FRACK FREE NATION

2/15/2015

Dear NY Fractivists, Climate Change Leaders, Peace & Social Justice Activists, Indigenous & Civil Rights Movement Leaders, Labor & Trade Union Leaders, and Organic/Family Farm Advocates:

THE TIME IS NOW
We are at a crucial moment where we need to make our voices heard. Our movement has been transitioning from a statewide battle for a ban on fracking, to fighting numerous fossil fuel infrastructure projects locally in our own backyards. We continue to be fracked on so many levels.  While many of these battles involve Federal Government rubber-stamping (FERC), there are many issues that can be addressed on the State level as well--and must be.

We need a complete freeze on fossil fuel infrastructure, and a phase out and shut down of nuclear power and climate cooking biomass and waste incineration.  We need to reduce energy demand and transition to 100% clean renewable energy, prioritizing conservation, efficiency, solar, wind and energy storage.  To allow another gas-fired power plant, pipeline, storage, processing,  export facility, or bomb train, is to be complicit in the poisoning of Pennsylvania, Colorado, Ohio and North Dakota. We can no longer afford to endanger our own children, communities, water supplies and food sources. Insofar as the production and processing of hydrocarbons contribute to climate change, we can no longer allow this to be our legacy to future New Yorkers.

In the coming months, Governor Cuomo will be required by the EPA to make a decision that will affect NY, the nation, and the planet in the immediate future and for generations to come.  The EPA, under it’s “Clean Air” Plan is urging governors to meet carbon reduction requirements by transitioning to gas fired generation in place of coal - as many as 300 new gas fired plants are proposed in 45 states.
http://www.energyjustice.net/content/why-we-must-fight-gas-fired-power-plants
We need to demand that Governor Cuomo put forth a plan that includes only clean, renewable, waste and emission free energy, as per Mark Jacobson’s Solutions Plan.  http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/february/fifty-states-renewables-022414.html

JOBS JOBS JOBS
While eliminating many unhealthy jobs in the dirty fossil fuel industry, we call on Governor Cuomo to ensure a Just Transition to clean and renewable energy by launching a massive program that brings good paying Green jobs back to our ailing Southern Tier, Central, and Western NY economies.  As well, we call for energy justice, with more programs to help low income New Yorkers in making this transition.  We want the power literally back in the hands of our local communities, as in Home Rule, where we have a say where, and what types of infrastructure projects are allowed in our communities.

WHO WE ARE
We are inspired by the actions taken by the Seneca Lake resistance movement, which represents the very kind of action we can learn from and emulate. These brave folks have withstood police arrests and cold winds, long hours of standing, and being herded into paddy wagons. In the process, they have stood strong. There are also substantial pockets of resistance to the various pipelines and gas infrastructure proposals across NYS. We need to bring the message to Albany, The blockade to save Seneca Lake is only a small sample of what is to come, if fossil fuel infrastructure is allowed to pollute our state and threaten our future.  If 400,000 can make the trip to NYC to demand action on climate change, surely we can organize 4,000 to convene in Albany. If 200 people can risk arrest at Seneca Lake to oppose Crestwood's construction of a dangerous LNG facility, surely we can get at least 200 to do NVDA in Albany where media cannot ignore the message.

EARTH DAY 2015
What we are proposing is an Energize Democracy Climate Justice Rally in Albany on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2015.  We propose that our issue base be broad and comprehensive in hopes of generating a massive presence of New York activists engaged in the struggle to end fossil fuel domination.  Explosive Bakken oil bomb trains threatening horrors for our inner cities, frack sand trains spreading silicosis in the lungs of our loved ones, and landfills accepting radioactive frack waste from Pennsylvania, all equally need our attention, As well, Nuclear power is a serious threat to our communities and future sustainability. The time has come to make the transition.  We envision our message gaining support from Pennsylvania fractivists, as well as activists from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and New Hampshire. We are all fighting the very same industrial beast.

