Cut Through the Rhetoric

I do not consider myself to be an environmental activist.  However, I do hope that we go slow with the setting of standards and approvals for the natural gas industry to follow.   When we first moved to Williamsport in the early 70's I still vividly remember our first drive through the heart of the strip mining region in central PA.   The black gashes of earth, the streams running iron colored and the general sense of devestation of the landscape and the people was hard to take.   We both wondered what type of state would allow this to happen.

In the last 30 years we have come to be proud of the recovery that is taking place as regards the excesses of the strip mining era.   Unfortunately, it seems that we did not learn enough from the mistakes of the past.   The old adage that if you do not learn the lessons of history they are bound to be repeated.   New York State has placed a moratorium on approval of new natural gas wells.   It appears that they are waiting for Pennsylvania to work out the kinks, or, waiting for the good, the bad and the ugly.

Natural gas will still be in the ground in 5, 10 and 100 years from now.   The jobs will come.   The region will see benefits.  However, our rush to have it now seems to be overtaking lessons learned the hard way in the past.   We all live in an area which is rich in streams, forests, outdoor pursuits and a cultural tradition that we should all be proud of and protecting for the today and tomorrow of ourselves, our friends, our communities and our families.

Let's cut through the rhetoric from the natural gas companies, state and local governments and concerned citizens and put something in place that "we" can all say in 10 years that this was the start of  something good for all concerned.

Al Smith
albionsmith@comcast.net