Wayne Miller's Page

Hi Wayne,

We road bicycles 28 miles yesterday beginning from the hospital in Troy heading north up 41 to go off on the side roads to the northeast and then swinging back to the west. It was wonderful to be on the ground of the places I have been looking at through 'distant' eyes. The landscape is beautiful. 

A few things that stood out besides well pads every 1-1.5 miles, were the wind turbines on the ridge to the south, the dairy farms without cows, and the ups and downs over dirt roads. We climbed 3,000' in 28 miles. A good workout!

Hope your day out of town is good. I am staying here through mid-day Tuesday then heading back to Warren. On the way will visit a friend who has an oil and gas service business in McKean County and has worked for a number of companies on Marcellus sites.

- Deb

Thank you Wayne for getting back to me and answering my first questions.

I too have been mapping, but not at the extent that you are by including the well leases and keeping up with changes. This is quite a service! I wonder what types of people use your map? I wonder how much time you invest? You must be close friends by now with some of the courthouse staff! And...It seems to me that you are 'part' geographer. Every geographer loves maps.

I would really like to meet with you next week, either Monday night or during the daytime on Tuesday. I would like to look at the Google map with you and have you talk about it, and I would also like to hear about the pipeline.

I am coming to Bradford County to do my last field work on my dissertation. Bill and I arrive Sunday afternoon into Horseheads. I could not afford a hotel in Towanda. We are going to ride bicycles Sunday afternoon. Then, on Monday I meet with different people about my research pertaining to the impact of technology on society: fracing in the Marcellus of PA. My goal is to listen to as many people as possible about how the drilling has impacted them and what are their interests. I am meeting with residents at the Library, the County Emergency Management Director, and Talisman (Fortuna) so far. I would like to meet with some of those working on the rigs, running small businesses, and on and on.

Finally, I am a native Pennsylvanian, from Warren. I cannot wait to be back with my own! I grew up in Warren and moved to northern Kentucky/Cincinnati. Warren has a landscape of oil, gas, timber, some industry and farms. Fracing was a part of life. So, this new shale drilling (deep, directional + fraced), that seems to be called "fracking" these days and that there is such concern about all around the world became of interest to me for my dissertation research. Your county has the most Marcellus wells in PA, is not far from my Mom's, so I choose to come out to see for myself. 

OK...So, would you agree to meet with me to talk about the map, the impacts and what ever else you think I should hear about?

I look forward to hearing back from you. I can send more info about my work too.

- Deb

P.S. I wonder if cars are speeding on those new roads?! Ha, ha. It will be nice to ride them on our bicycles.