In the small town of Dimock, Pennsylvania, the specter of fracking has once again reared its ugly head, stirring up fury among residents who thought they had seen the last of the controversial drilling practice. Fifteen years after the town’s water supply turned a sickening shade of brown and even caught fire due to fracking-related contamination, politicians are courting votes in this crucial swing state by embracing a return to drilling – and locals are outraged.
A Town Torn Apart
Dimock, a rural community of just 1,200 people, found itself at the epicenter of the fracking debate in 2009 when drilling by Texas-based Coterra Energy unleashed a nightmare for residents. Private water wells, which the town relies on, suddenly began spewing mud-brown, undrinkable liquid that reeked of chemicals. In some cases, the water was so laden with flammable methane gas that it could be set ablaze right out of the tap.
Ray Kemble, a military veteran and former truck driver, described his water as smelling like “every household chemical you can think of” blended with “two asses of a skunk.” He blames the contamination, which contains toxins like arsenic and uranium, for health problems including the loss of most of his teeth. “It’s a fricking nightmare,” Kemble said. “Without clean water, air, and soil, we’re all freaking dead.”
Political Maneuvering
Now, as Pennsylvania takes center stage in the presidential election, politicians are scrambling to position themselves as pro-fracking in a bid to win over voters in this must-win state. President Trump has blasted his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, with ads claiming she wants to ban fracking, which employs around 16,000 people in Pennsylvania. But Harris insists she will not ban the practice, with both candidates seemingly willing to overlook the risks in pursuit of electoral victory.
“Sure as hell, I’m not voting for either of those two assholes,” Kemble said of the candidates’ stance on fracking. His neighbor, Victoria Switzer, a former schoolteacher, shares his frustration. “I like Kamala, but I was unhappy when she said she wouldn’t ban fracking,” Switzer said. “People are held hostage by the fossil fuel industry here.”
A Controversial Comeback
Coterra, the company responsible for the 2009 contamination, was barred from drilling in Dimock for over a decade. But in a stunning reversal, the company has been allowed to resume operations thanks to a deal struck with Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro. As part of the agreement, felony charges against Coterra for destroying Dimock’s water were dropped.
“I was shocked. I was a fan of Shapiro but he betrayed us,” Switzer said of the deal, which caught residents off guard. Coterra wasted no time moving back in, erecting three massive well pads that tunnel deep into the shale beneath Dimock to access valuable natural gas deposits. The drilling has brought sleepless nights for Switzer, whose home now sits above one of 11 horizontal wells snaking for miles underground.
Profits Over People?
Critics argue that politicians and drillers are putting profits over people in the rush to exploit Pennsylvania’s vast fossil fuel reserves. While the industry brings jobs and revenue, residents fear a repeat of the toxic nightmare they endured 15 years ago. Studies have linked fracking to elevated risks of childhood cancers, asthma, and birth defects – an unacceptable tradeoff, according to those who have seen the damage firsthand.
“It’s teasingly cruel to do this to people. When you look at people in Dimock, you see pain and uncertainty in their eyes,” said Cornell University engineer Anthony Ingraffea, who has advised impacted residents. He sees little hope of preventing further water contamination. “The nine square miles of Dimock is a goldmine of natural gas. Coterra will be happy getting hold of that in return for a water pipeline that I don’t think will ever be built.”
A Toxic Legacy
As drilling resumes and politicians court votes, those suffering the consequences feel abandoned by leaders who should be protecting them. For Ray Kemble, who now hauls his water from a hydrant after rigging up cameras in fear of retaliation for speaking out, it’s the final straw. He’s planning to leave Dimock, his home of 30 years, and donate his house to researchers to investigate the contamination that upended his life.
“I’m tired of all the bullshit, all the stories and all the fucking crap,” Kemble said. “There’s going to be a scientist behind every tree here. I want the hell out of here.” His parting gift, in a town scarred by the pursuit of fossil fuels, is to leave behind evidence of fracking’s toxic legacy – and a warning of the perils of choosing profits over clean water, air, and the health of communities like Dimock caught in the crosshairs.
