Last fall when I attended Shale Gas Outrage, I had the opportunity to go to the press conference before the demonstration and listen to those who have been affected by fracking. One of the people who spoke at the press conference was Carol French, a dairy farmer from Bradford County who has lost many cows due to fracking processes in her area. In the last 9 days, Mrs. French has had 3 pregnant cows abort their calves, and in desperation she took to Facebook to post her story. Please help us share her story so that those sitting in the Governor’s Office and the Rachel Carson Building finally get it through their thick skulls that fracking isn’t safe. The post reads:

If I hear one more New York farmer or any Farmer tell me that they want Natural Gas drilling in their state or they signed a gas lease to “SAVE their FAMILY FARM” I will probably lose it! Today I thought it’s going to be a good day. We didn’t lose power (snowstorm). We made our way to the barn to only find that another cow aborts her calf. She was eight months into her pregnancy. Before I was done milking my cows, cow number three starts to abort her calf. She too is eight months into her pregnancy. In nine days we have had three cows lose their calves. For people not familiar with farming I will explain the dilemma. A cow should be “dry” for 2months before giving birth. A cow that aborts during this time of her pregnancy doesn’t “come into” her milk real well. This Farmer counts on the replacement calves to continue farming the same number of cows. I have heard from other farmers with “changed” water having similar problems. If this is true, the money from the lease, royalties, and signing other agreements will NOT offset the cost of 1. Losing your health. 2. Losing your family business, 3. Losing the value of your property. With this stripped from you, what will you have? A farmer claiming that this natural gas extraction is going to save the farm is sadly mistaken. Should that farmer count on this money and lose everything that I had mentioned ……………. He defiantly will lose his farm to the gas industry without a dime in his pocket! …………. Just a farmer sounding off, before I lose it!! Hoping tomorrow will be a better day!

I want to thank everyone for their expression of concern and thoughtfulness. It has been nearly 4 years, my neighbor (Carolyn Knapp) and I have been giving presentations on our experiences with Natural Gas Exploration that has been taking place in our area. My reason for putting my story out there was to educate the public so everyone would know how to rebuttal the gas industry statements, on how it would create energy independence, bring our soldiers home, jobs, and of course this was going to save the family farm. I wrote about the events taking place on my farm this morning so all of you could feel the heartache and despair we are feeling as we watch our investment, our livelihood go down the drain, not because of what we may have done wrong, but because of what is taking place on our neighboring property. Please understand I do appreciate your concern, but I would rather you stand by my side and fight with me against my state, Pennsylvania. I have tried everything in my power to get my state agency to sample and test my water. The department of Environmental Protection has refused to do so. Now my “claim” is sitting before the governors’ council. It is just sitting there while I sit here watching my cows lose their calves. Over three months ago I wrote a letter stating my concerns for our product and my cattle’s health to my Secretary of Agriculture, Sec. Greig. He was aware of my story due to my published story in the Farm Journal, which was placed on his desk, prior to our meeting. No one in our state has even attempted to right the wrong. So today, out of desperation I am asking my fellow neighboring state, New York to help us……………. Help Pennsylvania fight against Hydro- Fracturing and what it has done to its people living in Pennsylvania. Please remember, what my neighbor agrees to do on his property will affect me, just like what Pennsylvania will do in its state will affect New York, West Virginia, and Ohio. All of these states have become Pennsylvania’s drilling waste dumping grounds for the gas industry. Please make calls on our behalf to our Pennsylvania Governor, state representative Tina Pickett, Sandra Major, Matt Baker, and of course Sen. Gene Yaw. Please I feel like the freak show more than a person trying to educate others, so we can help each other in this fight!

Thank You