It\’s Getting Hot In Here

Yesterday hundreds of people convened in downtown Pittsburgh to protest the development of “fracking,” a new and untested method of natural gas extraction that is threatening to take over Pennsylvania and neighboring states. Fracking has been shown to pollute water supplies, cause cancer, and destroy the countryside and infrastructure in rural areas. The rally took place during a conference on “Developing Unconventional Gas” which featured Karl Rove. The following is from the Pittsburgh Student Environmental Coalition, who helped organize the rally.

“Thank you Pittsburgh! Thanks to you the rally was a HUGE success. An incredibly passionate and diverse group came out today, young and old, urban and rural, coming from states as far as California and as close as Ohio. We all came together to protect our constitutional right to clean air, pure water, and a healthy environment and to protest the exploitation of our environment and ourselves by the gas companies.

If you weren’t able to make it today then stay tuned because this is only the beginning. There is much work still to be done and yesterday’s election certainly didn’t make things easier, but this an issue that affects everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, income, or political affiliation and we at PSEC strongly believe that it’s an issue worth fighting for. In the words of Margaret Meade, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

View more pictures at PSEC’s Picasa page.

Watch speeches from the event: by PSEC member Seth Bush and by Gasland director Josh Fox.

Media attention from: The Pittsburgh Post Gazette, University of Pittsburgh’s The Pitt News, WPXI, Pittsburgh Local News Station, West Virginia’s The Intelligencer,

Pittsburgh Student Environmental Coalition gets front row seating at EPA hearing in Canonsburg, PA.

On Thursday, July 22, over 1200 people attended an Environmenal Protection Agency hearing in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on the relationship between Hydrualic Fracturing and water; it was the most well attended event of the EPA’s nationwide meetings thus far. The EPA was gathering feedback regarding a peer reviewed study slated to begin in early 2011 that would detail the effects of Fracking on the quality and qauntity of drinking water.  Over 150+ registered speakers provided feedback and comments. Landowners spoke about existing water quality issues they connected to fracking, professionals pointed out the precedent in analyzing dangerous compounds used in fracking fluid, and a handful of industry representatives urged the agency to conduct “scientific” studies “not based on emotion”.

The urgency and anger communicated by residents was met by supportive applause, high fives, and ultimately a downright feeling of solidarity. Jessica McPherson, a landowner and herbalist from Pittsburgh, offered testimony that accurately summarized the meeting, “It’s as if all the Romans have gathered to ask if Rome is on fire, as it is burning.” Indeed, the presentation of the study was welcomed by those in attendance — but many are hoping it is not too little too late for those already suffering from contaminated water wells.   Continue reading ‘EPA Hears From Over 150 Stakeholders, Including Youth, on Natural Gas Fracking’

Community members gather in Friendship Park, Pittsburgh PA on Monday, July 19

The Pittsburgh Student Environmental Collation (PSEC) hosted a rally to demand a moratorium on natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania until a full study on its environmental impact can be conducted. The evening of Monday, July 19 witnessed five local speakers, 60 attendees, one terrific rainstorm, and a sense of urgency moving forward to three hearings regarding hydraulic fracturing and its effects on drinking water.

The rally included a representative for Pennsylvania state Senator Jim Ferlo, Green Party candidate Mel Packer, representatives from Penn Environment and the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), and University of Pittsburgh student Seth Bush. Community members wrote letters to state level representatives and senators voicing concerns; and calendars of upcoming hearings and info sessions were passed out along with general info about the fracking process. Continue reading ‘Pittsburgh Youth Say “Quit Fracking Around”’

Pittsburgh youth aren’t waiting to kick-off their Define Our Decade efforts.  They launched it this past week with “Rustbelt Renewal: a town hall forum on the promise of a clean energy future.” More than eighty young people and community members engaged with a distinguished panel on the issues of climate legislation and building a clean energy economy.   The four panelists were Congressman Mike Doyle; Patrick McMahon President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85; Dr. Constantine Samaras of Carnegie Mellon University and RAND Corporation; and Bob Wallace, director of Penn State University’s BioBridge Program.

The panelists touched on the importance of educating the masses, changing mindsets around energy usage, and how creating clean energy jobs could boost the local economy. Congressman Doyle explained how “the US will benefit from a green revolution,” and spoke about Pittsburgh’s importance as a hub for the new clean energy economy saying, “there doesn’t have to be a trade-off between a healthy environment and a good economy,” because clean energy jobs are just “good business sense.” The sentiment shared by all panelist was that even if we’re wrong about anthropogenic climate change, we’ll still have made the best economy in the world.

Continue reading ‘Pittsburgh youth kick-off what Congressman Doyle calls a “swell of grassroots action”’