Help Prevent the Spreading of Hazardous or Contaminated Frack Fluid on Albany County's Roads
July 18, 2013
Riverkeeper Team
Photo via Creative Commons - Flickr, Lock the Gate Alliance/Doug Kerr
What: Albany County hearing on proposed fracking waste ban
When: Tuesday, July 23rd, 7:15 PM
Hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale produces millions of gallons of contaminated and potentially radioactive waste fluid, which could be sent to Albany wastewater treatment plants or spread on Albany roads.
Although the future of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) in New York State remains uncertain, drilling in Pennsylvania and Ohio and low-volume hydraulic fracturing activities in upstate New York currently produce waste that contains heavy metals and naturally occurring radioactive materials. These contaminants, including radium-226, are linked to cancer and birth defects and are extremely difficult to remove once they have permeated drinking water supplies.
Currently in New York, this fracking fluid can be spread on roads for use as a deicer or dust control agent if special permission is obtained from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Fracking waste spread on roads can run off into school playgrounds, residential properties, and farmland, and can ultimately contaminate rivers, streams, and underground aquifers that feed local drinking water supplies. DEC’s proposed fracking plan contemplates the receipt of fracking waste at treatment plants as one disposal option should fracking be allowed in New York.
Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, and Suffolk Counties have already passed legislation banning the use of fracking waste on roads and, in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, prohibiting its acceptance at wastewater treatment plants.
You can prevent contamination of Albany’s water, air, and land by urging your County legislator to support the bill that prohibits the acceptance of fracking waste by wastewater treatment plants and bans its use on roads in the County.
On Tuesday, July 23, the Albany County Legislature will hold a hearing to take public comments on the proposed legislation to ban the sale, application, and disposal of contaminated and potentially radioactive fracking waste fluids in the County. Please attend the hearing to express your support for legislation crucial to protecting the health and safety of County residents. Whether you can attend or not, contact the Legislature before Tuesday at 518-447-7168 (contact information for your specific Legislator) and encourage your Legislator to vote for this important legislation.
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