Jeremy Moule's article on Marcellus shale natural-gas drilling was timely, but he obviously did not speak with anyone who is directly affected by the drilling and is fighting it vigorously ("It's a gas," November 26). He interviews a mining consultant, paid staffers of non-profit environmental groups, and a state DEC representative, then makes the claim that "statewide environmental groups do not oppose drilling in the Marcellus, they simply want to make sure that it's done safely."

I know many people in the Finger Lakes region whose land and watershed are threatened by gas wells and pipelines, and they have worked with their neighbors to form the Shaleshock Citizens Action Alliance. Without any paid staffers, they have organized study groups and held public informational forums; their website links to a number of other groups in New York that vocally oppose natural gas drilling.

Some oppose natural gas drilling along with oil drilling and coal mining to underline the fact that burning any kind of fossil fuel causes global warming, and our extraction processes irreparably damage the earth. Other groups have simply looked at the experiences of communities that have already have massive drilling fields, like Sublette County, Wyoming, and decided that such operations are not welcome near them. Water safety, noise pollution, air pollution, and radioactive contamination are among the problems that have been cited at public hearings.

As a result of hydrofracking, toxic chemicals have ended up in well water in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and several Rocky Mountain states. Out of concern for the safety of their watershed, New York City recently banned gas drilling within a mile of their reservoirs, which sit on top of gas-rich shale. The 2004 EPA study that found hydraulic fracturing fluid injection to pose no risk to drinking water was at best a sloppy investigation, and at worst a case of knowingly sacrificing the health of plants, animals, and humans for the profit of the energy industry.

The DEC's comment period is open on this subject until December 15th. Let there be no doubt that there is resistance to drilling in New York State's Marcellus shale.

EMILY GOOD, ROCHESTER