In Abingdon, Virginia, last week, 75 people picketed their Bd. of Supervisors for throwing out two years of Washington County Planning Commission work crafting an ordinance to protect landowners and citizens from damages from gas drilling and hydrologic fracturing.
http://www.wjhl.com/story/2626… http://www.wcyb.com/news/prote… http://www.tricities.com/news/…
And there’s these stories about a two-hour anti-fracking protest at the main intersection in Abingdon (pop. 8000) last weekend. http://www.wcyb.com/news/hydro… http://www.wjhl.com/story/2629…
At a recent hearing by the state regulatory body, Div. of Mines Minerals and Energy–a promotional outfit for energy companies–a regulatory panel member said “There are no aquifers in Appalachian Virginia!” Damn, where does the water come from when we drill a well?
Now, Governor Terry McAuliffe, has requested differential state regulation (less regulation) for Appalachian aquifers from those in Tidewater Virginia. OUCH! Once again, Appalachian communities are left without state protection from extractive industry. https://governor.virginia.gov/…
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