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by Thyra Sperry, KTA Board President
More on Marcellus gas drilling. It's true that natural gas is cleaner than other fossil fuels. But don't be fooled, it is only cleaner after it reaches your home. Before it reaches your home, the process of "fracking" and extracting is an environmental nightmare, one that all Pennsylvanians will only come to realize down the road when their rural water ground supply (and most of the streams and rivers) will be contaminated.
Pennsylvania is playing a significant role in making the U.S. a world leader in energy production in the very near future. This is both positive and negative. Pennsylvania's economy will ratchet up, benefitting many people in the short term. However, in the long run, all of PA - and a good part of the northeast United States - are in serious jeopardy of losing a sustainable future, one without clean water. The BP oil spill is not even on the same scale as the potential for environmental contamination from fracking operations.
Years from now, when you are hiking and camping, I don't think you will be able to purify the water in our streams due to the level of contamination from fracking operations. Remember the signs that DCNR posted on the Quehanna Trail in Moshannon State Forest? That is only the beginning.If not stopped, this destruction will include the 28-mile Old Loggers Path in Lycoming County. The trail is threatened to be severed in four locations, due to gas drilling activities. The mineral rights are owned by the gas driller, but DCNR has control of the surface or 18,870 acres. They could prevent severing the trail. One-of-a-kind, picturesque Rock Run and many other streams near the trail will be adversely affected from the fracking process.
Please, help us encourage DCNR to step up and take action to protect the Old Loggers Path and other trails like it. Contact your state Senators and Representatives via e-mail, snail-mail, or phone, and state your views. In the meantime, now is the time to get out and protect a trail! |