Shannon DeWitt
Josh Fox, the creater of the documentary GasLand, has done some investigating in Sydney while visiting to promote his movie. Complaints from the population here within the last six months prompted this investigation. He discovered air-quality issues, faulty wells, and methane in the water that is leaving the local inhabitants feeling distressed and powerless. This article is accompanied by a photo of Josh Fox lighting the tap water running out of a kitchen sink on fire to show the presence of methane. Drilling for oil in the area leads to the methane-contaminated water, chronic illnesses, pools of toxic waste and explosions. An Australian spokesman states that the criticism from Josh Fox is unwarranted. "It is difficult to comprehend how an American movie-maker who does not understand the NSW or Australian regulatory environment, let alone the local geological conditions, can make these baseless claims about the local industry,'' he said. ''The US regulatory regime and geological environment is totally different to that of Australia.''
It is true that the criticisms are coming from an American movie-maker who is not familiar with the Sydney area, but can it really be denied that there is a problem when it is possible to set fire to public tap water? It seems clear that there is a pollution problem, and from the complaints of the locals it is evident that the community is aware of the problem and they are being affected by it. If they could band together to form a social movement then perhaps they could get some results from their government. For government to be compelled to spend their time and money on an issue there has to be enough attention, and often global attention, on the issue.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/activists-warn-pollution-fears-hold-water-here-20101113-17ru2.html
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