Fracking bidders top farmers at water auction

[XemaSab]

Front Range farmers bidding for water to grow crops through the coming hot summer and possible drought face new competition from oil and gas drillers.

At Colorado's premier auction for unallocated water this spring, companies that provide water for hydraulic fracturing at well sites were top bidders on supplies once claimed exclusively by farmers.

The prospect of tussling with energy industry giants over water leaves some farmers and environmentalists uneasy.
"What impact to our environment and our agricultural heritage are Coloradans willing to stomach for drilling and fracking?" said Gary Wockner, director of the Save the Poudre Coalition, devoted to protecting the Cache la Poudre River.

"Farm water grows crops, but it also often supports wildlife, wetlands and stream flows back to our rivers. Most drilling and fracking water is lost from the hydrological cycle forever," Wockner said. "Any transfer of water from rivers and farms to drilling and fracking will negatively impact Colorado's environment and wildlife."

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainmentcolumnists/ci_20306480/fracking-bidders-top-farmers-at-water-auction#ixzz1vLCrZYCJ

[matt819]

1. The farmers are right, of course

but I would also put money on the likelihood that they vote "right" as well. If I'm wrong, my apologies. But if I'm not, they're reaping what they themselves have sowed. And I'll further put money on the likelihood that they will vote GOP in November.

[Politicalboi]

2. Do we really have to go there

Fracking over food and clean drinking water, and the environment. Fracking needs to STOP now.

[XemaSab]

4. The thing that I find so galling

is that we're ruining the ground water for hundreds of years just so that we can have cheap natural gas now.

People are going to be SOOOOO pissed at us in the future.

The closest analogy I can think of is what gold mining did to the foothills and waterways in California, but times infinity. With no potable water, how can anyone ever live or farm in any of these areas again?

[joshcryer]

5. What pisses me off more is people buy into, and tout natural gas + renewables.

It's a fucking horror show.

[XemaSab]

6. You hush now!

If they hear you speaking ill of Clean Energy we'll all be in trouble.

[joshcryer]

7. If natural gas were "clean" there would be no Clean Air and Clean Water Act exemptions.

They rely on those exemptions to make a profit, without those exemptions it's arguable that new natural gas would be inviable.

[madamesilverspurs]

3. We're on it --

because the Weld County Commissioners (they're all GOP, by the way) think that 17000+ such wells in the county is a good thing.

We think otherwise:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100003590225095


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