John Boyle

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CULLOWHEE – Homeless men unfamiliar with fracking were bused from Winston-Salem to a state hearing Friday on the controversial technique for extracting natural gas, an effort to bolster a pro-fracking turnout, according to an environmental group and a published report.

"They were clueless," said Bettie "Betsy" Ashby, a member of the Jackson County Coalition Against Fracking. "At least two of them I met definitely came from a homeless shelter. One of them even apologized to me and said, 'I didn't know they were trying to do this to me.' One said, 'I did it for the...' and then he rubbed his fingers together like 'for the money.'"

Several of the men were wearing turquoise shirts or hats that said "Shale Yes" on the front and "Energy Creates Jobs" and "N.C. Energy Coalition.com" on the back.

The hearing about hydraulic fracturing took place at Western Carolina University and attracted about 600 people. Opposition to fracking was overwhelming in comments made during the four-hour hearing, hosted by the N.C. Mining and Energy Commission.

Fracking involves pumping a mixture of sand, water and chemicals into deep shale formations, then fracturing the rock to release the gas. Opponents say it can pollute groundwater and leave property owners with useless land.

On its website, the N.C. Energy Coalition notes that it is sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute, which advocates for the oil and natural gas industries.

The Energy Coalition says its mission "is to provide the public with factual information and offer an in-depth look into oil and natural gas industry in North Carolina."

Algenon L. Cash, chairman of the N.C. Energy Forum, sent a one-sentence response when asked about the incident by email.

"There was a homeless person who, once we identified, we politely asked him to leave," Cash said.

He did not address follow-up questions.

The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League filmed Ashby interacting with some of the men from Winston-Salem, whom she says identified themselves as homeless.

One man, who identified himself as "Christian Bradshaw," initially said, "We feel we did not know about none of this." But later he adds, "We're pretty much out here supporting the needs of energy (and) jobs."

His friends begin laughing. One of them covers his face with his hat. Another man, wearing a T-shirt with marijuana leaves on it that says, "Please Keep on the Grass," yells a comment about legalizing marijuana as he heads into the auditorium.

A man wearing a turquoise "Shale Yes" shirt and an identification badge tells Ashby, "They're here to learn." When the cameraman approaches, the man flips the ID badge around.

Ashby said one of the men told her he didn't want to talk because he feared the trip organizers would not give him a ride back to Winston-Salem.

"They were scared," Ashby said. "I don't think they had any idea what they were getting into. Once they realized it, they were very uncomfortable. They were completely clueless about what fracking is. They're being exploited seven ways to Sunday."

Ashby said she counted 21 people wearing the turquoise shirts, but she's not suggesting they were all homeless.

The Sylva Herald reported about 18 men wearing the "Shale Yes" shirts attended.

Some said they are confused about why they were in Cullowhee, the paper said. One man showed a Bethesda Center For The Homeless business card.

Derrick Parker, who works at the Bethesda Center helping homeless people get permanent housing, watched the YouTube video and said he did not recognize any of the men depicted. But he said he heard people talking about the trip Friday morning at the shelter.

"When I came to work that morning some of them were asking about taking a trip," Parker said. "I didn't have a clue about what they were talking about."

His knowledge of the trip is secondhand, Parker stressed. From what he heard, he said he would "guesstimate four-five men" took the trip to Cullowhee.

"I'm going to venture to say these guys had no idea what they were doing," Parker said. "I don't know about taking advantage of them, but if I go by what this population is working on and working with, they're hardly delving into the area of geology."

The N.C. General Assembly fast-tracked approving fracking last year, but it has not yet begun in North Carolina. At the earliest, natural gas extraction could start in March 2015, said Jamie Kritzer, spokesman for the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources.