For Immediate Release:
December 27, 2013
Community Bill of Rights Committee News Release
Youngstown, Ohio, December 27, 2013 - The Youngstown, Ohio Community Bill of Rights Committee said they would be back, and they already are.
Members of the committee and other local supporters of the
Youngstown Community Bill of Rights Charter Amendment, which opposes
fracking and upholds citizens’ fundamental right to local self
governance and control, are going door to door in Youngstown with
petitions seeking voter signatures to place a Community Bill of Rights
Charter Amendment question on the Youngstown ballot in May, 2014. They
have launched a new website at:
http://www.protectyoungstown.org/
The group says the public is warmly welcoming them. The committee is
very pleased that Niles, Ohio concerned citizens are also now collecting
signatures for their similar petition effort that seeks to place a
ballot question on the Niles ballot in May, 2014. Niles concerned
citizens launched a new website describing their effort to uphold their
local rights and to ban fracking within Niles city limits at:
www.keepnilessafe.org
According to Susie Beiersdorfer, geologist and Youngstown Community
Bill of Rights (CBR) Committee member, “We now have a powerful
base of almost 5000 Youngstown voters that could easily sway an
election or ballot question. We will win this time because the truth
resonates. We needed only 6 percent more YES votes to win on the ballot
question in Youngstown on November, 2013. The gap is closing in our
favor, and we soundly gained ground in November. In the November, 2013
election, the opposition spent an exorbitant amount of money compared to
what we spent. In addition to the money, they also spent countless
hours to oppose us, and we still gained ground. We are extremely happy
about that. It shows the strength and truth of our position.”
The Youngstown grassroots, concerned citizens group says that despite
massive spending by industry and pro-fracking allies to try to defeat
them, the Community Bill of Rights Charter Amendment ballot question
picked up 1830 more YES votes in their favor since the May 2013 election
(May: 2912 YES votes; November: 4742 YES votes) and narrowed the margin
from 13.71% to only 9.72 %. More Youngstown voters supported the
proposed Community Bill of Rights Charter Amendment in November than in
May 2013.
“Our analysis
of the election results is that as Youngstown voters are becoming more
fully informed about fracking and local control issues, voters are
turning against fracking, and are demanding local control over how they
want their community to be – which is the citizens’ fundamental right.
We say the closing gap, which was 13.71 % in the May 2013 election and
now is only 9.72%, is evidence of this growing sentiment,” said Lynn
Anderson, a Youngstown Community Bill of Rights (CBR) Committee member.
Lynn Anderson also
emphasizes that the margin is closing in the CBR committee's favor and
that the committee soundly gained ground in November even though the CBR
group spent only about half as much money as they did in their CBR May,
2013 campaign. Lynn Anderson also says, "Youngstown citizens can visit
the Mahoning County Board of Elections campaign finance website at
http://www.voterfind.tzo.org/mahoningoh/webcfs/cfsearch.aspx .
Type in Plumbers and add the final tally from the two 30-B-2 forms
(October and December 2013) and see that the opposition spent over
$81,000 against this ballot initiative. It is disgraceful that the
opposition hired out of state ad agencies to formulate direct mail to
confuse the issue in the public’s mind.”
The Youngstown Community Bill of Rights Committee says elections cannot
be bought in America – even if the laws allow an unequal financial
playing field. The group believes that, in general, it is un-American
and immoral for outsiders to try to influence a local ballot question
result by injecting massive amounts of advertising or lobbying money
that greatly outspends the grassroots community. The public knows that
is unfair. They see right through it.
The
CBR group says that they are raising awareness of citizens’ and their
official representatives’ local fundamental right and duty to protect
the public health, safety, and general welfare of their communities. It
is the 2004 Ohio state law, H.B. 278, that claims it can take away
citizens’ local rights, that is unconstitutional. That state law is a
bad law. The Community Bill of Rights Charter Amendment upholds American
laws and values, and all citizens’ unalienable, natural, fundamental
rights.
The group says
that nearly every day – either in Ohio or in other states - another
serious fracking related accident, evacuation, civil rights or human
rights violation, or other event occurs that validates to the public
that what the group has been saying is the truth.
For example, on December 19, 2013, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
issued an enormously significant court decision ruling that major parts
of Pennsylvania’s shale drilling-related law, Act 13, were
unconstitutional. The group believes that Act 13 is similar to the Ohio
state drilling-related law, H.B. 278, which claims it can deprive local
communities of certain fundamental rights.
