Frackfree
Mahoning Valley
News Release
www.frackfreemahoning.blogspot.com/
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
For
Immediate Release: May 31, 2012
Contact:
Susie Beiersdorfer: Phone: 234-201-0402
or E-mail: frackfreemahoning@gmail.com ____________________________________________________
FRACKFREE MAHONING VALLEY CALLS FOR OPEN
PUBLIC FORUM DEBATES IN LIGHT OF THE PRIVATE CLOSED MEETING ON FRACKING TO BE
ATTENDED BY GOVERNOR KASICH AND OTHER OFFICIALS MAY 31, 2012 IN BROOKFIELD,
OHIO
Youngstown,
Ohio – A
Youngstown-based group of concerned citizens, Frackfree Mahoning Valley, is
calling for televised, open public forum debates on the topic of fracking and
related processes. They believe
this is especially important in light of yet another closed-to-the-public
meeting on fracking to be attended by Ohio Governor Kasich, officials,
legislators, and gas drilling representatives on May 31 in Brookfield, Ohio at
the Yankee Lake Ballroom.
“As
the controversy surrounding risks of fracking and related processes accelerates
nationwide, the public needs more openness, more transparency, and more answers – not less. The general public, the very people and
families whose health and safety are directly affected by official decisions
regarding fracking, should have a say and an important seat at the table. They
do not at this meeting. Officials
are not getting the whole picture of the risks of fracking by refusing to allow
public feedback in this setting. Especially when the possibility of selling
mineral rights related to a park and a cemetery is being mentioned, as quoted in
an article in the SharonHerald.com, the public needs to have a say and knowledge
of what is being considered,” said geologist Susie Beiersdorfer of Frackfree
Mahoning Valley.
(For
more information see a news report from the SharonHerald.com, “Drilling
stakeholders’ meeting closed to public,” by Sandy Scarmack, [May 30,
2012]:
Frackfree
Mahoning Valley believes that state officials holding meetings that are closed
to the public, rushing legislation, imposing "gag rules" on doctors, giving
special exemptions from law for the gas and oil industry and special "trade
secrets" legislation do not provide much-needed transparency. These seemingly
secretive measures do not inspire the public to have confidence in their elected
representatives’ willingness to publically acknowledge legitimate public health
and safety concerns and grievances.
Frackfree
Mahoning Valley says that Ohioans should be able to hear real dialogue and
actual debates between differing viewpoints in a town hall setting where people
can speak freely. They say that Ohioans still have questions and concerns
related to fracking that have been
left unanswered.
For
this reason, Frackfree Mahoning Valley is calling upon legislators to
participate
in publicized, preferably televised, real debates among state officials,
experts, authorities, physicians, public health experts, public advocates, and
the general public. In this election season, voters in Ohio, especially as a
pivotal voting state, deserve transparency and an honest dialogue that is open
to media and public scrutiny. The
public deserves to hear a real debate about fracking and the issues that are so
important for all Ohioans and their families.
That
dialogue could include many items of interest including fracking – related
earthquakes and preparedness plans, the disposal of toxic fracking waste in deep
injection wells, possible risks to drinking water and air pollution, a public
awareness campaign to enlighten landowners regarding how signing a mineral lease
might adversely affect their mortgage agreement, increased fracking-related
truck traffic, and more.
Ohioans
and especially medical professionals need a clarification of the doctor's "gag
rule" clause in SB 315 since it has reportedly been revised. Citizens need to
know how their private medical relationships with their doctors might be
affected and how physicians' ability to freely discuss public health fracking
concerns with their colleagues at medical conferences might be affected.
Physicians should not be encumbered with concerns put upon them by the gas and
oil industry or by misguided legislation.
Members
of Frackfree Mahoning Valley agree that the risks of fracking and related
processes such as deep injection wells for disposing of fracking toxic waste can
no longer be ignored or swept under the rug. This is a public health and safety issue
that must be emphasized.
As
an example of crucial questions that state officials need to hear and address,
Frackfree Mahoning Valley cites the following highly informative NBC 4 news
video and report titled “NBC4 Investigates: What’s In The Drilling Waste Water
Traveling Into Ohio?” (5/23/2012).
The
NBC4 news report examined just what happens to the massive amounts of toxic
fracking-related waste coming into Ohio from several states for injection into
deep wells and what exactly is in the waste.
Some
viewers of the news report might deduce that if citizens and local officials are
not allowed to know what exactly is in the “brine” toxic waste, isn’t the
untested substance then able to be deemed quarantinable?
See
the NBC4 video and news report here:
Frackfree
Mahoning Valley joins many other groups and individuals who are also questioning
the oil and gas shale drilling industry’s efforts to drill near schools,
especially in light of the health risks associated with gas drilling. This is
also a topic that needs be addressed in local public
debates.
A
recent news video report by CBS4 Denver shows a moving effort by some Colorado
mothers to protect their children from potential health effects of drilling near
their local schools.
See
the CBS Denver 4 report, titled, “Students Get Involved in Fight Against
Fracking In Erie,” (May 22, 2012) here:
Susie
Beiersdorfer said: “We hope that
someone will step forward to work with us to make these proposed televised
debates a reality.”
See
a previous Frackfree Mahoning Valley press release titled, “Citing Doctors’ ‘Gag
Rule,’ Fracking Opponents Want an Immediate Delay on the Ohio SB 315 Vote
Planned for May 23” :
For
media inquiries or more information, e-mail:
frackfreemahoning@gmail.com
or call:
234-201-0402
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