To the editor:
I just read an article recently that stated Pennsylvania created 88,000 in-state jobs through gas drilling so far. I doubt if they imported all those people from other states.
I live around gas drilling and I have for about 10 years. Believe me, it’s hard to spot a rig anywhere. They are careful to keep them out of the public thoroughfares.
I have never seen a truck, smelled a smell, or noticed much about the business; it didn’t change anything.
For being allowed to drill in an area the size of Manhattan, 40 million dollars per year has poured into this region. Most has been used to renovate/build public buildings, or been distributed to homeowners.
When homeowners in an area double, triple, or quadruple their household income (with no work involved) the area suddenly has new life-additions on houses, patios, landscaping, new paint jobs, new houses.
Sullivan County can go from shabby/rural (but still pretty) to comfortably lovely.
While I wouldn’t want to see it turn into the Hamptons, its inhabitants would have a much easier time surviving. No college loans, no worries about retirement, being able to help the kids with a down payment … being able to pay taxes …
I don’t know why the newspapers never point out the positive aspects of drilling. We simply should not let this opportunity slip by due to hysterics and uniformed suppositions that predict the whole area will change. Take it from me, it won’t.
Careful drilling, regulated drilling is the answer.
New York chases so many businesses away by over-regulating and over-taxing, then they try to make up the difference by taxing the residents (an easy place to find money).
Allow drilling, watch it carefully, and see what effortless money can do to improve quality of life.
Name withheld by request, Texas
The Catskill Chronicle 
I am the person who wrote the above article on drilling. It’s funny that every time I defend drilling, someone up there thinks I work for an energy company.
I’m a stay-at-home mom who drives 3 kids around in a mini-van. I’m just calling it as I see it, no ulterior motives.
Once, someone discovered my last name matches some oil executive somewhere, and figured I had an ulterior motive. It’s comical, really. If you just look at some states who do this successfully, I think all the theatrics and wild claims would calm down. If I only read the NY newspapers, I would think they were shooting napalm into the drinking water!
Read both sides of the story. Gas is free money, and boy, could we all use a little of that. You should consider yourself lucky to be sitting on it.
OMG! Do you think I just fell off the turnip truck? “Name withheld by request, Texas” is only too obviously the PR man for Exxon.
I have the person’s name in my file. And I really don’t think it’s the PR man for EXXON.