100 Protesters Rally in Albany to Demand Ban on CO2 Fracking in NY
More “Government of One” collusion: More than 90 environmental, public health, and community organizations previously penned a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, etc.
100 Protesters Rally in Albany to Demand Ban on CO2 Fracking in NY
ANTI-DRILLING/FOSSIL FUEL | HYDRAULIC FRACTURING | INDUSTRYWIDE ISSUES | NEW YORK | REGULATION | STATEWIDE NY
March 6, 2024
A group of so-called environmental advocates (old hippies) gathered in Albany at the Capitol yesterday to continue their call to ban all “fracking,” including CO2 (carbon dioxide) used to extract natural gas. We wonder if they know that a total ban on “all” fracking includes a ban on fracking geothermal wells being pushed by the governor.
Last October, MDN told you about a company called Southern Tier CO2 to Clean Energy Solutions, based in Binghamton, NY, sending fliers to landowners in Broome, Tioga, and Chemung counties (along the border with Pennsylvania, where there is no doubt large amounts of Marcellus and Utica gas beneath the ground) inviting landowners to sign up for what appears to be an exciting opportunity to sell gas rights (see Company Seeks to Lease New York Mineral & Pore Rights for Flat $10). The flier and company website said the company plans to use carbon dioxide (CO2) to (a) store it underground, but also (b) use it to extract natural gas from underground and then (c) either sell the gas via pipeline or burn it to produce electricity. The technology envisioned is an alternative to fracking (doesn’t use traditional fracking) and captures all emissions.
The reaction from the insane left took about a month but finally metastasized (see Big Green, Democrats Launch Effort to Block NY CO2 “Fracking”). Southern Tier Solutions (STS) poked the leftist hornet’s nest that is New York State, and they are now swarming, getting ready to sting.
Several New York Democrat legislators (from MDN’s home area) introduced a new bill to ban the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) in any process to extract natural gas or oil in the Empire State (see NY Democrats Release Bill to Ban Use of CO2 in Gas Extraction).
The radical legislators who introduced the bill were joined yesterday by what we would describe as a bunch of old (with a few young) hippies who attended a rally yesterday to keep pushing lawmakers to pass a total frack ban:
A group of environmental advocates was joined by singer/songwriter Natalie Merchant at the Capitol in Albany to call on the legislature to amend the current fracking ban law.
About 100 advocates rallied and held a lobby day at the Capitol in support of legislation to ban drilling and fracking for natural gas using carbon dioxide (CO2).
Currently, the state’s fracking ban law does not prohibit using carbon dioxide (CO2) to drill and extract natural gas and oil, but “has been swiftly progressing through committees in the State Legislature and is now heading to the Senate and Assembly floors,” according to supporters of the bill.
More than 90 environmental, public health, and community organizations previously penned a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and DEC Commissioner Seggos calling for a ban on CO2 fracking.
“The proposed plan to transport waste CO2 to New York from other states, drill and inject high-pressure CO2 to release sequestered methane, and build new gas-fired power plants is reckless and would perpetuate reliance on fossil fuels. As countless scientific studies about drilling and fracking demonstrate, fractures are not controllable and could cause the CO2 as well as naturally occurring radioactivity in the shale to migrate, threatening to contaminate our drinking water.”*
We’d like them to name ONE study that says injecting CO2 into the ground causes “radioactivity in shale to migrate” into drinking water supplies. Just one. We’d like to read it. (Hint: No such studies exist.)
Take a look at this picture of a protester at the rally holding a sign about preferring battery production over “fracking,” and another with a sign declaring CO2 used in fracking is “toxic”:
These people are 100% ignorant. The one holding a sign touting batteries is promoting the use of heavy metals that must be mined in countries with forced labor (often using children) under horrible conditions that violate every known human rights convention. And what happens to those heavy minerals after the battery is at the end of its useful life? It’s a disposal nightmare. Yet somehow, batteries are better than “fracking.”
The other protester declares CO2 “fracking” is somehow toxic. Tell us, how does that work? She’s breathing out CO2 as she is holding the sign. Yet CO2 is toxic? Give us a break! Wake up and think!!
Notice that the entire rally was brought to you by fossil fuels. They’re all wearing clothes manufactured with fossil energy and in some cases made from natural gas and oil (polyester fibers). Many have backpacks and purses made from plastics (fossil fuels). Their glasses are largely made from fossil fuels. The phones they are holding are loaded with components made from fossil fuels. The signs and the writing on the signs? Most of it comes from fossil fuels. And all of those fossil fuels come from (gasp) fracking! They are SO CLUELESS.
Talk about clueless…Here’s a video of State Sen. Lea Webb from Binghamton, one of the prime sponsors of this idiotic ban fracking bill:
State Senator Michelle Hinchey was also at the rally spouting nonsense:
What none of them seem to grasp is that while New York is requiring new geothermal projects, which drills and fracks hundreds/thousands of wells using the very same technology as drilling for gas and oil (see Geothermal Energy Uses Same Drilling Rigs & Fracking as Gas Wells), the bill they promote bans all forms of fracking and will block geothermal drilling too. How dumb is that?
Of course, the Democrat left has no problem selectively enforcing laws (like a frack ban law), applying the law differently to different people and organizations depending on whether or not they are on the left’s favored or disfavored list. It’s called Communism and tyranny. We’re already there in NY.
*Albany (NY) WRGB-TV (Mar 5, 2024) – Rally aims to ban CO2 fracking and drilling
I would say just turn off their power. We won’t have any if fracking is banned.
The industry should ban hydrocarbon distribution to the State of New York. Now! New York is toxic.