by Kaira Loving, KTA Intern
On Saturday, October 12, I had the privilege of attending KTA's inaugural "Fundamentals of Fracking" workshop, at Doubling Gap Center in Newville, Cumberland County, along with over 20 other concerned Pennsylvania outdoorsmen and women, as we explored the controversial topics surrounding the process of hydraulic fracturing in Pennsylvania, arguably one of the most high-impact issues of this decade.
Workshop presenters included: Curt Ashenfelter, KTA Executive Director; Richard Martin from the PA Forest Coalition; Steve Stroman from Penn Future; Brook Lenker from Fracktracker; and Tom Au from Sierra Club-Pennsylvania.
The primary goal of this workshop, funded by the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, was to provide a chance for open discussion regarding the science of fracking; the policies and procedures currently governing the process and those that are being proposed; and the myraid social, environmental, and economic impacts of fracking in Pennsylvania's forests.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for Pennsylvania residents to share anecdotes about how fracking has been affecting health and the environment. Participants shared stories of sickness, oil company secrecy and manipulation, and the fragmentation and scarring of our beautiful Pennsylvania's forests....this is what drives it home and truly connects you to the issue. Fracking, in my opinion, is one issue where as soon as you become knowledgeable on what truly is going on, it is hard to turn your back on it and not take a stance.
The final segment of the workshop focused on advocacy at the local and state levels, so that participants would be able to take action with the information they now knew. A take-home packet of information and advocacy tools was provided to each participant at the workshop.
If you missed out on the event but are interested in receiving a copy of the take-home packet, please email us.