Fracking: An Environmental Disaster

Fracking is a practice and method of drilling into reservoir rock formations in order to increase the extraction and recovery rates of oil and natural gas. This may sound benign, but it is not.

For instance, on April 20th, 2011, on the anniversary of the Gulf Oil Spill, thousands of gallons of so called fracking fluid spilled following an accident at a natural gas well in Wellsboro, PA. Seven families were evacuated from the area.

Many people in PA have contaminated wells due to this method of extracting oil and gas, and when a match is lit next to the water, it catches fire, much like gasoline would.

"The chemicals used in fracking fluids have been a contentious subject, as many energy companies have long guarded them as a "trade secret." A recent report released by three House Democrats says that millions of gallons of potentially hazardous chemicals and known carcinogens, such as methanol, have been injected into wells across the country by energy companies using the controversial fracking method." The Huffington Post, 4/20/2011

The picture of the sign accompanying this article was written by a farmer whose farm was ruined by fracking, a farm that had been in the family for several generations. The sign was placed in the middle of the town nearest to his farm, and the towns people signed their name at the bottom of the sign to show their solidarity. A plea and a prayer such as this will surely be answered, as all prayers are.

This past Tuesday, my guest on "Kate Loving And The Collective Wisdom" was Jerry Lee Miller, a local anti-fracking activist in the state of Pennsylvania. We discussed the horrors of fracking in great detail.

Jerry and I also discussed creating a lifestyle that honors the earth. Jerry educated us about "Transition Communities" whereby people grow organic farms and create green communities together. This way of helping one another is growing in popularity.

Jerry played the Native American Flute as well as  singing an original song about the beautiful Susquehanna River which is the recipient of fracking pollution. Jerry told us that the Susquehanna is one of the top three endangered rivers in the world. The Susquahanna flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Surely the Chesapeake Bay Pollution Alert Groups in Maryland will rise up against these fracking practices here in PA. In fact, since PA's denial appears to be unshaken here, I am hoping The Chesapeake Bay Activists help end these practices that are threatening PA's pristine water supplies.

Here is a link to the radio show that broadcast on 6/28/2011. Jerry Lee Miller is a retired Brethren Minister, and is a Lancaster County Native. He is an accomplished musician, as you can hear from his performance on Tuesday's show.

May the show serve to get the word out  about fracking.