Parker Waichman LLP

Actor Mark Ruffalo Speaks Out Against Fracking

  Actor Joins Cause Versus Fracking. An actor who lives in the epicenter of New York State’s debate over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, recently visited Cornell University to speak out against the controversial gas drilling technique. Mark Ruffalo was joined at Cornell by State Assembly woman Barbara Lifton (D-125th), a proponent of a gas drilling moratorium […]

Fracking

 

Actor Joins Cause Versus Fracking. An actor who lives in the epicenter of New York State’s debate over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, recently visited Cornell University to speak out against the controversial gas drilling technique. Mark Ruffalo was joined at Cornell by State Assembly woman Barbara Lifton (D-125th), a proponent of a gas drilling moratorium being considered by the Assembly.

Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting water, sand, and a cocktail of chemicals at high pressure into rock formations thousands of feet below the surface. The chemicals that make up that fracking fluid are cause for concern. They may include, among other things, barium, strontium, benzene, glycol-ethers, toluene, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethanol, and nonylphenols. All have been linked to health disorders when human exposure is too high. Thanks to a move by Congress in 2005, fracking is exempt from federal regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. As a result, frackers don’t have to disclose the chemicals that make up there fracking fluids.

Ruffalo, whose movies include “13 Going on 30” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” lives in Callicoon, an area in New York’s Marcellus shale region already impacted by the fracking debate. According to a recent USA Today report, some farmers there are hoping to sign leases with gas drillers so that they can enjoy the financial bonuses and royalties the industry has promised. However, other landowners are fighting against the gas drilling, which many feel will contaminate their water and environment.

Dimock Has Serious Water Contamination

Ruffalo is among those opposed to the drilling. Earlier this year, he visited Dimock, PA, a town that has had serious water contamination issues that have been blamed on fracking, with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Robert F. Kennedy. He has lived in Callicoon, a town along the Delaware River, for 12 years. According to an interview Ruffalo gave to the site Alternet, the Millennium Pipeline was drilled right behind his home.

According to The Cornell Daily Sun, he and Assmeblywoman Lifton addressed a group of 100 at Cornell Sunday night about the controversy. Ruffalo asserted that the fracking boom now going on in the Marcellus shale, a gas rich formation that covers parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland, has potential to become one of America’s greatest environmental disasters.

Ruffalo claimed that fracking has caused water contamination in many places, and he alleged that hydrofracking sites are also associated with huge rises in childhood asthma and nasal disorders. According to the Daily Sun, Ruffalo pointed out that it can take up to 200 trucks to frack one well, which worsens the pollution problem. “They come through every two minutes and they just trash the place.”

He also criticized the federal exemptions that allow frackers to keep the chemicals they use a secret. “ say ‘we can’t study it if we don’t know what’s in it.’ Well, if it’s safe, then why don’t tell us what’s in it?” Ruffalo said.

In New York, fracking has been particularly controversial. The state’s Marcellus shale region includes the entire Catskills watershed that provides New York City with all of its drinking water. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation has had gas drilling permit approvals on hold since 2008 while it conducts an environmental review of fracking.

In August, the New York State Senate approved a measure that would temporarily ban horizontally-drilled hydraulic fracturing wells until May 2011. But the measure has yet to become law, and is still being debated in the State Assembly.

Need Legal Help Regarding Fracking?

The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).

What Our Clients Say About Us
We have worked with thousands of clients and we appreciate them and their positive reviews. Here are just a few recent client reviews...
5 Star Reviews 150
Positive: Professionalism , Responsiveness Gina Viti was our paralegal during the claim process and was very responsive, professional and supportive. We appreciate all she did to bring the claim to a satisfactory conclusion.
ann gallas
2 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
They contacted me right back, and sent paperwork for me to sign as soon as we spoke!!
spidermanvshulk2004
6 years ago
5 Star Reviews 150
After the death of my husband, I decided to call Parker Waichman LLP to investigate the incident surrounding the death. My case was handled in a professional manner. The attorneys and support staff were responsive and attentive to my case. The case was resolved as a result of Parker Waichman's effort for which I am forever thankful. I had a great experience working aside Parker Waichman. All my questions were answered immediately and they were honest. They got back to me on a timely basis and it was a pleasure working with the entire staff. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for great attorneys and attentive staff.
keturah pyle
8 years ago

Why Choose Us to Help You?

We Take Care of Everything
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
No Recovery = No Legal Fees
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that we only get paid from a portion of your settlement or jury award. If you don't get compensation, you owe us nothing.
Decades of Experience
Your situation is stressful enough: Let us take on the deadlines, paperwork, investigation, and litigation. We'll handle every detail so you don't have to worry.
Respected by Our Peers
Judges, insurance adjusters, and fellow attorneys all speak highly of our skills, and we've earned numerous accolades, including a flawless rating from AVVO.
We Have Many Locations To Serve You
We have the experience and the skilled litigators to win your case. Contact us and speak with a real attorney who can help you.
Long Island – Nassau
Parker Waichman LLP
6 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, NY 11050
Long Island – Suffolk
Parker Waichman LLP
201 Old Country Road – Suite 145
Melville, NY 11747
New York
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038
Queens
Parker Waichman LLP
118-35 Queens Boulevard, Suite 400
Forest Hills, NY 11375
Brooklyn
Parker Waichman LLP
300 Cadman Plaza West
One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
New Jersey
Parker Waichman LLP
80 Main Street, Suite 265
West Orange, NJ 07052
Florida
Parker Waichman LLP
27299 Riverview Center Boulevard
Suite 108
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
Nationwide Service
Parker Waichman LLP
59 Maiden Lane, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10038