Outraged citizens from across Western New York, along with the Green party candidate for New York State Governor Howie Hawkins, will gather in Buffalo on Thursday, October 28 at 4pm, in front of the Buffalo office of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ( 270 Michigan Avenue at the corner of Seneca Street) to protest the DEC’s decision to endorse hydrofracking. In their Strategic Plan for State Forest Management, the DEC has approved the new controversial natural gas extraction method known as fracking. Protesters will confront the DEC and its decision that will affect human health, ecosystems, and waters of over 786,000 acres of the public’s lands. Protesters will demand a statewide ban on all hydrofracking and hand an open letter to the DEC demanding a statewide ban on hydrofracking.

The practice of deep well hydrofracking is used to extract natural gas from underground shale deposits. Industry uses upwards of 596 different chemicals (some known carcinogens like benzene and glycol ethers) mixed with millions of gallons of water (one to nine million gallons per frack job) and sand under high pressure to frack a well. The chemicals pressure-fracture the shale and release the gas, but the polluted water must be dealt with afterwards and this is the most controversial aspect of fracking. Western New York has large, shale-based gas deposits. Fracking has caused major damage to other areas of the country.

We will demand the DEC do its job and protect the public health, the health of our waters and lands and not allow this dangerous practice in New York State. New Yorkers want their water drinkable not flammable!

Albert Brown, Frack Action Buffalo

Artvoice reserves the right to edit letters for content and length. Shorter letters have a better chance at being published in their entirety. Please include your name, hometown, and contact number. E-mail letters to: editorial@artvoice.com or write to: Artvoice Letters, 810 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202