Town of Nelson resident Miriam Barrows is shown with her “Grandmothers Against Fracking” sign. Barrows traveled by bus with other Madison County residents to Albany to show their support against “hydrofracking.”
(Nelson, Albany, NY – Jan. 2013) Town of Nelson resident Miriam Barrows and others were in Albany Jan. 9 for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address. In her own words, she writes of her trip.
“We boarded the bus in Syracuse at 8 a.m. and picked up four more in 
Canastota making a total on our bus of 80 people, arriving at the Capital at about 11 a.m. The atmosphere in the Capital building was electrifying! There was a fence made of plastic pipe draped with a black cloth behind which people that were allowed to sit in on the Governor’s speech filed to register, peppered with NYS Troopers.”
“Anti-fracking people were to stay outside of the fence, but a large group (approximately 200) of people carrying pro gas signs, were allowed to march inside of the fence. We sang, cheered and circulated for about four hours with our signs.”
“There were many different comments made by people passing by, thumbs up, picture taking and some glares from a small group of pro-fracking people.”
“Just before 1:30 p.m. when the Governor was to speak, a large group lined up outside of the room where he was to give his speech, and made our presence known loud and clear.
Before we exited the bus we were given instructions to avoid any confrontations with the pro fracking people. There was a time when they milled around in between our group in a very threatening way, but no violence broke out.”
“The Governor did not even mention “hydrofracking” in his speech, even though an article in the Syracuse Post Standard on Jan. 8 listed Hydrofracking on the agenda, which shows a total lack of interest in the health and beauty of our State. 1,500 to 2,000 residents of our state apparently did not make an impression on him.”
“We must keep fighting, and in the Town of Nelson continue to implement the Comprehensive Plan we spent so much of our taxpayers money to develop, to keep our vistas, green space and “WAY OF LIFE.”