6/30/2011

Big Thank You to Gov. Purdue--No to Fracking, etc.

Environmental Coalition Praises Governor Perdue For Vetoing GOP-Backed Bills That Would Have Hurt North Carolina's Environment and Economy


Coalition includes: Clean Water for North Carolina, Environment North Carolina, Environmental Defense Fund, North Carolina Coastal Federation, NC Conservation Network, NC League of Conservation Voters, NC Sierra Club, NC Wildlife Federation, Southern Environmental Law Center, Western North Carolina Alliance and others.

Governor Perdue’s historic vetoes of S 781 and S 709 are to be commended. The 2011 session of the N.C. General Assembly has carried out a relentless assault on the environment, and Governor Perdue understands that. The legislature has attacked environmental safeguards, land conservation, financial incentives for the wise management of our natural heritage, and even environmental education. We applaud the Governor for standing up to these assaults.

S 781, Regulatory Reform Act of 2011, would have handcuffed state agencies from creating environmental protections for North Carolina’s air and water. By vetoing S 781, the Governor recognizes that North Carolinians overwhelmingly support keeping or strengthening N.C.’s environmental safeguards.

S 709, Energy Jobs Act, would have put North Carolina’s thriving coastal tourism economy at risk, in search of elusive offshore drilling revenues. The bill would have also pushed North Carolina to begin hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas, a dangerous process which contaminates groundwater and has caused devastation in other eastern states.

Also, a copy of the letter submitted to the Governor asking for the veto of anti-environmental bills, which contains a complete listing of all 33 groups, can be found at: http://www.wral.com/asset/news/state/nccapitol/2011/06/21/9758002/Env_veto.PDF

For More Information

Clean Water for North Carolina -- Hope Taylor, 919-401-9600, hope@cwfnc.org

Environment North Carolina -- Elizabeth Ouzts, 919-833-0015, elizabeth@environmentnorthcarolina.org

Environmental Defense Fund - Jane Preyer, w 919-881-2912, c 919-740-6727, jpreyer@edf.org

North Carolina Conservation Network - Brian Buzby, 919-247-3617, brian@ncconservationnetwork.org

North Carolina League of Conservation Voters - Dan Crawford, 919-839-0020, dan@nclcv.org

N.C. Wildlife Federation --Tim Gestwicki, 704-332-5696, tim@ncwf.org

N.C. Sierra Club --Molly Diggins, 919-919-833-8467, molly.diggins@sierraclub.org

Southern Environmental Law Center - Derb Carter, 919-967-1450, derbc@selcnc.org

Western North Carolina Alliance - Julie Mayfield, 828-258-8737, Julie@wnca.org

6/29/2011

Call the Gov. Today re Fracking/Offshore Drilling Bill

Last chance to have your voice heard on VETO of S709 — Deadline tomorrow!

As tomorrow's decision deadline approaches, we still need as many people as possible to make their voices heard on Senate Bill 709 (promoting offshore oil, fracking and bad energy policy), and S781 (makes new protective rules essentially impossible, gutting current rules by endless cost-benefit analyses)! Please call again or for the 1st time, and urge friends and family to do the same. The veto of these bills is truly vital to our environment and quality of life in NC.

Call 919-733-2391 or email governor.office@nc.gov today!

Lawmakers Seek Inquiry of Natural Gas Industry
Federal lawmakers are calling on agencies to investigate the natural gas industry and whether the picture that has been painted accurately reflects the reality of projections. State and Federal concerns about the financial and environmental impacts sparked the inquiry. Five companies have been subpenaed including Talisman and Chesapeake Energy. Supporters of natural gas sent a letter signed by a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers to President Obama calling on him for continued support of natural gas development.
EPA Fracking Study to Focus on Five States
The Environmental Protection Agency will focus its national study of hydraulic fracturing on seven areas in five states. Five of these research projects will take a forensic approach, retroactively investigating places where drilling has already occurred and where contamination has been alleged (including sites in North Dakota, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Colorado). At two additional sites—in DeSoto Parish, La., in the Haynesville Shale and a separate site in Washington County, Pa.—the EPA will attempt to observe and measure the changes drilling brings to an area as it happens.

