ten reasons to ban fracking statewide (and implement national moratorium immediately!)...

Ten reasons here to ban fracking statewide and put into place immediate national moratorium--
as called for by Food and Water Watch, Greenpeace, 350.org, Citizens Environmental Coalition, more:
[ http://www.FrackAction.com ; http://www.ToxicsTargeting.com ; http://www.PetitionOnline.com/NoDrill ;
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/halt-fracking-68-groups-say ]

Fact #1: "About 85 percent of Marcellus Shale in the Southern Tier — along with much of Sullivan — would be available for drilling under the proposed rules that are sure to elicit thousands of comments in a 60-day public comment period beginning in August. "A road map for the industrialization of the Catskills; the fact that the Delaware River isn't protected is outrageous," said Ramsay Adams, executive director of Catskill Mountainkeeper. "It's clear they haven't developed a plan to deal with wastewater and there's no cumulative impact study. We'll fight like hell to stop this." (July 1st Times Herald-Record)
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110701/NEWS/107010353 ]

Fact #2: NJ state legislature voted recently to actually ban fracking all across the entire state.
[ http://www.truth-out.org/new-jersey-lawmakers-vote-ban-fracking/1309452696 ]

Fact #3: "A study by researchers at Duke University published May 10, 2011 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates unequivocally that fracking does, in fact, contaminate the water in the area where is used. The study examined groundwater obtained from 68 wells above the Marcellus and Utica shale formations throughout Pennsylvania and New York. The researchers found that the groundwater in the areas near active fracking wells contained, on average, methane concentrations 17 times higher than wells located where fracking was not taking place. Moreover, some of these wells had methane concentrations well above the 'immedate action' hazard level as defined by the U.S. Department of the Interior."
[from "Duke University Study Connects Water Contamination to Fracking Natural Gas Wells" (5/10/11)
http://www.naturalgaswatch.org/?p=381 ]

Fact #4: Fracking destroys property values and local economies beyond repair-- as proved by Walter Hang of http://www.ToxicsTargeting.com last month-- and gas/oil leases are generally not accepted by lenders such as Wells, First Place Bank, Provident Funding, GMAC, FNCB, Fidelity, FHA, First Liberty or Bank of America-- it's "difficult, if not impossible, to the meet the ‘acceptable if commonly granted’ rule.”
[see: http://thecapitolpressroom.org/does-natural-gas-leasing-hurt-property-values/ ]

Fact #5: Apr. 7th letter from Walter Hang of http://www.ToxicsTargeting.com to DEC and EPA asked them both "to investigate potential environmental and public health impacts associated with approximately 20 million gallons of natural gas drilling wastewater accepted by the Auburn, Canandaigua and Cayuga Heights Publicly Owned Treatment Works-- Natural Gas Drilling Wastewater Discharged to Publicly Owned Treatment Works in New York's Finger Lakes Region":
http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/letters/2011/04/07/cuomo-letter .

Fact #5: "The New York-based Toxics Targeting went through the Department of Environmental Conservation’s own database of hazardous substances spills over the past thirty years. They found 270 cases documenting fires, explosions, wastewater spills, well contamination and ecological damage related to gas drilling. Many of the cases remain unresolved. The findings are contrary to repeated government assurances that existing natural gas well regulations are sufficient to safeguard the environment and public health. The state is considering allowing for gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale watershed, the source of drinking water for 15 million people, including nine million New Yorkers."
[see: http://www.democracynow.org/2009/11/10/watchdog_new_york_state_regulation_of ]

[Solution = Sun + Wind + Geothermal + Energy Efficiency + Conservation (not jeopardizing NY's water)]

Fact #6: Dr. Richard Perez of SUNY-Albany has conclusively proven that ALL of NYS's energy needs could be met completely by solar energy alone-- by covering 0.75% of NY's surface with photovoltaics.
http://www.asrc.cestm.albany.edu/perez/publications/Other%20Papers%20and%20Applications/Is%20there%20really%20enough%20sun-07.pdf

Fact #7: 22,000 jobs across NYS could be created with the bipartisan Bonacic/Cahill Solar Jobs Act of 2011 (for solar renewable energy credits, as in NJ, PA, MA-- all much more heavily incentivizing the purchase of solar for their state residents than New York does here); Germany has less sunlight than NYS but has solar panels all over, the Town of Babylon lends homeowners money for solar as well.
[recall-- sadly (tho ignored by local media), current GOP Dutchess Co. Leg. majority killed Dem resolution from yours truly to send message to Albany on this at last Tues.'s Envir. Comm. mtg.]
[see: http://votesolar.org/new-york-solar-jobs-act-of-2011/ ; http://www.NYSEIA.org/ ;
http://www.dutchessny.gov/CountyGov/Departments/Legislature/ResolutionsPDF/2011149.pdf ;
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A05713&term=2011 ;
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=%0D%0At&bn=S4178&Summary=Y ;
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain/article/0/2706/1788106/WAMC.News/New.York.Takes.A.Step.Toward.Solar ]

Fact #8: "14,000 living-wage green jobs are being created because of landmark Green Jobs Green NY legislation passed two years ago to green one million homes across NYS with energy-efficiency retrofits; 90% of NYS homeowners eligible for free energy audits. State-certified contractors perform free or low-cost energy audits for homeowners, looking for repairs and upgrades (air sealing, insulation, new boilers, etc.) that can pay for themselves through energy savings in an 8 – 10 year window.
The work is paid for by the Green New York fund, and homeowners pay the fund over time back out of a portion of their energy savings. They pocket the rest, plus get their homes repaired."
[from http://thinkprogress.org/green/2009/09/13/174424/green-jobs-green-new-york/ ]

Fact #9: Here in Dutchess County alone, homeowners & businesses could save $1 billion on energy costs over next decade on energy efficiency according to Sustainable Hudson Valley's David Dell.
[see: http://www.dutchessdemocracy.blogspot.com/2009/03/our-bright-idea-growin-brighter-and.html ; http://www.nyserda.org/GreenNY/ ; http://www.energyfinancesolutions.com/main/homeownersny ;
http://www.petitiononline.com/pacehere ; http://www.LIGreenHomes.com ; EnergizeBedford.org ]

Fact: #10: It's the real Ponzi scheme Rick Perry should be talking about-- recall June 26th NYTimes on how fracking is Wall St. "Ponzi scheme"-- "Insiders Sound an Alarm Amid a Natural Gas Rush"-- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/us/26gas.html .