In Iran, the Political Mulhas have explicitly "banned from discussion in the media" when it comes to specific topics, including Iran's economic troubles, foreign policy controversies, social taboos, and the unrest among Iran's Azeri, among other things.
Here in the U.S., the Energy Mullahs are doing the same thing.
Like the tobacco industry in previous years, the natural gas industry is trying to stop public discussion of the established health risks associated with its ambitious plans to place highly charged explosives deep under the ground and extract a portion of the resulting explosion's emissions for profit.
Shell's drilling Jihad committee this week initiated an unprecedented "pre-emptive lawsuit" against several well-established US environmental organizations (Sierra Club, etc.), which would prohibit, in advance, FUTURE INJUNCTIONS regarding the environmental hazards of Shell's not-yet-even submitted new plans for off-shore oil drilling in the Alaskan Arctic.
Think about that in common terms: I better sue my neighbor, Tom, today -- I'm having a party next week and he's sure to complain about the music. I'll get a court order TODAY, preventing him in advance of even complaining!
The industry's intention to stop public discussion of health risks is being buttressed by certain high-profile politicians, including Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett -- whose state is at the center of a rush to "fracking' development of it's considerable natural gas reserves. In February, Corbett signed into law a new amendment to Title 52 (Oil and Gas) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. The following is a summary of the law, as provided by Star Telegraph:
- Gas Companies don't have to reveal how the chemicals and gases used in fracking interact with the natural compounds surrounding their subterranean drilling and explosions.
- Companies do not have to release chemical information to physicians and health care professionals. If they do, the new law:
- forbids doctors from warning the community of water and air pollution that may be caused by fracking.
- forbids doctors from telling their own patients what the physician believes may have led to their health problems.
- forbids doctors from sharing with a medical specialist information about the chemicals or compounds, thus delaying medical treatment.
The clauses are buried on pages 98 and 99 of the 174-page bill, which was initiated and passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and signed into law in February by Corbett.
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