Wondering about drilling opponents

Author	Message
JIM Oct 2, 2011 8:07 pm	Wondering about drilling opponents There are several things that bother me about the attempt to ban drilling. Opponents are worried about the traffic but with any up turn in the economy ( tourism, population) there is increased traffic so we don't want things to change because we don't want increased traffic. Opponents are worried about clean water yet; drugs, hormones, pesticides, cleaning solutions, herbicides, hospital effluent, doctor office effluent, dental waste water end up in waste water to go through a septic system or wastewater treatment plant and then ground water or The Greenbrier River. If these people are so worried about water quality why are these problems not mentioned? Then opponents are worried about their property values but no one mentions the poor family who wonders how they are going to make their rent or payment at the end of the month. It seems opponents are a little self centered.
Allen Johnson Oct 3, 2011 12:20 am	Re: Wondering about drilling opponents Jim, I would say that many of the opponents of Marcellus Shale gas drilling are indeed concerned about other pollutants in water, such as you mention. I was able to listen in Washington, DC, to Dr. Sandra Steingraber, a foremost environmental health scientist, who spoke about the health hazards related to "fracking." Yet in her published books,she focuses on the pesticides, hormones, drugs,etc. you mention. I agree with you that all of these issues need to be addressed as well. But please do not think that many of us opponents are oblivious to other health hazards! For example, fish caught in WV are considered hazardous for child-bearing aged women to eat, due to mercury poisoning caused primarily by coal-fired power plants. Babies with high mercury contamination, about one in six here, have neurological damage that clips several points off their IQs. As for traffic. Well, there is the car and motorcycle traffic of tourists. And there is the traffic of large, heavy, wide diesel trucks. On small, windy roads, there is a difference, you know. Your train of logic is not spelled out well with your poor family. Am I to assume that you mean the family is poor because it is waiting for a high paying gas drilling job, and, whaddya know, the selfish drilling opponents have sabotaged their future. I suggest you take a little trip down to McDowell County and surrounding counties, where King Coal continues its 130 year reign. You will see lots of environmental ruin, lots of dilapidated housing, lots of ghost towns, lots of poor people, and lots of train cars carrying out coal. The cry of the coal industry and its legislative puppets as they attack environmentalists and the EPA is, "JAWBZZZ!!!. (while the man-replacing machines continue to carve up the mountains for the "black death" known also as coal.
JIM Oct 3, 2011 7:32 am	Re: Wondering about drilling opponents Allen, I believe that a lot of these poor families are hard working and waiting for a shot at a decent paying job. Business in Poca. cannot pay a decent wage because they don't have decent revenues. As for Mcdowell Co.I have worked off and on there for the past 20 years. Mining companies are begging for employees at a liveable wage. Why do people not have jobs there, it is either because they are hooked on drugs or won't work. Many say that drilling would not bring jobs, that is just not true. As far as after drilling these wells will produce for years and will require maintance. Yes there will be a reduction in jobs once the drilling has concluded but the job market is in constant Change. Like you I am very concerned about water quality, but I still maintain drilling can be done safely if the proper regulation and enforcement is in place. As far as the regulation there is a lot of focus on issues that are not critical to the environment and are nusance regulations. Such as records not in proper place or trash can lid off.
normanalderman Oct 7, 2011 5:45 pm	Re: Wondering about drilling opponents I am suspicious that we are not given sufficient media cover of this matter. I suspect that the county paid for opponents of fracking to go to Wetzel county and left the rest home! Is this fair?

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