CELEBRITIES ASK GOVERNOR BROWN, “WHAT THE FRACK?”

Media Releases

Malin Akerman, Lance Bass, Julie Bowen, Darren Criss, Daryl Hannah, Hayden Panettiere, Marisa Tomei and more, star in new viral videos that call on Governor Brown to ban fracking

Environment California

Los Angeles, CA (November 19, 2013) — Today, some of California’s most famous environmental advocates—including Malin Akerman, Lance Bass, Julie Bowen, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Darren Criss, Daryl Hannah, Hayden Panettiere, Amy Smart, Wilmer Valderrama, Constance Zimmer and others—will be featured in a series of new viral videos, which aim to educate California residents about the dangers that fracking poses to the Golden State, and to put pressure on Governor Brown to ban fracking and move toward a renewable energy economy instead.

Check out the video here

 Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a highly controversial process for extracting oil and gas that, along with related drilling, wastewater disposal and other extreme extraction methods like acidizing, has raised serious environmental and public health concerns across the country.

 Produced by Appeal to Reason for Americans Against Fracking, the Environmental Media Association, Food & Water Watch and Environment California, these celebrity videos are part of a series calling out leading Democratic governors in Colorado, California and New York, as well as President Obama, by highlighting some of the facts that make fracking inherently unsafe. 

 These videos come on the heels of the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources’ (DOGGR) release of draft fracking regulations on Friday, November 15, 2013, which fail to protect Californians from the dangers of fracking. Also last week, 20 leading climate experts called on Governor Jerry Brown to impose a moratorium on fracking in California, including retired NASA climate scientist James Hansen of Columbia University, Michael Mann of Penn State University, Michael MacCracken of the Climate Institute, Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science and Anthony Ingraffea of Cornell University.

 “Fracking is a dirty form of oil drilling that pollutes our air and our oceans,” said Golden Globe-nominated actress and environmentalist Hayden Panettiere. “It’s time to move to clean renewable energy. We need to stop fracking now!”

 “We will not stand by and watch our environment be destroyed by fracking,” said entertainer and long-time EMA supporter Lance Bass. “These videos can educate people about the dangers of fracking and show them how to take action.”

 “Fracking is an environmental nightmare,” added actress and environmentalist Amy Smart. “The oil companies will stop at nothing to frack California. We are teaming up with grassroots activists around the country to draw attention to the dangers of fracking and urge our elected officials to just say no to fracking.”

 The oil and gas industries’ fracking sights are set on the Monterey Shale, a rock formation that stretches from Los Angeles to the Bay Area, and is estimated to hold over 15 billion barrels of carbon-intensive oil. Fracking and burning this oil would significantly contribute to the climate crisis, which Governor Brown has called the greatest challenge to mankind.  

 “Fracking is a major threat to all Californians and it’s wonderful to have our celebrity community join this rapidly growing movement,” said Adam Scow, California Director of Food & Water Watch. “It’s time for Governor Brown to walk his talk on fighting climate change and ban fracking now.”

 Governor Brown recently signed legislation, SB 4, which creates a permitting and regulatory process that allows fracking and other extreme extraction techniques to move forward unimpeded. Polls from across California show that Governor Brown is out of step with Californians on fracking since a majority of respondents want either a ban or moratorium.

 “Fracking uses millions of gallons of water—water we just can’t spare. It pollutes our air and keeps us addicted to fossil fuels at the exact time we need to be moving to renewable energy,” said Dan Jacobson, Legislative Director for Environment California. “Teaming up with the Arts and Entertainment communities to educate people about fracking is a no-brainer. People power and celebrity power is a perfect combination.”

 

Through the statewide coalition Californians Against Fracking, nearly 200,000 residents have urged Governor Brown to ban fracking in California and 90 farmers have called for an immediate moratorium. Through a partnership between Alice Waters (Chez Panisse Executive Chef, Founder and Owner) and Food & Water Watch, nearly 200 California food and beverage professionals have also called on Governor Brown to place an immediate moratorium on fracking.  Californians Against Fracking represents more than 100 environmental, business, health, agriculture, labor, political, and social justice organizations, farmers and businesses working to win a statewide ban on fracking in California. For more information and to sign the petitions to ban fracking in California, visit: www.CaliforniansAgainstFracking.org

 DOGGR’s draft fracking regulations can be found here: http://fwwat.ch/CAFdoggrregs. Public comments will be collected until January 15, 2014. California residents can submit a comment here: http://fwwat.ch/DOGGRdraftcomment

 About Americans Against Fracking

Americans Against Fracking is a broad-based coalition composed of the following groups: www.americansagainstfracking.org/members. For more information about Americans Against Fracking, visit www.AmericansAgainstFracking.org.

 About The Environmental Media Association

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 Organization founded in 1989 by Cindy and Alan Horn and Lyn and Norman Lear. EMA is dedicated to harnessing the power of celebrity and the media to promote sustainable lifestyles and believes through positive role modeling the entertainment community can inspire consumers to take action. The organization has grown into a diverse group of industry professionals from film, television and music dedicated to the mission of promoting environmental awareness through the entertainment business and the media.  EMA serves as a valuable link between the entertainment industry and the environmental community. Visit us at online at www.ema-online.org and www.facebook.com/EMAOnline.

 About Food & Water Watch

Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainable. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping shared resources under public control. www.foodandwaterwatch.org

 About Environment California

Environment California is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. We believe there’s something special about California — something worth protecting and preserving for future generations. 

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