Arcuri clueless about natural gas drilling
On Jan. 15, Rep. Michael Arcuri said scrap the SGEIS and start over. He admitted ignorance of geology and some of the science regarding the gas industry. No problem here; we've all had a steep learning curve. However, an obvious problem was his stunning cluelessness about the economics of the issue.
As a rationale for delay, Arcuri stated. "The gas will always be there." True enough. However, many jobs won't. He seemed unaware that Chesapeake Energy canceled a $23 million distribution center in Tioga County only to move it to Athens, Pa. More than 400 potential jobs and 100 currently in
Horse-heads will be moved permanently out of state due to regulatory uncertainty. The implications for the industrial hub city of Binghamton (his district, by the way) are immense.
He was clueless about workforce realities. He stated, "Those drillers are from out of town. What's the economic benefit in that?" A first-year drilling crew is 80 percent out-of-towners, 20 percent local. In subsequent years that ratio reverses. Reason? Economics 101. Companies don't want to pay good wages plus per diem for a skill set within local capacity. Drilling jobs quickly go local.
When asked about pipeline capacity, Arcuri was particularly clueless. Pipeline capacity is finite. Capacity being bought by out of state producers will increase. Why? Because they are producing gas. As time ticks by and Pennsylvania prospers, less and less capacity will be available for New York. Finally _ no more capacity. Until additional pipelines are built, jobs will continue to march south. Arcuri didn't even understand the question. Incidentally, the same questioner exposed Arcuri's inability to distinguish between frac fluid migration (nonexistent) and methane migration up a borehole (extremely rare). "I saw pictures on the Internet," he said.
While you're on the Internet, Representative Arcuri, jobs are leaving.
Richard Downey
Otego
Consolidation of schools a bad idea
School consolidation has become an issue that I am very concerned about. I believe that everyone should be informed. There is talk and a proposal to combine small schools into larger, more-consolidated ones. I just cannot see why anyone would feel that this is necessary. The small schools of the area have some of the best test scores in the state and higher attendance and graduation rates.
As a student in a small school, the education I have earned is better than one I would have from a larger school. In a smaller school, students get to have a better relationship with their teachers and can receive extra help if they need it.
A larger school wouldn't be able to give students extra time with teachers. Also, each class would be too large for students to even be able to interact with their teachers. Creating such a large environment for students would give them less of a chance to do as well as they could in the small area schools.
Most public officials who favor school consolidations believe that it will save money. The transportation costs will jump immensely. If area schools were to combine, some students might be on a school bus for up to an hour and a half. There is a state law that states children aren't allowed to be on a bus for more than one hour.
Consolidating schools will hurt athletic departments most of all. Kids who are on a team in a smaller school may not be able to make the team in a larger school.
Why should we waste our tax money on something that is doomed to fail?
Cody Zuk
Oneonta
Zuk is a senior at Franklin Central School. Zuk and other students have written letters to the editor as part of Stephen DiCarlo's Participation in Government class.
'Choice' takes away unborn babies' rights
I am responding to a letter that was published here several weeks ago saying that abortion laws would constrain our liberty. When the government gave women the right to choose, the babies lost the right to live. In our country's 234-year-old history, there was a time before "choice" when the baby was safe in the womb. The abortion laws are a new experiment that have cost this nation more than 50 million lives. Unborn babies are entitled to that same life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The decision to have or not have children should be made before conception. It requires a degree of responsibility that many do not want to embrace.
Some say that the personhood of a fetus is not a scientific fact. I disagree. Science and research have shown a heart beating at day 22, limbs forming at week 5, kicking at week 7, teeth forming at week 9, etc. Twelve weeks after conception, nothing significantly new happens _ the child simply gets bigger and matures. Surgery has been done in the womb. Blood transfusions have been given to the embryo. What more proof do you need? A letter from the author of life? OK _ "I (God) did form our inward parts, I (God) did knit you together in your's mother's womb." Psalm 139:13.
Margaret Kenyon
East Meredith
What's wrong with this picture today?
Is it as topsy-turvy as it seems? Or is it just me?
Minimum wages are increased. Availability of jobs decline.
Price of postage stamps increase. Post office closes from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
The value of the dollar goes down. Taxes go up.
Banks and bankers on Wall street get handouts. Social Security cost of living increases are frozen for two years.
Town and village taxes go up. Streets and roads are plowed and sanded less, and a town dump cuts hours.
Cost of foodstuffs go up. Nutritional content in food goes down.
A president is elected on a change platform. Things remain the same.
Bridges are repaired in overseas countries. Bridges are crumbling in America.
Billionaires go on television petitioning the middle class for $1 and $5 donations, while their pockets are sewn shut.
One party had a much-sought-after majority in Congress. Still nothing gets done.
Cost of education rises. Students come out of college $25,000 in the hole and a hard row to hoe to pay it back.
There are more than 2,300 lobbying factions in Washington for special interests. None for the people.
The perfect slave thinks he's free.
Rob Greenberg
Margaretville
