The shills for the natural gas industry have been smart up to this point. They deny all accusations levied at their industry regarding environmental damages. They hire teams of lawyers, lobbyists, and scientists to protect their interests. They donate money to community organizations, schools, libraries, and museums to buy acceptance.
That’s it.
Spread money around. Deny, deny, deny. Spread more money. Deny, deny, deny. Repeat indefinitely. The mantra worked perfectly during the 20th Century so it’s full steam ahead in the 21st.
But the industry stumbled over itself by trying to get Gasland stripped of its Academy Award nomination for best documentary film.
“In an unprecedented move, an oil and gas industry front group sent a letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences saying that the film should be ineligible for best documentary feature,” Gasland director Josh Fox said in this open letter to journalists.
Any Public Relations 101 student should know that attacking a movie, book, or song after it’s been nominated for a high-profile award only surrounds it with more interest and notoriety, which then translates to more viewers and sales and maybe even increases its chances of winning the prize.
Yeah, you might think that this industry would be a little smarter than trying to tell the Movie Industry How and who to nominate for an Oscar, but just like everything they do, they are full of themselves trying to discredit anyone who speaks the truth about what they do. Just like all the people who need water buffaloes now because the drilling has contaminated their drinking water. “We’ll give you the water if you sign a non disclosure.” That’s how they operate in PA and everywhere else they do business. It’s refreshing to know that the Oscar committee isn’t for sale like many of the politicians they have managed to buy. Once you see this film, you will learn the truth and wonder “How in the heck did they get this far in America?” It is completely true and I can personally attest to the fact that there is major destruction going on in this country by the natural gas extraction industry. Much of the damage they have done is irreversible and to think that they are trying to discredit the film…..it is a DOCUMENTARY, not fiction. People need to see this movie and start joining the movement to stop them before we are unable to breath, eat or drink anything where they are operating. The proof is there, but do we have anyone left in this country brave enough to stop them? So far the only man fitting that description is Josh Fox and we here in PA where we are being Fracked to death thank him with all our hearts.
Any filmmaker who can inspire a major industry to treat him the way the health insurance industry treated Michael Moore when Sicko came out deserves all the awards he can get. Kudos to Josh Fox for telling the truth. No amount of corporate spin can cover real transparency.
There is a saying; “Give ’em enough rope and he’ll hang himself.” I hope it’s true in this case. I think we should all be quiet about Big Gas making this obvious blunder and wait to see what idiotic, desperate statements they come out with next. I haven’t been this encouraged that maybe my well won’t be contaminated and I can continue to live at my house in Pa. since GASLAND was released!
Josh Fox is trying to become the next Michael Moore by creating a sensationalistic movie that has virtually no basis in fact. This movie as no scientific basis and is meant to instill fear through ignorance.
PENNSYLVANIA: “There has never been any evidence of fracking ever causing direct contamination of fresh groundwater in Pennsylvania or anywhere else.” (PA DEP’s Scott Perry, Scranton Times-Tribune, 4/2/10)
NEW YORK: “I think is clear that when put into the proper context and perspective, the reported information shows that the incidence of spills and other pollution events at modern natural gas well sites is exceedingly low …” (Alexander B. “Pete” Grannis, commissioner of NY DEC, 12/30/09)
TEXAS: “Though hydraulic fracturing has been used for over 50 years in Texas, our records do not indicate a single documented contamination case associated with hydraulic fracturing.” (Texas Railroad Commission’s Victor Carrillo, 5/29/2009)
OHIO: “After 25 years of investigating citizen complaints of contamination, [our] geologists have not documented a single incident involving contamination of ground water attributed to hydraulic fracturing.” (Scott Kell, deputy chief of Ohio DNR, 5/27/09)
NEW MEXICO: “[W]e have found no example of contamination of usable water where the cause was claimed to be hydraulic fracturing.” (Mark Fesmire, director of NM Oil Conservation Division, 5/29/09)
ALABAMA: “I can state with authority that there have been no documented cases of drinking water contamination caused by such hydraulic fracturing operations in our state.” (Barry H. “Nick” Tew, Jr., Oil & Gas supervisor for Alabama, 5/27/09)
Can drilling companies keep the names of chemicals used at drilling sites a secret?
No. Drilling companies must disclose the names of all chemicals to be stored and used at a drilling site … as part of the permit application process. These plans
contain copies of material safety data sheets for all chemicals … This information is on file with DEP and is available to landowners, local governments and
emergency responders.
Source: Marcellus FAQ fact sheet, PA DEP; accessed on 4/20/10
@Mike
Got shill?
Whoever “David” is in this article, is either an attorny for the Oil & Gas Industry Company’s or just a plain asshole! If truely thinks that nothing is happening from oil & gas extraction, then he really is an idiot!!
What so many of these ‘pro drilling’ comments fail to mention is that the Gas industry is EXEMPT from reporting the chemicals that are used in this process. Why? They are exempt from a variety of environmental laws.
So, of course, no contamination was reported, because they weren’t investigated – nor was it required. duh…
For people who are unsure what is true or not, read the THOUSANDS of postings from people who have had their properties drilled and subsequently their water contaminated. THOUSANDS.
Speaking of Sicko, is Michael Moore still going to Cuba to get his medical treatment because of the superioriry of their system over ours?