The practice of injecting waste water into the ground to prospect for natural gas reserves, known as "fracking", is used most frequently by fossil fuel giant the Koch Industries. Recently, in a rare move, the Kansas Corporation Commission even asked the Koch Brothers to kindly refrain from fracking, at least in two critical counties on the Oklahoma border. The commissions request is not binding.
Only one 2016 presidential candidate has even addressed the problem of fracking to the nation's environment and infrastructure and he has done so by calling for an immediate nation-wide moratorium on fracking. Andrew D. Basiago, Washington lawyer and government whistle-blower is proposing an immediate and permanent ban on all fracking activities in Kansas, and across the country.
"The president should ban fracking because it is harmful to the climate; it is not part of the transition to solar, wind and other alternative energy sources." said Basiago in his 100 proposals called a new agenda for a new America. "...(fracking) consumes vast amounts of water, contaminates land, air and water; causes earthquakes, puts arsenic into the ground water table; and doesn't benefit the people."
Some Kansans concerned with fracking have rallied behind candidate Basiago, organizing Kansas for Andrew Basiago 2016 with a KFAB facebook group to organize the 5,000 petition signatures necessary to place Basiago on the 2016 Kansas ballot.
"Fracking is a serious problem, clearly earthquakes in Kansas are up over 1000% this year. That should tell voters something," said Joel Bales, KFAB organizer and environmental activist.
"I have over $14,000 worth of damage to my home," said Wichita resident and fracking opponent Lori Lawrence. "My house is shaking and I have damage. We are experiencing living in a state where the rights, property values, and fears of citizens in the fracking zones are ignored. Because you and I are not as important to the Legislature as the fracking industry."
One Colorado land owner who benefits from a monthly royalty check from the gas company placed the issue in perspective stating,"While I like the monthly royalty checks, (although they've dropped from around $700 to $500)... it doesn't come close to paying for me and my neighbors' property damage. They cut the biggest tree in the county down to frack here. Water doesn't run down the mountains anymore. My pond is dry."
KFAB encourages all registered voters in Kansas who are also concerned with the consequences of :"fracking" to sign the petition to place candidate Basiago on the 2016 Kansas ballot.
