The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Earthjustice and the Center for Biological Diversity will host the Florida Fracking Summit on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at the Florida Gulf Coast University Cohen Center in Fort Myers. Free and open to the public, the summit will address hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” and its impact on the environment and Southwest Florida’s natural resources.
Current oil and gas laws allow hydraulic fracturing, acidizing and other chemical treatments that present a risk to water supplies, to occur with minimal regulations and without a permit. Florida’s first Fracking Summit will educate guests on the potential risks involved with fracking, and what preventative steps can be taken to avoid endangering the environment.
The summit will feature expert speakers from around the U.S., addressing the effects of unconventional oil extraction on air, land, water and human health. Additional topics will include current oil and gas laws, examples of local government actions and the future of fracking in Florida. Cornell University Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Dr. Anthony Ingraffea will provide the keynote address. Ingraffea is a national expert on hydraulic fracturing techniques and has authored more than 200 papers and books on the subject, and was selected by TIME magazine as “People who Mattered” in 2011.
For more information or to register for the Florida Fracking Summit, visit www.flfrackingsummit.org.
About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida:
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a not-for-profit environmental protection organization with a 50-year history focused on the issues impacting the water, land wildlife and future of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. The Conservancy accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of its experts in the areas of environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, world-class Nature Center and von Arx Wildlife Hospital are headquartered in Naples, Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, south of the Naples Zoo off Goodlette-Frank Road. Learn more about the Conservancy’s work and how to support the quality of life in Southwest Florida www.conservancy.org.
