Sandra Steingraber’s Big Gaffe at You Defend It Debate
A few days ago we gave you our eyewitness account of a debate between John Holko, president of Lenape Resources and Sandra Steingraber, author, erstwhile biologist and Rachel Carson wannabe (see Fracking Debate at Binghamton U: Holko vs Steingraber). It was a good debate to illustrate the utter lack of credibility and facts used by anti-drillers like Steingraber. In writing up our review, we overlooked perhaps the most outrageous and silly thing Steingraber said Monday night. She was pressing home the point she believes it’s time, right now, for New York to flip the switch and end the use of all fossil fuels (yes, she’s that “out there”). Debate moderator Rob Kilmer was somewhat incredulous and asked her if/how we might accomplish such a feat. She responded there is historical precedence–that at one time in our country’s (evil, vile) history, we could not conceive of a national economy without slave labor–and in the same way we overcame that morally abhorrent practice, we can overcome using fossil fuels today–apparently something equally abhorrent for Steingraber. You read that right–she equated burning fossil fuels for energy (something every single person reading this does, including Steingraber) with the enslavement of Africans in our distant past. How twisted is that?
Our good friend Tom Shepstone from the must-read Natural Gas Now website brings us his view of the debate and recounts Steingraber’s “gilding of the lily” with her slavery comment…
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As hard as it is to believe, New York’s Attorney General continues to work against his own constituents. We’ve known since his election that Democrat Eric Schneiderman is anti-drilling–what we didn’t know was was how much of an activist he would be, using his office to further his own distorted views on oil and gas drilling. He’s misused the power of the subpoena to go after drillers (see 
Today the 70,000 members of the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY) will finally launched their legal offensive against a recalcitrant governor, commissioner of the DEC, and the state health commissioner. D-Day will, of course, forever be associated with the first day of the World War II Allied Forces landing on the beaches of Normandy, France–June 6, 1944. We are in no way comparing the current action by the JLCNY with that momentous day which included incredible sacrifices by brave American (and other country’s) troops. However, D-Day is also a generic military term that means the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. It is in that sense we say that today is legal D-Day for the JLCNY and pro-drilling landowners. This IS a battle, it IS important with incredibly high stakes, and it does seem as though the odds are stacked against us. However, we have our own allied legal forces and we, as pro-drilling landowners in New York, are determined to win. And win we will!
The latest statewide Quinnipiac University poll of New York residents finds a majority of NYers believe Cuomo is indecisive–that is, he’s intentionally dragging his feet on making a decision about whether or not to allow shale drilling in the state. A smaller percent still buy his line about “carefully evaluating” the situation. Translation: There are 32% of us living in NY (who don’t smoke pot) who know that nearly 6 years is long enough for a decision to be made. We can see through the transparently pathetic attempt at stalling for political purposes. Some 23% think Andy’s jest bein’ xtra careful (that’s the hippie greenies). Then there’s the 42% who don’t have an opinion either way–yet. Our best hope is to swing those people to the truth side of the debate.
Like all things legal–and like all things NY–this story is a tad complex, so please bear with us. If you have an interest in whether, and when, NY begins shale fracking, this is an important story. For some time MDN has told you about the lawsuit that has been prepared and waiting (for funds) to move forward by the Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY). Their lawsuit was to focus on “takings,” the legal concept that New York State has denied landowners the sovereign right to use their own property as they see fit–to lease it for shale drilling–and by doing so the state owes them just compensation for “taking” away that value (see our story from last April: 
In what is sure to be a bitter disappointment to New York’s landowners, Dept. of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens said yesterday in testimony to lawmakers that he’s not going to issue any permits for shale drilling before 2015. Unless, of course, he’s forced to by a court (see 
The new mayor of New York City, Bill De Blasio, is anti-drilling and proud of it. Yesterday he told reporters he doesn’t want to see fracking anywhere in the state. That De Blasio–wow, what a deep thinker he is! Know where he gets his facts and information from about fracking? Watching movies like Gasland. Such intellectual heft. Such gravitas. The man is clearly smarter than any of the rest of us. Thank God he’s the new mayor.