Public Education
Truth Rising is a digital program designed to counter the misinformation spread by the oil & gas industry.
Massive special interest spending has created an asymmetrical fight between oil & gas companies and residents who want to protect their homes from the leaks, explosions, toxic emissions, and health impacts associated with fracking.
AS LONG AS THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO SPREAD IT'S LIES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE TRUTH:
FRACKING IS A BOOM-AND-BUST BUSINESS DESTROYING OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, AIR, WATER, ECONOMY, AND CLIMATE.
CO RISING for Communities DEBUTED THE GASLIT SERIES IN HONOR OF EARTH DAY 2023:
The Gaslit Series features short documentaries to shine a spotlight on the under-told true unscripted stories of real Coloradans living with the impacts of oil and gas operations. The extraction and production of oil and gas in the American West is already having, and will continue to have, generations-long impacts on all of us.
From workers who have been injured on the job; to parents worried about wells drilled within a stone’s throw of their schools and homes; to the farmer who watches the skies and fears for the future of farming in the midst of historic drought; to outdoor retailers and enthusiasts watching our outdoor lifestyle (and economy) disappear in the wake of wildfires and unprecedented numbers of ozone alert days, these unique and seemingly unrelated stories share one common thread… we are all being Gaslit by the lies and false promises of the fossil fuel industry.
GASLIT VIDEO #1:
Over 16,000 people tuned in to watch the first episode of GASLIT after the series launched on Earth Day. The premiere video told the story of Andre Houssney, a regenerative farmer in Colorado who fears for the future of farming as he witnesses the worsening effects of fossil-fuel driven climate change year after year. Watch it here.
GASLIT VIDEO #2:
Next, we brought you Kathy’s story. Kathy moved to Colorado in 1981 for the same reasons as so many others – her love of the outdoors, access to open space, beautiful views and fresh mountain air – and eventually found her dream home in Longmont. Then came the oil & gas landmen pressuring Kathy and her neighbors to lease their mineral rights for fracking. Then came the drilling rigs. Then came the truck traffic and heavy equipment. Then came the incessant noise, lights, vibrations, toxic emissions and foul odors at all times of day and night. Kathy’s dream had just turned into a living nightmare. Watch it here.
GASLIT VIDEO #3:
Learn about the misguided and dangerous UBR project. Glenwood Springs, Colorado is known internationally as an outdoor paradise, tucked in the Rocky Mountains next to Hanging Lake, home to gold medal fly fishing and a river that rafters crafted their sport on. The postcard village has few fans more faithful than previous Mayor Jonathan Godes. Fresh air, easy access to outdoor play, and – of course – clean water. Now, the Uinta Basin Railway wants to double down on their gamble in the canyon, by adding 10 miles of waxy crude cars chugging along the tracks next to the Colorado River a day. Every day. Watch it here.
GASLIT VIDEO #4:
Impacts of the UBR project would be felt all over Colorado and beyond. The mountain living in Denver, Colorado is marketed as postcard-perfect in a mountain oasis. Now, the Uinta Basin Railway wants to risk the already-falling quality of life in the Mile High City by adding 10 miles of waxy crude cars chugging along the tracks through the city a day. Every day. Ean Tafoya of Green Latinos and Becky English of the Sierra Club Colorado discuss the projected impacts on the city’s water and air in the latest episode of GASLIT. Watch it here.
GLOSSARY: FRACKING TERMS DEFINED
‘NATURAL’ GAS- A nonrenewable fossil fuel that forms when buried and decaying organic materials are exposed to intense heat and pressure over time.
FRACKING- Slang for hydraulic fracturing. This is the process of creating fractures in rock formations by injecting specialized fluid into the cracks. This causes subterranean wells to open further and release large quantities of water, petroleum, or gas.
CONVENTIONAL/UNCONVENTIONAL DRILLING- Conventional oil and gas extraction takes place in conventional geologic formations and consists of vertical wells. Most desirable conventional formations have already been tapped. Oil and Gas operators have thus turned to unconventional drilling. Drilling in unconventional formations, such as shales, requires new drilling methods like hydraulic fracturing.
SPLIT ESTATE – the situation when different entities own the rights to the surface and subsurface of land parcels. Splitting surface and mineral rights between two different owners creates two competing legal interests. This reality can generate significant disagreement between landowners and oil and gas developers in Western states.
FRACKING FLUID- Liquid used for fracking. Typically consists of water, sand, and various chemicals. Some common chemicals additives are sodium chloride, ethylene glycol, sodium/potassium carbonate, guar gum, borate salts, and isopropanol.
FLOWBACK FLUID– Liquid that returns to the surface after fracking. It contains, fracking fluid, brine, clay, etc. Also referred to as produced or contaminated water. This water can never return to the hydrological cycle.
PRODUCED WATER- the ancient deep salty water previously trapped underground until it was brought up by oil and gas wells. This water can be high in metals (barium, manganese, strontium, and iron, etc.) and organic substances like toxic benzene and therefore produced water must be either be carefully discarded or carefully treated for reuse (see Deep Well Injection).
DEEP WELL INJECTION- potentially toxic and contaminated wastewater from fracking and oil/gas extraction is “disposed of” in extremely deep wells. The injection of water at this depth can re-activate dormant earthquake faults and cause increased activity in the vicinity. Most of the oil and gas wastewater created in Colorado is injected into one of the nearly 1000 Deep Well Injection sites in the state.
BLOWOUT– An uncontrolled release of oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons from a well.
VOCs– Volatile organic compounds are gaseous at normal or indoor/outdoor temperatures. They are released by the burning of fuels such as wood, coal, and gas. Leaky/faulty O&G infrastructure also emits these toxic compounds.
BETX COMPOUNDS– BTEX is the acronym for the four volatile organic compounds often associated with oil and natural gas production: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene.
PERMEABILITY- reflects the relative ease with which fluids or gases may travel or flow between the pore spaces in a rock.