Sanders: "If Elected President...We Are Going To Ban Fracking in 50 States of this Country"
(VIDEO)
June 1, 2016. Spreckels, CA. In a press conference held at the Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building, Bernie Sanders threw down the the gauntlet, declaring that fracking would be banned in his Administration. This was a bold move in California, considering that Governor Jerry Brown has become a strong advocate for the blasting of toxic chemicals into California's bedrock that has resulted in environmental hazards, such as Porter Ranch methane gas leak, the worse natural gas disaster in America's history. Bernie's courageous environmental stance may have cost Bernie the unpledged super-delegate vote of California's fracking governor. In contrast to Bernie's firm opposition to fracking, his opponent Hillary Clinton actively pushed fracking around the world as Secretary of State. Clinton continues to refuse to take a position against fracking, and so the environmental disasters associated with it are expected to dramatically increase if she is elected.
Accompanied by environmental experts and community activists at the press conference, Bernie Sanders pointed out that fracking causes lung cancer and birth defects, is highly explosive, and also causes earthquakes several miles away, both in the short term and even years after the fracking takes place. He pointed out that it is a danger to our air and water supply and damages our beaches and marine life.
"There is simply no good way to contain the cocktail of toxic chemicals pumped into the ground. The threat it poses to our families is simply too great."
"There is simply no good way to contain the cocktail of toxic chemicals pumped into the ground. The threat it poses to our families is simply too great."
Sanders, whose home state of Vermont was the first state in the nation to ban fracking, pointed out that it takes 160,000 gallons of clean water to frack a single well. He pointed out that California is in the midst a five year drought and noted that cities and towns all over the state have been asked to reduce water consumption by 25%. He added,
"In my view, it makes zero sense to talk about the urgent need to conserve water on one hand and then give big gas companies a green light to use huge amounts of water through hydraulic fracking on the other hand."
Bernie related that, in many California counties, people cannot drink tap water and have to use bottled water. One of the press people present pointed out that this was the case in Monterey County.
"In my view, it makes zero sense to talk about the urgent need to conserve water on one hand and then give big gas companies a green light to use huge amounts of water through hydraulic fracking on the other hand."
Bernie related that, in many California counties, people cannot drink tap water and have to use bottled water. One of the press people present pointed out that this was the case in Monterey County.
Bernie has co-sponsored legislation with California Senator Barbara Boxer and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley to ban fracking on federal lands. His position is that the government needs to go further.
"I think we should ban fracking in every county in the United States of America and if elected President I will do that nationally."
Last year, New York State banned fracking and California Counties are starting to do likewise. Bernie has endorsed the Monterey County initiative to ban fracking there.
"I think we should ban fracking in every county in the United States of America and if elected President I will do that nationally."
Last year, New York State banned fracking and California Counties are starting to do likewise. Bernie has endorsed the Monterey County initiative to ban fracking there.
David Braun
David Braun, the co-founder of Americans against Fracking, explained that, in the fracking process, hundreds of thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals, mixed with water, is used to blast and shatter the bedrock. He noted that California's groundwater is especially in danger because of California's shallow bedrock. Before New York's ban on fracking, the state's health commissioner recommended they ban fracking as he didn't feel it was safe to allow his two year old son to live near a fracking well. This was written into New York's study on fracking. David noted that our health is on the line and nothing has been done by officials in California to protect the public from the harms caused by fracking.
Andrew Hsia-Coron
Andrew Hsia-Coron, the co-founder of San Benito Rising and Protect Monterey County, informed the press that people are more dependent on groundwater in California than elsewhere in the United States and that fracking puts the groundwater and the health and lives of Californians at risk. He noted that in every poll, Californians are incredibly opposed to fracking.
According to Andrew, in Monterey County, every single day 100,000 barrels of contaminated fracking waste water is being put back into protected aquifers in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to Andrew, in Monterey County, every single day 100,000 barrels of contaminated fracking waste water is being put back into protected aquifers in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Margaret Morales Rebecch (l) and Gary Patton (r)
Margaret Morales Rebecchi, the Latino outreach coordinator for Protect Monterey County, stated that 90% of fracking wells are placed in Latino or low income areas. She termed this "environmental racism."
In Kern County, the county with the highest fracking, she visited schools. She found the children had headaches asthema, nose bleeds and unusual forms of cancer.
Former Santa Clara Supervisor Gary Patton who has worked extensively on this issue. assisted in getting Santa Clara to ban fracking.
Following is the Justice Gazette's video of the press conference.
In Kern County, the county with the highest fracking, she visited schools. She found the children had headaches asthema, nose bleeds and unusual forms of cancer.
Former Santa Clara Supervisor Gary Patton who has worked extensively on this issue. assisted in getting Santa Clara to ban fracking.
Following is the Justice Gazette's video of the press conference.