1. 1) Do you think that only the state should have the power to ban fracking? Or should citizens of a town be able to enforce a law prohibiting fracking and natural gas drilling?
2. 2) Do you think the methods used by antifracking people in Cooperstown, New York to protest and boycott will ultimately ban fracking in their state?
3. 3) What do you think can be done to better inform people about the dangers of hydraulic fracturing?
The state alone should have a say whether or not they will allow fracking. Fracking pumps chemicals into possible drinking water sources, which in turn can contaminate all water supplies in the state. Citizens of a certain town should voice the problem of fracking, but they alone should not have the say whether or not fracking can be allowed, the state or federal government should be the deciding factor.
ReplyDeleteAnti-fracking actions being done by people in Cooperstown will most likely not get the fracking banned. Instead of protesting and boycotting to get their point across, the citizens should voice their opinions on fracking as civilized as possible.
To spread awareness of the dangers of hydraulic fracking, public announcements or advertisements should be where the public can easily see or access. Along with advertisements, organizing meetings with city officials to spread word of the contaminates going into the local water supplies.
I believe that counties should be able to create laws banning or allowing fracking. I believe that cities are too small to ban something this large because since they are so close to one another fracking in one area may still effect the water in another town. This is still true of counties but if the state government is left to enforce the laws then they might have more incentive to allow it because companies might support the government in larger ways than they could if a county was delegating if fracking is legal. I do not believe that what they are doing will lead to a ban on fracking because it is not very effective. From what I read I believe most people are trying to boycott goods from people who are interested in selling their land but this would lower their income making them rely more on selling their land to natural gas companies. To me this type of protest seems like it would lead to gas drilling because people would need the money. I think that more information needs to be given out to people who live in these large shale deposits regarding what is going on. I also believe that the EPA needs to do more in depth investigations into fracking and the consequences it has.
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe that people should have the power to at least vote on a law allowing fracking in their area. While the state may be aware and may care, chances are it will not do anything on its own. Our government and country is set up so people have a voice. I think that if the people protest in the right way and effectively, they will get the law changed. Undoubtedly, if the people continue to boycott and protest, the companies will be forced to make changes. Changes may be as simple as getting the government to come check the water quality. Just like any local problem, these people should inform their neighbors or anyone else in the area of exactly what the problem is.The more people know, the more likely it is that the problem will be stopped.
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