Pittsburgh Bans Natural Gas Drilling

[DearAbby]

A historic new ordinance bans natural gas drilling while elevating community decision making and the rights of nature over the "rights" associated with corporate personhood.

In a historic vote, the City of Pittsburgh today adopted a first-in-the-nation ordinance banning corporations from natural gas drilling in the city.

Faced with the potential for drilling—and the controversial new practice known as “fracking” or hydraulic fracturing—within city limits, the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously said “no.” Fracking means injecting water laced with sand and toxic chemicals underground to create deep ground explosions that release the gas. It’s a technique first tried in Texas, and which is now being used in Pennsylvania, where the Marcellus Shale geological formation, a source of natural gas, is buried over a mile down. The Marcellus Shale stretches from New York, through Pennsylvania, into Ohio and West Virginia.

Fracking has been demonstrated to be a threat to surface and groundwater, and has been blamed for fatal explosions, the contamination of drinking water, rivers, and streams. Because it disturbs rock that’s laced not only with methane, but with carcinogens like benzene and radioactive ores like uranium, forcing the mix to the surface adds to the dangers.

Pittsburgh sits atop the Marcellus Shale and corporations have already purchased leases to drill there, including under area parks and cemeteries.

More:
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/pittsburg-bans-natural-gas-drilling

[blitzburgh55]

1. YAY!! n/t

[Altoid_Cyclist]

2. With Corbett and the reptiles in charge now, this state is in big trouble.

It's nice to see some sanity in regard to this devastating form of "clean energy". We don't need anymore of this BS here.





If this same water killed thousands of fish,
would you want your cattle in there?


http://www.marcellus-shale.us/Dunkard_Creek.htm

[Klukie]

3. Giant K&R

[deaniac21]

4. They banned baseball back in the mid 90's.

[JVS]

5. I can't believe we built those fuckers a new stadium when we should have banished them from the city

[deaniac21]

6. I long for:

Roberto Clemente
Bill Mazeroski
Bill Virdon
Elroy Face
Willie Stargell
Dick Groat
Smokey Burgess
Bob Friend
Manny Sanguillen
Richie Hebner
Kent Tekulve
Omar Moreno
Dave Parker
Doug Drabek
Andy Van Slyke

I must stop now, sniff