Troubling Stories In pennsyvania
Seen on the left is the Marcellus Shale. This large shale formation has become, for all intensive purposes, the epicenter of the fracking, and fracking pollution controversy. From Pennsylvania to New York, there have been complaints about ground water contamination and pollution as a result of fracking. Such stories can range from people simply becoming ill as a result of contaminated water, to in extreme cases, so many chemicals being in the ground water that tap water in peoples homes becomes flammable.
We are going mainly focus on the small towns in Pennsylvania, of whom, have been most in the news surrounding the controversy. We are going to focus on the town of Dimock, PA where the controversy surrounding fracking has struck most recently, and we will meet a resident named Rusty, and discuss his personal story in this matter on the next page. Within the last two years, in addition to reports of flammable water, the residents of Dimock, have been complaining of nerve, stomach and other illness as well. The USA today article EPA Declares water in PA. fracking village safe to drink, sums up the problems very plainly. "The EPA began testing four wells in Dimock late last year after some residents complained of illnesses involving their nerves, stomachs and skin. They blamed Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. for contaminating their water with chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking."(Winter, Michael, USA Today:EPA declares water in PA. fracking village safe to drink) As we have discussed throughout the previous pages, this revelation is not completely shocking considering the documented accidents that have occured across the country as well as the companies unwillingness to disclose the contents of their fluids, though it has become obvious throughout our research, that they in fact, are not primarily made up of water.
However, as we all know their tends to be two sides to these controversial stories. There is always the victim side, whom no one believes, as well as the people who call the victims winners and tell them to get over it. Many residents and some scientist, claim that in certain parts of PA. the water has the tendency to by flammable, or un-drinkable just because of where they live and possible methane infestation at any time. The EPA has tested a number of wells over the last year, and as a result, declared the water drinkable. Despite this fact, as the next quote from the USA today article will illustrate, the effected residents will have none of it. "I don't care what EPA says. The water is still polluted," Ray Kemble told the Associated Press. "Do something about it."This goes to show that while not everyone is effected by anyone thing all the time the fact is that people still are.
There are several ironies that can be drawn from the reseidents on the other side of a controversy like this. They call people, whiners, victims, and people just looking for a pay day. These are people who live in the same town, and while one well, perhaps the one you may drink out of, may not be contaminated, the fact is that theirs probably is. The funny thing about the whole situation is this. The other residents wont be mocking the supposed victims when their water gets contaminated. Will they?
We are going mainly focus on the small towns in Pennsylvania, of whom, have been most in the news surrounding the controversy. We are going to focus on the town of Dimock, PA where the controversy surrounding fracking has struck most recently, and we will meet a resident named Rusty, and discuss his personal story in this matter on the next page. Within the last two years, in addition to reports of flammable water, the residents of Dimock, have been complaining of nerve, stomach and other illness as well. The USA today article EPA Declares water in PA. fracking village safe to drink, sums up the problems very plainly. "The EPA began testing four wells in Dimock late last year after some residents complained of illnesses involving their nerves, stomachs and skin. They blamed Houston-based Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. for contaminating their water with chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking."(Winter, Michael, USA Today:EPA declares water in PA. fracking village safe to drink) As we have discussed throughout the previous pages, this revelation is not completely shocking considering the documented accidents that have occured across the country as well as the companies unwillingness to disclose the contents of their fluids, though it has become obvious throughout our research, that they in fact, are not primarily made up of water.
However, as we all know their tends to be two sides to these controversial stories. There is always the victim side, whom no one believes, as well as the people who call the victims winners and tell them to get over it. Many residents and some scientist, claim that in certain parts of PA. the water has the tendency to by flammable, or un-drinkable just because of where they live and possible methane infestation at any time. The EPA has tested a number of wells over the last year, and as a result, declared the water drinkable. Despite this fact, as the next quote from the USA today article will illustrate, the effected residents will have none of it. "I don't care what EPA says. The water is still polluted," Ray Kemble told the Associated Press. "Do something about it."This goes to show that while not everyone is effected by anyone thing all the time the fact is that people still are.
There are several ironies that can be drawn from the reseidents on the other side of a controversy like this. They call people, whiners, victims, and people just looking for a pay day. These are people who live in the same town, and while one well, perhaps the one you may drink out of, may not be contaminated, the fact is that theirs probably is. The funny thing about the whole situation is this. The other residents wont be mocking the supposed victims when their water gets contaminated. Will they?
Video Source:
PigMine2.
"Pennsylvania Residents' Flammable Drinking Water Blamed On Fracking."
YouTube. YouTube, 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P8gAQhCq7c>.
Image Source: Fry, Greg. "Catskill Mountainkeeper." Catskill Mountainkeeper. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/our-programs/fracking/marcellus-shale/>.
Image Source: Fry, Greg. "Catskill Mountainkeeper." Catskill Mountainkeeper. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/our-programs/fracking/marcellus-shale/>.
My Word Cont:554
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Video: 26
Disclaimer: Parts of this website are fictional and were made for a class. Please email my instructor with questions. scheney[at]collin[dot]edu.]