Paid researches? Check. Advocacy groups? Check. Universities? Check. Media? Check.
Via Capitol City Project:
In the battle against hydraulic fracturing, one group slips quietly under the radar while playing a significant role in its opposition. That little-known group is the Park Foundation.
Back in the spring of 2011, a man named Dan Fitzsimmons entered the offices of the Park Foundation located in Ithaca, New York. Fitzsimmons walked into the building with hopes of receiving support for an education campaign for homeowners– and the people he represented– in Upstate New York. In the neighboring state of Pennsylvania, an economic boost was underway ignited by fracking, and he wanted to seek an ally in helping fight the moratorium in the state and bring those results to his area. The positive economic impacts it brought to Pennsylvania would serve the Upstate region and its struggling economy well, he thought.
Entering the groups’ office accompanied by Bob Williams, a friend and fellow landowner from the southern portion of New York, he remained hopeful of what could come of the meeting. This could lead to a fighting chance of capitalizing on the wealth of resources sitting right underneath the hills, and the Park Foundation seemed like a logical place to ask for assistance.
The duo met with the president and executive director of the Park Foundation and the meeting itself lasted a few hours. They figured since the founder of the organization was for reasonable conservation that supported private enterprise, the group would be willing and able to assist.
That did not happen. Instead, according to accounts of the situation, things turned sour and both Park representatives made it well-known they opposed extracting gas from the land. They informed the men they intended to make sure public opinion would favor an even greater shift from the temporary moratorium on natural gas extraction in New York — to a permanent moratorium.