To the Editor:
The following are some reasons why I will not sign a lease to permit horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing on my family's 220 acres:
• I do not believe any attorney can write a lease strong enough to protect my economic interests or environmental concerns when it comes to dealing with big oil and gas companies.
• Clean water is very important to me. Huge amounts of water are mixed with chemicals in order to frack. This water is often stored in open pits, and contaminated water is transported along our roadways to… where? Methane contamination of water has been documented.
• I hate truck traffic on my county road. I especially hate hundreds of really big trucks. And I dread the truck traffic in and around my small college town.
• I like clean air. I do not want to breathe air that smells like gas during periods of flare testing or gas releases.
• Ohio cannot possibly keep up with the regulation of drilling wells. In fact, Ohio regulations do not even require an inspector to visit the site during the drilling of new wells. I do not feel protected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
• This oil/gas drilling will not be a long-term solution to the area's energy needs or the area's economic woes. Most natural gas will be exported and eventually our boom town will bust. We need long-term, sustainable solutions.
• Selfishly, I love my land and try to be a good steward. My land is a daily reliable source of peace and quiet. I hike it almost daily with friends and family. I share it with deer and turkey hunters. OU students drive out to take photographs. I do not wish to trade the privilege of caring for this beautiful bit of country for any amount of money.
Joette Weber
Athens