Michigan Greens Support New Fracking-Ban Petition Drive

The Green Party of Michigan notes the following:




Ecological Wisdom      *  Social Justice
Grassroots Democracy  *  Non-Violence


Green Party of Michigan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  www.MIGreenParty.org


**  News Release  **
**  ------------  **
    May 22, 2015


For More Information, Contact:
-----------------------------
Chris Silva, GPMI Chair
    silvachr@gmail.com
    (313) 815-2025

John Anthony La Pietra, GPMI Media Committee
    jalp5dai@att.net



Michigan Greens Support New
Fracking-Ban Petition Drive
===========================
    The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) is supporting the latest effort
to ban horizontal hydraulic fracturing -- known as fracking -- in the
state of Michigan.

    A petition drive by the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan kicks
off statewide today, aiming to gather signatures to put the matter
before voters in 2016.  The new law proposed in the petition would ban
both fracking and frack wastes from Michigan.

    "High-volume horizontal fracking is not the kind of fracking that's
been done here for the last sixty years," says Candace Caveny of Lapeer,
GPMI's 2014 candidate for Lieutenant Governor.  "It's a new process the
industry just began using in the 1990s.

    "They drill wells down thousands of feet vertically, then more
thousands of feet horizontally -- and then they inject a toxic mix of
chemicals, sand, and water at great pressure.  Nitrogen may be inserted
to speed the hardening of the concrete casing.  Enormous amounts of
fresh water are used and polluted beyond recovery, and Michigan
residents will be left to deal with the toxic wastes virtually forever."

    Linda Cree, a Green Party member from Michigan's Upper Peninsula
and a former co-chair of the Green Party of the United States Eco-Action
Committee, agrees.  "Fracking poses an unacceptable risk to our health,
our land, and our waters.

    "Luckily, here in Michigan we have the political tool of the ballot
initiative.  This allows grassroots people to propose legislation when
they see an urgent need that's not being addressed by our elected
politicians.  With corporate dollars speaking so loudly, we the people
have to take it upon ourselves to stop this destructive practice."

    John Anthony La Pietra of Marshall, GPMI's 2014 Attorney General
candidate, is one of many Michigan Green volunteers joining this year's
petition drive.  "We urge Michigan voters:  sign the Ban Fracking
petition.  Then next year, we can all vote YES to ban horizontal
hydraulic fracking and frack wastes from our state."

    GPMI's platform has called for a statewide ban on fracking since
2012.  And the party has supported the drive for a grassroots ban since
the first petition in 2013.

    The petition drive will be discussed at GPMI's next statewide
membership meeting, scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at Michigan Migrant
Legal Aid in Grand Rapids.  For more information about GPMI and its
platform, visit

http://www.MIGreenParty.org/

You can also “like” the Green Party of Michigan US Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/migreens

and follow GPMI's Twitter feed @MIGreenParty

https://twitter.com/migreenparty


#  #  #


created/distributed using donated labor

Green Party of Michigan
PO Box 504
Warren, MI  48090-0504
    313-815-2025
    www.MIGreenParty.org

    GPMI was formed in 1987 to address environmental
issues in Michigan politics.  Greens are organized
in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Each
state Green Party sets its own goals and creates its
own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values:

    Ecological Wisdom
    Grassroots Democracy
    Social Justice
    Non-Violence
    Community Economics
    Decentralization
    Feminism
    Respect for Diversity
    Personal/Global Responsibility
    Future Focus/Sustainability