To the editor:

I am vehemently opposed to permitting “fracking” in Kansas, which the Journal-World has described in a recent article on Oct. 25, 2017. As a scientist, I have read many reports over the past few years regarding the harmful environmental effects this technology has caused.

Three states, Maryland (March 2017), New York (2012) and Vermont (2012) have all banned fracking, also known as UOGD or unconventional oil and gas development, as have five counties in California. Pennsylvania has many reports of health problems and water contamination. Oklahoma has seen a dramatic rise in earthquakes due to the disposal of waste water by injection deep into the earth. The waste water from this process is saline and contains dangerous toxic chemicals known to cause health problems including benzene, a known carcinogen, toluene, a neurotoxin and hydrogen sulfide, a lung irritant which can cause asthma. To learn more about this subject, check out “earthjustice.org” or many other internet sources. I urge our officials to deny permits to use this technology just five miles south of Lawrence, Kan.