They've got my attention.

It was a little over one year ago when I first heard mention of gas drilling in the area. A friend of a friend was offered, I believe, something well over a thousand dollars an acre for leasing his land. He had over 200 ares was more than pleased, a lucky break I thought. With this economy and jobs getting scarce it sounded to be an all around good proposition. My boyfriend talked of moving closer to the drilling and taking a job in the industry with promises of steady work and good pay. I though "Great, more money and new jobs." I was naive. It was something I knew nothing about and I wasn't being effected for better or worse by anything the drilling brought. So what do I know? I'm starting to wonder.

When the news came I felt utterly stupid. Flammable water and exploding wells, leaks, spills, contamination. Families sick from their drinking water, animals loosing their hair. Surely their would be apologies issued, compensations made. Catastrophe! No? Its not their responsibility!? Their exempt from the Clean Water Act!? Well don't I feel dumb for assuming.

The drilling and "fracking" as its called, is full speed ahead and if you aren't there already is headed to a neighborhood near you. So what do we need to know and what questions should we ask? I don't know. But maybe we can learn. I hope this blog will serve as a forum to educate and discuss what is needed to protect ourselves and our land against the negative effects of this process. I will post links that I find informative(and I hope you will too) as I am no authority myself. Please share your stories and your concerns that we might open our minds to the very real threat at hand. Knowledge and communication are the only tools we have in bringing crucial awareness to this issue. So where to start? How about here.

http://un-naturalgas.org/weblog

http://www.propublica.org/feature/pa-residents-sue-gas-driller-for-contamination-health-concerns-1120

http://www.depweb.state.pa.us

http://www.earthworksaction.org/FracingDetails.cfm

http://www.shaleshock.org/resources/drilling-101/