Seneca Lake Protests & Arrests Continue

If anyone thought things had quieted down at the Crestwood Midstream proposed LP and Methane gas storage site on Seneca Lake, north of the village of Watkins Glen, let it be known, they haven't. After a period of no protests and no arrests, within the past few weeks, the human blockades of the gates at Crestwood have started up again, along with new arrests. The District Attorney and the protesters have been arguing about who broke a supposed deal that would have put a halt to the civil disobedience and arrests at the site - at least that's according to the DA. The protesters on the other hand had read statements at their court appearances that indicated that they continued to be committed to civil disobedience if necessary.

The most significant activity though occurred on May 13th when a group of 21 more people were arrested for blocking the site. Among those arrested was Josh Fox, the Director of the 2010 movie Gasland. The movie was nominated for an Oscar and is a documentary about hydraulic drilling known commonly as fracking.

Prior to his arrest and protest, Fox produced a short video which is presented as a call to action on Seneca Lake. Sandra Steingraber, one of the organizers of the group 'We Are Seneca Lake', participates in the video with Fox and helps describe the issues related to the gas storage in abandoned salt caverns beneath Seneca Lake. I'd encourage people to view the video here,  Josh Fox Seneca Lake Call To Action Video.

One of the major criticisms by local authorities, and in some cases the media, relative to the ongoing protests at Seneca Lake, has been that the participants are not local residents. Local is the key word here. It seems this is a tactic to pit residents against the protesters. Historically this is an argument that tends to be used by people in power when protests occur anywhere. Suddenly geography becomes the main criteria for protest. Outsiders, troublemakers, etc. is a way of minimizing and devaluing the people who are questioning authority at the time. I was reminded recently how Martin Luther King, Jr. was identified as an outsider, a communist, etc. In addition, he was told to stay in his lane when he began to question the Vietnam war.

In this particular case, playing the geography card doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, since the issue is the protection of drinking water for over 100,000 people in an area that includes many municipalities and multiple counties surrounding Seneca Lake. In addition, the continued use, storage and transport of LP and Methane gas in huge quantities is frankly a national and international, yes global issue. No one should be surprised about people from all over being concerned about this issue and Fox's call to action is bound to increase awareness and participation by people legitimately concerned about the environment from many parts of the country and possibly the world.

I certainly don't understand the logic of New York State banning fracking but then allowing the storage of fracked gas and the creation of a storage hub under a magnificent lake and in one of the centers of upstate tourism. The dots are very hard to connect. Much more to come I'm sure, perhaps at a theatre near you.