The Capitol Pressroom for June 11, 2010
Lately any conversation that touches on drilling into the rich vein of natural gas underneath New York’s southern tier elicits a range of emotions. The promise of billions of dollars to a Broome County legislator is as dramatic as any scene in Contact or The Abyss. The fear of corporate greed & environmental damage is reminiscent of Erin Brockovitch or The Matrix; the political maneuvering both for and against drilling is as nuanced as the script for Frost/Nixon. It’s not surprising that gas drilling has made it to the silver screen. Two young documentarians have produced films from polar opposite viewpoints on the issue. Josh Fox’s GASLAND won accolades this year at Sundance. Aaron Price’s GAS ODYSSEY has caused a stir among residents of the southern tier who have been living on the economic fringes for decades. We speak with both of them today on the Capitol Pressroom. Plus, analysis of the two films from Bradd Vickers and Stanley R. Scobie.
Click the triangle to play. Click the timeline to skip forward or backwards.
2 Comments
Natural Gas Drilling is an environmental disaster – leading to illnesses and
health disasters. Are these people expendable. Also, we are experiencing
climate change weather that has devastated the United States. Since the
Natural Gas Companies are exempted from Clean Air, Clean Water, Safe Water, Safe Air we already are experiencing unusual and catastrophic
weather all over the U.S. There is also need to slow down the rush to
drill for Gas. WHERE IS THE GAS GOING? OVERSEAS? THERE IS NO
WAY TO USE IT IN THE UNITED STATES.
Funny how fracture stimulation has been going on since the 80’s but only now are people all of sudden getting sick. Oh, by the way, fracture stimulation has been occuring in Western New York for quite some time in the Medina tight sand trend. Nobody seems to be barking about that.
The push for Natural Gas is that it is a bridge fuel to the green economy. Emissions are less than that from crude or coal and it is cheaper per BTU. Why not harness this for power generation and/or vehicle use.