am calling to urge Governor Cuomo not to put the economic livelihood and water of millions of New Yorkers at risk by opening up New York to fracking. I fear fracking will harm New York’s economy, as it could have potentially devastating impacts on the farming and tourism industries, our roads, and our community services, not to mention our environment and our health. I urge the Governor to instead concentrate on creating long term, sustainable jobs in other sectors.

2. Close the call with a thank you for their time.

3. Tips: Be friendly and nice!

If it’s busy, that is a good thing because it means a lot of us are calling! Please try again later.

Some Facts on Fracking’s Economic Impacts:

Jobs

• Most of the high-paying jobs created by fracking will go to trained engineers and other professionals who will move to New York State temporarily from other locations, not to New Yorkers.
• Claims about the number of jobs which have been created in Pennsylvania from Marcellus Shale development are highly questionable. In 2010, a Penn State, industry funded study reported that Marcellus Shale drilling created about 44,000 new jobs in 2009; the very next year, Penn State said only about 23,500 jobs were created in 2009, including ancillary jobs such as service industry positions. Another estimate by independent Keystone Research Center found that only about 10,000 new jobs were created in 2009.

Safety

• It is a myth that thousands of natural gas wells have been drilled in NY without any instances of contamination – several accidents have been documented as shown on this map. Moreover, DEC estimates there are about 40,000 abandoned wells in the state, the locations of many of which are unknown. They pose a significant danger now as many are closed improperly and could be leaking, and will be an even greater threat if repressurized by new fracking operations.
• Recent findings from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, verified by independent experts, confirm that fracking has led to groundwater contamination.

Taxes

• New York’s Department of Transportation estimates fracking could cost $375 million per year in additional road repair and maintenance – a cost that will be borne by New York taxpayers.
• Fracking will increase the need and costs to local taxpayers for community services, such as first responders, hospitals and schools, as it is expected to bring an influx of temporary workers to the region. A 2011 survey of eight Pennsylvania counties found that 911 calls increased in seven fracking counties, with the number of calls increasing in one county by 49 percent over three years.

Broader Economic Impacts

• Fracking can affect home value. A 2010 study in Texas concluded that houses valued at more than $250,000 within 1,000 feet of a well site saw their values decrease by 3 to 14 percent.
• Fracking can impact farms. In Pennsylvania,the five counties with the heaviest Marcellus Shale drilling activity saw an 18.5 percent reduction in milk production between 2007 and 2010.
• Fracking can impact tourism. Can you picture touring New York’s beautiful wine region with gas fields dotting the landscape?

Call Gov. Cuomo’s Office today: 866-584-6799, 518-474-8390