Daily Star
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Drilling moratorium gives needed time
In his recent letter to the editor, Dick Downey complains about the "moratorium to nowhere" on horizontal hydrofracking for natural gas, accusing anti-drillers of trying to deceive people into thinking that hydrofracking is not safe.
While there will always be extremists on both sides of any controversy, many people around here support the moratorium as a prudent, truly conservative step that makes a lot of sense.
First, there is genuine, legitimate concern that hydrofracking is not as safe as proponents claim it is. Rather than defying gravity, as Dick puts it, hydrofracking fluids are under tremendous pressure that is intended to open vertical fissures in rock.
Nobody is certain how large these fissures can be or whether they can feed into the vertical fissures that already exist in shale deposits (visible in many exposed outcrops around here).
Of bigger concern is the fact that hydrofracking fluids are forced all the way back to the surface along with the released natural gas plus additional toxic hydrocarbons, and then collected in holding ponds on the surface.
"Best practices" notwithstanding, history tells us that the transport, handling and storage of large amounts of toxic fluids on the surface make accidents inevitable. The recent (June 2010) well blowout in Clearfield County, Pa., in which more than 35,000 gallons of fracking fluid were released into the environment, is a case in point.
Hydrofracking fluids contain some of the most dangerous carcinogenic chemicals known. We need more time to develop safer technology and better regulations.
Furthermore, what is the point of drilling now, when prices and demand are dropping, and the U.S. is already one of the largest exporters of natural gas in the world? Short-term financial gain for the few must be weighted against long-term ecological, financial and health concerns for the many.
Stanley K. Sessions
Oneonta
Concerts show that area far from dead
Kudos to the Oneonta Theatre and Ommegang Brewery for bringing two of my favorite musicians to the Oneonta area.
Steve Earle at the theater was great and anybody who saw Lyle Lovett at the brewery witnessed an incredible show. Ommegang has been providing the Oneonta area with live music for several years and the folks involved in the Oneonta Theatre are off to fine start.
I wish continued success to these two venues and thank them for adding to our quality of life.
Which brings me to that awful new motto that Oneonta has wasted so much money on. "Life Enjoyed." Sounds like it belongs on a tombstone. Like it's all over.
But I have good news. Oneonta is not dead yet. The City of the Hills is enjoying life.
And with the Ommegang Brewery, the Oneonta Theatre, the Autumn Cafe and other fine establishments providing the sound track, I expect Oneonta to enjoy life for quite some time.
Bob Shea
Oneonta
