On May 21, the three Boulder County (Colorado) commissioners voted unanimously not to extend the moratorium on fracking in the county. One of the three – Elise Jones – has longstanding ties with “Big Green” – the establishment environmental organizations, but she, too voted in favor. It seems there was some sort of fig-leaf “compromise” worked out whereby the county would hire its own “independent” inspectors for the fracked wells. This is as meaningful as hiring an electrician to inspect the electric chair before it’s put to use.

The moratorium had been in existence so that the commissioners could study the effect on the county roads that the massive traffic of heavy equipment for the fracking would have. One “fractivist” estimates that if each well that could be drilled in the county is fracked only once, there would be enough truck traffic to circle the globe several times over! But whatever the effect on the roads, it is as nothing compared to the public health, never mind the planet’s health. That was the main reason for the appeal for an extension of the moratorium, but the commissioners voted against it.

A moratorium to study the effect on roads? Yes.

A moratorium to study the effect on humans? Not worth it.

What could say more about the values of Corporate America – of capitalism?

Here is a link to a letter from health care professionals in the County on the issue.

Below is a link to a video of the meeting. Watch it through to the end, when the people erupt after the commissioners vote for the death penalty.