On Sept. 24 the Cumberland Times-News printed an article by Rachael Pacella of Capital News Service that reveals costly side effects of fracking (“Environmental group says fracking not worth the cost,” Page 1A).
Logic dictated there must be a catch, when I first read about disturbance deep in the earth, but until now I had not truly understood the high cost to the public for enticing gains for a few.
Boring, blasting, pumping and scraping have been going on a long time, while the public wore blinders of the consequences. Also, earthquake damages, disease and hostile weather phenomena have risen up to plague humanity worldwide in densely populated areas.
People who can see through the smoke and make a connection are a rare breed indeed. Wildfires burning out of control make certain words ring for me, words like “Tend the garden dress and keep it.”
Do you ever wonder what makes wildfire burn too hot for firefighters’ best efforts? Fuel, mega tons of seasoned materials which have been accumulating on the forest floor since the guardians of these lands were ordered to stop, performing stewardship of their land and get thee to a reservation.
I have noticed a curious trend, in spite of recent desperate attempt s to raise oil from the ocean floor (revenge prehaps for that Boston harbor thing). Frivolous waste of said precious oil to entertain at fairs or race tracks, or maybe just fun and to punish the neighbors for living too close to a road. The problems here are easy to see; the solutions are the mystery. The one who finds them is sure to be smarter than me.
Jadie McDougald
Keyser, W.Va.
