WMEAC Attends Anti-Fracking Conference at Circle Pines

WMEAC participated in the second annual Common Ground Against Fracking Retreat at Circle Pines Center last weekend, where approximately thirty activists from across Michigan met to exchange information, strengthen inter-organizational relationships, and formulate a statewide strategic action plan to protect Michigan from the threats posed by high-volume hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling, a.k.a fracking.

Organizations participating in the event included Michigan Land Air Water Defense, Sierra Club West Michigan Group, Citizens for Responsible Resource Management, Kent County Water Conservation, MSU Student Sustainability Coalition, Don’t Frack Michigan, Don’t Frack West Michigan, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, respectmyplanet.org, Food And Water Watch ,Friends of the Au Gres-Rifle Watershed, along with WMEAC.

Over the course of three days, a series of group discussions were held where concerned citizens, activists, and representatives of anti-fracking groups and environmental organizations shared ideas and generated a framework  enabling increased co-operation in their efforts. Although not every attendee agreed on every issue, there was absolute consensus on the need to work together to address fracking. One attendee said it best: “Our strength lies in our diversity.”