On November 29, I tried to attend NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) public hearing on fracking at Loch Sheldrake, but it was so packed that the DEC closed access to the room before 1 p.m. The gas lobby had a huge pro-fracking display with signs promoting gas drilling and warning Governor Cuomo that “We’ll remember in November 2014,” making it appear that the overwhelming majority favor gas drilling. This propaganda appears to be working, as in a recent discussion on a NYC TV news program, three of the four talking heads believed the anti-fracking contingent upstate to be “a small but very vocal minority” trying to block the wonderful benefits fracking will bring to New York.

It is not too late to expose this falsehood, and stop the fracking. On December 20, the DEC is expected to release decisions on gas drilling regulations for our state. Both the DEC and Governor Cuomo are highly political entities, acutely attuned to where the power is that keeps them in office. Doing any of the following will pound home the message that massive grassroots support wields more political clout than gas industry millionaires. Before December 20, take action on one or more of the following:

1. Call the governor at 518/474-8390 or email him at governor.cuomo@ny.gov.

2. Call the Army Corps of Engineers at 703/697-4672 and voice your objection to fracking.

3. Email your comments to the DEC at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html or write them at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany NY 12233-6510, Attn: dSGEIS Comments.

Please keep the pressure on to protect our land, water, air and beautiful world.

Star D. Hesse

Narrowsburg, NY