An Actor and a Film Director Save Families From Contaminated Water… in Real Life

By Rich Bindell

A group of citizens with a little celebrity power from New York State are doing something that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Cabot Oil and Gas Corporation failed to do: they will provide eleven families of Dimock, PA, with clean drinking water. The group is responding to a situation that has left these residents without access to clean water after their normal supply was contaminated with toxic chemicals, gas and radioactive material—all associated with fracking. Celebrities and advocates are saving the day. Welcome to Frackville.

After the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) attributed responsibility for the contamination to Cabot, the agency demanded that the gas company provide deliveries of water to those affected. This has been the arrangement for the past three years. Unfortunately, as of November 30, Cabot is no longer required provide water to Dimock residents, after they struck a sneaky deal with PA DEP.

So, what are Dimock families supposed to do if a gas company pollutes their drinking water and then they are abandoned by the state, including the very department that’s supposed to be “protecting” the environment?

Actor Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right), Film Director Josh Fox (Gasland), along with many clean water advocates and fracking opponents, will be delivering a large tanker truck filled with drinking water to the eleven families who have been victimized by corporate greed and government failure.

The group of heroes includes NYC City Council, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Water Defense, United for Action, National Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, Catskill Mountainkeeper, and Delaware Riverkeepers. They will host a press conference, along with Dimock residents and fracking victims, Craig & Julie Sautner, on Tuesday, December 6 at 9:30am on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan before heading by bus to Dimock. They will host a second press event upon arrival in Dimock at 2:30pm.

In a world where greedy corporations hide from justice, it takes an actor and a film director to right the ship. Thanks guys! Hopefully, you’ll receive an Oscar for your real life performances.