The group believes that the outcome favoring local control in the
Pennsylvania Act 13 case is a preview of what is to come to Ohio’s
similar law that erroneously says it can trump citizens’ civil,
fundamental, and human rights to determine how they want their community
to be and to protect their community’s health, safety, and welfare.
That Ohio law, they feel, will go the same way as the one in
Pennsylvania – it will be ruled unconstitutional.
Please see “Pennsylvania Supreme Court declares portions of shale-drilling law unconstitutional,” a
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article by Don Hopey, December 20, 2013, at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2013/12/19/Pennsylvania-Supreme-Court-declares-portions-of-shale-drilling-law-unconstitutional/stories/201312190254
The group bases their information upon valid scientific reports, facts,
and other accurate documentation. They say that politics, industry
lobbying, and bureaucratic incompetence cannot be put above good science
and the well-being of the community. The serious risks and adverse
outcomes related to fracking and related processes are real. The public
health, safety, and well-being must come first. The group says that to
put profits over people is immoral and harmful to communities.
Especially
alarming to the Community Bill of Rights Committee and its supporters
is that, locally or nationwide, heavy industrial fracking-related
operations or infrastructure continue to be permitted near homes,
children’s schools, farms, parks, forests, and cemeteries – in
neighborhoods and residential areas. Private property issues, such as
forced pooling, occur. Real estate home property values can decrease as
heavy fracking-related industrial operations are permitted near homes or
residential areas.
The
group is concerned about the plight and adverse health claims of those
residents living near a heavy industrial fracking operation permitted by
the state of Ohio in nearby Weathersfield Township. Please see the
following astonishing video that shows gas flaring and concerns of
residents living near the fracking operation:
“Westwood Lake Nightmare” (published June 23, 2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UEfXg9km5Q
The CBR Committee and supporters say that we, as a community, can learn
a lot from other states’ experiences with fracking and related issues,
including recent multiple earthquakes in Oklahoma and Texas. According
to a KXAN – TV news report, North Texas had approximately twenty
earthquakes in one month. Please see KXAN news report titled, “20th
earthquake in month reported in North Texas Latest happened about 20
miles NW of Fort Worth,” December 3, 2013, (includes new video and
article) at:
http://ww
w.kxan.com/news/20th-earthquake-in-month-reported-in-north-texas
Some scientists feel that the latter earthquakes, and others, may be
associated with deep fracking waste injection wells, like the one that
caused the now-famous 4.0 magnitude earthquake in Youngstown, Ohio on
December 31, 2011. Scientists have linked Youngstown’s earthquakes to
the D&L Northstar 1 injection well.
Group members say that the bottom line is that unconventional fracking
continually creates millions of gallons of toxic fracking waste that has
to go somewhere. There is no good, safe solution to this problem. Where
will it all go? Unfortunately, much of the waste currently goes to
Ohio. Ohio is not a toxic fracking waste dumping ground. Ohioans are not
expendable. No one anywhere is expendable.
In Ohio, an increasing number of toxic fracking waste injection wells
are being permitted, built, or operated, such as the one in
Weathersfield Township, Ohio, where local officials wisely oppose them.
See “City of Niles sides with Weathersfield, opposes brine injection
well plans,” WFMJ.com, updated August 31, 2012 at:
http://www.wfmj.com/story/19351516/niles-sides-weathersfield-opposes-brine-injection-well-plans
Even though local officials and some residents opposed the injection
wells, the state of Ohio permitted one in their community anyway. An
injection well is now being built in Weathersfield Township.
The increasing number of permits issued by the Ohio Department of
Natural Resources (ODNR) for yet more injection wells is despite the
fact that Youngstown has already had at least 109 earthquakes, including
the 4.0 magnitude earthquake on December 31, 2011 that scientists
acknowledge was linked to the Youngstown D&L Northstar 1 injection
well.
Furthermore, the
group says, earthquakes cannot be regulated. It is reckless and
irresponsible for anyone to pretend that earthquakes that could result
from injection of fracking waste into deep injection wells can be
regulated or kept small in magnitude. Ohio is not the only state where
local officials and residents have serious concerns and legitimate
grievances about toxic fracking waste injection wells.
According to the Mayor of Azle, Texas, speaking of the almost 20 earthquakes in one month, as reported in
Climate Progress,
December 6, 2013: “’If it is determined that quakes are caused by the
disposal wells, then the disposal wells need to stop. It’s that
simple,’ the city of Azle’s Mayor Alan Brundrett said."
