In a new anti-fracking music video released Monday, Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono and many of their celebrity friends put pressure on Governor Andrew Cuomo to ban hydraulic fracturing in New York.
Liv Tyler, Alexa Chung, Fred Armisen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Susan Sarandon are among the celebs who make an appearance in the star-studded "Don't Frack My Mother" music video, which urges lawmakers to "Keep our water safe" and "Keep fracking out of New York."
After making its debut on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" last July, "Don't Frack My Mother" has become the de facto theme song for Artists Against Fracking, the anti-fracking advocacy group launched last year by Lennon and Ono. The group now has more than 200 celebrity members, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro, Lady Gaga and Paul McCartney.
"Artists Against Fracking works to expose and stop the harmful and contaminating practice of fracking for natural gas and oil through mass awareness and peaceful democratic action. At its core, we believe that fracking for shale gas is a danger to New Yorkers. Inevitably, the process leads to the release of toxic chemicals -- many of which are unknown and unreported -- into our air and water," the group's website explains.
The website of Don't Frack With NY, another anti-fracking group, describes hydraulic fracturing as a "drilling technique which involves injecting toxic chemicals, sand, and millions of gallons of water under high pressure directly into the ground to release natural gas in shale deposits." Some of the chemicals used in the process include kerosene, diesel fuel, formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid, per environmental site NGO Earthworks.
Amid public backlash and environmental concerns about fracking, Cuomo and other state leaders have been dragging their feet with regards to finalizing regulations on fracking in New York. Last week, the state assembly approved a two-year moratorium on the practice until there is "conclusive scientific evidence on possible health and environmental risks," the AP reported. However, the news agency added:
The measure is largely symbolic at this point because the politically divided Senate hasn't shown signs of backing a moratorium. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration has been weighing regulations for the natural gas drilling technique, but has missed several self-imposed deadlines for reaching a conclusion.
What do you think of Artists Against Fracking's new video? Watch it above and tell us in the comments.