Fork in the Road: Natural Gas is Not a Climate Solution

: Natural Gas is Not a Climate Solution

Natural Gas is Not a Climate Solution

From Deb Nardone, U. S. Sierra Club, July 5, 2013

We are at the fork in the road — continue our dependence on dirty, climate-changing fossil fuels or move towards a clean energy future?

Last week, President Obama shared a climate action plan that doubled down on clean energy and natural gas. Proposing we frack more to replace coal and ship natural gas overseas is a recipe for climate disaster.

Tell President Obama to rethink the role of natural gas. It’s a fuel of the past, a threat to our communities and our health.

Drilling for natural gas means more climate pollution. Methane emissions from fracking — leaking from wells throughout the drilling process — are 72 to 105 times more potent than carbon dioxide.¹ And we know the climate footprint of a fracked well is much larger than the well itself. The water, sand, and steel used to build and drill these wells is trucked in, redefining rush hour traffic in many parts of the country. ²

Send your message today. Tell the president that natural gas is not a climate solution.

Right now, decisions are being made about what it means to protect a community from fracking pollution, where natural gas companies can drill, and where to locate liquefied natural gas export terminals. Whether it’s replacing coal-fired power plants with natural gas plants or shipping the gas to other countries — our communities, public lands, and coasts are threatened by more fracking.

President Obama — it is time to put the health of our communities first, protect our public lands from fracking, and stop the export of the natural gas.

Thank you for all you do,

Deb Nardone, Director,

Beyond Natural Gas Campaign, Sierra Club

P.S. Let’s send a strong message to President Obama. Will you share this email with five of your friends, family, and colleagues?

P.P.S. Want to learn more about the impacts of fracking on our communities and our country? Tune in to see Josh Fox’s newest documentary, Gasland 2, on Monday, July 8th at 9 pm ET on HBO.

References
1. IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007
2. “Why Move Beyond Natural Gas“, Sierra Club