"STOP FRACKING CALIFORNIA NOW!" Interview with Susan Kuehn, March 15 State-wide Protest Organizer, Food & Water Watch by Willi Paul, Planetshifter.com Magazine

Join Californians Against Fracking, along with a whole host of concerned and worried Californians: urban and rural farmers and ranchers and fisherpersons; community groups rising up against fracking along with affected residents who have witnessed fracking operations polluting their communities; scientists and chefs, physicians and nurses, and entire religious congregations coming in from all over the state for the largest anti-fracking mobilization in California history!

WE NEED YOU WITH US to make sure Governor Brown hears our message loud and clear to STOP FRACKING CALIFORNIA NOW!

What: Don't Frack California!

When: Saturday, March 15, 1 PM

Where: California State Capitol, 1315 10th St., Sacramento, CA 95814

“One more very important ask-- Please work up announcement of this mobilization in no uncertain terms, urging sign-ups (we are seriously shooting for 3,000-5,000 commitment to being there and we have ~2,000 so far.) So the numbers simply need to increase exponentially during the next two weeks for us to reach this goal! Please remember to incorporate our sign-up link.” – Susan

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Interview with Susan by Willi

Are communities fighting to ban potential and existing fracking operations? 
Yes. Major cities and counties across the state, including San Francisco and Los Angeles; Marin County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, and Butte County have either passed or are working with our Coalition to get moratoriums, bans or ballot initiatives qualified for the 2014 elections in order to halt the practice of hydraulic fracking in their communities.

Fracking and Air Pollution, in addition to water pollution?

With respect to air pollution, fracking emits large amounts of the potent greenhouse gases including methane, which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. It undermines urgent efforts to head off catastrophic climate change. More specifically, fracking can release dangerous petroleum hydrocarbons, including benzene and xylene into the atmosphere. It also increases ground-level ozone levels, raising people’s risk of asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

Who is benefiting from the resources gained from fracking?

To be sure, oil and gas companies with stakes in US Shale Gas and Tight Oil Plays are benefiting; and, here in California its Chevron, Occidental Petroleum and Venoco, to name a few. And the various countries they are slated to export our resources to will benefit.

How are you using media in conjunction with the protest? Will there be a live feed from Sac?

There will be a live feed from Sacramento although the links are not available yet. Additionally, many will be live tweeting and posting across social media but again, specific hashtags have not been figured out. The rally has a twitter you can follow us at @DontFrackCA. Press advisories and releases will be sent to media outlets as well. Individuals are encouraged to write to their local newspapers and submit letters to the editors beforehand to help raise visibility and encourage community members to join us at the rally or get on a bus!

Are you seeking more communities as partners, in addition to mostly eco orgs, to support the protest?

We are growing our coalition base continually. Californians Against Fracking currently has more than 100 partners, all of whom want fracking stopped completely. Member organizations include environmental, business, health, agriculture, labor, political, faith groups, citizen and non-citizen groups, and environmental justice organizations. We've launched two highly successful satellite campaigns: "Chefs Against Fracking" and "Farmers Against Fracking" enjoining California chefs, wineries, farmers and ranchers who are ready to work with us to achieve our common goal of an immediate halt to fracking throughout California.

What is your sustainable path? What is your energy / community vision in 10 years for the State?

We urgently need to make a massive commitment to shift California (and the world) away from fossil fuels and achieve 100% renewable energy -- turning to wind, water and solar energy --- by 2030; and even that date may be too late. The technologies being promoted by Mark Z. Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and University of California-Davis researcher Mark Delucchi, are very promising.

Connect local and State politics in the CA drought and fracking for us?

We need our governor to demonstrate some real courage and prohibit fracking and other extreme extraction techniques and drop his plan to build the massive twin tunnels to divert the Sacramento River. This current drought will define the governor’s legacy as a bold leader or a myopic politician. And it is his actions not his words that will reverberate far into California’s future.

Contact -

Susan Kuehn
Volunteer Organizer/Coordinator
Farmers Against Fracking Campaign
smkuehn at earthlink.net
Food & Water Watch
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