The Wiliiamsport Sun-Gazette on Marcellus Shale
on April 6th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Protestors outside the Penn-Wells Hotel, Wellsboro PA
Politicians propound challenge of gas growth is balancing fact, fiction
Cheryl Clark writes in the Sun-Gazette:
WELLSBORO, PA — As gas drilling protestors staged a vigil outside, state and federal legislators spoke about that hot topic Thursday at the Tioga County Development Corp.'s 14th annual Legislative Breakfast at the Penn Wells Hotel.
The economic future of the area looks bright, compared to what it looked like a year ago when the sagging economy and massive job losses took center stage, agreed U.S. Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Howard, and state Rep. Matthew E. Baker, R-Wellsboro.
Before an audience of 200, Thompson jokingly compared Tioga County to Washington, D.C.
"You've managed to replicate the traffic in Washington, made it impossible to find a motel room and mobilized citizens with placards protesting out front," he said, referring to a group calling themselves "Citizens Concerned About Natural Gas Drilling." Their placards told passing motorists and pedestrians they are against the hydro fracturing process used by the gas industry.
Referring to the Marcellus Shale, Thompson said, "It's right underneath our feet. We are standing on prosperity. We've faced some tough economic times here in rural Pennsylvania, with high unemployment and the tough times it brings, for some time."
With the discovery of the second largest pool of natural gas in the world, enough to provide the energy needs of the nation for the next 100 years, he said, "We can move toward energy security and independence."
You can find more info on a convenient page the paper's put up. Buyer beware.
You know it is funny because Cheryl Clarke and the rest of the crew at the SG have been rather diligent in reporting some of the smaller gas related stories (like important Borough and township meetings). It was quite a surprise that the photo of the protesters was included, yet not a single quote. It's hard to tell where the SG stands because they (appear to) do some decent investigative reporting, then follow it with propaganda filled fluff pieces (like this: http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/541488.html?nav=5014)
Did you see the OpEd reply to that article on NorthCentralPA.com?
(titled, "Fair and balanced? Not lately.")
http://www.northcentralpa.com/news/2010–04-06_fair-and-balanced-not-lately
Amazing, isn't it? I don't know which is worse, the nine lonely protestors or the money-blind remainder of the population. Or the journalists covering this.
wow, that's good journalism. Nice to see the paper isn't biased in its reporting of the story. Not a single protester quoted.