In a May 26 article, gas industry spokesman Brad Gill repeats his deceptive claim that fracking is safe, citing EPA studies and the "fact" that "14,000 wells have already been 'fracked' in New York over the past 60 years without a single case of water contamination."
First of all, the most recent EPA study under the Bush Administration has been criticized as seriously flawed (the agency is undertaking a new one). Secondly, the type of fracking that applies to the Marcellus Shale was not even used anywhere until about 10 years ago.
Hydraulic fracturing of shale like the Marcellus requires far more water and toxic chemicals than conventional fracking and produces far more negative impacts.
In those states where it has been employed (not yet in New York) plenty of problems have occurred, such as faulty drilling operations resulting in contaminated drinking water, lack of safe methods to dispose of toxic wastes, illicit dumping of such wastes, noise and air pollution associated with drilling operations, and heavy damage to roads due to greatly increased truck traffic.
This actual drilling history is not reassuring.
Sara Schaffzin
Ithaca
