The Town of Highland recently passed a ban on fracking, and Fremont passed a pro-fracking resolution the very next night. The difference between these two actions is striking. I’m not talking about the different views they represent; I’m talking about the way the towns conducted business.

Highland adopted its fracking ban at the end of a long process that included numerous public hearings and hours of open debate. At one point, the proposed law was rewritten to address the concerns of some residents. By the time it was finally passed, there could be little doubt that the fracking ban represented the will of the great majority of the residents.

In Fremont, residents weren’t even allowed to read the resolution before it was passed by the board. Did it actually represent the views of the residents of the town? Who knows? Not the town board, that’s for sure.

Bruce Ferguson

Callicoon Center, NY