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Friend, One of the things that impressed me the most while in Paris, for COP21, was the motivation and energy of people from communities and other geographies where fossil fuel operations like fracking are causing the most damage. These folks understand that carbon emissions and extreme extraction practices literally place them in a life or death situation, and this is no exaggeration. Even global leaders from some of these places see the writing on the wall - take Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony de Brum who once said of climate change, "Displacements of populations and destruction of cultural language and tradition is equivalent in our minds to genocide."1 Unfortunately, there seems to be a different attitude with too many lawmakers in Florida - a place that has been described as both, "ground zero" when it comes to sea-level rise, and the "the poster child" for the impacts of climate change.2 At a time when global leaders just emerged from Paris with a global deal to act on climate, and scientists have warned us again and again that we must leave 80 percent of remaining fossil fuel stocks in the ground to avert global climate catastrophe,3 these realities are falling on deaf ears in the Florida State Assembly. Two bills, HB 191 and SB 318, that would not only expand fracking, oil and gas drilling throughout the state, but would also prevent local jurisdictions from banning fracking outright are sailing their way through to passage. But wait, it gets worse: The bills would also exempt public disclosure of chemicals used during fracking procedures.4 Given the specter of increased carbon emissions, contaminated water and public health risks is not worth it. That's why we need to tell Governor Rick Scott and the State Assembly to revoke these bills, which are nothing more than a License to Drill. Click here to sound off and help block these fracked up pieces of legislation.
Floridians all over the state are voicing their opposition to both of these bills that would impede local decision making while exposing them to unnecessary risks. In fact, 20 counties encompassing 40 cities that account for nearly 8 million people already have existing fracking bans.4 That's almost 43 percent of the state's population whose choice to ban fracking is now in serious jeopardy - earlier this month a Florida House Subcommittee approved the House version of the bill by a 9-3 vote.5 Fracking in Florida is particularly risky because of the porous nature of the state's subsurface. Both bills would allow for a highly pernicious form of fracking called "acidization," which involves shooting acid and water beneath the surface to free up natural gas.5 Shooting acid under the ground? That's beyond a License to Drill, it's way too close to a License to Kill freshwater supplies and public health. We have to head these bills off at the pass before they get to the full State Assembly. That's why I am asking you to take action today, before Assembly Members head home for the holidays. Click here to take action and stop the Florida Frack Attack. Thanks for all you do, Anthony for Environmental Action 2. Kolber, Elizabeth. The Siege of Miami. The New Yorker. December 2015. 3. Clark, Duncan. How Much of the World's Fossil Fuel Can We Burn. The Guardian. March 25, 2015. |
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