Update I (8/31/2012, 10:28 a.m. ET): Local activist Bill Huston recently posted on his blog with wild and crazy accusations claiming EID-Marcellus was “inciting violence” against anti-natural gas activists.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  It is, in fact, often those protesting the safe and responsible production of natural gas who threaten EID-M staff with acts of violence.  Sometimes, as we saw at SGEIS hearings last year, these actions rise above threats and these activists have actually become violent against EID staff and natural gas supporters.  Regardless, “invasion” is a more accurate and better description.  The title has been changed accordingly.

An invasion occurred in the City of Albany, New York on Monday.  Groups of antis came from all over to protest gas development coming to New York.  The apparent goal of this “Stop The Frack” movement was to show Governor Cuomo how many people are against development.  As they flooded the streets with their brown water jugs, colorful signs and summer camp chants one question had to be asked, where was Governor Cuomo and the other politicians this demonstration was aimed at? 

Since legislation was not in session the legislators were presumably in their home areas getting ready for the Labor Day weekend. Governor Cuomo was also out of town, spending the day in New York City. So much for telling Cuomo at his doorstep.

Leading the charge on this effort was one man we’ve all come to know over the years.

Josh Fox didn’t get the memo from EPA that Dimock’s water is fine

Mr. Josh Fox came out of his den for this event holding a brown jug of water labeled Dimock’s water.  When you spend so much time being funded by HBO and traveling the world you must not always get the facts or the news.  Dimock’s water has been tested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has come back within the normal limits each time. In fact, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has now given Cabot Oil and Gas permission to resume it’s operations in the 9-square mile moratorium zone.

As the parade of the misinformed zig-zagged through the streets of Albany it held up traffic and rerouted buses filled with New Yorkers trying to get to work.  The parade stopped at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the financial center before it finally ended in front of building holding politicians offices including Cuomo’s.

Once the parade pulled up to their final stop they had multiple people speak, including the fox himself.

Josh Fox talks about his reaction the first time he saw the faucet light on fire. Even though he’s admitted to knowing this occurred long before any natural gas development, he’s still talking about the same entertainment value scene from his movie.

He also talks about how once you have methane in your water well you can’t get it out.  I wonder what Loren Salsman would say about this statement.  In Truthland (below) you can see that there was methane in his well and the problem was fixed with treatment (23:20).

Fox and crew spent the day preaching more misinformation to their following of sheep in a protest designed for an audience that wasn’t even around. Guess they should have checked the calendar because this one failed before it even got started.