In my column a few weeks ago I asked people their thoughts about hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the area. I followed up two weeks ago with some of the responses. The opinions keep coming in, so I will share some more of the excerpts here:
This came from a 52-year-old woman from Cortland: ''What I think about it is, I hate it! I do not understand why the greed in people is causing so many to care so little about our environment. This has and is going to continue to ruin the drinking water all over this country. ... I cannot believe that people are only concerned about jobs and money for themselves regarding this shale well drilling, injection wells and fracking. It's a terrible shame. ... Don't people realize the value of our water?
''It's something we need to survive every day. ... Isn't it interesting that all the studies that say it's OK to do this drilling are the ones that are associated with the business and have all the monetary rewards to reap? How can people be so stupid to believe it. Very sad. Thank you very much for making the subject more aware to the community. Just wish there was more that could be done to stop it.''
This came from Vienna Township: ''My wife and I own a farm in Vienna township and are under lease to a gas company that has approached us about the possibility of putting a Utica Shale well on our property. Since being contacted, I have researched all aspects of the process, not only the fracking of the wells. Many of the gas companies offer videos showing and explaining the drilling and fracking process. Anyone that watches these videos and reads about the process has to be convinced of the safety of the process. There are always individuals opposed to anything new that may be helpful to our area and the country as a whole.
''I think the Utica Shale drilling will be a tremendous benefit for this area and only hope that the majority of people feel the same as I do. Whether or not a well is drilled on my property, I hope many wells are drilled in Trumbull county and everyone gets to benefit from them. Perhaps someday this will be the energy that helps make the United States energy independent.''
And here is another one: ''I am a 72-year-old woman from northeast Warren who has been concerned about environmental issues for years. Events of the last decade have only increased my concern. I strongly believe that fracturing will cause enormous damage to the environment resulting in catastrophic events. I don't know if it will be five, 10 or 20 years, but it will happen. Unfortunately, it is beyond my control. I am in the minority.''
And one more, this one from a woman who lives in Hartford Township: ''I don't have an extensive opinion per se regarding the fracking process itself, I just know that in the nearly 34 years I've lived in my home, I never felt an earthquake before in this area until this last one. I am 100 percent sure it was the cause of my foundation cracks and more than likely a direct result of this fracking process. What else would be causing all of these earthquakes in this area at this particular time? I am somewhat fearful of the next possible earthquake(s) and how it/they may do further damage to mine and others' homes surrounding all the fracking zones.''
You still can share your thoughts, and I'll share them in another column. Send a letter in the mail, submit your comments through our virtual newsroom on our website in the letters to the editor category, or by email (in the subject line, type the word ''fracking'') at frobinson@tribtoday.com.
Keep them coming.
Robinson is the editor of the Tribune Chronicle. He can be reached at frobinson@
tribtoday.com.