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NIMBY motivations

I have been following news stories about the residents in Adams and Franklin townships complaining about the proposed Marcellus gas wells to be drilled in their townships. It is with amusement that I read of these people and their complaints.

They claim they are concerned over the environment and of course the children, they always have to throw in the safety of the children to pull at the heart strings. They are showing up in droves at the township meetings to protest the drilling.

Isn’t it curious that there has been drilling in Connoquenessing, Forward, Jackson and Lancaster townships for at least the last three years and we haven’t seen one of these people protesting against these wells. If they are so worried about the environment, where were they when these wells were proposed and drilled? If they are so worried about the safety of the children, where were they when the well was drilled within 300 yards of Connoquenessing Elementary School or the three plants within one mile of Seneca Valley schools? If they are so worried about their children, why aren’t they out protesting the great amount of truck traffic on routes 422 and 228 or the train traffic in Mars?

If they are so worried about the environment, why do they have large mega-houses that consume large amounts of energy to heat and cool, or have so many cars in their driveways, the majority of which are gas-guzzling SUVs? If they are so concerned about the environment, why do they buy houses that are built in developments that destroyed old farm lands and large green spaces instead of moving into existing houses near where they work instead of commuting?

If they are so worried about the environment, why didn’t they protest these developments? They spew so much fear mongering that people will die, Lake Arthur will be polluted and the safety of the children will be compromised because of the gas wells.

We haven’t heard from these groups in the past because of one thing: They don’t want it in their back yard. It has been OK that the wells are in the other townships, it didn’t matter one bit to them, but now it may be in their back yard and now it is a great threat to society. Odd isn’t it?

I only have one simple phrase for them “Drill safe, but, drill baby drill.”

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