F&WW’s Sam Schabacker Rally’s to Ban Colorado Shale Development

The Washington D.C.-based anti-fracking activist group, Food & Water Watch (F&WW), spearheaded a rally of roughly two dozen protestors in Denver today ahead of a Colorado state Supreme Court hearing in a case over whether local governments can ban hydraulic fracturing.

Speaking to the crowd, Sam Schabacker of F&WW proclaimed that regardless of how the court case is settled, the nationally focused activist organization will be moving forward with its ban fracking agenda, which could include a push for a 2016 ballot measure targeting Colorado shale development. Schabacker said:

“This fight is not over no matter what the court decides.”

In other words, these activists don’t seem to be too worried about silly things like “the law” – they’re going to proceed with their anti-fossil fuel agenda at all costs!

According to The Colorado Statesman, F&WW is one of the “major players behind the anti-fracking movement” and “played a key role in supporting initiatives to ban or delay fracking in local communities.” The group even touted their influence as an organizing force behind Colorado’s anti-energy campaign in a recent fundraising appeal as one of their “Top 10 Victories.” From F&WW:

“We also helped form state coalitions in California, Colorado and Pennsylvania, and are organizing to stop fossil fuel infrastructure projects (pipelines, export terminals, etc.) across the country.”

Other indicators show that the national anti-fracking organization, the Sierra Club may also be stepping into the fray. In a recent interview with Law 360, the organization’s “top lawyer,” Pat Gallagher, hinted that his organization has been working behind the scenes in Colorado. Law 360 reports:

“We’ve also gotten involved in a handful of states to oppose hydraulic fracturing, like Colorado, California and Pennsylvania. In Colorado, we have been working with a set of cities and towns that have been trying to regulate or adopt moratoria or bans on fracking,” he said.

What has become clear lately is that these groups have started dropping the charade of local control that marked their 2014 campaign and are now pursuing an outright ban on Colorado shale development. But considering that a recent poll found that the vast majority of Coloradoans strongly support shale development, they are fighting an uphill battle.