My family was one of the first in Northwestern Pa to have these wells drilled on their land. That was in the 1990's. The concentration on protecting the environment has been such that the branch of Wolf Creek that flows through their property is now able to support trout even though they be stocked fish. Prior to the drilling that stream had been so polluted by mine run off, agriculture run off that it was not fit to even stock because it just was too far gone. All this done without any help from TU even though they were invited to join in.
Industry isn't always bad. Indeed they are much better stewards of the environment now than years ago due to several factors not the least of which is the fact that their leaders are part of that first generation that was raised during the beginning of the conservation awareness era. These are people like baby boomers and early generation "x" that grew up loving the outdoor sports before the electronic tech explosion of the 1980's to present.
The New York Times is very strongly biased. They do not know what is going on here in Pennsylvania and judging by what I see floating down the Susquehanna river from New York they need to clean up their own act, in their own state before trying to tell us what to do. I said this before in another post and now will say it again that if the states here, including New York, didn't put ton after ton of salt on the roads during the winters to keep them clear for even an inch of snow it would probably help our water ways a lot. All of that salt, calcium chloride and what not runs off into the watershed.
Also a large portion of the natural gas that comes from these wells will go to New York City to feed it's energy needs. My advice to the times is to clean up your own act first then talk to us here in Penns Woods but don't think you are going to dictate to us what we do in our own state. find ways to make your own city more energy efficient. The Times will never admit it but they and theirs are a large part of the problem. Consume less, waste less, find a place to bury your own trash rather than in our landfills here in Pa. and Oh. Mind your own business first or perhaps we will just turn off the supply valves. Return all of your trash too. How much nuclear/biological/chemical pollution are you being allowed to put in that trash New York? My bet is quite a bit. There is an old saw about people who live in glass houses throwing rocks at other people.
So called Experts are a dime a dozen these days. You can find an "Expert" to support any opinion or agenda so long as you give them enough publicity and or money. I would rather talk to the people who have had this going on for a decade or two who have witnessed it's effects first hand.
