Drilling Activists Fight Back Against Industry Ads

Ad wars over natural gas drilling have begun. Gas drilling opponents have launched a new ad campaign meant to counter the abundance of pro-industry television, radio and billboard advertising. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network’s campaign will focus on water pollution.
“Have you seen those fancy advertisements that claim natural gas is clean and sustainable?” said Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum in a press release. “In fact fracked gas is filthy and inevitably causes water, air and land pollution…”
The ads can be seen in the Philadelphia area, along I-95, on SEPTA busses and subway stops. The theme of the ads is “don’t play with fire.” Van Rossum says they will also take the campaign to television viewers if they can raise enough money.


Marcellus Shale Coalition spokesman Travis Windle says industry ads are truthful, but the activists’ ads are not.
“We’re certainly interested in a dialog based in facts and science and by all accounts these efforts by this out-of-the-mainstream group don’t seem to be based on either of those things.”
Expect the ad wars to continue.

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