Landowner reticence about fracking issue shouldn’t be surprising

To the Editor:

In response to Terry Smith's "Wearing Thin" editorial on Feb. 9:

I live in New Marshfield, have owned property here for decades, and part of the property I own is oil and gas. I signed a lease through John Lavelle to lease those oil and gas rights to Cunningham Energy. The reason I worked through John Lavelle is that he negotiated and drafted an addendum to the lease that provides significant land/landowner protections. He, like me, owns property that he lives on, values, farms, and cares for in a responsible manner. 

Like most other people who have lived here for generations, we also value our privacy and that of others. Contrary to Terry's comment that local oil and gas supporters "need to grow a pair" and express their point of view publicly — well, that just isn't quite true. Terry, I know you've lived here for a long time and should know a little about the Appalachian culture and people. Most of the people who have lived here since the 1800's as my family has, and most of the neighbors who have signed leases have — we keep to ourselves and don't bother others; it's just a cultural thing.

We are pretty peaceful, and don't pick fights with our neighbors. If there's a problem, we negotiate. Negotiation instead of confrontation seems to work pretty well. I'm guessing that John Lavelle negotiated as many environmental protections as the anti-fracking group will ever get through confrontation and aggressiveness.

One other thing about the hillbillies who live here: Most of our ancestors were criminals, bootleggers and murderers, and our families have survived here for a couple hundred years raising gardens during the height of the totally unregulated coal mining years. We don't ever give up, never, when somebody picks a fight. So, the reason you haven't heard from us isn't that we're afraid of a verbal onslaught; we are just sort of invisible to much of the county and like it that way.

When I read in your newspaper on one page about anti-fracking and on the opposite page that they want to close Chauncey School, close food banks, cut arts from our schools, cut library hours and close whatever else can be cut, but don't bring in money from oil and gas drilling, I just have to wonder why? Do the people in Athens who are protesting know that nine or 10 miles from the confines of the city people are living in dire poverty, losing their houses, can't pay their electric bills, don't have enough to eat or buy clothes? I know it's easy to ignore something you can't see — like poor people — but chances are you will hardly ever see an oil well either, because they will probably be out where the poor folk live.

I know the anti-group is contacting elected officials and candidates for office. If you disagree with their position, you need to at least find out where all elected officials AND candidates stand on this issue and vote accordingly.

Carolyn Fisk
New Marshfield

Editor's note: Sorry about the "grow a pair" remark (which was regrettably sexist as well). I was just trying to shake the bushes to flush out some different points of view on fracking. TS