Gas drilling opponents are lining up in front of the Sullivan County Government Building at 10am today, for a three-day walk from Monticello to Delhi in support of a state moratorium on drilling in the Marcellus shale. Here's the details on the walk, including the route in Google Maps.
A three-day, 60-mile "Walk for Water" and a "REAL Moratorium on Fracking," with Joel Tyner, Sierra Club, Catskill Mountainkeeper, "Gasland" director Josh Fox, and more. The walk begins Tuesday June 22, 10:00am at the Sullivan County Government Center in Monticello, and ends Thursday June 24 at the Delaware County buildings in Delhi. Participants can walk some or all of the distance.
About that Joel Tyner: He's trying to run for governor on the Democratic ticket, which is currently in the pocket of an 800-pound gorilla whose name rhymes with Fuomo.
About that state moratorium: A one-year moratorium bill has a shot at being made into law, but it has yet to get out of committee in the Assembly, the Times Herald-Record Reports. And it even might get a vote from our own John Bonacic -- though perhaps only because it won't actually change much:
While [Bonacic] opposes the bill that would wait for a federal study — because there's no guarantee it would be finished and he doesn't trust a federal role in state energy — he's less certain about a one-year delay until June 1, 2011.
"We don't have strong feelings on it one way or the other," said spokesman Langdon Chapman. "Realistically speaking, we have no expectation that any permit would be issued until May of 2011 at the earliest — and then it would be stayed due to certain litigation. Therefore, the effect of a one-year moratorium is questionable at best. We support the DEC making science-based decisions and issuing permits whenever they can guarantee our water supply will not be harmed — period."
Are you walking today? If so, please send us photos or links to blog coverage at editor@watershedpost.com.
