Friday, April 20, 2012
Fracking gives cause for concern
Over the past year, I have been hearing more and more about fracking in Pennsylvania. It first started when my family was buying their first house and the homeowner signed a gas lease. That is when my interest was piqued about the whole process.
I was shocked at how they drill for the gas and the chemicals they pump into the ground. Upon further research into fracking, it is appalling how they can blatantly contaminate drinking water and say that it isn’t their fault. Gas companies have been getting away with polluting the ground for years, since the Bush/Cheney administration exempted fracking from the Safe Drinking Water Act that created the Halliburton loophole.
Now with gas companies wanting to begin fracking in the Marcellus Shale, wells are popping up in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Fracking is becoming a “hot topic” for everyone who resides near the gas wells. They are promising residents’ large amounts of money without educating them about the harm it can cause. I feel they are capitalizing on our down economy to make them believe there is a way out.
I am seeing more and more of these companies trying to “sweet talk” small town officials to agree on letting them drill.
With more fracking happening in our local area, I would suggest watching the documentary “Gasland.” It depicts how the gas companies work, how much they are willing to pay, and the aftermath they cause with their chemicals.
It is possible for fracking to use over 5 million gallons of fresh water and hundreds of different chemicals to collect the natural gas. The scary part of the process is their use of acids and poisonous compounds that will kill wildlife, affect our health, and again contaminate our drinking water.
The public needs to get educated and write or call their local government officials to stop fracking. We must protect our environment and drinking water for future generations.
Nathan Young, Bessemer, Pa.