Wednesday, February 9, 2011

HC gas committee established

Yesterday, by unanimous vote of the two commissioners present, the Hampshire County Commission established the Hampshire County Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Advisory Committee--the first county in West Virginia to create an advisory body on the controversial issue of using the process of hydraulic fracture, or "fracking," to extract natural gas.

Michael O'Brien of the Hampshire Review will likely have some coverage of the county commission meeting in today's paper. I'll be back in a few days with my own reflections on where the process now stands.

www.hampshirereview.com/z/index.asp

As the author of the resolution that the commissioners adopted, I would like to acknowledge three individuals whose alertness to what potential dangers the fracking process brings to our community brought my attention to this issue: my partner, Nancy Pfaff, and my friends Bill Arnold and Jim Dodgins.

If their example of informed citizenship would be followed by others, this nation and this world would both be better places. Our community owes them much gratitude.

--Michael Hasty

1 comment:

Gramma Windy said...

It is great to be a part of this project. And so exciting to see the commissioners take a pro-active role, leading the state in fact. And let's not forget, that although Commissioner Parker was absent yesterday, he made it clear by his incisive comments at our previous meeting that he supported this resolution. It was also rewarding to see several citizens show up for the meeting.