Is it worth it?

  • By Curtis Robert Tyree
  • December 18, 2011
  • 765
Is it worth it?
                        
Tuscarawas County has become a player in our nation’s energy debate; the county sits upon the Marcellus and Utica shale areas, which means natural gas and even oil can be extracted. This prospect has started a debate within the community, with people against the drilling citing possible environmental dangers, and those who are for the drilling citing the possible money to be made and jobs created. This debate is part of a much larger nationwide debate on the subject, and Tuscarawas County is now on the front lines. The arguments surrounding natural gas drilling center on three key topics: the environment, jobs and the economy. The first, and what many consider the main part of the debate on natural gas drilling, centers on the environment. The main concern with natural gas drilling in our area is the process of fracturing the shale that holds the deposits of gas. This process is known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking for short. “Fracking is by far the most dangerous part of the drilling process, not only for the environment but for people as well,” said Christine Moore, a concerned citizen in the Sugarcreek area and anti-fracking and drilling advocate. “It has only been in Congress where an investigation into fracking brought forward what’s in the fluid used to frack. We’re told it’s water and other chemicals, but it’s so dangerous to the ground water that it’s not allowed to interfere with it and the fracking fluid that is used has to be transported from the site and can never be used again. There have been reports from cities in Pennsylvania, and other states where fracking has been taking place, of wells being contaminated and drinking water being fouled.” “First I started hearing about this process ruining people’s wells, trout rivers, and public hunting areas. This became a concern because I was in the process of buying a home,” said David Ryder, a concerned citizen of Tuscarawas County. “I started to really look into the subject further, and discovered that these reports weren’t coming from environmental whackos, but farmers, ranchers, and good people that were taken advantage of. After seeing the destructive path residents claim this industry has left behind in every state they’re active in... I got involved. I want to protect the health and well-being of my family, friends, and neighbors. While they’re spending a lot of money on PR to convince the public how safe they are, I’m spending money to protect my property by paying for EPA certified water and septic tests before the drilling in case of contamination.” “It is altogether reasonable, appropriate, and urgent to call a time out on Ohio’s black gold rush,” said the Ohio Environmental Council in a recent statement. “Horizontal hydraulic fracturing involves the use of millions of gallons of water and hundreds of chemicals, including many toxic chemicals. It produces a toxic hit parade of dangerous emissions and by-products, including benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, xylene, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, radon, uranium, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, lead, and mercury. “Ohio needs the most protective safeguards in place to guide the safe, responsible development of Ohio’s deep shale gas resources.” A congressional investigation showed what elements other than water are used in fracking; the elements other than water ranged from the naturally safe, such as salt, gelatin and citric acid to the unusual, including walnut shells and instant coffee, to the dangerous, including lead and benzene. “We have been fracking since 1954. There are over 80,000 wells that have been drilled using this technique and there have been no major problems. They have a safety record of over 99.5 percent, so the fears over fracking are unfounded,” said Sarah Tipka, owner of A W Tipka Oil & Gas of Dover. “My father helped with the first fracked well in Ohio, up by Canton, and fracking has been done thousands of times since. There is no debate on the safety of fracked wells.” “People with concerns over the environment have the right to be concerned, but Ohio has the most stringent safeguards when it comes to fracking,” said State Rep. Al Landis. “We passed a law in the previous session to tighten regulations on drilling, including fracking. The state studied what other states had on the books regarding fracking both before and after the process was started and wanted to make sure that our rules were as strict as possible.” The second and third components of the drilling debate center on jobs and the economy. “If the projections hold to be true, Ohio and Tuscarawas County look to be heading into a new period of job growth and economic boom,” said Landis. “The energy companies have said that it looks like there could be more natural gas down there than previously thought, which is a great boon for our region. Not only will the drilling bring jobs related to the drilling, but it will also bring additional jobs for the supporting industries, such as truck driving, aggregate, like sand, and also steel-related jobs such as welders. The possibilities right now are limitless. Ohio stands to create around 200,000 jobs from the drilling, and you can expect to see many of those jobs coming to this area.” “The potential impact on the economy is enormous. Already, the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau is seeing a sharp increase in receipts from drilling employees staying in the area at our hotels, purchasing goods in our stores and renting homes and apartments from local renters,” said Tipka. “The potential for growth in our area is astonishing and it’s important that we work to grow our economy in any way possible.” “As far as the economy is concerned here in Sugarcreek, a large portion of our economy is dependent upon the tourism industry. Do you really think people will come visit our area if our water is fouled or there are drilling pads with booms over 100 feet tall?” asked Moore. “All it will take is one accident for our economic boom to turn to an economic bust. These leases and jobs look promising, especially in a bad economy, but they can only lead to trouble. Sure, you can make $20,000 up front and receive a royalty, but if the well or water table is damaged, good luck selling your land. So for all your troubles you will have that twenty grand and nothing else.” It has been estimated that there is a 115-year supply of natural gas in America that is contained in the vast shale deposits around the country. Tapping into this supply is seen by many as a must for our economic and national security, while others are worried about the impact of the drilling on the environment and on us. This is one debate that probably has no end in sight. For more information, visit these websites, which were consulted for this article. For the Ohio Department of Natural Resources information on natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing, visit http://www..ohiodnr.com/mineral/oil/tabid/10371/Default.aspx. For the congressional investigation into hydraulic fracturing and the complete list of more than 700 fluid ingredients used, visit http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Hydraulic%20Fracturing%20Report%204.18.11.pdf.


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