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My statement to the county commission this morning.

10/20/14
To:
the members of the
Lewis County Commission

From
Lewis County Resident

     . I am a land owner in Lewis County and I feel that my concerns about fracking are being ignored.
I am not going to present you with scientific studies or evidence as there are other people far more qualified for that and many INDEPENDENT studies are available.
I am however going to express my concerns about the dangerous and detrimental effects of fracking, that I have seen personally, on the quality of life that I value.
On Sept. 16th I attended a public meeting at Jacksons Mill. This was not a meeting, but very controlled sales pitch by Consol Energy. We were shepherded through their poster board presentations where we were told, this is what we are doing. There was no public discourse, no public question and answer period, and when I did finally pin down a representative, I was out right lied to about the number of wells planned for our county.
They even had uniformed "guards" eerily reminiscent of the pinkertons during the coal mine wars.
I left that meeting feeling like we were told, you are ignorant, keep your place and do as you are told. It was insulting and offensive.
I am self employed, and my farm is all I have. Every spare penny that I earn and all of my time goes into re-establishing and caring for the native plants that this state is so well known for and which are mostly gone. My farm is part of the forestry stewardship program, designed to preserve and improve the quality and health of our forests.
I am also part of the wwoof program, (world wide opportunities on organic farms) I have had people from all over the country and several from Europe come here to learn how to work with horses, garden organically, and harvest both food and medicine from the forest.
I am concerned about the loss of clean water, The air pollution and the effect it will have on my health, the health of my animals and the health of my soil, where I grow the food that I eat and the medicines that I use.
I am concerned about the noise pollution and the light pollution.
I am extremely concerned about the loss of the quality of life that I have here and which is so important to me.
I am concerned about the loss of property value and the fact that insurance companies are refusing to insure properties near frack sites.
I am not alone with these concerns.
I have been to some of the counties already fracked, and have seen the polluted streams, heard the jet engine compressors, and seen the flares required to release the pressure. I have seen the destruction of the roads and witnessed some of the accidents.
There is so much emphasis placed on job creation. Well my livelihood is dependent on my living in central WV. I travel all the way to Wheeling in the north and Monroe county in the south east. My livelihood is dependent on being able to drive on safe roads. Just this week on RT 33 I was overtaken by three gas company pick ups, two of which passed in a double yellow line no passing area. I was driving the speed limit and I can only guess what speed they were traveling. I no longer drive on RT 18 because of the number of close calls I have had with oil and gas pick ups and associated vehicles. I can't avoid driving on RT 33.
I am concerned that Lewis County will become a polluted industrial site which will negate any possibility of eco-tourism, one of the truly sustainable industries that could be developed and is flourishing in many areas.
The destruction that I have witnessed is not hearsay, is not the sour complaints of "tree huggers", it is destruction that has a very real effect on very real residents of West Virginia.
I challenge all of you to go up to Dodridge county and see for yourself. Don't take my word for it and don't take the oil and gas industries' word for it.
SEE FOR YOUR SELF, BECOME INFORMED
So I have a few questions for you the members of the commission.
1. Have any of you been to Dodrige county, met with the residents, and seen what it really means to live with fracking? If not are you willing to do so?
2. What is the actual number of jobs that you expect to be created for Lewis county residents. I understand there are plans for two motels and a by-pass around weston. I can't imagine that those motels will be housing Lewis county workers, and a by-pass is not going to bring people to the local businesses in Weston.

3. What steps are being taken to ensure our safety on the roads with the increase of truck traffic and drivers willing to pass double lines?
4. What provisions are being made for homeowners who will be affected by loss of value and loss of insurance.

I ask that there be a moratorium on fracking and all related activities in Lewis county until there can be :
1. A review of the INDEPENDANT studies on the negative effects of fracking.
2. A series of public forums where the residents of the county can have access to this inofrmation, and where there can be true question and answer discussion, not just the company sales pitch.

Thank you for your time

KVR said
excellent write up Spotted, interested in their response

I will be asking for a follow up at another meeting. I'm curious too. 

Frackcident!

thursday morning I was hit from behind by a fracking tanker truck. The truck had tail gaited me all the way to town. Both stopped at. The light. The light turned green and before I could even put my foot on the clutch he rammed into me, pushed me through the intersection,into the curb, then drove off!

nothing is broken, but I am in a lot of pain right now.

there was a witness who gave a statement.

we have the company but I dont know if they have the driver yet. 

I don't know about the damage to my car yet.

this really sucks because I can't work.  No way I can get under a horse like this.

it is really weird because this is exactly one of the issues that I brought up at the commission meeting.