Greens demonstrating at EPA Hearing in Binghamton

Don't want to see the Conhocton look like the Colorado above? Join us in calling for a ban on gas drilling in NYS.

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Current Projects

Supporting the Occupy Wall Street Movement

The Green Party of Steuben County supports and stands in solidarity with the Occupy movement, that began with Occupy Wall Street on September 17th and has grown to hundreds of cities across the United States and 950 cities across the globe. The Green Party is based on principles such as grassroots democracy, community economics, and decentralization of power. We find in this growing and lasting movement a congruence of the same principles and much more. The Occupy movement is not just a demonstration of dissatisfaction with those in power in our government and our economy.

The gigantic income inequality, the inordinate power of corporations on our democratic process, and the calls for austerity that push more people into poverty with less economic rights reveals that the status quo is untenable. What is also vital to this movement is the internal democratic process practiced by the General Assemblies. This process offers a new political model for our society as well as developing a method for the movement to articulate its grievances, demands, and solutions. This is in marked contrast to the Tea Party that has been consistently backed by corporate funding and supplied with a prefabricated agenda and talking points from such corporate organizations as Americans For Prosperity.

The internal democratic process of the various occupations is coupled with the formation of food distribution systems, medical services, and libraries at each protest site, further showing that this is something quite new in the political and economic landscape. With its many unique characteristics, the movement also does have historical precedents such as the Bonus Army of the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960's, and the worldwide protests during the Spring of 1968. Those who wish to stereotype these protesters as merely spoiled lazy students only will be disproven by such evidence seen at the tumblr called “We Are The 99 Percent” which posts the real life stories of hard working people who tried to play by the rules but find the economy failing them.

The Green Party is the only existing political party that is able to fully comprehend the political and economic context that has resulted in such harsh conditions for our fellow citizens. What the movement has been driving home through nonviolent civil disobedience, the Green Party has been talking about for decades. As the Occupy movement has grown and garnered more media attention, there has already been inclinations for it to be coopted by the two-party system, but the movement is structured in such a way as to avoid this weakening. The Green Party has been the only political party that has shown actual support through actions rather than mere talk, and we hope that through prolonged cooperation the members of the movement will see that the Green Party and the Occupy movement are naturally aligned not by political gain but by a vision for a better future.

Working to Get Votes for Our Green Party Candidates

Members of the Steuben County Green Party are working to get votes on Election Day, Nov. 8 for Joe Duffy, candidate for Hornell City Alderman.

Studying Health and Environmental Impacts of Gas Drilling

The Steuben Greens have been studying possible health and environmental impacts in our area if the DEC allows widespread use of these techniques. We sponsored a public forum on the health and environmental impacts of new horizontal gas drilling techniques on Wed., Nov. 5, 2008, at the Bath Fire Hall. The forum began with a showing of a 31 minute documentary film on the impacts of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in Colorado by Two Cent Films and Crestone Media.

The documentary featured Dr. Theo Colborn, a research chemist who has studied the chemicals used by drilling companies in their hydraulic fracturing fluids. Dr. Colburn's website, http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/, gives the results of her studies of the health effects of the products and chemicals used in drilling, fracturing (frac'ing, or stimulation), recovery and delivery of natural gas. She has analyzed chemicals used by gas drilling companies in Coloroda, Montana, New Mexico, Washington and Wyoming. Her research provides a glimpse at the patterns of possible health hazards for those living in proximity to gas development.

Acting on our concerns that extensive environmental and health damages are likely to be caused by drilling gas wells in the Marcellus Shale if horizontal drilling and high pressure hydrofracturing are allowed in New York State, the Steuben County Green Party adopted a resolution November 16, 2009, calling on the state legislature to adopt a ban on permitting gas wells that use these techniques. In so doing, the party joins the Green Party of New York and 63 other groups across New York State calling for such a ban. The resolution lists the reasons why we are calling for a ban:

Because of our concerns that environmental and health damages lasting long beyond our lifetimes will extend across New York State if gas drilling is permitted using horizontal drilling and high pressure hydrofracturing,

Because damaging economic consequences to residential and commercial property values, tourism, agriculture, forestry, wineries, colleges and universities will result from damaging health effects,

Because the infrastructure costs of building and repairing roads, water treatment facilities, and other public services needed by the gas drilling industry will exceed the economic benefit to local communities,

Because New York State has no laws restricting industrial scale water withdrawals from our rivers, lakes and aquifers,

Because the citizens of New York are not protected from the toxic effects of oil and gas drilling by Federal and New York State environmental laws that apply to other industries,

Because the subsidies granted to oil and gas drilling promote the use of fossil fuels and undermine the development of conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy sources, and

Because the global warming effects of the methane in natural gas are many times greater than the global warming effects of carbon dioxide,

Be it resolved that the Steuben County Green Party calls on the New York State legislature to adopt a ban on permitting gas wells that use horizontal drilling and hydro-fracturing to release gas from tight sand and shale formations.

