Letter to Pittsburgh Post Gazette, July 10, 2020

The evidence is in and overwhelming. Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s grand jury found fracking in Pennsylvania to indisputably harm the health and well-being of the people.

For years, we fracking opponents have presented evidence from respected studies showing how unconventional gas drilling (fracking) harmed the public with cancer-causing chemicals, air pollutants and radioactive contamination. Even the Pennsylvania Supreme Court once issued a similar indictment when it predicted fracking would have a detrimental effect on “the people, their children, and future generations.”

But the corrupt politics of Pennsylvania, the salivating greed of politicians and private landowners, and the unconscionable judicial decisions of judges have made Pennsylvania a mecca for poisoning our environment with residents used as guinea pigs by a gas industry and a complicit Department of Environmental Protection.

For certain, the top management of the DEP should resign or be fired since the grand jury clearly shows how the polluting industry and corrupt DEP have been working hand-in-glove to shaft the people. Moreover, an investigation should begin into the justice system’s ties to the gas industry, for many judges have no idea of what their sworn duty is in protecting the environment or upholding the Pennsylvania Constitution.

Whether the grand jury’s recommendations will ever be implemented will depend on whether the people demand through the elective process a change in those elected to the legislative, executive and judicial branches of our government. The people in the end will decide. They now have the facts, but do they have the will?

RON SLABE, Oakmont, PA
Published July 10, 2020

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2020/07/10/Fracking-found-harmful-but-what-next/stories/202007100037/

What happens to those affected? Who pays for health and even lives lost? How do you put a price on that? On the poisoning of the environment, people, animals? Can you safely transport toxic contaminated waste? Maybe, but I doubt. And even if that was possible: where do you dispose of it, and how? There certainly is no safe way to do that!

Anyone and everyone who ever works, worked or will work for any company in this industry, or for any regulatory agency or related, should be perpetualy barred from working for the “other side” — it’s called conflict of interest!

On both sides people should be accountable for cheating, cutting corners or otherwise unduly obtaining permits that they shouldn’t.

Fines should be so heavy as to discourage the industry and their sicarios from obtaining them, or even putting them out of business and lock them behind bars!

All this is too complicated and time consuming? The solution is really simple: Fracking needs to stop! It needs to be banned!
End of story!

Until then, better will never be good enough!
The ACP is dead! It’s time to shut down the MVP, etc.