[Editor’s Note: Ms. Rona-Tuttle, one of the 13 volunteers last evening for the Citizens Committee on Fracking, expresses her disappointment with the outcome. That is followed by her formal remarks to the City Council.]
I was saddened and frustrated by the City Council's rejection of the motion to create a committee to address fracking issues. Unfortunately I don't have sufficient time to communicate all the reasons. I am frustrated.
But here are my greatest concerns with what I heard from some of the Councilpersons:
Each Councilperson spoke of the great importance of residents' health and safety. The mayor himself said: “There is nothing more important to this Council than the health and well-being of our residents.” (Yes, I took notes.)
Yet four of the five were unwilling to allocate a staff person to the committee. Of course Meghan Sahli-Wells was the exception.
I know the city is in fiscal trouble. But the expenses of such a committee would be worthwhile.
I imagine many residents would agree.
What wasn't mentioned last night was that with a recognized committee also come: meetings listed on the city's homepage, email notifications about meetings sent to interested residents, a city-operated meeting room more conducive to meetings than people's living rooms, and the ability for residents to attend meetings and have their voices heard.
There was also a lot of talk among the Councilpersons at the “bias” of many people who were volunteering to sit on this committee.
But their notions of bias were plain wrong. Is it biased for people to be worried about clean air and water? About the possibility of earthquakes? Believe me, if studies showed us residents that fracking were really safe, we'd all breathe a sigh of relief and go home!
PXP's bias, a true bias, is that the oil drilling company is out to make a profit regardless of any harm that might be done.
This is quite similar to the major cigarette company executives of a few years ago. They knew that smoking was dangerous, but hid the fact from the public because they were out to make a profit, no matter what.
Our anti-fracking residents have no profit motive.
Our “bias” is simply that we're deeply concerned about health and safety.
Enough said.
Last Night’s Message
Good Evening, Mayor Weissman and City Councilpersons:
I have been a Culver City resident since 1984.
Ever since I learned that the giant oil company PXP intended to carry out fracking in the Inglewood Oil Field, I was alarmed. So I am grateful that our City Council is considering creating an ad hoc advisory committee to deal in some fashion with the issues of fracking.
I am here tonight to ask that all City Councilpersons vote in favor of establishing this advisory committee.
For the sake of those in these chambers who don't know, fracking is the commonly accepted name for horizontal hydraulic fracturing, a means of extracting gas and oil from the ground.
I don’t claim to be an expert. But many of us residents realize that the process of fracking
• Has been shown to increase the chances of earthquakes.
• Uses nearly 600 different chemicals, many of them dangerous toxins.
• Would shoot massive amounts of toxic water at enormous pressure horizontally under Culver City and the surrounding area
• Would create significant vibrations underground, potentially damaging homes and other buildings
• would waste many millions of gallons of water
• would necessitate much of that toxic water being stored nearby
• would contaminate the precious air and water throughout the region
City Councilpersons: Please do create this advisory committee. We need a committee of residents who:
• Systematically research various aspects of fracking.
• Further educate the rest of the community about fracking.
• Be available to any citizens who want to attend their meetings.
• Survey the community regarding our concerns.
The advisory committee would give the public a means of communicating with the city, whether to give information, ask questions or register concerns.
And the advisory committee would give the City Council a means of gathering more information about the concerns and experiences of local residents.
Ms. Rona-Tuttle may be contacted at Rebecca.rona@hotmail.com
