GAS DRILLING TAKES TOLL IN WETZEL CO.

(03/27/2008)

WTRF-TV in Wheeling says it's been about two years since Chesapeake Energy started drilling for natural gas in the Silver Hill area of Wetzel County. Resident Jim Keeney says, "It's just made life pretty miserable out here," referring to road conditions on route 89, Macedonia Ridge Road and several others. Kenney says the roads were never meant to handle the dozens of heavy trucks and wide loads which now ride on them to support drilling operations. Cars get stuck in ditches and have side mirrors torn off trying to let the trucks pass by. WTRF-TV says the tar and chip roads have been destroyed, creating heavy dust. Chesapeake agreed to idle their trucks while school buses run the routes. Rose Baker said, "The infrastructure should have been built up to support this and it hasn't been done. I don't see anyone from Charleston coming up here to replace my tires when they hit a pothole and get busted." The citizens group advocates more intense advance planning, before the drilling rigs arrive. When the drilling operations leave the area, the roads will likely be put on a long waiting list for repair.

Hur Herald ®from Sunny Cal The information on these pages, to the extent the law allows, remains the exclusive property of Bob Weaver and Dianne Weaver The Hur Herald. All information may be freely used but must not be sold or used in any type of commercial endeavor, or used on any web site without the express permission of the owners ©Bob and Dianne Weaver, The Hur Herald, 1999, 2000, 2001