A Conversation With Helen Slottje: anti-fracking lawyer considered hero, foe

Andrew Casler

Some people hold up Helen Slottje, 47, of Ithaca, as a hero who may have helped save New York state communities from what they say is the environmental devastation of hyrdraulic fracturing. In other circles, Slottje is a misguided interloper who persuaded New York municipalities to pass unconstitutional bans against fracking. On Monday, Slotjje won the $175,000, 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize for North America for her work in helping New York state municipalities develop bans on fracking.

QUESTION: How did you get involved with anti-fracking activism?

ANSWER: I went to a meeting in Danby in May 2009. ... The Shaleshock presentation, which still didn’t have any answers on what we could do, had pictures. And I just looked at these terrible pictures of what this looked like, and the devastation to the land. ... From that moment on, whenever I drive around and I think to myself, ‘This is so beautiful,’ the next thought is how horrible it would look if there were gas drilling.

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