Rusty Cartman
Now we are going to discuss Rusty Cartman's personal story. Rusty was originally born in Texas and moved to Pennsylvania to go to college. He got his degree in petroleum engineering a few years ago. Upon graduating, he was offered a job with Bigoilincorporated for a substantial amount of money. He took the job, and was actually assigned to work the Marcellus shale reigon of Pennsylvania. He moved to the town of Demock, where he eventually bought a house upon learning he would be there fro quite some time.
He had been with bigoilco. on the shale working for about a year, when the town in which he resides, became the epicenter of pollution controversy by his company. Redsidents were complaining about illnesses, and even being able to light their tap water on fire. At first Rusty was not affected. However, on one particular day, just for a laugh, he took his zippo lighter to his tap, he was shocked when the water actually lit. Rusty's company had been arguing for months that nothing was wrong. Despite this when Rusty himself was affected, he went to the company, and tried to explain the situation to them. He explained that he himself had been affected. He explained that their was, in fact, something to the other residents of the town's claims. When he did this the company did not react well at all. They told him he could either quit and be fired. He chose the ladder.
When the USA today article, as well as the EPA finidings on the previous page came out, Rusty would have none of it. He wrote his congress person, his former bosses, and was nice enoguh to sit down for an interview and discuss the situation with me.
Below are several things, in addition to our interview, the Rusty has graciously share with us. They include the email to his supervisor informing them of his resignation, a letter to the companies top executive, a letter to the other town residents, as well as the letter he wrote to his US Congressman.
He had been with bigoilco. on the shale working for about a year, when the town in which he resides, became the epicenter of pollution controversy by his company. Redsidents were complaining about illnesses, and even being able to light their tap water on fire. At first Rusty was not affected. However, on one particular day, just for a laugh, he took his zippo lighter to his tap, he was shocked when the water actually lit. Rusty's company had been arguing for months that nothing was wrong. Despite this when Rusty himself was affected, he went to the company, and tried to explain the situation to them. He explained that he himself had been affected. He explained that their was, in fact, something to the other residents of the town's claims. When he did this the company did not react well at all. They told him he could either quit and be fired. He chose the ladder.
When the USA today article, as well as the EPA finidings on the previous page came out, Rusty would have none of it. He wrote his congress person, his former bosses, and was nice enoguh to sit down for an interview and discuss the situation with me.
Below are several things, in addition to our interview, the Rusty has graciously share with us. They include the email to his supervisor informing them of his resignation, a letter to the companies top executive, a letter to the other town residents, as well as the letter he wrote to his US Congressman.
The Interview
ME: Hello Rusty, my name is Marc. I'm currently in college and I am doing a research report examining all sides to the issues of
fracking. I would Just like to thank you for sitting down with me and answering some questions.
Rusty: No Problem at all, nice to meet you
ME: How are you doing?
Rusty: Well, I'd be better if a had a job and the tap water in my house wasn't flammable, but outside of that I'm just great
ME: So through my research I have found that there is a problem here in DImock?
Rusty: Yep, and based on that USA today article, and those stupid EPA findings nobody cares
Me: What about the residents of the town who say they don't have a problem, and who call people like you whiners
Rusty: Their water isn't lighting up
Me: Do you think your company just doesn't care
Rusty: Yes, they are not doing independent studies of their own in conjunction with the EPA. If I were running things, that's what I'd be doing. You can't just ignore it when people's tap water lights up, or when people are getting sick.
Me: Are you happy with the way your company treated you?
Rusty: Not at all. I'm an engineer, you would think they would listen to their own people on top of the towns residents but no.
Me: Where are you personally on the issue of natural gas
Rusty: I think it absolutely is the way to the future. However, this fracking stuff? It has to be better regulated or it has to stop. Right now it's messing with the lives of average people.
Me: Well Rusty thank you for sitting down with me and discussing the situation. Also thank you for sharing some of your personal documents with me, and I hope things work out for you
Rusty: No problem at all, you take care
fracking. I would Just like to thank you for sitting down with me and answering some questions.
Rusty: No Problem at all, nice to meet you
ME: How are you doing?
Rusty: Well, I'd be better if a had a job and the tap water in my house wasn't flammable, but outside of that I'm just great
ME: So through my research I have found that there is a problem here in DImock?
Rusty: Yep, and based on that USA today article, and those stupid EPA findings nobody cares
Me: What about the residents of the town who say they don't have a problem, and who call people like you whiners
Rusty: Their water isn't lighting up
Me: Do you think your company just doesn't care
Rusty: Yes, they are not doing independent studies of their own in conjunction with the EPA. If I were running things, that's what I'd be doing. You can't just ignore it when people's tap water lights up, or when people are getting sick.
Me: Are you happy with the way your company treated you?
Rusty: Not at all. I'm an engineer, you would think they would listen to their own people on top of the towns residents but no.
Me: Where are you personally on the issue of natural gas
Rusty: I think it absolutely is the way to the future. However, this fracking stuff? It has to be better regulated or it has to stop. Right now it's messing with the lives of average people.
Me: Well Rusty thank you for sitting down with me and discussing the situation. Also thank you for sharing some of your personal documents with me, and I hope things work out for you
Rusty: No problem at all, you take care
Rusty's Email to His Supervisor Resigning
To: John Doe<fieldmanagerbigoil.com>
From: Rusty Cartman
Subject: Decision Request
Mr Doe,
The other day when I met with you and upper management I was given three options. Keep quiet, be fired, or resign under my own free will. It is my duty to inform you that I will in fact be resigning. The only thing I did wrong was to alert my company to a potential problem. A potential pollution problem, that has personally effected myself, as well as other residents in this town. I will not stand idly by while my company does nothing, nor is this something that I can keep my mouth shut about. I cannot go on working for a company that does not concern itself with the people inside the areas of operation, and the people that the operation effect.
