Be informed of potential dangers of "fracking"...

  To the editor:

 I want to make sure residents, and landowners are aware that Marcellus Drilling - also known as fracking - is already taking place in Harrisville Township.  Also landowners are being approached by mail, as well as in person, to sign gas and oil leases at ridiculously low prices, as in $30 an acre.  Landowners in Pennsylvania, as well as southern Ohio, are signing for as much as $2,500 an acre.

   These drilling practices cause a risk to residents in terms of public safety and health.  Not only is our water at risk, but air quality, noise, and fire/blow out risk are potential hazards.  Another concern for our township is road traffic and the big rigs tearing up our already battered roads at the expense of tax payers, not the oil/gas drilling companies tearing them up.

   I attended an informative meeting put on by the Ohio Farm Bureau at OSU in Wooster Feb. 9 (2011) where Marcellus and Shale drilling processes were reviewed.  Dale Arnold, director of energy services for the Farm Bureau, also warned landowners of signing leases with companies without consulting an attorney versed in the language used by these oil/gas companies.  He also urged owners/residents to have their well water privately tested prior to any drilling taking place.

   Unfortunately for one resident that attended, his water was contaminated due to his neighbor's property being drilled/fracked.  This resident had no idea his neighbor's property was a drill site because there is no legislation requring notification of adjoining properties let alone 2 to 3 miles down the road.  Fracking can be far reaching.  It is important to know that this drilling process involves vertical drilling sometimes 8-10,000 feet down and then horizontal drilling 8,000 feet.  With "hydraulic fracturing" , which uses massive amounts of water mixed with chemicals and sand into the shale, the drilling pad itself can be up to 6 acres in area.  During the process, the drilling causes explosions underground creating mini earthquakes.  The horizontal drilling 8,000 feet out can also be done and usually is eight to 10 different directions.  There are 5,280 feet in a mile.  I had to think of that for awhile an then imagine 8,000 feet in 10 different directions.  That is why we all need to be concerned, as this driiling practice begins in our area at that rate, they could be under Harrisville Township, Westfield Township, Homerville, and Spencer before we know it.

   We want this drilling to stop or at least have safety and public health ordinances in place to protect us all.  The water we have is all we have.  If they destroy the water tables, our properties will be worthless.  Our health and the health of our children's children  could be affected for years to come.  Maryland is already rapidly attempting to enact legislation to prevent and control this drilling practice due to Pennsylvania's problems where they have already had numerous chemical spills, explosions at well sites, and well water contamination.

Christi B.

West Salem (Ohio)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.