NO "Fracking" in Stark County, Ohio, all of Ohio

There are many natural gas drilling/exploration firms in the U.S. and worldwide are now using a method of natural gas drilling called "FRACKING", - fracking refers to the procedure of creating fractures in rocks and rock formations by injecting fluid into cracks to force them further open. The larger fissures allow more oil and gas to flow out of the formation and into the wellbore, from where it can be extracted. Fracking allows natural gas and poisonous chemicals to be injected into our water supplies and into the earth. After the rock is fractured and the gas is release, these companies then bring the water back up to the surface and dispose it. It is very expensive by disposing the water and it's not at all easy to do this without POISONING the nearby streams and other water supplies.  It is also a SERIOUS THREAT as the watersupplies are subsurfaced when the water and chemicals that are being used as they are STILL "fracking" the rock underground.

This method is a potentially poisonous method of natural gas drilling is now being used nationwide to release rock bound natural gas formations and has been exempt from U.S. federal oversight by the EPA.  Dick Cheyney, of Halliburton "lobbied" for this and saw to it was passed.  He also made sure that the exemption from federal regulation passed in 2005 when George W. Bush exempted oil and gas companies from federal regulations designed to protect our drinking water.  This is called the "Halliburton Loophole."   Meanwhile, most state oil and gas regulatory agencies don't require companies to report the volumes or names of chemicals being used in extraction (benzene, chloride, toluene and sulfates are among them).  These natural gas drilling and exploration firms are also allowed to keep secret the list of toxic chemicals they are using to inject into the ground; many of these chemicals have seeped into wells and ground water formations near fracking operations and poisoned people, caused gas explosions and have both poisoned and killed livestock.

State governmental agencies are required to regulate "fracking" for natural gas being done by various firms, but unfortunately, the drilling method seems to be going largely unregulated without much be said or done by the regulators.  Could it be due to the enormous profits/income that are to be reaped by various individuals in the private and public sector?

Up until recently these fracking operations were largely done in remote and sparsely populated rural areas out west. Now in the eastern U.S., near the city of New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania fracking is being done in close proximity to urban drinking water supplies, due to the HUGE natural gas reserve that's been found in the "Marcellus Shale" that runs near the city of New York and runs through Ohio and Pennsylvania.  This is the largest natural gas deposit EVER found in the U.S.

The problem is that this enormous deposit is locked in shale rock and "fracking" is the only way to release it.  "Fracking" is very controversial due to the health hazards and the environmental hazards and also the "apparently" POORLY-REGULATED method of gas drilling,  which has already reportedly poisoned hundreds of water wells in the western U.S. and nationwide and could now possibly poison the drinking water supply of millions of people in New York City and the surrounding areas if stronger regulation and oversight is not enacted and enforced.

Should we demand this drilling method be better regulated or should we not allow the potential poisoning of the drinking water for the residents of Stark County, Ohio and ALL of Ohio to be at risk, from these uncaring and unregulated companies to achieve a short term gain?  I say we should NOT ALLOW them to put our health at risk, nor poison our livestook, our waters our air and destroy the earth's floor for their selfish greed. 

Energy giant Exxon recently merged with XTO Energy, a major player in the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation, but now Exxon  states that they will cancel the deal if "fracking" is regulated or banned by the federal government

How will they clean the water after it's poisoned?  Look at the catastrophe of the oil spill in the ocean last year and how it poisoned the ocean water and animals.  Now imagine this poisonous gas leaking into our small water supplies, that are the sources of our drinking water. We can be proactive on this matter, but there is a better way to do this and that's NOT TO DO IT!  If not, the drinking water of Americans are far more important than cheap natural gas!

Then we have our leaders telling us about the "JOB CREATION" this will bring to Ohio. I value my life & the environment more than our governor "INTENTIONALLY" feeding the people of Ohio a bunch on NONSENSE & UNTRUTHS about "fracking" and the deceit of telling how this will bring about Job Creation...These companies ALREADY HAVE EMPLOYEES and if you take a look around you, where these wells are being set up, there are only a HAND-FULL of employees setting up these wells. Once the wells are set-up, there's NO ONE manning them any longer...so how DOES THAT BRING JOB CREATION? It DOESN'T...

We the undersigned agree with the author of this petition and wish for the U.S. Federal E.P.A. and state regulatory agencies in the U.S. to put natural gas "fracking" operations under strict controls and regulation in order to protect the U.S. water supply from further potential contamination by fracking chemicals etc., establishing heavy penalties, fines and criminal prosecution for firms who violate these laws and regulations once they are established through upcoming congressional debate and legislation.

Please protect our water.  We SHOULD NOT have to drink natural gas, nor harm the animals nor destroy our earth for their gain and greed!