Therefore sir it is at this time that I tender my resignation to you, my field manager at Bigoilincorporated.
Rusty Cartman
To: John Doe<fieldmanagerbigoil.com>
From: Rusty Cartman
Subject: Decision Request
Mr Doe,
The other day when I met with you and upper management I was given three options. Keep quiet, be fired, or resign under my own free will. It is my duty to inform you that I will in fact be resigning. The only thing I did wrong was to alert my company to a potential problem. A potential pollution problem, that has personally effected myself, as well as other residents in this town. I will not stand idly by while my company does nothing, nor is this something that I can keep my mouth shut about. I cannot go on working for a company that does not concern itself with the people inside the areas of operation, and the people that the operation effect.
Therefore sir it is at this time that I tender my resignation to you, my field manager at Bigoilincorporated.
Rusty Cartman
Rusty's Letter to the other residents of Demock, who are also affected.
Dear Sir or Mam
My name is Rusty Cartman, and like you I have also been affected by the polluted groundwater. However, unlike you, I am a former employee of one of the companies believed responsible. These revelations first broke, and I myself, must admit that until I was myself effected, that I did not believe that my company could possibly be responsible. How wrong I was.
Upon being affected myself, I went to manager and the company itself on behalf of all of us who have been effected. Upon doing this, my company told me that I should watch what I say, and that nothing was wrong. When I told by story, and brought up the fact that I, myself have been affected, the final straw broke and my company gave my three options. I was told to keep my mouth shut, resign, or be fired. I could not keep my mouth shut, especially given the fact that I myself have been affected.
I am writing this letter to you all for one purpose. My company will never apologize, nor will they ever admit that something is wrong, nor the fact that may be responsible. Despite this fact, I am writing to offer all of you a sincere apology, and say that outside of writing my congressman, there is nothing else that I can doe, either on my behalf or yours.
Please accept my apology both on my own behalf, as well as my company, even through they themselves will never.
Rusty Cartman
Dear Sir or Mam
My name is Rusty Cartman, and like you I have also been affected by the polluted groundwater. However, unlike you, I am a former employee of one of the companies believed responsible. These revelations first broke, and I myself, must admit that until I was myself effected, that I did not believe that my company could possibly be responsible. How wrong I was.
Upon being affected myself, I went to manager and the company itself on behalf of all of us who have been effected. Upon doing this, my company told me that I should watch what I say, and that nothing was wrong. When I told by story, and brought up the fact that I, myself have been affected, the final straw broke and my company gave my three options. I was told to keep my mouth shut, resign, or be fired. I could not keep my mouth shut, especially given the fact that I myself have been affected.
I am writing this letter to you all for one purpose. My company will never apologize, nor will they ever admit that something is wrong, nor the fact that may be responsible. Despite this fact, I am writing to offer all of you a sincere apology, and say that outside of writing my congressman, there is nothing else that I can doe, either on my behalf or yours.
Please accept my apology both on my own behalf, as well as my company, even through they themselves will never.
Rusty Cartman
Rusty's Letter to his United States Representative.
From: Rusty Cartman, 01090 Yankee Street
Dimock PA
To:Representative, United States Congress
111 Main St. Demock, PA
Dear Congressperson,
My name is Rusty Cartman, and I am writing to inform you of a serious situation in our town. About a year ago several residents began complaining of illnesses, as well as the fact that they could light their tap water on fire. As a former employee of one of the companies believed responsible, I sir did not believe it myself. I did believe it however, when the situation spread to my home.
Sir I am writing you because I believe that my company, and in turn our fracking processes are the culprits in this case. Sir I am writing you to say that when I asked my company to look in to this matter internally, they rejected that proposal and gave me three choices. Sir I was told that I may keep my mouth shut, be fired, or resign. Sir I resigned, because I cannot sit back and watch a company, my company, who may be responsible for affecting these people's lives and do nothing. Sir short of writing to you, given the threat of a law suit, I have exhausted all of the options available to me.
Sir, I am writing you because I need your help. Sir I am writing you, because the people of my town need your help. Most importantly sir, I am writing you because you represent us in Washington DC, at the seat of the federal government, and the people of your district, whether they voted for you or not, need your help now.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen
Rusty Cartman
From: Rusty Cartman, 01090 Yankee Street
Dimock PA
To:Representative, United States Congress
111 Main St. Demock, PA
Dear Congressperson,
My name is Rusty Cartman, and I am writing to inform you of a serious situation in our town. About a year ago several residents began complaining of illnesses, as well as the fact that they could light their tap water on fire. As a former employee of one of the companies believed responsible, I sir did not believe it myself. I did believe it however, when the situation spread to my home.
Sir I am writing you because I believe that my company, and in turn our fracking processes are the culprits in this case. Sir I am writing you to say that when I asked my company to look in to this matter internally, they rejected that proposal and gave me three choices. Sir I was told that I may keep my mouth shut, be fired, or resign. Sir I resigned, because I cannot sit back and watch a company, my company, who may be responsible for affecting these people's lives and do nothing. Sir short of writing to you, given the threat of a law suit, I have exhausted all of the options available to me.
Sir, I am writing you because I need your help. Sir I am writing you, because the people of my town need your help. Most importantly sir, I am writing you because you represent us in Washington DC, at the seat of the federal government, and the people of your district, whether they voted for you or not, need your help now.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen
Rusty Cartman
My word count: 1374
Disclaimer: This page is fictional and was made for a class. Please email my instructor with questions. scheney[at]collin[dot]edu.]