The latter quote and embedded link is from an article by Katie
Valentine titled, “Researchers Link Earthquakes in Texas To Fracking
Process,” at:
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/12/06/3029951/texas-fracking-earthquakes/
“It
is especially disconcerting that residents in Prague, Oklahoma
experienced a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that reputable scientists think
may possibly be linked to deep disposal well injection of toxic fracking
waste. An earthquake of this magnitude can cause human injury and
collapsed buildings – especially in areas where earthquakes are not
common and infrastructure is not reinforced to safeguard against
earthquake damage. We already had 109 earthquakes in Youngstown, Ohio,
including the 4.0 on December 31, 2011. Human beings cannot regulate
earthquakes to make sure that they stay small. This is especially true
because the two faults under Youngstown have been destabilized. This is
an irreversible effect of the D&L Northstar 1 injection-induced
seismicity. We must stop injection wells now to help to prevent a
possible 5.6 or greater magnitude quake, as well as smaller tremors,”
said Dr. Ray Beiersdorfer, Professor of Geology at Youngstown State
University.
Group
members say that continuing on the path we are on regarding earthquakes
and injection wells makes no common sense. The potential impact of
frequent earthquakes, even smaller, under 3.0 magnitude quakes possibly
linked to injection wells in any state, should not be minimized. This
increased number of earthquakes is not normal. We, as a society, should
not and cannot become desensitized to this situation. The views of some
people, whose incomes depend upon giving false reassurances to the
public about the possible implications of the earthquakes, should be
held to intense scrutiny, increased scientific inquiry, and open, public
transparency. More media coverage would go a long way in raising
general public awareness of these issues and would be a real community
service.
It’s time for clear-thinking
adults to intervene to legally stop this irrational quest by industry
and a few others for a quick way to make money, while the majority of
society suffers the costs. Those costs include financial, health-
related, and costs to our democratic process. The public health,
well-being, safety, drinking water, air, and fundamental rights must be
the first consideration.
It has become extremely obvious that something needs to be done now
about the increase in injection well-linked earthquakes that,
alarmingly, are becoming more and more commonplace, according to
reputable scientists and researchers. In fact, two United States
Representatives, Representative Peter DeFazio and Representative Henry
Waxman, are wisely calling for hearings on the man-made earthquakes.
Their efforts to raise national awareness of the earthquake/injection
well problem should be commended and supported locally and nationwide.
According to
The Oklahoman,
Representative Peter DeFazio and Representative Henry Waxman said:
“… the two panels should hold a joint hearing to study the increase of
seismic activity in areas that had previously been inactive and ‘the
potential regulatory gaps in current law that put people and property at
risk from man-made earthquakes.’”
The latter quote is from: “Democrats want hearing on whether
earthquakes are linked to fracking: Citing research on Oklahoma
earthquakes, two Democrats call on Republican committee leaders to look
into unusual seismic activity,” by Chris Casteel, December 19, 2013,
The Oklahoman:
http://newsok.com/democrats-want-hearing-on-whether-earthquakes-are-linked-to-fracking/article/3915820
For an increasing number of reasons, including a shocking lack of
public transparency on the part of ODNR, many members of the public have
lost confidence in the ability of the state bureaucracy, the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), to competently protect the
public health, safety, general well-being and private property rights of
Ohioans.
One reason for the
loss of public confidence in ODNR is that football-field sized, open,
toxic fracking waste centralized impoundment pits, or “lagoons,” which
were reportedly banned in Ohio, have recently been permitted and are
scheduled to make their appearance in Ohio by January 1, 2014.
See “Ohio will soon authorize fracking wastewater pools Football
field-sized ponds to recycle waste,” by Jamison Cocklin, The
Vindicator, October 6, 2013, at:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/oct/06/oil-and-gas-drilling-ohio-set-to-ok-pits/
These pits are still going forward despite apparent problems
with impoundments in other states. To Frackfree Mahoning Valley’s
knowledge, no one at ODNR fully adequately notified nor informed the
general public of this plan – although they are supposed to be
accountable to the public. Nevertheless, plans for the football-sized
fracking waste “lagoons” are still in place to proceed. This is
unacceptable. The public has a right to be fully informed beforehand –
not after the fact - and to have a legal say about issues that can
directly impact or involve risks to their public health, safety, or
general well-being. See the Frackfree Mahoning Valley press release
dated October 14, 2013, at:
http://frackfreemahoning.blogspot.com/2013/10/frackfree-mahoning-valley-calls-for.html
The group stresses that the oil and gas industry is not the only
business in this area. The oil and gas industry does not deserve special
treatment or law exemptions over all other businesses or human beings.
