Groundbreaking Film Probes Reality and Rhetoric of America’s
Natural Gas Boom
ACSF Release
6 Nov 2010
WASHINGTON – “Shale Gas and America's Future”, a 30-minute, made-for-TV
film about the country's natural gas drilling boom was released today
by the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), a nonprofit organization
formed to advance America’s energy independence and a cleaner
environment.
“Yesterday, at his post-election press conference, President Obama
described the country’s natural gas resources as ‘terrific,’” said
Gregory C. Staple, ACSF’s CEO. “In fact, energy experts say we have a
hundred-year supply.
But much of this natural gas is trapped in deeply buried shale rock
formations, and can only be tapped using a drilling process known as
hydraulic fracturing. That process has led to an intense environmental
debate over the risks and rewards of producing this clean-burning
domestic fuel. But what is rhetoric? And what is reality?”
“Shale Gas and America's Future” provides a unique look at how local
communities in Pennsylvania are balancing the trade-offs related to gas
drilling for themselves and the nation. The film explores the
issues from all sides and features community meetings, unique drilling
footage, 3-D animation and interviews with the state's top
environmental regulator.
The film was commissioned by ACSF and produced by Hillmann & Carr,
an Emmy award-winning, Washington D.C.-based documentary film company.
The director is Jennifer Gruber, who won an Academy Award as location
producer for “The Johnstown Flood”. Larry Klein, whose TV credits
include top science shows for PBS and the Discovery Channel, is the
film's senior writer.
"This film goes beyond other movies by showing the whole hydrofracking
process, and what local citizens and state regulators are doing to
limit potential environmental problems. It also puts local issues into
context," Staple said.
"The film talks about why we are drilling for gas –jobs, energy
independence, the climate. On the flipside, the film gives voice to
those who feel we should refrain from drilling for natural gas because
it may endanger drinking water supplies or spoil the landscape. There
are plenty of opinions. But we want people to take a look at what’s
happening for themselves and draw their own conclusion.”
ACSF's new film supplements a Foundation-supported website launched
this summer, www.shalecountry.com. The website features 12 first-person
video stories about people caught up in the shale gas boom from
Louisiana, Arkansas and Pennsylvania. The website also provides footage
of a roundtable discussion between ACSF's Staple and independent film
producer, Josh Fox, who created “Gasland”.
To view “Shale Gas and America's Future”, or order it on DVD, go to http://www.shalegasfuture.com
For further information, contact Jack Deutsch, ACSF communications
director: jdeutsch@cleanskies.org or 202-621-2910.