The LuLac Edition #1215, June 21st, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: 117TH DISTRICT HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE KAREN BOBACK.

BOBACK TAKES AIM

Belated kudos to State Representastive Karen Boback who recently asked for some brakes to be put on this drilling in and around her district. Boback (R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming) announced her intent to introduce legislation that will provide additional protections for public drinking water supplies, as the natural gas drilling industry continues to grow in Pennsylvania.
“Natural gas drilling has the potential to be the most promising economic boon for our Commonwealth, but we have to proceed with caution and make sure we are putting the health and safety of our citizens first,” said Boback. “I am introducing this legislation to put additional safeguards in place for the drinking water sources we all share and on which we rely. As we have seen from the catastrophe in the Gulf, once an accident occurs, it is difficult to restore our natural resources. I believe the best approach is to proceed with caution.”
Boback’s legislation would require companies seeking drilling permits in close proximity to public drinking water sources to provide the following information to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP):
1. Names of all surface landowners with water supplies within a mile of a proposed well – said landowners will also be notified of proposed drilling.
2. An emergency contingency plan.
3. An analysis of the travel time of a release to the nearest waterway.
4. The zone of influence on groundwater.
In addition, it would require DEP to notify all public water drinking operators within the watershed that a well permit has been submitted and to publish a notice in the PA Bulletin if it believes a proposed well site will have the potential to affect a public water supply. Finally, it would include a prohibition on horizontal drilling beneath any public drinking water source and would increase the buffer between any drill site and public drinking water sources.
“If an accident were to occur that would taint public water supplies, it would have a devastating effect on the lives and health of area residents and on the community itself,” said Boback. “My legislation is another precaution to protect those I serve.” Boback noted that this legislation will be part of a package of bills aimed at increasing the safety of Pennsylvania’s waterways.
Alternative energy is fine. Getting money for your land is fine. But as I stated in an earlier edition, the minerals were under the earth for centuries, what’s a few more months of study to make sure the water well are not contaminated and that these “experts” have a plan.

DEBIT SWIPES

How about the latest thing going on with Debit cards and check cards. Banks actually charge you a swipe fee. Every time you use the card, you are charged a swipe fee. If it were up to the bloated, unethical credit cards companies, they’d put a fee on people taking a breath. Here’s what you do. DON’T USE DEBIT CARDS. DON’T GET THEM FROM YOUR BANK OR CREDIT UNION. AND IF YOU HAVE A CREDIT/DEBIT CARD, ASK THE MERCHANT TO USE CREDIT. I know it is tough to do but I’m not asking anyone to do something I haven’t done. Cut all your uses for monthly credit. Pay it off. Overpay them by a buck if you can and keep the balance there for a year. It’ll drive the bastard pigs crazy seeing that buck sitting in there. Sooner or later they’ll have to have a meeting about your buck. Managers will “tut tut”, supervisors will be given directives to “investigate” why there is no activity. The Marketing people will be charged with analyzing why you aren’t spending anymore. Then they’ll send you that glorious check for your buck. And you’ll know that you made the credit card companies that have been raping middle America actually work for a living. Swipe fee! The Mafia guys on TV had more honor.

LUZERNE COUNTY TAXES

According to the Times Leader this weekend, there are a lot of people in the county who owe back taxes on property. What was surprising to me were the number of people who sold properties but still owed taxes on them. I might be a real dunce who has faithfully paid all my taxes gladly through the years on the theory that taxes are the dues we pay to live in a civil society. But aren't all tax liens supposed to be satisfied before you get to sell it? Just asking.