MORE RIDICULOUS
On Sept. 22, 2009, I listened to the Pennsylvania legislators discuss certain parts of the state budget. You know, I had a hard time not losing control of my emotions over what was being discussed. I could hardly believe that members of our state legislation would rather tax groups like VFW’s on small gaming monetary gains up to 20 percent instead of adding a 3 percent tax on the Marcellus gas extraction. The groups that are targeted provide services to the public. Yet, there was no provision to tax companies extracting the Marcellus gas. Their reasoning was that they are worried if a tax is levied, the drilling companies will go elsewhere. Of the 16 states that have such drilling operations, 14 have levied a severance tax. The remaining state (California) has a conservation tax instead. Pennsylvania would be the only state that would not have some type of retribution for the extraction of natural gas.
To further the absurdity, the state legislation wants to control the gas fund on state lands. This would remove that income from our DCNR, cut funds to DCNR, and cut employees, while placing these monies in the general fund. There would also be a reduction in DEP by over 200 employees at this critical time when utmost control over the natural gas drilling operations is essential for water quality preservation.
Also, the budget provides for the quantity of acres to be drilled on state lands. These state lands were set aside for us to enjoy. In fact, many of these lands were paid for by our tax dollars. They actually belong to the taxpayer and organizations such as DCNR have been set up to manage and protect these lands for us.
Under the new budget, the control of acreage to be leased would be legislated by the state government. WAIT A MINUTE! Who knows better about the control of what lands should be leased for drilling – the government or the biologists and foresters? Many of the state’s most prestigious waters lie within our state forest and state parks, and these waters must be protected. No matter if one believes it or not, pollutions that enter our streams will eventually enter our drinking water.
Dunkard Creek is a good example of what can easily happen to a watershed if companies and ruthless individuals are left unchecked. Preliminary tests indicate that highly concentrated salt-contaminated water was released into the stream. On Sept. 22, 2009, less than three weeks after the Dunkard Creek catastrophe began, a second incident occurred – this time in northeast Pennsylvania. There, Halliburton spilled 8,000 gallons of toxic, untreated drilling waste-water, similar to the cause of the fish kill in Dunkard. The results from this second spill are still pending.
In Dunkard Creek, the salinity was estimated to be multiple times higher than any fresh water species could survive. Why did this happen? It seems like we are going back to the 1900’s where a mule was worth more than a man. What is the value of clean water? Granted, gas drilling does provide jobs, but at what cost? I am afraid that when the drilling is finished, we will be left with devastated streams and unsuitable water for everything that lives or depends on the water. The current actions seem to have regressed us back to the age of the “robber barons” when water was used as a means for discarding wastes from mining into the streams. We are still cleaning up the remains of that age, and it has been more than 100 years since the waste water dumping has occurred.
I think everyone knows that the country needs gas and coal for economic development and to help answer the energy needs of today. However; at what costs are we willing to pay? With all the technology we have today, there is no need to have any stream devastation such as Dunkard Creek. With thousands of wells being planned for the area, what is going to happen to all that waste water? One must be aware that it takes 2 to 3 million gallons of water for each well.
There is an old saying that “the solution to pollution is dilution.” In reality, the saying should be changed to “prevention is the key to preservation.” If the methods are not in place to treat waste water properly, then the drilling should be halted until proper methods are in place.
I know there will be an outcry about the amount of money being put on hold. Look, the gas is not going anywhere. It has been there for millions of years, and a few more in the ground will not hurt. What it will hurt is the total devastation of our watersheds if care is not taken to preserve our most valuable of all natural resources.
We cannot survive without clean water, and by we, I mean every living thing in the area. As citizens, we have the power to demand clean water and safe guards to our water. Check and see where your political officials stand on such issues. Vote your heart and not your political party. Demand clean water; we can not survive without it.
Remember, it is always good to go to church on Sunday.