Toxic Glass of Water Voted Best Fracking Camouflage Award in 'Dress Up a Drill Rig' Contest

ALBANY, NY (10/31/2011)(readMedia)-- With 35 votes, a fracking drill rig disguised as a toxic glass of water was the winner in a 'dress up a drill rig' contest sponsored by Environmental Advocates of New York and the New York Water Rangers. In the fracking camouflage showdown, New Yorkers were invited to celebrate Halloween by proposing disguises for industrial gas rigs. Nearly 145 votes were cast in the contest. Click here to see the entries.

In the most recent draft of the state's proposal to regulate industrial gas drilling by means of hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking,' the revised draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS), the Department of Environmental Conservation encouraged gas companies to camouflage or disguise drill rigs. According to the SGEIS:

"... the most significant visual impacts would occur during the construction and development of a well pad, making the impacts temporary in nature ... Such measures could include screening, relocation, camouflage, or disguise, using non-reflective materials, and controlling off-site migration of lighting."

"Fracking is no laughing matter for New Yorkers, but we thought it would be fun to poll our members for ideas on how to 'dress up a drill rig.' We received dozens of submissions, not all of which were fit to share," said Katherine Nadeau, Water & Natural Resources Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York. "The fracking camouflage proposals will now be shared with Governor Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation. What happens next is up to them!"

The DEC anticipates that as many as 1,600 fracking rigs could be drilled annually, significantly altering New York's landscape in the years to come if fracking is permitted in the state.

The contest was announced earlier this month. Submissions were posted to Facebook, where visitors were instructed to 'like' their favorite entries. Samples of the photos will also be delivered to Governor Cuomo and the DEC. The top three submissions are:

• 35 votes for 'Toxic Water,' by Catherine W.
• 11 votes for 'Cuomo 2014,' by Adam O.
• 10 votes apiece for 'Lipstick on a Pig' and 'Money Tree,' by Joe V.
  
  
  The winner will receive a New York Water Rangers tote bag.

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Environmental Advocates of New York's mission is to protect our air, land, water and wildlife and the health of all New Yorkers. Based in Albany, we monitor state government, evaluate proposed laws, and champion policies and practices that will ensure the responsible stewardship of our shared environment. We work to support and strengthen the efforts of New York's environmental community and to make our state a national leader. For more information, visit www.eany.org.