Worst Drought in More Than a Century Strikes Texas Oil Boom

The water crisis in Texas, the biggest oil- and gas- producing state in the U.S., highlights a continuing debate in North America and Europe over the impact on water supplies of an oil and gas production technique called hydraulic fracturing. The worst Texas drought since record-keeping began 116 years ago may crimp an oil and natural-gas drilling boom as government officials ration water supplies crucial to energy exploration. Environmental groups are concerned the so-called fracking method may pose a contamination threat, while farmers in arid regions like south Texas face growing competition for scarce water.

6/17/2011

Division Street at Cameo Theatre, June 18

SATURDAY, June 18, 11:00 am
Sustainable Saturdays Film Series

Division Street

CAMEO Art House Theatre, 225 Hay Street, Downtown Fayetteville

$6 per person, $5 for Cameo & Sustainable Sandhills members. Tickets sold the day of the event only.
Join Sustainable Sandhills this Saturday for our final showing of Divison Street as part of our Sustainable Saturdays Film Series.
Stay after the film to hear Maurizia Chapman, Transportation Planner with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) speak about the region’s bike and pedestrian efforts & existing and proposed greenways. Also, Brenda Johnson, Green Growth Planner with Sustainable Sandhills, will give a brief presentation on local wildlife and habitat fragmentation.

6/12/2011

Reminder: GASLAND, June 15, Sunrise

GASLAND – The controversial documentary that has polarized America
Award-winning documentary "GASLAND" at the Sunrise, Southern Pines, Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00 PM. $7.
There is a natural gas drilling boom sweeping across the United States, and it is about to reach Lee County and northern Moore County. Geologists believe that there is a major sub basin of natural gas that extends from Granville County above Durham southward through the Sanford area and into Moore County to the vicinity of Carthage.
Energy companies want to use a highly controversial method of drilling to extract this gas, which is known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Fracking involves vertical as well as horizontal drilling and the pumping of huge amounts of water and chemicals into the shale rock to break up the rock and release the natural gas.

Horizontal drilling is currently illegal in North Carolina, but two bills currently being considered in the General Assembly would overturn this restriction.

This film dramaticcally shows the potential dangers of fracking to the environment and expecially to groundwater.
In order to provide a balanced view of the issues raised, a distinguished panel will discuss pros and cons, and questions will be addressed.

6/06/2011

"Gasland", Sunrise Theatre, June 15, more on Fracking in Moore Co.

Save Our Sandhills will be the primary sponsor for the showing of the dramatic documentary film "Gasland" at the Sunrise Theater in Southern Pines on Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00PM. This film deals with the potential dangers of hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of drilling for natural gas. Other sponsors will be Sustainable Sandhills and the Sandhills Area Land Trust.


As most of you know by now, there is a natural gas drilling boom sweeping across the United States, and it is about to reach Lee County and northern Moore County. Geologists believe that there is a major subbasin of natural gas that extends from Granville County above Durham southward through the Sanford area and into Moore County to the vicinity of Carthage.

Energy companies want to use a highly controversial method of drilling to extract this gas, which is known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Fracking involves vertical as well as horizontal drilling and the pumping of huge amounts of water and chemicals into the shale rock to break up the rock and release the natural gas. Horizontal drilling is currently illegal in North Carolina, but two bills currently being considered in the General Assembly would make it legitimate.
As noted above, Save Our Sandhills will be the primary sponsor for the showing of the nationally acclaimed film "Gasland" at the Sunrise Theater on Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00PM. Admission is $7.00. This was an Oscar nominated documentary and a prize winner at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. This film exposes in a dramatic fashion the potential dangers of fracking to the environment and expecially to groundwater. The film itself, with dramatic footage of tap water being ignited with a match, is highly controversial and we will try to have panelists who will provide a balanced view of the issues raised by the film.

6/03/2011

SS movie, Division Street, June 4, Fayetteville

Sustainable Sandhills Sustainable Saturdays Film Series

Division Street

SATURDAY, June 4th and 18th, 2011, 11:00 am
CAMEO Art House Theatre, 225 Hay Street, Downtown Fayetteville
$6 per person, $5 for Cameo & Sustainable Sandhills members.
Tickets sold the day of the event only.
Join Sustainable Sandhills for the first showing of Divison Street as part of our Sustainable Saturdays Film Series.
Stay after the film to hear Maurizia Chapman, Transportation Planner with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) speak about the region’s bike and pedestrian efforts, existing and proposed greenways, the East Coast Greenway, and transportation and wildlife crossings. Also, Brenda Johnson, Green Growth Planner with Sustainable Sandhills, will give a brief presentation on local wildlife and habitat fragmentation.