New York City water is the best in the world, according to some. Folks export New York City water to other parts of the country just to make bagels (they say the water really makes all the difference).
And many of us New Yorkers take our water for granted because it simply comes out of the kitchen sink. For those of us in the know, we realize that our tap water is better than almost anywhere else in the world.
So why is it that the state of New York has decided to lift the ban on hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") and put at risk the quality of our drinking water, as well as the quality of life in New York City and in the upstate watershed communities?
Every aspect of this process, from the chemicals to the wastewater disposal and even the increased traffic of large construction and transport trucks, adds to the assault on our water's purity and our environment's stability.
For those not particularly aware, hydraulic fracturing is a process used to extract natural gas out of the earth through rock. Millions of gallons of water, sand and unspecified chemicals are pumped underground to break apart the rock and release the gas.
The exact chemical cocktail pumped into the earth is unknown to the general public, but opponents of the process have said that, in some places, the runoff and the effect on the groundwater are so detrimental that entire communities have had to move because of the negative consequences for their drinking water.
State policymakers have deemed this process "safe," but if that is the case, why has New York approved fracking in the state but kept the watershed areas out of bounds? Unfortunately, groundwater has no boundaries - simply not allowing fracking in the watershed does not mean that unknown chemicals will not get into the watershed areas.
Water is the essence of life; without it we are all in trouble. To simply look at water as a commodity is just wrong. The state of New York is one of the most beautiful states in the country, from the Catskill Mountains to the Hudson River Valley, from the beaches of Long Island to the mountains that surround Lake Placid. Our state is a gem, not only for its physical beauty but also for the pristine waters that surround us.
The ability to drink from our wells and reservoirs is as precious as swimming, fishing and boating in our lakes and the rivers.
Hydraulic fracturing could end that all.
For some, the idea of fracking is a moneymaker. Those willing to give out gas leases will be paid in spades. They will make thousands upon thousands of dollars a year with those leases. But we still don't know what the environmental costs will be.
The ability to drink pure water out of the tap should not be a privilege; it should be considered a right. We can ill afford to hurt our water supply or the mountain brooks, streams and rivers that crisscross this great state.
We have the ability to stop this environmental mess before it starts. Tell Andrew Cuomo: NO FRACKING WAY! We want a safe and environmentally pure New York State, now and for the future.
