C. Earl Campbell DA 3rd, MSW
The answer is clear. We too value clean air and water. African Americans have all too often been the victims of environmental racism caused by corporate greed. Hydraulic fracturing is a process used in nine out of 10 natural gas wells in the United States, where millions of gallons of water, sand and toxic chemicals (poisons) are pumped underground to break apart Shale Rock in order to release the gas trapped there. Scientists are worried that the poisonous chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled and sometimes spilled onto the surface. This process is leaking millions of gallons into the nation’s underground fresh water reservoirs, which are linked to every state in the country. The immoral practices exhibited by both politicians and gas companies across the country are placing America at great risk while the Obama Administration stands idly by and does nothing to stop or regulate it.
Gas companies lease the right to search for and extract natural gas from mostly White land owners and pay them lump-sum payments and a small percentage of the revenue from natural gas extracted from gas wells on their property. Large numbers of employment opportunities in rural jurisdictions are being created that allow politicians to claim credit for job creation. These land owners have few complaints, until their children or other family member suddenly fall ill; perhaps from the water supply and/or the methane leaked into the air. See the following link for a graphic illustration by Al Grandberg.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with protecting the nation’s air and waterways. Lisa Jackson served as its Secretary under President Obama. She recently retired, rather than continue to fight against those in her party, including the President who are allowing the gas industry to continue a process that’s pumping millions of gallons of poison into gas shales that are spewing into the nation’s fresh water reserves. I believe that my renewable energy company Allen Hydro Energy Corporation (AHEC) has a solution that can meet the world’s energy demands.
The world’s total fresh water supply is estimated to be 2.5%; and 70% of that water is in the form of groundwater. What happens when we don’t have clean water and droughts reduce the amount of foodstuffs? Fracking is a National Civil Rights issue. When these poisons seep into urban areas where a majority of African-Americans live, it will be too late to join the fight against Fracking. If we cannot afford to buy large quantities of bottled water, we will die from contaminated tap water. African-American Leaders are always a day late and ten dollars short when it comes to providing true leadership for their people. When our children and seniors become sick from breathing and drinking poisons only then will the matter appear on the radar of many Blacks in positions of leadership. By that time the matter may be so grave that we will be helpless to ameliorate the problem.
I encourage all Americans, but especially African-Americans to watch the HBO Documentary entitled Gasland by Josh Fox to gain a better understanding about Fracking and demand that President Obama stop the Fracking Gas Industry from poisoning us all. If he continues to do nothing, his legacy will reflect that he failed to prevent the poisoning of an entire nation.