We must be aware of possible adverse economic effects of heavy
industrialization via fracking upon property values, upon the $43
billion per year Ohio tourist industry, and also upon agriculture,
farming, and real estate businesses.
We must remain open to healthy family living in our communities,
freedom to quiet enjoyment of private property rights, and healthy,
ethical, and responsible businesses. (According to a
Vindicator
AP article, tourism is the fourth-largest industry in Ohio “supporting
443,000 jobs” and $43 billion annually: See “Ohio House panel discusses
attracting tourists,” September 10, 2013), AP:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/sep/10/ohio-house-panel-discusses-attracting-tourists/?nw
For media inquiries or more information, or to volunteer to help
take petitions door to door to get voter signatures in Youngstown or
Niles, please contact the petition committees via Frackfree Mahoning
Valley at:
234-201-0402 or e-mail:
frackfreemahoning@gmail.com
For more information please see the following links:
People living near heavy industrial fracking operations talk about their experience: “Westwood Lake Nightmare” (published June 23, 2013); Trumbull County, Ohio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UEfXg9km5Q
“Fracking hell: what it’s really like to live next to a shale gas well,” by Suzanne Goldenberg,
The Guardian , article and video, December 13, 2013:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/14/fracking-hell-live-next-shale-gas-well-texas-us
More regarding Westwood Lake Park and fracking, etc. “Faith motivates Catholics to speak out on gas, oil drilling practices,” by Dennis Sadowski,
Catholic News Service, posted December 12, 2013,
Catholic Courier at:
http://www.catholiccourier.com/in-depth/previous-topics/debate-over-fracking/faith-motivates-catholics-to-speak-out-on-gas-oil-drilling-practices/
Earthquakes and fracking waste injection wells:
(The Two - Year Anniversary of the Youngstown, Ohio Injection Well 4.0
magnitude Earthquake is December 31, 2013.) “Experts Eye Oil and
Gas Industry as Quakes Shake Oklahoma,” by Henry Fountain,
The New York Times, December 12, 2013, [Youngstown, Ohio is in a caption in the video that goes along with this article.]:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/science/earth/as-quakes-shake-oklahoma-scientists-eye-oil-and-gas-industry.html?pagewanted=all
“Induced seismicity associated with fluid injection into a deep well in Youngstown, Ohio,” by Won-Young Kim,
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Volume 118, Issue 7, July 2013, Wiley Online Library:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jgrb.50247/abstract
[Athens,
Ohio] “After earthquake, city council sides with county on halting use
of injection wells,” December 3, 2013, by Cassie Kelly,
The Post, at:
http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/after-earthquake-city-council-sides-county-halting-use-injection-wells
“Distant Earthquakes Trigger Tremors at U.S. Waste-Injection Sites, Says Study,”
ScienceDaily, July 11, 2013:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130711142401.htm
“Oil Addiction, Not Fracking, Caused the 2011 Oklahoma Earthquakes,” by David Biello, March 27, 2013,
Scientific American Blogs, [Youngstown 4.0 mag. earthquake mentioned in video with article]
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/03/27/oil-addiction-not-fracking-caused-the-2011-oklahoma-earthquakes/
“…’There’s something important about getting unexpectedly large
earthquakes out of small systems that we have discovered here,’ he said.
The observations mean that ‘the risk of humans inducing large
earthquakes from even small injection activities is probably higher’
than previously thought, he said.” [Excerpt from:] “Wastewater
Injection Spurred Biggest Earthquake Yet, Says Study March 26, 2013
2011 Oklahoma Temblor Came Amid Increased Manmade Seismicity,”
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Earth Institute
at:
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news-events/wastewater-injection-spurred-biggest-earthquake-yet-says-study
“In Oklahoma, water, fracking – and a swarm of quakes,” by Carey Gillam, November 19, 2013, Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/19/us-usa-earthquakes-fracking-oklahoma-idUSBRE9AI12W20131119
“Mineral Wells quake follows another temblor near Azle,” by Barry Shlachter, December 9, 2013,
Star-Telegram; [includes list of some area earthquakes:]
http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/08/5402450/ice-storm-cant-put-the-freeze.html
“Residents in Azle told CBS 11 News that they are concerned about the
rising number of earthquakes rocking the area.” [Excerpt from:]
“Earthquake Strikes North Texas Saturday Night,” CBSDFW.com, December
15, 2013,
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/12/15/earthquake-strikes-north-texas-saturday-night/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=twitter
“Officials with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources would not go
on camera for this report, but they responded to questions about the
issue.” [Excerpt from:] “Ohio dumping ground for fracking waste?”
