Join us for a screening of Gasland, the Sundance award-winning documentary, on the surprising consequences of natural gas drilling. Variety Magazine calls Gasland “…one of the most effective and expressive environmental films of recent years.” The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of “fracking” or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a “Saudi Arabia of natural gas” just beneath us. But is fracking safe? Could it happen here? Since 2010, New York State has created a moratorium on fracking but The Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York wants the state to speed up its decision so that new drilling permits can be issued this year. Major environmental groups, including Riverkeeper, have hired their own technical experts to review the state proposal. They argue that the state is far from done and lacks a detailed plan to dispose of the millions of gallons of wastewater per well that the new drilling will produce. Just last week, the state Supreme Court upheld the right of two towns to prevent fracking for natural gas in their town. Yet, New York State’s DEC says they will release the final phase of their proposal to allow hydrofracking of natural gas in spring 2012. Following the screening, there will be a discussion with Kate Hudson, the Riverkeeper attorney who is challenging New York State’s Department of Conservation.
