Fracking insurgents everywhere celebrate with you because, for now, the Delaware River Basin won’t be fracked. This is great news for everyone living in a Gas Patch. But your work is far from over.
At one of the early Dallas Drilling Task Force meetings, a Gashole took his three minutes at the mic to explain that it was only fair that Dallas suffer fracking because the rest of us in the Barnett Shale were suffering fracking. Is that not the dumbest argument ever?
I flashed back to junior high school when I got busted because my skirt was too short. (In the “olden days” they measured how far above the knee your skirt hit because they didn’t want girls showing too much skin; but they wouldn’t allow us to wear pants so our skin would be covered. Whatever…) Later, I learned that I only got busted because my friend, Karen, had ratted on me when she got busted for her short skirt. Thirteen-year-old girls have immature reasoning that says: if I have to suffer so does everyone so I’m bringing you all down with me.
That’s a glimpse into the maturity and mentality of Gasholes.
I know an awful lot of folks who live in the various Gas Patches all over the US and I have never, EVER heard anyone say that some other area should get fracked because they have been fracked. In FACT, at that Dallas meeting, I was sitting, surrounded by people who didn’t live in Dallas who came to say:
Don’t frack Dallas! We’ve been fracked and it’s awful! We took off work and traveled through horrible traffic just to be here for hours to warn you about how awful it is to get fracked.
I don’t know one person who isn’t a Gashole who wants the Delaware River Basin to get fracked. Not one! But, Americans have a long, long history of turning our backs on people in other countries who were sacrificed so we could have cheap energy. People in the Niger Delta have suffered under the Curse of the Black Gold for 50 years! People in Ecuador have staggering cancer rates because Chevron dumped massive amounts of waste in their rivers. And what about Iraq?
Is it Karma that brought us here? Is it now America’s turn to be sacrificed so Asia can have cheap energy? Texas is already a sacrifice zone. From a letter sent to Governor Cuomo:
Today’s cancer-focused letter notes that cancer risks have been identified in other states where hydrofracking takes place.
“In Texas, breast cancer rates rose significantly among women living in the six counties with the intensive gas drilling,” the letter reads. “By contrast, over the same time period, breast cancer rates declined within the rest of Texas.”
It’s time for this suffering to stop! As I said in my speech before I was arrested at the Tar Sands Action:
We cannot continue to turn our backs on entire areas that are sacrificed to bring us cheap, dirty energy. We have to be better people than that.
The American people MUST be better people than thirteen-year-old girls!
To everyone who worked to make sure the Delaware River Basin didn’t get fracked: remember, you still have a lot of work to do. It’s going to be cold up there this winter. We Texans have been sending you our gas for decades. Don’t forget us!
Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and many other areas need your Josh Fox and your Mark Ruffalo. Texas needs our own Ethan Hawke to remember that his home state also needs clean water. We need your collective voices.
Please help us!
We are better people than this!
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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AMEN. What TXSharon said.
Great essay, Sharon. All environmental Victories are temporary, and all defeats permanent, variously attributed to Thomas Jefferson and David Brower.
Sharon, you’re absolutely right that we are in this collectively. Not only in the massive sacrifice that is spreading throughout the USA in the name of fossil fuels, but all over the world. Every win fortifies and reminds us that together we really do have power to demand change. So as we individually speak out we participate in a community growing. For the moment I celebrate that my home in the Catskills gets one more day but we must keep standing up to industry as you recognize. Thank you for all that you do. Please share on the Frack Talk Shale Project of Trailer Talk. We need your voice! http://www.sabrinaartel.com/trailer-talk-shale-project/?page_id=356
Awwwww Sharon, did you REALLY think we were gonna quit now? 😉
We are with you all the way. And I think you know that I have toured to 200 cities in towns (and all over Texas) with Gasland and there is no stopping us now! We have to keep binding the struggle in the West with the struggle in the East and kick fracking out of the USA. Also, there will be a big Texas section in Gasland 2, of course. I am very grateful to Calvin Tillman who travels frequently to PA to do air testing and speeches. We need more of that! We need more sharing of information and resources.
But it seems like you guys need a Texas superstar to take up the issue, like Mark has here on the East Coast. Can you get Tommy Lee Jones on the phone? Any ideas out there?
All my love and respect.
Josh
Great idea! Tommy Lee Jones is a pitchman for Chesapeake, sadly. But Bill Paxton comes to mind, as does Matt McConaughey. Another angle is Larry Hagman. What a great twist on the Ewing oil narrative. He is an advocate for sustainable energy and his own home is powered by solar. He grew up in Weatherford, in the heart of the Barnett Shale. Plus, he is back in the news with the reprise of “Dallas.” I like it!
Industry figured out ages ago, the best investment on their..investment was to buy…err, I mean ‘contribute’ to particular politician’s campaigns. Own the politician, own the laws. Existing laws in your way? Well, that’s what your paid for politician is for.