RiverFest Embraces Toxic Sponsors

      
Recently, Chesapeake Energy was fined $1.1 MILLION by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for contaminating ~16 private wells and various other significant violations of our commonwealth's environmental laws. In Texas, Williams Energy is doing just as well:

The water wells for three homes at the north end of Hill County were ruined when Williams Production-Gulf Coast Company began fraccing nearby. Benzene, toluene, methane, and other chemicals got into the aquifer and thence into the water wells, killing livestock and making the water unfit for human use (“Water Foul,” April 30, 2008). Williams denied any responsibility, claiming the chemicals were already present, but finally agreed to purchase all three properties late last year, with a stipulation that none of the homeowners could talk to the press about the settlement.

  
In addition to contaminating our waters and ruining people's lives on a regular/ongoing basis, Chesapeake and Williams have something else in common: they are both sponsors of this year's Wyoming Valley RiverFest.

As someone who has been involved at some level in almost every Wyoming Valley RiverFest paddling trip throughout the years as a volunteer, river guide, participant and organizer, I have a definite and major issue with these two companies being accepted as sponsors.  Seems everyone has their price...

I will not spend one red cent of my money supporting this event. That's "Plan A".

Plan B? Stay tuned.