November 8, 2013, WKBN-TV 27 First News:
http://www.wkbn.com/news/local/ohio-dumping-ground-for-fracking-waste
“Since oil and gas drillers are exempt from key provisions of federal
hazardous waste law, they are also exempt from the earthquake prevention
rules when they inject wastewater from hydraulic fracturing.”
[Excerpt from:] “Earthquakes: Drilling waste wells exempt from
earthquake testing rules,” by Mike Soraghan, E & E Publishing, LLC.,
March 22, 2012:
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059961795
“A commission spokeswoman said inspectors visited one of the disposal
wells in the area and found it in compliance with agency rules. But
agency rules don't address earthquakes.” [Excerpt from:] “Earthquakes:
Texas agency doubtful as it investigates link to drilling-waste
injection,” by Mike Soraghan, E & E Publishing, LLC., December 18,
2013:
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059992009
“Yet another earthquake, the 30th since November 1, rattles Azle
Monday morning,” by Robert Wilonsky, The Scoop Blog, Dallasnews,
December 23, 2013:
http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2013/12/yet-another-quake-the-30th-since-nov-1-rattles-azle-monday-morning.html/
“Along with the cracks, the nail heads appear to be popping out of the
sheet rock, and Kim believes the quakes feel stronger upstairs, hence
the cracks in the walls.” [Excerpt from:] “More earthquakes hit near
Azle,” updated December 23, 2013, by James Rose, KDFW Fox 4, [Includes
news video and article]:
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/24285588/33-earthquake-hits-azle-again
“Continued Shaking Has Texans Considering Earthquake Insurance,” December 23, 2013, by Bud Gillett, CBS 11 News,
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/12/23/continued-shaking-has-texans-considering-earthquake-insurance/#.UrnAR4zb7kI.twitter
“
Scientific American’s Top 10 Science Stories of 2013,” by The Editors, December 19, 2013,
Scientific American [see Number 7: “Confirmed: Fracking and Related Operations Cause Earthquakes,”]
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=top-10-science-stories-2013&page=5
“Fracking firm Cuadrilla pulls out of Lancashire ‘quake’ site,”
BBC News Lancashire, December 17, 2013:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-25415187
See election results here: Mahoning County Board of Elections:
http://vote.mahoningcountyoh.gov/ November, 2013 election results:
http://vote.mahoningcountyoh.gov/election-information-results/local-election-results/ See May 7 election results here:
http://vote.mahoningcountyoh.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/13p-official.pdf
Additional Important Information: [Video with English subtitles:]
“Pope Francis unmissable interview by film director Fernando E. Solanas, Cinesur, SA, YouTube, “
Published on Dec 13, 2013
Multi award winning film director and argentinian senator Fernando E.
Solanas made this amazing interview where Pope Francis talks about
environment contamination unemployment and culture. Please help us. Sign
in
www.argentinasinfracking.org “ at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAX4mrhw0zw
Pope
Francis interview video In Spanish without subtitles, “Imperdible
entrevista al Papa Francisco por Pino Solanas,” Cinesur SA, “published
on November 27, 2013, is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1DyLbmOBSU
“Debate over fracking,” “…series of stories from
Catholic News Service …”
Catholic Courier, posted December 11, 2013, Updated: December 18, 2013 at:
http://www.catholiccourier.com/in-depth/previous-topics/debate-over-fracking/
“Straight talk – Pennsylvanians speak out to Governor Corbett about fra
…” Delaware Riverkeeper Network: YoTube video, January 9, 2013:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VhDXNEEVCs
[The Texas Tribune] “Fort Worth Sues Driller, Citing Millions in Lost
Royalties,” by Jim Malewitz, published December 21, 2013,
The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/22/us/fort-worth-sues-driller-citing-millions-in-lost-royalties.html?smid=fb-share&_r=3&
For
media inquiries or more information, or to volunteer to help the local
efforts, please contact the group via Frackfree Mahoning Valley at:
234-201-0402
or e-mail: frackfreemahoning@gmail.com
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