Community Conversations: Gas Exploration

Ayla Maloney, Honey Hill Pottery, Callicoon, NY

When potter Ayla Maloney learned that neighbors had signed gas leases, she collapsed. “I was devastated,” she said. “I fell to the ground as if someone punched me in the gut.”

Maloney has loved the place she calls home since her parents bought the 50-acre property on a hillside in Callicoon when she was 14 years old. The bucolic view is unmarred; the sky stretches wide and birds pass frequently through a flyway above.

It is here where Maloney’s spirit is nourished, resulting in the creation of beautiful works of art that capture and express her connection to place.

In despair, Maloney approached her neighbors about their decision to lease. “They told me that, like politics and religion, we shouldn’t talk about it because we have different opinions. I told them this is not an opinion; this is action that affects my life, my land, my air, my property value and my sons’ legacy, not to mention OUR drinking water.”

Maloney asserts that landowners have not received the full story from drilling companies. “The companies told them that they drill with sand and water only. Nobody was told about fracking fluids and the dire sickness that is plaguing places where horizontal drilling has been done. Nobody talks about the compressor stations that sound like jet engines.”

Other neighbors who have farmed their land for seven generations have decided against harvesting drilling income in favor of preserving something they consider priceless. Maloney is intensely grateful for their shared role of stewardship.

“I was given this place to keep it sacred,” said Maloney, who believes that working to create more caring and connected communities holds potential for protecting the region from drilling impacts to air, land, water—and neighbors.

“We should keep talking, and working, toward sustainable solutions to our energy needs,” said Maloney. “We might have to step backwards, reconnect with the land, the seasons and one another. We might need to set up barter systems and figure out other ways that we can help one another. The possibility for change could be very positive.”

The River Reporter devotes this series to the people of the Upper Delaware region and their varied perspectives on the issue of gas and oil exploration. As diverse individuals comprising a larger community, what do we stand to gain—or lose? How might our landscape, and our quality of life, change? As we confront conflicting interests, how can we keep our sense of community intact? To share your perspective, call 845/252-7414 or email sandylong@riverreporter.com.