Finding Ulysses

A copy of the text of the proposed law to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the town of Ulysses, New York. The last public meeting about this legislation will take place this Wednesday evening.

A large group of residents of the Town Ulysses came to a Town Board meeting last night in Trumansburg to express support of a measure that would block hydrofracking in natural gas drilling here.

Caroline town Supervisor Don Barber warns Trumansburg residents about the dangers of rural industrialization that come along with natural gas drilling.

Susan Steingraber speaks in Trumansburg about natural gas drilling using the controversial technique of fracking

A community forum on hydrofracturing – also known as fracking will come to Trumansburg on December 8. The forum will begin at 6:30 PM in the high school auditorium, and will include several speakers, including Trumansburg’s own Sandra Steingraber and a former Executive Vice President at Mobil Oil Corporation.

What are the ethical considerations Earth Firsters ought to take into account in their anti-drilling activities in our area?

As Mayor of Trumansburg, John White would be in a position to lead the village into providing some of our water to natural gas drilling companies such as the one that holds a lease on his own property. It smells like a serious conflict of interest.

People in Ulysses who are concerned about coming drilling for natural gas in our town should take note: The Environmental Protection Agency has just started a tipline about illegal and generally suspicious activities taking place in association with drilling of the Marcellus Shale. If you see anything, you can call 877-919-4372 or email eyesondrilling@epa.gov .

Property owners like Doug Austic may see some profit – or they may just see drilling company trucks running roughshod over their land without a penny of income. However, these property owners have neighbors who aren’t choosing to go along with the natural gas drilling plans. Those neighbors most certainly won’t be seeing any profit, but their homes and land will be put at risk.

Currently natural gas prices are at multi-year lows because supply is so plentiful. We are NOT in a natural gas crisis in this country. There is no earthly reason to drill for natural gas in Tompkins County except greed. But we are inviting a health crisis in Tompkins county and other residential and agricultural areas where natural gas companies are gobbling up land leases if we don’t attempt to regulate natural gas drilling now!