The big companies that extract gas from the earth and the big utilities that use it don’t want us to know these three things about fracked gas:
1) It isn’t safe
2) It isn’t clean
3) It isn’t cheap
Yes – what these big companies have been telling us about the virtues of so-called “natural” gas just isn’t true. They’ve just been fracking us.
It’s not safe. Before it's burned, fracked gas is 99% methane. Methane leaks constantly, from fracking wells, interstate pipelines, and the distribution pipes that run down your street and into your home. Methane contains over 70 toxic substances, quite hazardous to your family's health. When not burned completely, it can also release deadly carbon monoxide into your home. According to U.S. Government health and safety experts, carbon monoxide kills hundreds of children and adults every year.
It’s not clean. Fracked gas is horrible for the environment, especially for the climate. Leaked methane is one of the worst contributors to climate change – 84 times more damaging than coal or oil, and accounting for about 25% of climate change.
It’s not cheap. At least not to deliver. Eversource's proposal to build more gas pipelines in Massachusetts and throughout the Northeast is hugely expensive. They want us – their customers – to pay billions for more gas pipelines that we don't need. Even ISO-NE, the regional electric grid operator responsible for keeping the lights on, says so.
This is a local issue. Massachusetts has at least 15,000 known methane leaks, some of which have been around for over 30 years. You and I pay for the leaked gas (!) which is one of many reasons industry is dragging its feet on finding, reporting and repairing them.
What can you do? Massachusetts is a leader in energy efficiency, solar and wind power, and other actions that slow climate change, reduce pollution and protect our health.
To keep us on steady path to eliminate fossil fuels, please click here to write your state legislators and urge them to pass S.2302, "An Act to Promote a Clean Energy Future".
We don't need, don't want and can't afford more fracked gas or the pipelines that bring methane and CO into our communities, our environment, our lungs and our wallets. Please help us stop them.
P.S. A big Shout Out to Mothers Out Front for their leadership on getting the leaking pipelines fixed.