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For Immediate Release, January 17, 2014 Contact: Patrick Sullivan, (415) 517-9364, [email protected] Protest Urges Gov. Brown to Save California's Water by Halting Fracking As Governor Declares Drought, Demonstrators Highlight Fracking's Huge Water Use, Water Pollution Danger, Climate Change Threat SAN FRANCISCO— As Gov. Jerry Brown formally declares a drought in California, sign-carrying activists with Californians Against Fracking will protest outside the governor’s Friday morning press conference to urge him to protect the state’s water supply by halting fracking. Gov. Brown has been dogged by protesters from the statewide Californians Against Fracking coalition for refusing to halt the oil industry’s use of the highly polluting technique, which involves blasting huge volumes of water mixed with toxic chemicals into the ground to break up rock formations and release oil and gas. Fracking uses enormous quantities of water, and oil companies are gearing up for a massive expansion of fracking even as California’s water resources are stretched to the breaking point. Fracking also releases vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and loads the dice for more frequent and severe droughts. Who: Protesters with the Center for Biological Diversity, Food & Water Watch, CREDO, Oil Change International, Move On and other members of the statewide Californians Against Fracking coalition What: Protest outside Gov. Jerry Brown’s drought-announcement press conference calling on the governor to save California’s water by banning fracking When: Friday, Jan. 17 at 9:30 a.m. Fracking pollution has also been tied to water contamination in Wyoming, Texas and other states, and here in California an oil company was recently caught on video dumping fracking wastewater into an unlined pit in Kern County. Fracking pollution also threatens California’s air and efforts to fight climate change. Californians Against Fracking is a coalition of environmental, business, health, agriculture, labor, political, and environmental justice organizations working to win a statewide ban on fracking in California. |
