Hulk actor wants to smash fracking in Florida

Hulk smash fracking in Florida.

Or at least Mark Ruffalo, the actor who plays him in the movies, wants to.

Ruffalo will join Floridians Against Fracking in a conference call Friday night to discuss efforts to enact a statewide ban on the controversial drilling technique. 

Kim Ross, president of ReThink Energy Florida and a member of Floridians Against Fracking, said Ruffalo will share his expertise in the fight against fracking in New York and Maryland, both of which adopted statewide bans.

"Mark Ruffalo has been very effective in his life outside of acting and movie producing," Ross said. "He is very much active in the anti fracking fight (and) using his fame to help push along the cause."

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Last year, legislation that would have prohibited fracking in Florida died in a stalemate between the House and Senate over the need for a scientific study into potential fracking dangers.

Next week, state Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, who sponsored last year's Senate bill, is expected to announce new legislation to ban fracking, Ross said. Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-Treasure Island, is expected to file the House companion bill.

Ruffalo connected with Floridians Against Fracking through former Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell, who's active in the group.

Thaell and his wife have a summer cabin in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, where their neighbors happen to be Ruffalo's parents. Last summer, Thaell got to know Ruffalo as they hung out at the beach.

"He's just a regular guy," Thaell said. "Apart from being one of the world's greatest actors, he's just a terrific guy who cares a lot about the planet."

Ruffalo will appear next as Marvel's famous green rage monster in "Thor: Ragnarok," which opens Nov. 3.

"Hulk does oppose fracking," Ross asserted.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.