Beware of propaganda coming from oil and gas industry

Yet again, a word on fracking.

Both sides of the fracking debate are well worn by now. While many in the county (and country) are excited about the potential economic boon, others warn of a potential bust. The only benefits Athens County will gain from fracking operations will be a short-term influx of money. Some will get rich, whether it is directly from leasing, working as a legal consultant to those hoping to lease, or renting rooms to out-of-state workers. The short-term boon is a one-time deal. It will not alleviate poverty in our area as some have implied, nor will it resolve the fundamental causes of poverty. We'll likely pass more Cadillacs on the street. Better yet, others may be able to free themselves from debt. Additionally, this short-term financial gain is the one and only incentive to frack. While it is understandable that residents want to jump at large sums of money, the get-rich-quick dream is a potentially dangerous mirage.

The anti-fracking movement has been in many ways mischaracterized as "environmental crazies." Yes, I willingly admit that I care about the environment for its intrinsic value. It's my environment. It's yours too. It's where I live, and I feel entitled to breathe clean air, drink clean water, enjoy nature's aesthetic and inherent beauty, and be generally comfortable in my surroundings. You'd be in the minority if you don't share these values. And yet, we (at least our elected officials, based on current regulatory standards) somehow seem to be OK with an erosion of the quality of our environment.

On the other hand, beyond the purely environmental reasons to legislate against fracking, there are also economic pitfalls to consider. Up to this point, the debate has been defined as the economy vs. the environment. We've been here before many times. Yet what many fail to recognize is the inseparable relationship that our environment and our economy share, especially in a place like Athens.

To paraphrase local restaurant owner Christine Hughes at a recent commissioners meeting, she isn't wary of fracking simply because she's concerned about the birds (though she may be concerned about the birds as well, and rightfully so). Her business, her livelihood and her economic interests are tied to the health of the land around us. Anyone with ties to local agriculture has an economic interest that stands to be forever affected by fracking operations in Athens County. This includes consumers like myself.

Furthermore, property values stand to plummet should fracking accidents occur. Nobody wants to live in a house where the water isn't safe to drink (or even safe to bathe in), where unregulated toxic vapors are being released into the air, where headaches, nausea, diarrhea, bloody noses and breathing problems are common side effects. Clearly, it's not only businesses that rely on agriculture that are affected.

The issue has become very divisive. What we need to remember is that we all share this corner of the state. Those who have chosen to lease their land to fracking should do their best to understand the concerns that the anti-fracking movement has. Rather than creating an "us versus them" situation, let's do our best to communicate and acknowledge viewpoints. It's in the interest of everyone.

For example, why has a large percentage of the Athens community organized against fracking, giving up weekends and weekdays to educate and attempt to establish measures to protect us all? These people are not being paid by a for-profit company. They're not being paid by anyone. These people stand nothing to gain except maintaining the status quo: a safe and healthy living environment. If not money, what on earth would possibly drive people to do such a thing? Well, for one, we're environmental crazies. But that only partly explains it. We're also deeply concerned about the long-term health of our local economy and our way of life. Furthermore, for all the typical sentimental reasons, I'm concerned about my home. If fracking taints our water, makes our air more smog-filled than Los Angeles (which is the case with fracking operations in Wyoming), and ruins the very land we walk on, what will be left? What incentive will there be to live here?

It's time everyone comes to the stark realization that gas and oil companies have no loyalties to our county or its citizens. They have no incentive to take care of the land we live on because it's not theirs. Most of the workers will be from out of state. Your backyard will be nothing more than a job site. They don't have to live there when they're done, nor does their CEO. No matter what they may say, these companies have one priority, and it's not our welfare.

The concerns and dangers are very real. They are not lies or "propaganda" created by a group of citizens hoping to sabotage everyone else's economic future. The gas companies have a well-rehearsed PR campaign. Let's not be na ve and readily buy into everything they're telling us. We know their motives to be impure. The truth is out there; we have every opportunity to make informed decisions. Let's do what we can to protect ourselves in a way that is all-inclusive. The winners will get paid. Let's not drive the rest out of business and out of home.

Self-description: Michael Rinaldi-Eichenberg is a longtime Athens resident. Unlike natural gas CEOs, he has a genuine concern for Athens County, its residents, and a sustainable future, both economic and environmental.