‘Gasland’ director Josh Fox to discuss his project at Sept. 21 event
Aug. 31, 2011
YORK – Activist Josh Fox will appear at an outdoor showing of “Gasland,” his controversial documentary on the extraction of natural gas from shale known as “fracking,” at HACC-York Campus on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
The event is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. behind the Goodling Building, weather permitting; or, in the case of rain, in Cytec Building auditorium. Fox will give a short talk and answer questions starting at 8:45 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
The Student Government Association (SGA) at HACC-York Campus is sponsoring the showing of the documentary and Fox’s appearance. “Gasland” was a 2010 Oscar nominee and also won at Sundance.
“Fracking is one of the most controversial and under-reported issues facing our generation, and we believe it’s important to raise awareness on both sides of the issue,” said Bryell St Clair, SGA president. “We’re excited to be able to offer this opportunity for our students and the community.
After being approached by natural gas companies to lease his family’s land in the Catskills/Poconos region of New York and Pennsylvania that sits on the Marcellus Shale formation, Fox packed his banjo and a camera for road trip to more than 24 states and parts of Canada. “Gasland” chronicles the stories he heard about the effects of fracking and the natural gas boom on the environment and public health.
According to Fox, “Gasland” offers insight into issues of environmental justice in the midst of the recent domestic natural gas drilling boom as a result of a new process of horizontal drilling to extract natural gas from shale formations. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is commonly called, has been used in 34 states.
Fox argues for reconsidering our nation’s energy policy, as it relates to natural gas and fracking, calling the transformation of America from “our land” to “Gasland.” In the documentary, Fox talks to families who can light their water on fire; others developed chronic and debilitating diseases after fracking started; cattle and vegetation are dying near gigantic, toxic wading pools of recovered fracking water, and wells have exploded and/or have become contaminated.
The documentary includes interviews with governmental officials, scientists and gas industry whistleblowers who say little is being done to investigate the dangers of horizontal drilling and “fracking” in U.S shale deposits.
For more information about attending the event, contact Meghan MacNamara at memacnam@hacc.edu.
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