To the Editor:

There has been a lot of discussion regarding environmental impacts of fracking, yet two areas have not been discussed much. One is the social impacts that hundreds of transient workers bring, and the other is property rights issues. I want to speak on the latter. 

The state geographic regions targeted for fracking are in areas owned and occupied by farmers and rural landowners. These folks tend to be the most uninformed about fracking due to the lack of accurate information available to them, yet they are the ones that will be most negatively impacted by fracking.

In Lee, Chatham and Moore counties, there are more than 2,000 farms that involve over 220,000 acres of farmland. There are documented cases in other states of farmers being negatively impacted by fracking to the point that it is severely affecting their livelihood. On Friday, Sept. 12, several individuals from other states spoke at the MEC hearing who were firsthand witnesses to the horrors of wastewater spills, deliberate spraying of toxic wastewater on back roads, failing cement well casings and negligent drilling companies who have no regard for people living next to these wells. We heard about cows dying by the hundreds from what can only be determined by vets as arsenic poisoning, calves being stillborn or with blue or white eyes; another indication of poisoning. The stories go on and on regarding poisoned dogs, cats, chicken, livestock and horses. While it is sad when a family loses a pet, it can be financially devastating when a farmer loses numerous animals that he depends on for his subsistence. 

In North Carolina there’s a 1940s policy called Compulsory Pooling. It was originally designed to prevent a landowner’s minerals or resources being depleted by a neighbor’s well. This policy is now being used in the fracking industry to force landowners who do not sign drilling leases to be pulled into a property group of landowners who have signed drilling leases. An oil company is required to have a certain amount of acreage in order to place a well pad. Forced pooling is a method of pulling in non-consenting property owners and basically forcing them to lease their land. Most landowners don’t consult with an attorney before signing land leases to oil companies. 

Folks in Western North Carolina have a long-standing adverse history with the government concerning land rights. Mountain people have long memories regarding situations where they feel the government “cheated” them. Any local can regale you with their version of the TVA dam, the Road to Nowhere or the Trail of Tears, complete with a personal family history attached to these events. Emotions run deep when you mention forcibly separating a property owner without their consent.

With the passing of Bill 286, the government has given oil companies permission to do just that. I’m unsure Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, knew what he was doing when he co-sponsored the fracking bill. Based on his waffling in the past couple of months, I’m not sure he does either. Either way, it’s obvious he’s not in touch with the people WNC. The ones I know are a proud, resilient, hardworking breed who don’t take kindly to strangers coming in and telling them what they can do with their land. It’s time we stick together. Demand the moratorium reinstatement.

Susan Leading Fox 

Bryson City