Sunday, July 1, 2012
Natural gas, touted for its environmental, economic, and national security benefits, is often thought of as the fuel that will “bridge” our transition from oil and coal to renewables. The ability to extract natural gas from shale formations through a method called hydraulic fracturing has unleashed vast, untapped sources—by some estimates, the U.S. now sits on a 100-year supply. But contamination from toxic chemicals used in the fracking process has been the source of increasing health and environmental concerns. Can natural gas be part of a clean energy solution, or is it a dangerous roadblock to a fossil-free future?
For
Deborah Goldberg
Managing Attorney at Earthjustice
For
Katherine Hudson
Watershed Program Director at Riverkeeper
Against
Joe Nocera
Op-Ed Columnist, The New York Times
Against
Sue Tierney
Managing Principal at Analysis Group
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Subscribe to the PodcastFor The Motion
Deborah Goldberg
Managing Attorney at Earthjustice
Deborah Goldberg is a Managing Attorney at Earthjustice, the world’s first and largest nonprofit environmental law firm, where she focuses on legal advocacy and litigation related to global warming and environmental health. Originally established as the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Earthjustice provides legal representation—at no cost—to more than 1,000 clients, ranging from large national groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Audubon Society, to smaller community coalitions, such as Friends of the Everglades. Before joining Earthjustice, Goldberg was the Democracy Program Director of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.
Learn moreFor The Motion
Katherine Hudson
Watershed Program Director at Riverkeeper
Katherine Hudson is the Watershed Program Director at Riverkeeper, a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and protecting the drinking water supply of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents. It is led by President Paul Gallay and its Chief Prosecuting Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Hudson joined Riverkeeper after nearly 25 years spent in government protecting the environment of New York State. Hudson has been Assistant Attorney General in the office’s Environmental Protection Bureau, and has served in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, working in all program areas, including air quality, water quality, solid and hazardous waste and mining.
Learn moreAgainst The Motion
Joe Nocera
Op-Ed Columnist, The New York Times
Joe Nocera is an op-ed columnist. Before joining The Opinion Pages, he wrote the Talking Business column for The New York Times and was a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine. He also serves as a regular business commentator for NPR's Weekend Edition with Scott Simon. Before joining The Times, Nocera spent 10 years at Fortune Magazine, where he held a variety of positions, including contributing writer, editor-at-large, executive editor and editorial director. His most recent book, co-written with Bethany McLean, is All The Devils: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis, their bestselling account of the financial crisis.
Learn moreAgainst The Motion
Sue Tierney
Managing Principal at Analysis Group; Former Assistant Secretary for Policy at U.S. Dept. of Energy
Susan Tierney is a Managing Principal at Analysis Group, where she specializes in the electric and gas industries. She has consulted to companies, governments, non-profits, and other organizations on energy markets, economic and environmental regulation and strategy, and energy facility projects. A former Assistant Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy and state public utility commissioner, she is a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s energy project and the Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board. She was appointed to the National Petroleum Council and serves as an ambassador for the U.S. Clean Energy Education & Empowerment program, an initiative of the Department of Energy and MIT.
Learn moreDeclared Winner: For The Motion
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45 comments
- Comment Link
Sunday, 01 July 2012 20:44 posted by Susan This is the third time I have tried to get your attention concerning the mistake on the Voting/Where Do You Stand page. You have the comments For and Against the motions reversed and this may very well be influencing the voting. Please read the statements. It is really disturbing that a mistake like this is made on such an important issue.
(I also made a phone call to try and get this corrected) - Comment Link
Sunday, 01 July 2012 20:44 posted by Chett That's a pretty biased title for a Debate.
- Comment Link
Sunday, 01 July 2012 20:41 posted by aaron milton I live in Colorado and used to work in the oil and gas industry. I no longer work in that industry do to moral and health concerns.
- Comment Link
Sunday, 01 July 2012 20:38 posted by Michael There needs to be an end to fracking, it's no good!! Legalize hemp, create a zillion of jobs cause you can pretty much replace everything with hemp for example: cardboard, styrofoam, plastic, why not cars and or homes that function on hemp oil.
- Comment Link
Sunday, 01 July 2012 19:06 posted by sarah This is very confusing...is "the motion" pro or anti-fracking? For example, Deborah Goldberg is identified as "for" the motion, but I know Earthjustice fights against fracking. Yet above, "for" the motion seems to indicate that you are pro-fracking. Could you clarify? Thanks!
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