Dateline: 9 May 2012
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| Carolyn Knapp and Carol French, dairy farmers from Pennsylvania, know exactly what Sempronius is in for if we allow hydrofracking in our town. They will tell their story in Moravia on May 24th. |
As I reported in This Post, gas industry public relations people were invited by a Sempronius town board member to give an unannounced pro-fracking presentation at our February 2012 town board meeting. After that, some town residents felt it was only right that there be a presentation from the other side of the issue.
Since I am against hydrofracking (for reasons I have made clear in past essays here) I am on the other side of the issue. But I do not feel it is appropriate for me to invite an anti-fracking speaker to a town board meeting. I think it would be much better if concerned citizens in Sempronius invited someone to come and speak to people in our town. And that is exactly what has happened.
A resident of our town contacted Carol French and Carolyn Knapp, two dairy farmers from an area of Pennsylvania where hydrofracking has been done for several years. Carol and Carolyn live and farm in a rural area much like Sempronius. Carol is an organic dairy farmer and Carolyn is a conventional dairy farmer. Both women leased their land for gas drilling. Both have firsthand experience with gas leases and gas companies. Furthermore, they can speak with absolute certainty about the impact that hydrofracking will have on the people and the community of Sempronius.
If you are against hydrofracking, or in favor of hydrofracking, or you are just confused about hydrofracking, mark your calendar for Thursday evening, May 24, 7:00 PM. Carol and Carolyn will be telling their story to all interested people in the new auditorium at the Moravia elementary school.
The original plan was to have Carol and Carolyn come to Sempronius and speak at the fire hall. But these two women have so much valuable insight into the impact of hydrofracking on a community that concerned citizens in other towns around us got involved. It was decided that a larger meeting place, with lots of comfortable seating, like the school auditorium, would be a much better place to have the presentation.
I think it is important to point out that this presentation is the result of local people— several from Sempronius— who have invested their time, effort and money to organize and host this event. In other words, this presentation is being sponsored by your friends and neighbors, not some large organization with a lot of money.
Also, Carol and Carolyn are not professional speakers. They are dairy farmers. But they have spoken to other groups in New York when they have been invited. I understand that they ask for a small stipend ( I think it is $100, plus food, fuel and lodging). My point being, Carol and Carolyn are not making a lot of money telling this story.
Then why, you might wonder, would they take the time and make the effort to come up here to Moravia and speak? Well, I suspect the answer to that will become clear once you’ve heard what they have to say.
I hope to see you at the meeting.
Thursday
May 24
7:00 PM
Moravia Elementary School Auditorium
May 24
7:00 PM
Moravia Elementary School Auditorium