|
|
|
To Drill or Not to Drill
PRO: “Sooner the better”
By THOMAS J. SHEPSTONE
Thomas J. Shepstone owns and operates Shepstone Management Company in Honesdale, a planning and research consulting firm.
The natural gas industry cannot come to Wayne County soon enough. It will create unparalleled business opportunities, offer good jobs and give our local economy some balance. It will give younger generations reasons to stay or come back here after college. It will vastly improve our well-being.
Marcellus Shale is found in layers of 150-300 feet in thickness located over a mile below the ground. This formation underlies much of Wayne County, several hundred thousand acres of land having been leased to major gas companies. It has, as a whole, the potential to be a bigger production area than Texas.
The economic impacts have already been huge as leasing alone, over the last year, has brought in an estimated $200-300 million of new income to the County. Imagine where we would be during this economic recession without this roughly 25% gain in income as a cushion. How many more business and farms would have gone out without it?
Natural gas will allow us to fill motel rooms that now go empty during the dreaded off-season. It will fill restaurants and create jobs for welders, truckers, contractors, geologists, accountants, attorneys and others. It will balance our low-paying tourism industry and offset lost manufacturing. Nothing is so important to our well-being as having a job and family around us. Natural gas will supply jobs and keep the kids here. Bring it on, and quickly, please.
To Drill or Not to Drill
CON: “Always full of toxins”
By JIM BARTH
Jim Barth is a member of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability.
From Darrell Smitsky: To www.damascuscitizens.org.
“I live in hickory Pa…We had our water sent to an independent lab. The amount of toxic chemicals found, were off the chart. We had the DEP come to the house…They took a sample of the water months ago, and we have had no report come back from them. …The [independent] lab…told us not to drink the water, not to use it for cooking, and not to use it for bathing. When you can't get another water supply…what are you to do?...We take quick, lukewarm showers (pray for me)…We buy a lot of bottled water…Here is a picture of the brown water, it's not always brown, but its always full of toxins!...When you talk about how the gas drillers poison our water supply, they think you’re crazy…
Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states: “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”
The radical industrialization of Wayne County, through high volume, slick water, hydraulic fracturing and vertical, or, directional drilling, violates our Constitution. It is inherently catastrophic to our environment. It is a health issue.
Please view the video: http://www.youtube.com/GasDrillingTruth#p/u/6/A7Uviw56Iew .
To Drill or Not to Drill
PRO: “Sooner the better”
By THOMAS J. SHEPSTONE
Thomas J. Shepstone owns and operates Shepstone Management Company in Honesdale, a planning and research consulting firm.
The natural gas industry cannot come to Wayne County soon enough. It will create unparalleled business opportunities, offer good jobs and give our local economy some balance. It will give younger generations reasons to stay or come back here after college. It will vastly improve our well-being.
Marcellus Shale is found in layers of 150-300 feet in thickness located over a mile below the ground. This formation underlies much of Wayne County, several hundred thousand acres of land having been leased to major gas companies. It has, as a whole, the potential to be a bigger production area than Texas.
The economic impacts have already been huge as leasing alone, over the last year, has brought in an estimated $200-300 million of new income to the County. Imagine where we would be during this economic recession without this roughly 25% gain in income as a cushion. How many more business and farms would have gone out without it?
Natural gas will allow us to fill motel rooms that now go empty during the dreaded off-season. It will fill restaurants and create jobs for welders, truckers, contractors, geologists, accountants, attorneys and others. It will balance our low-paying tourism industry and offset lost manufacturing. Nothing is so important to our well-being as having a job and family around us. Natural gas will supply jobs and keep the kids here. Bring it on, and quickly, please.
To Drill or Not to Drill
CON: “Always full of toxins”
By JIM BARTH
Jim Barth is a member of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability.
From Darrell Smitsky: To www.damascuscitizens.org.
“I live in hickory Pa…We had our water sent to an independent lab. The amount of toxic chemicals found, were off the chart. We had the DEP come to the house…They took a sample of the water months ago, and we have had no report come back from them. …The [independent] lab…told us not to drink the water, not to use it for cooking, and not to use it for bathing. When you can't get another water supply…what are you to do?...We take quick, lukewarm showers (pray for me)…We buy a lot of bottled water…Here is a picture of the brown water, it's not always brown, but its always full of toxins!...When you talk about how the gas drillers poison our water supply, they think you’re crazy…
Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states: “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”
The radical industrialization of Wayne County, through high volume, slick water, hydraulic fracturing and vertical, or, directional drilling, violates our Constitution. It is inherently catastrophic to our environment. It is a health issue.
Please view the video: http://www.youtube.com/GasDrillingTruth#p/u/6/A7Uviw56Iew .
COMMENTATORS WANTED:
FACE OFF is a new feature planned to run every Saturday, starring guest commentators from the region. We invite you to volunteer to write a commentary on a topic of your choice or from a list of suggested topics. Let us know what topic you plan to address, and what stand you take, so that we may find a commentator with a differing point of view. The word limit is 325, and a picture of the author is required. Call Peter Becker at (570)253-3055 or e-mail pbecker@wayneindependent.com. Some suggested topics: “Is America special in God’s eyes?”, “Is Global Warming a myth?”, “Should we spank our children?”, “What role should government play in health care?”, “Should Intelligent Design be taught alongside Evolution in public schools?”
