Letter to the Editor, July 15, 2010

Published: July 15, 2010

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EDITOR: In 2005 as part of a broader energy bill, a clause was added that stripped The Environmental Protection Agency of it's ability to regulate the process commonly known as hydraulic fracturing (fracing) as it relates to the oil and gas industries. It also allowed non-disclosure of chemicals, many of them toxic and known cancer causers. (i.e. benzene) used in this process. President George Bush signed the bill and it became law. This clause is more commonly known as the Halliburton Loophole. This bill negated legislation, The Clean Drinking Water Act, signed by President Nixon a conservative Republican. I strongly feel that the only hope we have in Northeast Pa. of protecting our ground water and watersheds and therefore our way of life is to repeal this legislation. Rep. Maurice Hinchey(Dem. N.Y.) and Sen. Robert Casey (Dem. Pa.) have introduced a bill "The Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act" that would return the regulation of the water used in the fracing process to the E.P.A. and would make transparent the chemicals that are injected into the ground during the fracing process. It would in effect guarantee that the water that is used, when retuned to the environment would have to be potable. I urge my fellow citizens to support this bill. On the state level, House Bill H.B. 2213 would strengthen the "Pa. Oil and Gas Act." This bill increases the liability of well producers for ground water pollution and increases fines for non compliance of Pa. D.E.P. regulations. It also prohibits drilling in environmentally sensitive areas as well as putting more regulation on the actual drilling and frac water containment processes, mandates water testing up 5,500 feet and -like the proposed Federal legislation - it would require full disclosure of the chemicals used in the fracing process. The gas industry says they don't pollute - they should prove it by not trying to block any of this legislation. I truly believe that this gas play can be developed with a minimal of impact on our environment and way of life if we all stand up and DEMAND that some common sense regulations be enacted and taxes put in place to pay for it.

As a land owner and lease holder, I believe I have a moral obligation to do more than just cash a check. When I stand in front of my just creator, I don't want to say I watched as they raped the land and - because of my own greed and self interest - I did nothing, said nothing, I'm guilty as charged.

William Earnest

Laceyville

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