[Editor’s Note: The writer organized a community meeting to discuss the perceived perils of the oil drilling method known as fracking and to prepare for a state-sponsored community gathering in Council Chambers, Tuesday, June 12.]
More than 35 people showed up for the meeting where my intentions were to: (a) provide information, and (b) have the group decide what to do.
Basically we discussed implementing what democracy is supposed to be about – openness, transparency and cooperation to bring about the common good.
It was a diverse group. Yet, after different speakers presented facts (some of which are bulleted below), all quickly came to a consensus that given the gravity of our situation here in the Baldwin Hills earthquake-prone zone,
• No real evacuation plans are in place,
• Fracking fluids contain nerve-damaging toxins, a hazard of the toxification of aquifers,
• The EPA estimates 200 to 500 million gallons of water are needed for each well that is hydraulically fractured.
We must use the Precautionary Principle (the basis for regulations used by the European Union and democratic nations that prioritize the people's health and safety over other goods).
Using this Principle of “First, do no harm,” everyone was in agreement that we must demand:
A ban on fracking until it is proven safe.
In the second half of the meeting, people proposed sub-committees to bring about this common good, and they signed up to work on them.
While the meeting ended promptly at 9 p.m., many stayed, with the last ones leaving near 11 o’clock.
Below is a summary of what people agreed to, with even more suggestions/input coming in daily.
If the momentum keeps building, June 12 will demonstrate that democracy is alive and well in Culver City, and that the pro forma pretenses and insults to democracy that we suffered through at the recent CAP Fracking Presentation in March as well as at the earlier County EIR-CSD hearings no longer work here in Culver City.
As Abe Lincoln put it: You can fool some of the people all of the time; all of the people some of the time. But you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
People are awakening, demanding democracy expressed as a ban on fracking until it is proven safe!
Here is my summary of our evening:
We had a productive, energizing meeting about the issue of hydraulic fracking in our Culver City backyard and the potential health hazards to us and our children from this practice. We have agreed to make a unified stand that a ban on fracking is critical at this point in time. As you have heard, there is a DOGGR (state Dept. of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources) Hydraulic Fracking Workshop scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 7 to 9 p.m., in Council Chambers.
We are asking that you do as much of the following as you can:
1. Attend this Fracking Workshop. We need to stand up as a unified body of concerned citizens and demand a Ban on Fracking in Culver City.
2. Come early to the Courtyard of City Hall for a potluck supper, starting at 5 o’clock. (Bring food to share, but come even if you don’t have time to get food. There will be plenty of food to share.) Please note that there will be educational information from environmental groups on the dangers of fracking. At 6 o’clock, a protest against fracking is planned by various public interest groups, from groups beyond Culver City, in front of City Hall
3. Contact friends and neighbors. Tell them about the importance of coming to the meeting and showing concern for our city. If each of us can contact four people that would be great. Encourage them to come to the meeting. If each of those four people can contact four more people, even better. We want to have standing room only. We want to have our voices heard. Arrange carpools to help everyone who wants to attend the meeting attend and be environmentally conscious at the same time.
4. Forward an email blast to friends and groups whom you think would be interested. Email makeccsafe@gmail.com. Let us know what groups you are contacting so we can keep a list of the groups and people contacted. That way we won’t duplicate our efforts.
5. Write letters to the editors of newspapers and online news sources about the issue and the dangers of fracking. If you need the addresses of any local papers, contact me at makeccsafe@gmail.com
Please note that we would also like to have a showing of concern and support regarding this issue at the two City Council meetings this week, tonight at 7 o’clock in Council Chambers and Tuesday night at 6:30 in Council Chambers. We plan to have a few people speak at each of these meetings and impress upon the City Council the importance of the June 12 workshop. This will be an opportunity to publicize the upcoming meeting. Let us know that you will be there.
This report was prepared for the Ad Hoc Organizing Committee by Dr. De Benedittis, Crystal Alexander and Sara Wasserstrom.