Four thousand people in Albany can make some noise.  The fact is that many of our groups are either already doing-- or are preparing for-- the use of Non Violent Direct Action (NVDA) - Peaceful resistance tactics, in the infrastructure battle.  Our premise is to capture that energy and conviction and bring this to Governor Cuomo's doorstep. The mainstream media cannot ignore 200 people willing to get arrested for their conviction, The media attention brings more public awareness and puts pressure on the politicians.

OUR PROPOSAL
Frack Free Nation proposes the following:

 1. A large permitted rally in Albany, NY this April 22, 2015 with a target of 4,000 to 10,000       attendees.

 2.  A strong focused message: It's a Crime to Poison Us: End all Fossil Fuels - Renewables Now.

 3.  Powerful speakers, movement voices from each local infrastructure fight, Green voices and visionaries, scientists and people who live in the shale fields. Musical performances and Guerilla Theater are additional possibilities.

4.  A well planned NVDA action involving as many as 200 of us, peacefully willing to risk arrest--  either in a Die-In or a Tarsands - 350.org styled Blockade (yet to be decided) and possibly with  
celebrity involvement as well, will be employed as part of a longer term direct action strategy.
We have the intent of delivering our letter of demands to Governor Cuomo. If he receives them personally and agrees to them, there need not be any arrests.

 5.  Groups, individuals and families, that are not comfortable with NVDA, could still be supportive of the legally-permitted rally and climate march and NOT risk arrest, and will be provided with socially conscious music in the park during the time of the direct action at the governor’s office.

 6.  The possibility of further broadening our message - Factory farming and GMO/pesticide use is also a major contributor to climate change and the poisoning of our planet.  The peace movement could be drawn in as well, as the U.S. military is a major contributor to climate change and most of the wars that rage on have everything to do with U.S. dependence on fossil fuels.  These are areas where we can further increase the base of our movement.

"THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING"
A large enough rally, combined with the media attention brought by a large NVDA action, has the potential to push Governor Cuomo to be the first truly Green governor of NYS.  Regardless, at the end of the day, we will have gained great media attention and raised public awareness on all our related issues and promoted Green voices not only in NYS but across the nation.  We are giving Governor Cuomo the chance to truly lead the nation in the Renewable Revolution we so desperately need for the future of our planet. Not only could Governor Cuomo set an example for the rest of the nation, it could also affect the NY State delegation to the upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris in November.  Putting this type of pressure on, we could on Earth Day, 2015, look at our movement and say, "This Changes Everything".

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED
At this point, we are seeking input from leaders across NYS.  Early on in this process we are receiving enthusiastic support from individual activists in the Seneca Lake, Pipeline Opposition groups, Energy Justice, Green Party, Climate Change, Anti Nuclear, Idle No More and Occupy movements.  But we need more input from official groups to move forward and ensure success.  This will take the involvement of many activists. We will be circulating an invitation to participate in a conference call within the next few weeks to facilitate your participation and involvement.

Will you join with Frack Free Nation as an individual and/or as an established group, in bringing our issues to Governor Cuomo's doorstep and into the living rooms of many sleeping Americans? 

Will you help make 2015 the year of the Renewable Revolution, where we can look back and tell our grandchildren years from now that we stood up for their future? 

Let's make Earth Day, Wednesday, April, 22 2015, the day which we can look back at and say, "This Changed Everything," and know that we did.

For The Next Seven Generations,

Abram S. Loeb, Founding Director  & The Frack Free Nation Planning Committee
Frack Free Nation  
Abram@frackfreenation.org      607-345-4865
The FrackFreeNation.org website is currently under re-construction and will back on line within the next few days.  In the mean time, organizational sign ons and inquiries can be directed to:
Abram@frackfreenation.org


Frack Free Nation, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed to educate about the impact of the petrochemical and nuclear industries on a broad range of environmental, peace and social justice issues. Frack Free Nation seeks to mobilize the public to participate in the democratic process regarding these matters for the next seven generations.
          
Coverage of past action by Frack Free Nation
http://www.prweb.com/releases/frackfreenation/Albany/prweb9521001.htm

Facebook Page Link - https://www.facebook.com/frackfreenation

Facebook Group Link -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/325643190966155/328644133999394