Primer Helps Residents Battle Shale Industry with 'Citizens Army'
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
16 January 2011
By Diana Nelson Jones,
Among 25 people who assembled at the Carnegie Library in Connellsville
Saturday, Phyllis Carr was on the "after" side of the Marcellus Shale
industry: Her family has been falling ill, she said, since two gas
wells and three compressor stations began operating on a property 250
feet away from her home in Lake Lynn, Fayette County.
The others were still "before" and turned out to learn skills to
protect their properties, groundwater and the streams they fish in.
Organizers from PennEnvironment and Earthworks held the training
session, one of many being planned through the spring, to help people
organize and present a case to legislators for stricter gas drilling
regulations.
The group included fishermen, water-quality professionals and several
environmental activists.
"I'm concerned about cold water resources," said David Gilpin of
Connellsville. "Frankly, I love trout streams."
Several members of a Trout Unlimited chapter attended.
Geno Gallo said he has been approached by four companies wanting to
drill on his land on the Great Allegheny Passage. He said he wants to
turn it into an eco-village. "My friends and I are trying to form a
watershed association," he said. "I want to be part of the solution,
and I'm very concerned."
Several said they go to town meetings, talk to neighbors and friends
and their legislators, "but no one listens," said one woman. "People
tell me there's nothing we can do, and I'm coming to the conclusion
that they're right."
Adam Garber, PennEnvironment's field director, said, "You're right,
legislators aren't listening to us. We don't have $100 million to give
them." He said his organization has been trying to build grass-roots
power in a coalition of environmentalists, lawyers, educators, health
professionals, farmers, economists, union leaders and volunteers.
The volunteers are the grunts. "You have to call people and call them
again, meet with them and meet with them again," he said. "You have to
go to towns and go door-to-door, from business to business."
Erika Staaf, a clean water advocate for PennEnvironment, said an
effective way to enlist a citizens' army is at arts festivals, farmers
markets and other public gatherings.
"Give people an opportunity to be involved right away," she said. "Hold
a potluck and have everyone write a letter to their legislator. Provide
a variety of opportunities so extroverts and introverts can take part.
Be optimistic with each other. Moral support is what keeps people from
burning out."
Nadia Steinzor, a regional organizer for Earthworks, acknowledged
volunteers become frustrated because their advocacy is a longer-term
picture -- environmental effects and alternative energy possibilities
-- while gas companies are offering large sums of money.
"One of the most difficult things," she said, "is the tremendous
urgency people feel right now."
Ms. Carr said she had no voice in the decision a neighbor made in 2005
to sign off on gas drilling within 250 feet of where Ms. Carr lives
with her husband, daughter and grandchildren.
Ms. Carr and Marigrace Butela, a friend who has been working to help
her get answers, said the family has suffered headaches, sore throats,
nose sores and nose bleeds since.
"We started smelling smells, like paint thinner," said Ms. Carr. "We
called the fire department, we called the CDC [Centers for Disease
Control], we called poison control. We had to leave home six or seven
times last year when alarms went off" at the drilling site.
Ms. Butela, an activist against Marcellus drilling, said the gas
industry "has never met with them to explain what those alarms mean."
During break-out sessions in which participants role-played, Mr. Gilpin
played devil's advocate as Sheryl Craven tried to recruit him to the
cause, saying "the money can never be as important as your quality of
life."
"There's a saying that you can't eat money," said Mr. Gilpin. "They're
offering me a lot of money. It's hard to turn down."
"But what if your water's bad?" she asked. "Who's going to buy your
property when you have to move?"
"They have technology, so I don't think that will happen," he said.
"They sent two guys who seemed like good decent American fellows."
"Would you be interested in finding out more?" Ms. Craven asked. "Would
you come to a meeting?"
Mr. Gilpin grinned and cocked his head, saying, "I might come to a
meeting."
Like others at the session, Mr. Gilpin is already doing his own form of
recruitment.
"I ask people, 'How's the fishing? Have you seen any otters?' " he
said. "One guy said, 'Hey, we saw a blue herron!' and I said, 'Well,
that's a result of clean water.'
"I guess since I've gotten older, I try to be subtle."
Diana Nelson Jones: djones@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1626. Read her
blog City Walkabout at http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com.