Here are some numbers from the DEP website not mentioned in the Sept. 6 front-page story “Marcellus gas boom continues; On record pace for new wells:”

Of the 356 wells drilled in Butler County, only 105 have been inspected; fewer than 30 percent. Even so, these inspections have resulted in 178 violations; an average of 1.7 violations per well inspected.

Of these, Rex Energy (and its subsidiary RE Energy) has committed 33; and XTO, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil, has committed 22.

There have been 36 cases of failure to properly handle waste, 15 cases of industrial waste or pollution materials reaching bodies of water and six cases related to improper or defective well casing.

It is clear the reporter talked to the industry’s public relations spokespeople, but did he attempt to contact any of the many organizations in the county concerned about drilling in our communities and next to our school? These include Marcellus Outreach Butler, Section 27 Alliance, and Save Lake Arthur Watershed.

I sincerely hope that in the future the Butler Eagle chooses to run the whole story and not just rely on the industry spin.