Walnut Cove commissioners are defending their decision to allow a drilling project to assess the Dan River Basin for the presence of shale gas. A public comment meeting one day after the early start of the project turned contentious.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports a large crowd opposed to fracking walked out of Tuesday night's meeting in protest.
Before walking out, the crowd started singing in unison, on their feet, which the commissioners allowed despite the protest not being on the agenda.
Following that walkout, the commissioners discussed a letter from the local NAACP. The letter asks that they rescind the permission they had given DENR to use town land.
The officials earlier told the crowd that the notion of rescinding permission was moot as the drilling team had already started the project. They also noted the town could be held liable for the cost of the project even if drilling was halted. The price tag is $91,500.
The drilling was not supposed to begin until Friday, but residents were surprised when a crew contracted by state geologists began their work on Monday.
300x250 Ad
300x250 Ad