I pollute, I sin and I am not perfect. I do however, try and minimize how much I pollute, I try to minimize the harm I do to others and I attempt to rectify my faults when I recognize them. If your argument is that because I drive a car and may have smoked a joint in my misspent youth makes it acceptable to destroy the Delaware river, I think perhaps you need to reassess you thinking. Killing a deer for food is not equivalent to flying an airplane into a skyscraper, both have consequences and some folks find both evil but most recognize the difference in scale.
By your reasoning if a junkie believes it is acceptable to steal to support his addiction, he is justified in sticking a gun into the face of the liquor store clerk. Since Bernie Madhoff earned billions of profit for his friends and believed it was legal, he was just a brilliant misunderstood financial genius. you believe there is no risk, you believe the drilling operations are safe. I believe you are blinded by an opportunity to earn money at the expense of others, the fact that you have not yet cashed in not withstanding.
As to proof that gas drilling has risks: lets list a couple:
Rueters 8/27/2009 : "The Environmental Protection Agency found chemicals that researchers say may cause illnesses including cancer, kidney failure, anemia and fertility problems in water from 11 of 39 wells tested around the Wyoming town of Pavillion in March and May this year. "
U.S. finds water polluted near gas-drilling sites | Reuters
Cornell January - 2009 "Hundreds of water wells polluted with hydrocarbons have been discovered in and around natural gas drilling sites in Wyoming and Colorado. Some wells have undergone explosions and other strange phenomena. Hydraulic Fracturing is being done to these wells, although the jury is out if this is causing all of the problems. " (Note no proof but when your well goes bad, and there is anew gas well being drilled the risk is real. - Agust)
Polluted Water Wells Out West | Environmental Impacts of Gas Well Drilling
For more data google "Contaminated water gas drilling" keep in mind that when someones well goes bad, they can seldom "prove" it was the well drilled two miles away. And in poor depressed areas, they seldom have the means to hire geologists and expert witnesses that deep pocketed gas companies hire.
The time to enact safeguards to prevent disasters is now, before the disaster happens. Closing the barn door after the wells are polluted and te river dead, is too late. There is plenty of gas, and lots of money to be made, we need to ensure that the water for fishing, canoeing and drinking remains safe. I'm sorry it bothers you so much, but quite frankly I don't care. Doing the right thing is still worth doing, even if you do not see it.
Agust
