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“People shouldn’t tell their elected officials what to do.”
Those were the words I heard uttered some years ago by a school board president in a community on the other side of the country. He couldn’t have been more wrong. That day, he was fed up with constituents who opposed repeated attempts by the school board to close one of two high schools in a county of 20,000 residents. Ultimately, the school was closed, but residents of the community affected by the decision had the right — one protected by the Bill of Rights — to have their voices heard.
Whether it’s at a public hearing after village officials announce their intention to change the law that determines sewer rates or commenting about the draft proposals from the state governing hydraulic fracturing, public input is a key part of the process.
Much more than voting — a good start to public involvement — citizens should educate themselves about the issues, form an opinion and join other like-minded folks in a chorus of voices.
Certainly this won’t be the last mention of fracking in the Express and after an editorial authored two weeks ago, it’s no secret that this newspaper editor opposes hydraulic fracturing and hopes it never migrates north into the New York’s Southern Tier. Setting that aside, it’s critical for residents to get the facts and form their own opinions.
Hydraulic fracturing is an important enough issue that every resident of New York should be aware of what it is along with the benefits, impacts and risks claimed by both proponents and opponents.
There are several such opportunities happening this weekend. Anyone who hasn’t formed an opinion about fracking should attend a forum presented by Frack Free Genesee at 7 p.m. Friday night at the Ossian Community Center. Along with it, Star Theatre in Dansville is showing the acclaimed and criticized documentary “Gasland,” chronicling one northern Pennsylvania man’s quest to find out how fracking has impacted communities across the U.S. There are two free showings of “Gasland” — noon this Sunday and 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Admittedly both the forum and the film represent opposition to fracking and it’s important to hear the other side. There will be an opportunity for that this week as well; Dansville was selected as one of four sites where DEC officials will hear comments for and against proposed regulations on fracking, the next closest is 120 miles away in Binghamton. The other two are still more distant in Loch Sheldrake and New York City.
Even if you haven’t made up your mind about hydrofracking, attend all or some of the hearings, 1-4 and 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Dansville Middle School. Then make your voice heard. Written comments can be submitted until Dec. 12 online at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html or through the mail to:
dSGEIS Comments, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-6510.
“People shouldn’t tell their elected officials what to do.”
Those were the words I heard uttered some years ago by a school board president in a community on the other side of the country. He couldn’t have been more wrong. That day, he was fed up with constituents who opposed repeated attempts by the school board to close one of two high schools in a county of 20,000 residents. Ultimately, the school was closed, but residents of the community affected by the decision had the right — one protected by the Bill of Rights — to have their voices heard.
Whether it’s at a public hearing after village officials announce their intention to change the law that determines sewer rates or commenting about the draft proposals from the state governing hydraulic fracturing, public input is a key part of the process.
Much more than voting — a good start to public involvement — citizens should educate themselves about the issues, form an opinion and join other like-minded folks in a chorus of voices.
Certainly this won’t be the last mention of fracking in the Express and after an editorial authored two weeks ago, it’s no secret that this newspaper editor opposes hydraulic fracturing and hopes it never migrates north into the New York’s Southern Tier. Setting that aside, it’s critical for residents to get the facts and form their own opinions.
Hydraulic fracturing is an important enough issue that every resident of New York should be aware of what it is along with the benefits, impacts and risks claimed by both proponents and opponents.
There are several such opportunities happening this weekend. Anyone who hasn’t formed an opinion about fracking should attend a forum presented by Frack Free Genesee at 7 p.m. Friday night at the Ossian Community Center. Along with it, Star Theatre in Dansville is showing the acclaimed and criticized documentary “Gasland,” chronicling one northern Pennsylvania man’s quest to find out how fracking has impacted communities across the U.S. There are two free showings of “Gasland” — noon this Sunday and 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Admittedly both the forum and the film represent opposition to fracking and it’s important to hear the other side. There will be an opportunity for that this week as well; Dansville was selected as one of four sites where DEC officials will hear comments for and against proposed regulations on fracking, the next closest is 120 miles away in Binghamton. The other two are still more distant in Loch Sheldrake and New York City.
Even if you haven’t made up your mind about hydrofracking, attend all or some of the hearings, 1-4 and 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Dansville Middle School. Then make your voice heard. Written comments can be submitted until Dec. 12 online at www.dec.ny.gov/energy/76838.html or through the mail to:
dSGEIS Comments, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-6510.