Sign the Ban Petition

To sign the petition calling for a ban on hydrofracking in New York State, go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/NY-Statewide-Ban-On-Natural-Gas-Drilling

Organized NY Green Fest 2011

Members of the Steuben Greens helped organize NY Green Fest 2011, a festival of green living and Green politics, held on the campus of Alfred University in Alfred, NY. Green Fest 2011 was held in conjunction with the annual national meeting of the Green Party of the United States. Both events were held Aug. 5-7, 2011, at Alfred University in Alfred, NY. Steuben Greens Darin Robbins and Joe Duffy spoke at the event. Darin spoke on Courting the Anarchist Vote: Finding the Common Denominator of Autonomy, and Joe spoke at the press conference of Green candidates.

Working to Promote Local Economies

On May 29, 2008, the Steuben Greens held a panel discussion on grassroots strategies for building Bath’s local economy. The Steuben Greens have been active in the Bath NY Group, which is working to build Bath's local economy. The group believes that many small local businesses will provide a much healthier long-term economy for the area than chain stores and big box stores. Steuben Green member Darin Robbins is the author of our flyer on How to Build a Local Economy.

Working to Promote Locally-Grown Food

The Steuben Greens initiated the formation of Farm to You, a network of consumers, farmers, food producers and food markets whose mission is to build markets for local grown food in Steuben County and the surrounding Southern Tier area. The 2008 Farm to You Local Food Directory is in production now. For more information, email steubengreens at ecobooks.com. For information about our goals in setting up this project, click here for the CSA proposal prepared by Lisa Chacon.

Support for Locally-Owned Wind Energy

The Steuben Greens filed comments on the draft scoping documents of two wind farm developers proposing wind farms in Prattsburgh in northern Steuben County. Our comments supported the development of wind energy, but called for smaller, locally-owned wind projects. Read comments. The Steuben Greens have joined the Citizen Power Alliance. The Citizen Power Alliance is a coalition of independent groups centered in the Finger Lakes promoting sound energy and environmental policy.

Working to Promote IRV and Proportional Representation

The Steuben Greens are working to support the adoption of IRV and proportional voting in local elections. Darin Robbins is working to get the Corning City Coucil to conduct a nonbinding referendum to ascertain voter support for these voting methods.

Opposition to Electronic Voting

Members of the Steuben Greens are working on issues relating to the use of electronic voting machines by Steuben County and elsewhere in New York State.

Editorial Campaign

The Steuben Greens have a campaign to write letters to the editor on a regular basis. In this way, we keep the Green Party and our values in the public discourse. At election time, we write letters in support of our Green candidates.

Living Wage Campaign

Members of the Steuben Greens are working for the adoption of a living wage ordinance in Corning.

Peace and Justice Issues

The Steuben Greens work on peace events through our local, which is a member of the Finger Lakes Peace Coalition, and through other local peace groups, including the Bath Peace and Justice Group, the Corning Peaceful Gatherings Group and the Elmira Peace Studies group. We have organized programs, local demonstrations and local participation at demonstrations in New York City and Washington, DC.

Medical Marijuana

On April 2, 2004, the Steuben Greens sponsored a community forum on medical marijuana. Dr. Jennifer Daniels, from Syracuse, spoke on the medical properties of marijuana, their efficacy compared to legal drugs, and a current bill to legalize medical marijuana in New York .

Steuben County Green Party Platform

The Steuben Greens are preparing a platform of Green ideas for Steuben County.

Green Party of New York State Platform

The Steuben Greens have submitted a number of suggested planks to the Green Party of New York for inclusion in the state Green Party platform. A 2006 state platform was approved at the May 20, 2006 meeting of the Green Party of New York state committee.

Bill of Rights Defense Resolutions

Members of the Steuben Greens helped get a Bill of Rights Defense resolution passed in the Town of Urbana, and are working on resolutions in the Town of Bath, the City of Corning, and the Steuben County Legislature.

Steuben County Green Party Bylaws

In November 2004 we formed a county Green Party organization in accordance with the state Green Party bylaws to facilitate our participation in the state platform process. Click here to review our bylaws.

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