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New Yorkers Against Fracking announced Tuesday that Buffalo, Syracuse and Binghamton residents will welcome President Obama in his visit to those cities with protests to reject his embrace of the gas industry and fracking as a false solution to climate change.  In a June speech, President Obama indicated the country would take 'bold action' to address climate change, but he included the use of natural gas when the science shows that methane leaks undermine its benefits, actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbating climate change.

“In the wake of hurricanes Sandy, Irene and Lee causing New York to experience the harshest effects of climate change and costing our state tens of billions of dollars in damage, we need real leadership from President Obama and Governor Cuomo on climate change,” said Alex Beauchamp of Food and Water Watch and New Yorkers Against Fracking. “The science shows that the leaking methane from natural gas intensifies climate change. Fracked gas is a bridge to accelerated climate change, and Governor Cuomo should continue to stand up to the gas industry and show the leadership that President Obama has failed to show.”

Protesters also highlighted what they characterized as the Obama administration Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) cover-up of several incidents of water contamination caused by fracking in three different states. They pointed to the failure of the federal agency as making it critical for Governor Cuomo and New York State government to protect New Yorkers.

“President Obama’s EPA has failed to protect communities harmed by fracking or even acknowledge the science from their own staff showing that it contaminated drinking water,” said Julia Walsh of Frack Action and New Yorkers Against Fracking. “EPA bureaucrats in Washington have silenced their workers on the ground and have been bullied by gas companies and their lobbyists. New York doesn’t want to become victimized by gas companies and President Obama’s EPA that has clearly put politics and gas interests over everyday Americans. We need Governor Cuomo to be the leader here in actually following the science, and protect our health, food, water and livelihoods from the permanently damaging consequences of fracking.”

Protesters claim that in addition to denying the science on the climate impacts of fracking, Obama has turned a blind eye to water contamination and health impacts from fracking.

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