Gasland Review

Gasland Review according to Windy

“I had tried to keep anger and sorrow at bay.”  So said Josh Fox as he broke down while kneeling beside the now polluted Divide Creek in Colorado, the creek which reminded him so much of his own creek at his home in Pennsylvania.  Josh had spent weeks touring natural gas drilling sites in many states, beginning in Dimock, PA, near his own home, where he had been offered $100,000 for a lease on his property of 19 acres.   Josh traveled through much of the West—Colorado, Utah, Wyoming—to follow up on reports of adverse consequences to environment and people.  He interviewed whistle blowers and town mayors, and tried to interview, by phone and in person, industry officials.  He listened to people relate their experiences, from large scale ranchers to back-to-landers in remote areas.  He collected water samples for testing, watched tap water and creek water being set afire.  Josh attended legislative hearings where members dismissed any evidence save that from industry officials; environmental agency meetings where no representative of the agency was in attendance; press conferences where no press showed up.  The product of his experience is the documentary, “Gasland.”

This film both opened and closed with scenes from an energy committee hearing in the U. S. House of Representatives.  With industry leaders seeking to prove that reports of environmental damage and personal injury were not true, that hydraulic fracturing was safe; while opposing witnesses presented reports on damage and illness.  Rep Boren (D-OK) claims that one witness is “…searching for a problem that does not exist.  Because looking at all these other incidents, in other states, there has not been a problem with hydraulic fracturing.  And I’m proud that I’m supported by the oil and gas industry because they employ a lot of people in my state, and I’m gonna stick up for the, I’m tired of people trying to shut down an industry when they’re not educated on the facts.  If you’re not able to do this hydraulic fracturing, how much more will we be dependent upon foreign oil---and---and terrorism.”  Hearing closed soon after.

This film was shown at a public meeting, sponsored by Hampshire County Independent Network, at the Romney Public Library on Monday, January 17^th, or, that is, part of the film was shown, as it runs for nearly two hours and it was not possible to show it in its entirety and still allow time for Q & A.   I want to urge you to watch the film in its entirety—library has a copy, you can buy it, or rent it, or borrow it.   Or you can download it and watch it free at http://documentaryheaven.com/gasland/