National Day of Action will bring thousands to Washington, DC to put the public interest before drilling industry profits
Washington, D.C—Today citizens from affected communities, together with environmental organizations and community groups, announced a call to action to demand an end to putting oil and gas drilling profits ahead of public health, clean water and air and the safety of our communities. This event will be the largest of its kind and will take place in on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol, Washington, DC from 10am to 2pm on July 28, 2012.
Labeled “Stop the Frack Attack,” the rally will bring thousands to the nation’s capitol to demand greater government responsibility and corporate accountability for harm that existing oil and gas development causes.
Community groups and organizations from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Maryland, Texas, Wyoming, Ohio, Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, Idaho, Virginia and North Dakota have signed on in support of the event. For more information and list of endorsing organizations and members of the citizen-based advisory council, please visit www.stopthefrackattack.org
In support of this National Day of Action, concerned citizens from across the country issued the below statements.
“The President and Congress need to hear the truth about the destruction of irresponsible fossil fuel extraction directly from drilling communities,” said Kari Matsko, an Ohio member of the National Day of Action advisory council. “Gas isn’t clean and drillers always put their profits ahead of the health of American families. This has to stop, and we expect our elected officials to make sure it does.”
“We have found that we cannot rely on our local, tribal and state officials to prevent pollution of our air and water, and our health,” said Theodora Bird Bear, a member of the Dakota Resource Council from North Dakota’s Fort Berthold Reservation. “They tell us there will be no impacts, but we can see the impacts and we know they are real. We are asking policy makers in Washington, DC to help us protect and honor our connections to the earth.”
“Now is the time for all of us to unite and demand that the nation take action to move toward a clean energy future,” said Calvin Tillman, former Mayor of DISH, Texas and another advisory council member. “Drilling that harms our health, water, and air isn’t acceptable. Americans deserve better, and we expect to get it.”
“Dirty drilling isn’t a state or regional problem – it’s a national problem,” said John Fenton, a rancher from Wyoming who is also a member of the advisory council. “It’s time for the White House and Congress to stop buying the industry line and start paying attention to the real devastation this industry has caused our communities, air and water.”
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