To the Editor:
(DeRuyter, NY – March 2014) This is the question I have for anyone in favor of the heavy industry of hydrofracking coming into their community: Could you (with your hand on the Bible) say you would not mind the process of hydrofracking within a few hundred feet of your house or across the street from where you live?
It would be in view of your family, children and grandchildren. The process includes drilling, flaring (burning off impurities at site), truck traffic, noise, material storage, harmful chemicals (known and unknown) added to the earth, storage ponds for the flowback, good chance of water contamination, deep well storage of flowback, air pollution and, without question, depreciation of your property.
All of the above will happen along with the deterioration of well casings over time that will unleash many unwanted chemicals to the water, land, air and us. Don’t ever forget the ads regarding cigarettes, Allied Chemical – Onondaga Lake, Love Canal and many, many others throughout our country that proclaimed safe. It was always a bunch of bull.
Do you think for a second the gas companies will lower the price when they can get a higher price overseas?
Did you know we the government subsidizes the gas and oil companies billions of dollars each year (estimates are from $25-50 billion)? In New York state alone the industry spent $55 million for ads, lobbyists and candidates last year.
Why are the watersheds of NYC, Skaneateles and Syracuse protected from hydrofracking by the DEC yet our watersheds are not?
Why is there is a gag order in PA – doctors and nurses can’t say what’s making their patients sick?
Why are there non-disclosure agreement settlements with people who had contaminated wells?
Why are countries around the world banning hydrofracking – but they are willing to buy our gas?
Why is our government continuing to subsidize gas industry?
Why aren’t alternative sources of energy getting money at the rate of gas?
Why are the gas companies exempt from major environmental laws that were created to protect the water, air and land?
Why is it difficult to get mortgages and insurance for properties that are on or near hydrofracking operations?
Why isn’t pre-testing of water required before any drilling is done?
Why isn’t there full disclosure by the gas industry of the chemicals they use in the fracking process?
Why are there cutbacks in the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York state, Pennsylvania and the Environmental Protection Agency when these agencies were created to protect our health and environment?
Joe Yankowski, DeRuyter
The CEO of Exon Mobil is for Fracking, but is sueing to keep it away from his home.
Why are you still believing in fairytales and urban myths? All of your long list of uninformed questions have already been answered in the SGEIS and other documents. Your repetition of your gross misunderstanding is part of the problem. Do your homework before you put pen to paper.
I can say anything with my hand on the bible, it’s just a book.