Editor’s note: This commentary is by Jennifer Vyhnak of Bristol, who is a member of a group of Champlain Valley residents who have been meeting over the past year to learn about the source of natural gas that would flow through the pipeline that is proposed for Addison County.
On Nov. 11, Pope Francis was photographed at the Vatican while holding an anti-fracking T-shirt. Then in another photo, he held a different T-shirt which read, “Water is more precious than gold.”
The pope was in the company of two prominent environmentalists from Argentina. The now famous photo op followed meetings between the pope and the Argentineans concerning hydraulic fracturing. According to the Argentineans, the pontiff said he was preparing an “encyclical” that addresses teachings about nature, humans, and the environment.
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” as it is most often called, is a method used by the fossil fuel industry to release oil and gas deposits by injecting massive amounts of water and toxic chemicals deep underground — often with devastating results.
The pope’s opposition to fracking is exciting news to members of the international grassroots movement to stop fracking and its infrastructure.
The results even include tap water so contaminated you can light it on fire, cancer-causing chemicals released into drinking water sources, air pollution, economic damage, and climate change. These are just some of the effects of hydraulic fracturing. [1]
In nearly every state, communities are feeling the direct impacts of fracking. Industry is using or planning to use hydraulic fracturing by dumping toxic waste (process water or “brine”) created from fracking. Industry wants to brashly construct pipelines such as the proposed pipeline for Vermont and desires to build export terminals to transport fracked gas and oil.
Each of us is feeling the impacts of climate change. Superstorms are the norm. Unburned methane (released by fracking) is up to 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year period — a critical window for our planet.[2]
The pope’s opposition to fracking is exciting news to members of the international grassroots movement to stop fracking and its infrastructure. The movement is advocating immediate investment in clean, renewable energy, the energy of our future which is here now. The movement has grown so rapidly across the world that it’s been called “the largest grassroots movement on the environment in decades.” [3]
Our Vermont Legislature played an important role in the movement by voting to ban fracking in Vermont, the only U.S. state to do so at that time. This fact has often been cited at meetings to inspire citizens to what is possible when thoughtful people come together to work for the greater good.
Although I’m not Catholic, Pope Francis seems to be a very compassionate and wise man. There are some powerful resources available if you would like to investigate information that Vermont Gas won’t share with you. This information is central to the pope’s opposition to all things relating to fracking, including the proposed Vermont Gas pipeline.
One such ground-breaking resource is the highly acclaimed, award-winning documentary, “Gasland: The Movie,” and its very important follow-up movie, “Gasland 2.”
Consider talking to your own clergy about this urgent topic. The pope’s actions suggest there is more to fracking and the related pipeline infrastructure than Vermont Gas would lead us to believe.
Notes
1. “Fracking by the Numbers: New Report First to Quantify Damage Done by Gas Drilling,” Environment America, October 3, 2013
http://www.environmentamerica.org/news/ame/fracking-numbers.
2. “Top climate scientists call for fracking ban in letter to Gov. Jerry Brown,” San Jose Mercury News, November 12, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=295053&id=79011-25892715-PjCjlfx&t=19
3. “‘Gasland’ director: Obama is AWOL on fracking,” Politico, October 21, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=294771&id=79011-25892715-PjCjlfx&t=16
