Help raise awareness locally about the dangers of fracking by visiting your local municipal or town council and asking elected representatives to pass a resolution that places a moratorium, or even a full ban on fracking operations within city limits. Start by meeting with local politicians to get them onside. Find out how to get a motion introduced and be prepared to speak at committee and/or council meetings. Use our sample resolution below as a starting point, and be sure to check our fracking section for other helpful resources such as factsheets and articles for helpful research and background information. Need more help? Give us a call toll free at 1-800-387-7177, or e-mail us.
SAMPLE MUNICIPAL RESOLUTIONS ON FRACKING
WHEREAS hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas and other fossil fuels often involves the injection of hundreds of toxic chemicals into the ground;
WHEREAS hydraulic fracturing uses massive amounts of water, anywhere from 10 to 200 million litres per fracking “job”;
WHEREAS there have been more than 1,000 documented cases of water contamination near fracking sites in the U.S. and some people, such as in Rosebud, Alberta, have well water that now contains so much natural gas they can light their drinking water on fire;
WHEREAS the pollution of water caused by fracking threatens the long-term economic, social and ecological well-being of communities that depend on clean water sources to meet their basic needs;
WHEREAS the treatment of fracking wastewater strains municipal wastewater systems and puts water sources at risk since wastewater treatment systems are not capable of removing endocrine disruptors and other toxic chemicals from fracking wastewater;
WHEREAS more study is needed on the impact of hydraulic fracturing on localized air pollution, which can have adverse health effects;
WHEREAS while the industry claims that natural gas is a cleaner fuel, some independent studies have shown that hydraulic fracturing creates more lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than mining and burning coal and clearly more scientific study is needed;
WHEREAS, while communities in the Great Lakes Basin are politically and economically independent, the Basin is in fact one integrated watershed and therefore decisions in one region can affect other regions as well as the whole Basin;
WHEREAS the International Joint Commission’s 2013 report Chemicals of Emerging Concern in the Great Lakes Region already noted the presence of endocrine disruptors in the Great Lakes and fracking could risk further polluting the Great Lakes and their connecting waterways with additional endocrine disruptors and other chemicals used in the fracking process;
WHEREAS the Great Lakes are a shared commons and public trust and as such require public consultation and a process that enables communities to be part of the decision-making process on issues that affect the Great Lakes Basin as a whole; and
WHEREAS on September 23, 2011, the UN Human Rights Council passed Resolution A/HRC/18/L.1 affirming the human right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation and as such contamination of drinking water by fracking fluids is a violation of this and other human rights;
OPTION 1. MORATORIUM UNTIL REVIEW/PUBLIC CONSULTATION OCCURS:
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that on the _____day of ____20__, (municipality or town) supports a province/state-wide and national moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until provincial/state and federal reviews have been completed that include extensive public consultation and full consideration of the potential human and environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that (municipality or town) also calls for dialogue between First Nations, federal, provincial/state and municipal governments on the impacts of hydraulic fracturing.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED that hydraulic fracturing for natural gas and other fossil within (municipality or town) and (name of local watershed) watershed and the treatment of fracking fluids in (municipality or town)’s wastewater treatment plant(s) is prohibited until the above-noted public consultations and reviews have been completed.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND EFFECTIVE on this ____ day of ____, 20__.
ATTEST:
__________________________ ________________________________
Mayor
__________________________ ________________________________
Council President
OPTION 2. OUTRIGHT BAN
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that on the _____day of ____20__, (municipality or town) supports a provincial/state and national ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas and other fossil fuels.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that (municipality or town) will send a letter to (name of federal and provincial/state representative) calling for a ban on hydraulic fracturing and for the development of provincial/state and federal legislation banning hydraulic fracturing.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED that hydraulic fracturing for natural gas and other fossil fuels within (municipality or town) and (name of local watershed) watershed and the treatment of fracking fluids in (municipality or town)’s wastewater treatment plant(s) is banned.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND EFFECTIVE on this ____ day of ____, 20__.
ATTEST:
__________________________ ________________________________
Mayor
__________________________ ________________________________
Council President
