The anti-fracking movement in New York is remarkably organized and solidary. I've learned a lot as I've gotten involved in the effort to stop the storage of methane gas and liquid petroleum gas in salt caverns on Seneca Lake. Sometimes I feel like, as a political theorist, I don't have much to contribute. Since humility is not a known occupational hazard affecting political theorists, this doesn't bother me too much (just a little). Instead, it cultivates in me an appreciation for the knowledge, skills, and dedication of those around me. It is teaching me why planning and organization are so crucial in climate struggle (and of course why climate struggle is ultimately anti-capitalist): corporations rely on the fragmented and distributed regulatory environment to do their nefarious deeds. Engaged struggle brings to life the actuality of political multidimensionality as and through the generation of political power.
For example, that railroads and pipelines are private and that regulatory supervision has been dramatically cut over the last decades even as there has been a boom in oil and gas production in the US means that it is difficult to get accurate information about routes, track conditions, leakage, etc. That companies break themselves into different companies with different legal structures and then enter into various kinds of ventures and partnerships makes its hard to establish liability and responsibility.
Here's a list of some of the knowledge and skills important in the battle for Seneca Lake:
1. Knowledge of shale formations.
2. Knowledge of salt caverns. This includes comparative data on salt cavern stability and use for gas storage over time.
3. Knowledge of the eco-system of Seneca Lake. This includes the relation of the lake to the surrounding lakes, farms, and industry. It includes as well the array of lake uses (water supply, recreational, energy, waste site).
4. Knowledge about salt mining.
5. Information and data on the history of the lake: geologic and human. Necessary information includes data on salinity over time.
6. Knowledge of gas and oil production, processing, transport and storage. This includes knowledge of relevant leaks, collapses, and explosions and their effects on workers as well as on their environment and communities. It also includes knowledge of carbon and methane emissions and their impacts. And it includes knowledge of the health effects associated with gas and oil production, processing, transport, and storage.
7. Knowledge of truck traffic, railroad traffic, and pipelines. This includes safety concerns as well as comparative volume over time.
8. Legal knowledge at multiple levels: laws for trespass, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest; firecode at the county courthouse (so we know how many people are allowed in); court procedures (what to ask for, what to expect in terms of penalities and adjournments, who is allowed in); processes for appeal; conventions and practices at jails in four different counties (inmates have to get a TB test and remain separate from the general population for about four days until they are cleared); the larger structure of the NY state court and appeals system; laws for the regulating of commercial businesses (a ban is different from a regulation); laws for emergency management and preparedness; environmental protection regulations; the policy apparatus as it is divided between federal and state agencies (for us, FERC and the DEC); corporate and tax law (what kinds of corporate structures are associated with what kinds of liability); how to understand corporate tax filings; regulations on the shipping of hazardous materials (how are these enforced?).
9. Local knowledge of the political apparatus in Schuyler county: who was on the Schuyler county board of legislators when they agreed to let Crestwood expand its storage facility into damaged and abandoned salt caverns? What is the relation of the Schuyler county judges to Crestwood? Who was behind giving Crestwood a tax break and why? What is the relation of Congressmen Tom Reed to Crestwood? What is the relation of the DA and ADA to Crestwood and the judges?
10. Local knowledge of the activist environment: who has worked together productively on what actions and campaigns? what did they learn? which places are good for holding events? which places are good as look out points? where do we find more allies? who knows whom in different counties and groups? which sorts of actions have gotten community support in the past? what sort of actions might help us all move a little further? Which journalists are allies? which newpapers and blogs cover and are likely to cover the issue?
11. Local knowledge of the economic environment: what sorts of state and regional development strategies have been promoted? where has there been state investment? what regional economic ventures have been recognized as vital and sustainable? which ones are in trouble? what is the economic character of the region? whom does it benefit and whom does it exploit? How many people does US Salt employ? Which local vendors work with Crestwood? What is the price of propane gas in the region? Where is the gas stored on Seneca Lake ultimately sold? Who are the buyers?
12. Skills at keeping, designing, and maintaining databases -- particularly important for organizing petition drives and keeping a list of voters in multiple counties.
13. Skills at website design (not to mention time to keep websites and social media up to date).
14. Knowledge of national and international efforts (both for building connections that can amplify and strengthen one another and for learning from what has worked in other places). Examples here range from specific -- Crestwood's multi million gallon spill of salt brine on Native American lands in North Dakota -- to more general, like the 1800 mile march of climate activists across the country and this fall's enormous climate justice demonstration in NYC.
15. Skills at action planning and strategy (from non-violence training, to songs, slogans, and chants, to logistics -- WASL brings its own portable toilet so that we won't get charged with vandalism).
This is a preliminary list. Being surrounded by people who have developed and continued to develop this knowledge is helping me learn how understanding the relations between multiple components of complex processes enlarges the world. Because the possibilities that emerge are tied to an ongoing action, they have an actuality that lets them build from another. This building exceeds the action to build the group and ways of life. Engaged knowledge becomes active power through organized political will.
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