Media Politics 101. If too many turnout, repeat forum.

There may be some local media bias when it comes to the decision to allow hydrofracking in the area. For example, here's a photo of what appears to be a presentation by our mayor Quill with our former mayor in a place somewhat resembling a city hall like building. However, it wasn't city hall at all! It was at Willard Memorial Chapel. The photo showing empty pews suggests that nobody is interested in the issue. However, the turnout at the last city hall meeting suggests otherwise.

The recent public forums may be related to governor Patterson's final legislative act before he left office to have the DEC investigate hydrofracking and issue permits no earlier than June 2011. So, politicians all around New York are testing public tolerance to the idea of trading renewable water for a short term budget boost.

The fact is, even if pure distilled water were used, the hydrofracking idea is inherently dangerous. No matter what liquid is used, there are going to be nasty things forced up along with the gas. Substances that currently are in an inert state will be disturbed and be introduced into the groundwater. There is no safe way. Doing so is simply a trade of long-term groundwater for short-term money.

Not that the local economy would get much of that. An assumption by politicians is that operations such as this will at least be a temporary a boom to the local economy. However, former oil towns, coal towns and gas towns suggest resource extraction rarely benefits the community. In town after town, the money goes away but the pollution stays. Put it this way. If only your neighbor were to get rich from a hydrofrack lease and you only got potholes in your roads, polluted water and a property tax increase to fix it all, would you still be in favor of it?