[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"544","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"386","style":"width: 366px; height: 294px; margin: 3px 10px; float: left;","title":"Cartoon: John Cole","width":"480"}}]]In March, a federal jury awarded a total of $4.2 million to two families from Dimock, Pennsylvania whose drinking water wells have been contaminated by Cabot Oil and Gas when drilling for natural gas.
"It's been a battle," said plaintiff Scott Ely, co-plaintiff with Ray Hubert, in a lawsuit against Cabot filed in 2009. "You're up against a multi multi multi million dollar company. We are the lucky ones in the case, but there are still many more families in the Dimock area who are still without the benefit of clean water.”
“This is a huge victory for Dimock families who have been fighting for clean water for over six years," said Alex Lotorto, Shale Gas Program Coordinator for Energy Justice Network. "Finally justice has been served."
Starting in the fall of 2008, Dimock residents found their drinking water to be cloudy, and complained of rashes, nausea, headaches, and dizziness. Both the Elys and Huberts have spent most of the last eight years hauling water for drinking, washing dishes, and bathing because of the problems with their well.
Energy Justice Network fiscally sponsored the legal fund for the case and has been working with the family since 2009. The website for the shale gas program is www.energyjusticesummer.org.