This past Friday, Wetzel County Sheriff James Hoskins testified in Charleston before the WV House Judiciary Committee. He said the main issue is the influx of drilling company activity to the area which is “disturbing a way of life that people are used to.” Hoskins said Wetzel County is “Ground Zero” when it comes to studying the effects of the Marcellus Rush on West Virginia. He is worried about “oversized and over-width” trucks driving on Wetzel County’s narrow country roads, with steep grades and sharp turns.
“We have caught 13 undocumented workers in the last few years, several of whom were working for drilling contractors in the area,” said Sheriff Hoskins. The unemployment rate increased from 12.5 percent in November to 14.4 percent in December, prompting Hoskins to note, “When we have high unemployment around here, we should be giving these jobs to our workers.”
The US EPA has issued four or more citations for possible violations of the Clean Water Act in Wetzel and Marshall counties to Marcellus drillers. Also, State environmental regulators have issued citations for “failing to prevent the release of natural gas and the potential pollution of waters of the state.” Hoskins also spoke to the committee about concerns regarding water contamination, fires, explosions and other problems.
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