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LETTER: Dangers of fracking unknown

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Staff

“The majority is never right until it does right.” Arthur Miller’s prescient words, from his play An Enemy of the People, couldn’t be truer than in the issue of fracking. These words are spoken by a doctor who discovers his town’s “healing” springs are contaminated with harmful bacteria that could sicken many people. The town rejects his attempts to publicize the issue because of the effects on the town economy.
North Carolina lawmakers are hurrying to legalize fracking. The majority is not doing the right thing in this case, like in Miller’s play. Although the economic benefits of fracking are attractive, the long-term effects on the environment and our health are not known. The EPA recently released a report on how fracking can lead to contaminated groundwater – who knows what else it might affect? Lawmakers should slow down the bill until we know more about the effects of fracking.
Things do not become ethical or right just because the majority is in favor of it. We need to look into the effects of fracking before moving the fracking laws any further. The short-term economic benefits do not outweigh the long-term damage.

Marichi Gupta
Chapel Hill

2 thoughts on “LETTER: Dangers of fracking unknown”

  1. Therese Vick says:
    December 27, 2011 at 7:45 am

    I would like to echo the writer’s caution to Lawmakers. Almost every day, more alarming information comes out about “fracking.” The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League opposes shale gas extraction, also known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” Describing natural gas as a solution to America’s fossil fuel dependency is misleading and ignores real solutions like conservation, as well as truly clean energy like wind and solar power. Hydrofracking is fraught with environmental, public health, and economic problems. The extraction of the gas from the shale uses toxins injected underground, and releases methane and radon gas, and radium which contaminate air, land and water. The gas industry has ignored community concerns and paved its way with campaign contributions and bully tactics, which has resulted in human misery, contamination, foreclosures and lawsuits. North Carolina’s public health, quality of life, and environment must not be sacrificed to this practice and the dirty money which comes with it. There is too much at stake.

  2. Chris Baldridge says:
    January 12, 2012 at 12:07 am

    I live in Ohio where last night we had an “informational” meeting on fracking cancelled. It was cancelled because the leader was charging people $40.00 to get into the meeting, then when you signed your property over for fracking purposes, you get your $40.00 back. The meeting was suppose to be held in a local church and they never told before hand of this exchange of money taking place in their church. If someone is going to be that sneaky and dishonest to a local church, do you think they would have convictions about destroying land and life for his greed? This man, a local farmer of course, just sees the almighty dollar he will make for use of his property. Kudos to the church for cancelling this mans evil plot. God will help us fight the good fight against fracking.

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