I am a citizen of Floyd County, Georgia, and I am writing to express my concern about oil and gas drilling in our community. I believe we need to adopt ordinances to regulate these industries. Fracking is a real threat, and we need to take local steps to prevent it from destroying our way of life.
Why is this important?
Many citizens in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia have leased their mineral rights (e.g., oil and natural gas) to out-of-state companies that seek to drill in our community. Vertical "test" wells pose some risk, but horizontal drilling, or fracking, poses significant risk to our community. Fracking has been associated with ground and surface water contamination, with road damage, with air and noise pollution, with earthquakes, and with negative health consequences. Of particular concern are the risks to citizens and businesses who rely on well water.
