Regarding the letter “Fracking needs to stop” (Oct. 17, TribLIVE): There could not be a worse policy for Pennsylvania. The writer utilized a summary of a University of Pittsburgh health study which didn’t acknowledge other environmental factors and didn’t directly connect the oil and gas industry with health impacts.
As a geologic and environmental professional working as a third party with the oil/gas industry, I know firsthand the importance of this sector to my community and this region. This industry goes to great lengths to establish a high environmental compliance standard and protect our environment. It is also subject to regulatory reporting that is more transparent than any other Pennsylvania industry. The way natural gas is produced today is modern, efficient and poses minimal disruption to our environment and communities.
If state lawmakers took the extreme step to immediately ban “fracking,” they’d instantly threaten the state economy and the livelihoods of 120,000 Pennsylvanians — not to mention drive up energy costs and threaten our national security.
We must instead implement commonsense policies and regulations that uphold high standards for operators yet support the continued responsible development of energy that has contributed so positively to our region.
Jeff Walentosky
Kennedy
The writer is president of Moody and Associates.