Community conversations: gas exploration

Lee and Reid Badger, Cochecton, NY

When Lee and Reid retired from long careers in higher education, they planned to spend this latter part of their lives enjoying the 108-acre property they own in Cochecton, NY. They designed and built a home, landscaped its surrounds and let the rest remain in a natural state of meadow and forest.

“We were attracted to the area because of the beauty of the Delaware River and the rural character of the environment, where we could enjoy relative peace and quiet and an abundance of natural scenery and activities like gardening,” said Lee. “We envisioned it as a place where friends and relatives could join us for weekends and where our children and their families would come during the summer and on holidays.”

The couple’s property has provided access to opportunities for outdoor activities like horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, skiing and hiking, and their lives have been enriched because of it.

“Since what we treasure most about the area is environmental, we are deeply concerned about the potentially negative impacts of gas exploration on water, noise, air, roads, wildlife and natural scenery,” said Lee.

“The risks to what we value most about our property and the area are not worth the gains—money—that might possibly accrue,” added Reid. “Drilling is a very invasive process even when it is done properly. It takes years to recover from the environmental deformation and we are not young. We are also, as many of our neighbors and our town council are, very concerned about the kind of horizontal, deep drilling process required for extracting gas from the shale deposits.”

The Badgers assert that since the Marcellus Shale formation lies within the boundaries of several states, there should be coordinated regulation of the gas industry. “Individual landowners cannot regulate the gas companies, nor can they anticipate what negative consequences drilling on their property might have for other citizens. Millions of people depend upon the water that flows from here, and they have a legitimate interest in what happens here,” said Reid.

“Our water, air and natural ecology could be poisoned or destroyed permanently,” said Lee. “It has happened before.”

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? What are the critical issues to consider? What are the potential economic, environmental and social impacts? As we confront conflicting interests, how can we keep our sense of community intact? To share your perspective, contact Sandy Long at 845/252-7414 or email sandylong@riverreporter.com.