Volunteer Enjoys Sunday Matinee

Sunday, January 26, 2014
I’m a fairly new volunteer for the Southeast Environmental Task Force and I helped out with the first of their 2014 matinees. Quite honestly, I didn’t expect so many people to come due to the poor weather but we had a nice crowd, enjoyed refreshments, and had a lively discussion afterward.
The documentary shown was “The Price of Sand.” I came away with learning about what it means to have a mining firm move into your community and its effects.  Effects such as how these companies acquire land, the process called fracking, and the devastating results to the land, and the daily life of the people because of noise, pollution, and their health and so on.
It seems to me that the mining firms use the fact that communities don’t have the laws or regulations in place already so the mines buy land quietly before any regulations exist.
I would encourage communities everywhere to go to their lawmakers to find out if they have acceptable laws or regulations in place for industries such as mining, the stockpiling of bulk materials like petcoke. and if they don’t, draft them as soon as possible.
These industries may be coming to your neighborhood!
Thanks to all the braved the weather and know that your support is very much appreciated!
Rita Campbell