Marcellus and Utica Shale Drilling

It continues to astound me the hypocracy and ignorance in the drama unfolding in the Marcellus and Utica Shale gas plays. The fact of the matter is that the natural gas to be found in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations could make us energy independent for the first time in 50 years. The drama is a direct result of ignorance. Ignorance of the process, ignorance of the history and the mistaken notion that somehow we will be all right if we just converted to renewable energy. While that notion is laudable the reality is ridiculous. Less than 4% of our energy comes from renewables. Even if you add in hydro power you only get to about 11% and there are no more rivers to be dammed. With continued growth in population we will barely meet the increasing demand for computer energy much less displace fossil fuels. With energy efficiency and better technology we may slow the growth in demand but we will not reverse it anytime soon. As oil, natural gas and coal become harder to find and extract, the price will rise and when it does, the alternatives begin to look better. Forcing the issue with government intervention is counter productive. Trying to deny people their private property rights is bad government. As the story unfolds I think we will see the advocates are the people who own the property and the mineral rights and the anti-drilling zealots are the people who don't.