I attended last Thursday’s “fracking” meeting with Sen. Blake and Rep. Boles. There was no mention in Ted Natt’s article that both had voted for a bill (SB 709); they were neither knowledgeable nor prepared to answer questions.

Audience members seemed to know more about fracking and its environmental risks than they did. Few questions were reliably answered regarding North Carolina’s fiscal safety (citizens are legally responsible for huge initial compensation, post-­disaster), the required water availability or the guaranteed future safety of drinking water supplies.

The newly formed legislative advisory board includes fewer environmental representatives and more investor-members than might prevent special ­interests from polluting North Carolina communities just when the state’s environmental inspection workers are being down-sized.

Fracking in North Carolina seems to be a done deal, with safety investigation occurring after these bills are adopted into law. Blake’s and Boles’ emphasis on the “study” aspect of gas drilling bill HB 242 attempted to distract the audience from that fact. As S.O.S member Joe MacDonald stated from his observation of North Carolina politics, once the bills are on the books, actions are set in motion. The Pilot seems to be complicit by publishing only the news that fits in with those vested interests.

The unpublished resounding sentiment in that room last Thursday evening was the growing opinion of citizens across our state: We do not want fracking in North Carolina. Period.

The accurate tenor: “We don’t need your money, we don’t need your jobs.”

Mostly, we don’t need your ­pollution.

Lisa Bailey

Southern Pines