Thinking beyond the need to drill

Thinking beyond the need to drill

It appears that the Marcel- las and Utica Shale drilling rush is on; much like the gold rush and the steel making boom — both of which produced much pollution while operations were going on and left many scars afterward. Land, air and water were polluted so bad that in some cases a river of water caught fire. Just think of all of the harmful chemicals that were released.

Our new drilling prospects have many landowners confused as to how to treat a newly found source of income, so many law firms and individual attorneys are offering much needed advice to get the best deal for landowners. And, of course, the drillers have to look out for their best interests, so meetings go on.

I wonder if at these meetings anyone asks why harmful chemicals are injected with water and sand and whatever else, to fracture the shale rock. What are the chemicals, and what they will do to the land, air and water? My own personal opinion is that much land will be left unusable and our water tables will be damaged irreversibly.

Please remember that most humans can live for a month or more without food; minutes without air and only a few days without water. What will we drink when the water is not fit to drink?

Joseph P. Hilko, Hermitage, Pa.