BWW Sponsors Anti-Fracking Program

Fracking—the Rest of the Story

Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife (BWW) is sponsoring Fracking—the Rest of the Story, a program by Bill Belitskus, President of the Allegheny Defense Project, on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the Canastota Library (102 West Center St., Canastota, NY). For the past 15 years, Belitskus has been monitoring forest fragmentation, water degradation, air pollution, and the loss of recreational opportunities in the Allegheny National Forest caused by oil and gas drilling. He will speak from the unique perspective of a Pennsylvanian “whose state has jumped into shale gas drilling and fracking, feet first with eyes closed.” 

 Belitskus grew up on his family’s dairy farm in southwest Pennsylvania, and earned degrees in Psychology and Education. A Vietnam veteran, he has lived in Kane, Pennsylvania adjacent to the Allegheny National Forest for the past 30 years. Bill has been sounding the alarm about the riparian rights of landowners to protect waterways and the dangers of consumptive water withdrawal from rivers, streams and groundwater by the oil and gas industry. 

He will also address the Pennsylvania Legislature’s recent passing of Act 13, called the most anti-democratic, anti-environmental law in the nation because it elevates the rights of gas companies above the civil rights of people and communities. This legislation gives gas companies the right to drill anywhere, overturn local zoning law, seize private property and muzzle physicians from disclosing specific health impacts upon patients from drilling contamination.  Don’t miss this special opportunity to see an exciting, illustrated program and learn from the experiences of Pennsylvanians.

Everyone is welcome to attend this program in the Lawson Community Room on the lower level of the library, and there will be a brief BWW business meeting. For directions to the Canastota Library, located near the intersection of Main St. and Center St., in Canastota, NY call 315/697-7030.  For more information about the program, call (518) 568-2077, (315) 853-4147 or (315)796-2233.