In October of 2009, when I first interviewed Louanne Fatora concerning the poisoning of Buckeye Creek in Doddridge County, West Virginia, she was immersed in the environmental detective work of determining who was responsible for the contamination incident. On February 5th, 2011, I interviewed Louanne a second time to obtain her story of how that detective work had turned out. I heard frustration in her voice. I sensed a struggle within her to deal with the stress of relentlessly pounding on doors that are kept closed by powerful people who do not care about the quality of West Virginia streams or any other part of Nature. I have felt that same stress myself in decades of cancer detective work.
She does not say on the record who did what to contaminate Buckeye Creek with shale gas drilling waste water containing fracturing fluid chemicals. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection imposed a small fine on the gas company that possessed the well involved in this incident.
The creek continues to display signs of environmental damage. The clean-up was inadequate. The West Virginia Legislature is trying to produce legislation that will address some of the problems associated with shale gas exploitation.
She won't give up! Viva the Revolution!
Cancer Action NY Cancer Action Network Donald L. Hassig, Producer