Setting tap water on fire has nothing to do with fracking. That's the methane which naturally occurs in the coal formations throughout the region.
I, for one, am glad to see that the state DEP is taking positive steps to ensure the safety of the environment. As a resident of Pennsylvania, this affects me and my family as well. I want clean, safe water to drink as much as the next guy. Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") technology has been around since at least the 1940s, and is a safe, proven method of harvesting natural gas. I might also add that in that time, there has never been a single documented case of contamination of a water table or aquifer as a direct result of the fracking process.
I talk to landmen, attorneys and landowners all over this part of the state, and am of the opinion that most of the anti-drilling protests are coming from out-of-state special-interest groups or from disgruntled residents who don't have a dog in this fight (i.e., don't own their oil & gas rights and are jealous because their neighbors are cashing in). True, you get a few of the "true believers" who buy into the propaganda (such as "Gasland", an industry hit piece masquerading as a documentary), but by and large, the pros outweigh the cons, IMHO.
Regards,
Scott Perry
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