A State Park WIth A Terrible Disease

When you think of a state park what comes to mind? Majestic peaked pathways to the sun by way of mountains? Calming crystal lakes lapping longingly against the sun baked shore? Dancing tall grasses hissing in the wind beckoning for a romantic interlude? Fresh meadows of fragrant wild flowers waltzing to whimsical music? William Blake, a poet from the mid 1700s recounts his encounter with nature untouched:

I slept in the Earth
In the silent night,
I murmur'd my fears
And I felt delight.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

I'm almost positive that when you go to a state park that you're not expecting to see this. "A veritable pincushion of drill pads, storage tanks, roads, clear cuts, holding ponds and pollution."

I had blogged about relationships previously and how sometimes things can move so quickly that you don't have time to consider the impact of all that's happening. That's what has happened in the Allegheny National Forest.

I'm not sure why current management of the forest decided to go to bed with the natural gas and oil industry, but they found out quickly that is wasn't what they expected. In fact, the entire experience was rather painful and harmful. Upon realizing their horrible mistake, the Forest
Service demanded a complete stop to all drilling activities. Well, the Foresters found out that like a STD, somethings are hard to get rid of. How did the natural gas and oil drillers respond? Of course, they do what they always do, threatened us with the economy, dangled their gags of money in front of a few people...and you know what? It works. They got some of their bedroom buddies to sign a petition to allow them to continue their unsafe practices, so they can continue to spread the disease. Who they send this petition to, you ask? President Obama. Let's just hope that President Obama has protection.