Save the Southern Tier
As a key February deadline closes in, residents from each of the five Southern Tier counties previously targeted as a “sacrifice zone” for fracking launched a new anti-fracking network, Save the Southern Tier. The network launched with a stern message and demand to Governor Cuomo, who the network believes has fallen prey to manipulation and misinformation about the potential for fracking in the Southern Tier.
Save the Southern Tier will amplify existing anti-fracking efforts and build and prepare to take significant action to prevent fracking. Despite major ad buys and misinformation campaigns from the gas industry, the most recent Siena Poll shows a significant majority of upstate New Yorkers are opposed to fracking (51 percent opposed versus 38 percent in favor).
The Save the Southern Tier website serves as a hub for the new anti-fracking network and social media campaigns that will be launched connecting uniting residents from across the five “sacrifice zone” counties and residents across the state who stand united with the Southern Tier in opposing fracking.
Logan Adsit of Pharsalia in Chenango County said, "I'm proud to call the Southern Tier my home and I refuse to sacrifice my health, my child's health and my community's health for the profit of multinational corporations. The Save the Southern Tier network will amplify the majority resistance that is coming out of our communities."
Gerri Wiley, a registered nurse, said, “I speak on behalf of the nearly 3000 residents in the Town of Owego in Tioga County who have signed a petition to prohibit hydraulic fracturing. Seven out of ten residents we canvassed door-to-door, a super majority, do not want fracking to occur in the Town of Owego.”
Save the Southern Tier released a letter to Governor Cuomo that serves to correct the governor’s apparent misconceptions about support for fracking in the Southern Tier. The letter states:
“We believe that you have been misinformed about fracking and the level of support in the Southern Tier. We fear that you are listening to out-of-state gas industry lobbyists and that you have been misled by the gas industry’s sophisticated misinformation campaign. These special interests have been manipulating and misinforming many to believe that the Southern Tier supports fracking. The truth is that the majority of Southern Tier residents do not want fracking.”
In their letter, residents of the Southern Tier demand:
“You owe it to us, your constituents from across the Southern Tier, to meet with us to learn our grave concerns. You must allow us to be heard ... we are New Yorkers and we believe you have a responsibility to represent our best interests and protect our well-being. We call on you to meet with us before you make a decision about fracking in New York State.”
Speakers at the press conference included residents from all five sacrificial counties across the Southern Tier, including Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan, who spoke about the growing opposition to fracking and the concerns among residents.
“I am reassured by baring witness to the tireless resolve of a groundswell of residents choosing to stand up and peacefully but forcefully fight back against this abominable industry. Those who are fighting this are determined and resourceful,” said David Walczak, Steuben County Resident and artist.
“Gov. Cuomo needs to know that our numbers are growing as more and more citizens in this designated area learn the risks posed by the gas industry: the destruction of vast quantities of our water; the pollution of our wells and waterways with their hazardous waste; the constant air, light and noise pollution from wells, pipelines and compressor stations; and the destruction of our roads by the very heavy trucks that will make thousands of trips for each well; and most importantly, sacrificing our family's health,” said Eileen Hamlin, Southern Tier Chair of Working Families Party.
Isaac Silberman-Gorn of Citizen Action of NY said, "We have fought for years to get the truth and science out about fracking against out-of-state lobbyists and the gas industry's lies. In this light, we extend our thanks to Artists Against Fracking for their help in amplifying our voices and helping us break through the gas industry’s misinformation campaigns. We will join them in taking to social media and beyond to get the truth out about fracking and the gas industry’s horrifying practices."
Visit EcoWatch’s FRACKING page for more related news on this topic.
——–
Sign the petition today, telling President Obama to enact an immediate fracking moratorium:
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!