---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Dow <ddow420@comcast.net>
Date: Sun, Jul 22, 2012 at 7:08 AM
Subject: Fwd: Ban fracking in California

fyi- an interesting policy decision on fracking by the Club's Board of Directors. I am not aware of any fracking programs in New England, but we certainly have members concerned about this issue (especially renewable energy activists)

Begin forwarded message:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Barbara Williams <barbwill@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 8:55 PM
Subject: Re: Ban fracking in California
To: CONS-CNRCC-WATER-COMM@lists.sierraclub.org

Patricia.....Just an FYI.....A board decision just came down and Sierra Club does NOT support statewide bans......here is the text of the decision.......Barb

To: CCL Delegates, Chapter Leaders who responded to natural gas to Clean Energy Survey

From: Allison Chin, President, and Dave Scott, Vice President of Board of Directors

Re: Board decision on CCL resolution to allow chapters to support statewide bans on hydrofracking

This memo is to inform you that on June 21^st  the Board voted to reaffirm its standing 2011 energy resources policy on hydrofracking for natural gas and declined to amend it to allow individual chapters to be granted exemptions to advocate for statewide bans.  The vote was 8-3 with 2 abstentions, 1 absence, and the President not voting.

Under existing policy chapters will continue to be allowed to call for statewide or local moratoria on fracking until strict safeguards are put in place.  Chapters may also continue to call for site specific bans in environmentally sensitive areas and communities.  What is not permitted is to advocate in the name of the Sierra Club for permanent bans on hydrofracking at the statewide level.

The Board relied on a task force composed of staff and volunteers to gather detailed information from chapters on the pros and cons of statewide fracking bans and to examine the advisability and feasibility of adopting a Clean Energy Option .  After reviewing the task force report the Board decided to stick with its national policy and not to allow chapters to vary from it.

Background
The Council of Club Leaders passed a resolution in September, 2011, asking the Board of Directors to authorize individual chapters to endorse statewide bans on hydrofracking. The Natural Gas Reform Campaign Leadership Team (now Beyond Natural Gas Leadership Team) prepared a memo listing pros and cons of allowing chapters to advocate for statewide bans. It made no recommendation. The Beyond Coal Campaign Leadership Team submitted comments arguing against granting authority to push for statewide bans.

A team of staff drafted a compromise proposal suggesting that chapter requests for statewide bans should only be approved if the petitioning chapter was able to develop a plausible and aggressive plan that would reduce reliance on coal, nuclear, and natural gas by substituting clean energy alternatives: implementation of such a plan would prevent a state from needing to import more gas as a consequence of banning production within its own borders. The proposal also required a petitioning chapter to prove an ability to execute a campaign to get its plan adopted.

This “Clean Energy Alternative” was not fleshed out and the practicality of its implementation was questioned by its authors, Executive Director Michael Brune, and the Board. Nevertheless, it held sufficient promise that the Board was not prepared to choose between either approving statewide bans or continuing the present policy of not allowing them without having a fuller understanding of the feasibility and advantages of the clean energy alternative.

The following motion was adopted by the Board of Directors on January 19, 2012:
MSC (Ela-Boldman) “In response to the CCL resolution regarding bans on natural gas fracturing, the Board directs the ExCom and the Executive Director to appoint a group to report back regarding the feasibility and desirability of adopting some form of the ’Clean Energy Option’, with the expectation that this could

be done in about 90 days.”

The Natural Gas to Clean Energy final report was completed in June.  It included an extensive survey of the chapters representing the 33 states where fracking is taking place or is proposed.

Chapters that expressed an interest in pursuing statewide bans include: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Vermont. (7)

Chapters that had no interest in pursuing bans include: California, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah , and Wyoming. (12)

Chapters that did not want to pursue a ban at this time, but might want to in the future include: Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. (8)

Chapters that did not respond include: Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota.   (6)

A copy of the final report of the Natural Gas to Clean Energy Task Force is attached.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us or any Board member.

On Jul 2, 2012, at 8:51 PM, Patricia Matejcek wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aura Walker <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Date: Mon, Jul 2, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Subject: Ban fracking in California

Below is an email from Aura Walker, a MoveOn member in who created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Dear California MoveOn member,
California should follow the sane example of Vermont and ban fracking. It is common sense.
California is earthquake-prone. Fracking will exacerbate the risk of earthquakes as huge hydraulic drills will core deep into the earth, moving already loose tectonic plates.
Additionally, poisonous gases will permanently pollute many precious aquifers, irreversibly poisoning our drinking water.
Click here to protect our land, waters, wetlands, ecosystems, and oceans by signing the petition to ban fracking in California.

I love Jerry Brown. Please sir, do not let us down. Ban fracking in California.
Thanks!
–Aura Walker
This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site that will never sell your email address and will never promote a petition because someone paid us to. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site.
Want to support our work? MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 7 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

This email was sent to Patricia Matejcek on July 2, 2012. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

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