Pa. should brace itself for environmental woes

What happened to Dunkard Creek ("Sudden Death of Ecosystem Ravages Long Creek," Sept. 20; "Golden Algae to Blame for Dunkard Creek Fish Kill," Sept. 25) is just the beginning of a huge environmental nightmare developing in Pennsylvania. As soon as I began reading, I wondered if the Marcellus Shale drilling would be involved.

Out-of-state drilling companies come dangling the promise of royalties in front of cash-strapped landowners and local governments, who find it hard to resist. But at what price?

Fresh water is not an infinite resource. When 4 million gallons of water are needed for each well and wells are sprouting like mushrooms, where is all this water coming from and where is it going?

If this chemical-laced water stays underground, eventually it will seep into aquifers used for drinking. If it comes to the surface and is stored in reservoirs, it poisons wildlife attracted to it. If the operator takes the easy way out, he can dump it and the chances of tracking it to him are slim.

We already have a legacy of acid-mine drainage from the coal industry. In the future, we will have a much bigger legacy of dead streams. Someday our society might wake up and begin to treat legitimate environmental concerns with something other than political tree-hugger demonization. Then we may finally recognize what we have lost, but it will be too late.

MARY L. BLAZINA
McKeesport

Responsible way

Regarding letters by Dr. Edward Ketyer and Joe Krajcovic about the Sept. 20 article "Sudden Death of Ecosystem Ravages Long Creek":

In September 1988, Phillips Exploration of Warrendale drilled a gas well on our property about seven miles west of Indiana, Pa. Before drilling, the company dug a very large crater and lined it with plastic. All results of drilling with its "total dissolved solids" were held in this crater and then trucked away. This is a longtime, continuing policy of the company -- laborious and costly, but an ethical practice.

If drilling by a gas company is responsible for the above, there is no excuse for such pollution.

MARJORIE F. SHIPE
Penn Hills

Prayer censorship

Regarding the letter "What's Next?" (Sept. 13), the writer wonders what is next in censorship within our schools. He is appalled at the banning of President Barack Obama's speech in some schools. Why? This is obviously the next logical step in the progression of censorship in the schools in the United States. Our Founding Fathers set forth this great country upon the principles of faith in God. We have managed to erase God's name not only from our schools but from all government functions as well. The president was next to go. Why not?

We have sent our students the message that if you bully or threaten, you will get your way. They have not been taught to respect but to be fearful -- fearful of the truth. They are no longer taught the whole story of our Founding Fathers. Thus, they cannot respect the truth of our Founding Fathers and their faith in God. So why respect the president?

We have already sent a horribly clear message to our students and it has been heard loud and clear. Threats work! Through threats we have managed to erase all references of our origins from our schools -- our true origins. Should our students hear the speeches of our president? Yes! But they should also be heard with an opening and closing prayer to the God of our Founding Fathers.

JEFF KYLER
Robinson

Vision of unity

In 1809, Thomas Campbell's Declaration and Address rolled off a press in Washington County and started a movement that changed Christian churches around the world. The Declaration has been called a "charter of liberty for free Christians everywhere." Campbell believed Americans could move beyond the religious differences of the time, and he envisioned one church, in which all Christians were considered "precious saints of God."

Campbell's Declaration continues to nourish the church's vision and commitment to be faithfully one church. What is now called the Stone-Campbell movement has 3.5 million members in three Christian branches, Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ and Churches of Christ. Also, three U.S. presidents have been active in Stone-Campbell churches: James Garfield, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan. Locally, 30 congregations in Washington and Greene counties trace their heritage to this movement.

Tomorrow, Worldwide Communion Sunday, many Christians will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of Campbell's Declaration. Campbell's simple belief, first proclaimed in Pennsylvania, that unity was essential to the survival of the church and could be achieved by emphasizing the New Testament practice has inspired generations to continue the work of Christian unity today.

ARTHUR B.KEYS JR.
President
International Relief and Development
Washington, D.C.
PETER M. MORGAN
President Emeritus
Disciples of Christ Historical Society
Nashville, Tenn.

Do your part

We are looking at the loss of libraries in Pittsburgh.

I have a better plan. For the past month or so I have simply contributed $1 every time I go to the library. It does not matter how many books or movies I take out.

I think this is something everyone can afford. If you are a child or someone who cannot afford a dollar, there should not be a problem. It should be completely voluntary. However, I think a lot of people would be happy to do this.

The library is such an extraordinary pleasure that we should really fight to keep all of them. Here's hoping that everyone will jump on board.

SAL SABATUCCI
Beechview

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