SUNY Campuses Sign Natural Gas Drilling Contract

via Buff State Protest; Alex Bornemisza

Five SUNY campuses in western New York started receiving natural gas last Sunday through pipelines from Pennsylvania in what is a $22 million contract SUNY signed with EnergyMark, LLC, a local natural gas drilling company. What's questionable, is that SUNY told EnergyMark not to disclose any information in their press release that the gas was received from hydraulically fractured wells, more commonly referrred to as "fracked" wells.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a highly controversial method used to obtain natural gas from shale deposits because it relies on a highly contaminated mixture of chemicals (over 500) and water rapidly pumped into the ground to break up rock formations allowing quick access to the gas wells. Josh Fox in the movie, Gasland, brought national attention to the fracking process and its effects on local communities and the environment. Numerous reports suggest fracking contaminates local water supplies and drinking water to where tap water actually lights on fire. There is also widespread speculation that recent earthquakes in places like Alabama, Ohio, and even Pennsylvania, where SUNY's gas is now coming from, are attributed to fracking.

All of that sounds bad enough, but there's the question as to why SUNY requested EnergyMark, LLC not disclose the fact that the gas being pumped to the schools would come from a fracked well. Clearly, SUNY is aware of the controversial and dangerous consequences of hydraulic fracturing and wanted to keep this issue away from the people, students, and citizens concerned. Anti-fracking protests were scheduled on campus Thursday, April 19th in participation with Occupy Buffalo.