Islamic Iran, which controls Hezbollah, has repeatedly declared its intention to destroy Israel. The covenant of Hamas states that the destruction of the Jewish state through jihad is Allah's command. The constitution of "moderate" Fatah still reads that liberating all of Palestine is an Arab obligation. Sharing with Nader his sympathy with "peace groups," I urge that he direct his energy and his influence to changing the Hamas covenant and Fatah constitution to acknowledge Israel's right to exist.
Stephen I. Richman
Washington
Regulate drillers,
preserve environment
As you have read in the Observer-Reporter, waste water used in the natural gas drilling process leaked from a 6-inch pipe into a stream at the Cross Creek Park, killing small aquatic life, crayfish, salamander, and water bugs. The unknown is how many wild animals have drunk from the stream and became sick or died.
This is not the first problem Range Resource has had at Cross Creek Park. The first time I read about Range they removed too much water from the lake for their drilling process, therefore killing a whole year of fish spawn, leaving the eggs dry. On another occasion I read an article written by a sports writer from the Observer-Reporter saying he saw muddy water from the drilling site entering the lake.
I have lived in South Franklin Township for 38 years. Within approximately 1.5 miles from my home are four wells that have been drilled by CNX Gas with four or more to be drilled. After drilling has been completed, the sediment waste is buried on site by CNX Gas.
How long do you think it will take to filter into the ground water and contaminate the water table, springs and creeks in this area?
Now we are being approached by Dale Property Service to lease with Chesapeake Energy for the Marcellus shale. They are going to cause more contamination in our township.
Now is the perfect time for local, county, state and federal governments to make these companies accountable for their actions to the environment and the health of the people in this area through legislation.
John Kurucz
South Franklin Township
Don't remove COLAs
On Social Security, it is not right to take away cost of living from the people that rely on it every month. Medicare always go up so does the health insurance.
Why don't the big executives and Congress take pay cuts?
Why pick on the citizens that only have Social Security coming in each month? What about the children and families that get SSI?
Olive Fonner
Washington