Anti-Fracking Rally Held at Skelos' Office

Long Island community leaders and more than 100 residents rallied outside State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos' district office Saturday to voice their opposition to hydraulic fracturing (fracking), a highly controversial natural gas drilling method currently being considered for New York by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature.

Local business, consumer rights, environmental, faith and student leaders discussed why fracking is a dangerous threat to Long Island.

The rally was just one of hundreds that took place throughout the world Saturday as part of the Global Frackdown, a worldwide day of anti-fracking action and advocacy organized by Food & Water Watch, an international consumer rights organization.

More than a dozen Global Frackdown events throughout New York and more than 100 worldwide occurred Saturday.

"We've seen the destructive results of fracking in other states and other countries around the world, and we're not willing to risk the safety of our food or drinking water here in New York," said Victor Perez, a Long Island coordinator with Food & Water Watch. "We must keep up the pressure on Governor Cuomo and Senator Skelos, because we need fracking banned now."

"New York is known for its agriculture and tourism, not its natural gas drilling," added Brian Lupo, a New York Public Interest Group campus coordinator at Nassau Community College. "As a student organizer, I believe allowing fracking to happen anywhere in New York would be setting a precedent for generations to come that it’s okay to put short term profits over the environment and public health."