My wife and I moved to Oxford in 1990. We chose this area for the quality of life, and we expected to live here for a very long time. One of my new co-workers urged me to buy a motorcycle since we had ridden in the past. I realized the volume of traffic and the natural beauty of the area, along with the close proximity of Mount Cheaha, offered us the opportunity to truly enjoy its beauty.

A motorcycle was purchased and our love affair began with the beauty of Mount Cheaha and the area within 200 miles. For the next five years, we rode Mount Cheaha time after time, enjoying its continuing changes throughout the four seasons. We learned most of the back roads and enjoyed the friendly waves of the locals — still do. A back problem forced the sale of the bike, so now it’s a convertible.

The thought of the destruction of much of this natural beauty in search of the almighty dollar through fracking is just incomprehensible.

Dangerous logging trucks, red, wet muddy roads, company trucks, employee vehicles, large clear-cut areas and long-term damage to a superb water source are all negatives. Sure, a few jobs will be created, but most of the workers will be brought in from outside and, guess what, they will do their job and leave, with little or no consideration for the damage they cause. 

Check out the semi-documentary, “Gas Land.” Folks, you need to do some homework before it’s too late.

So I say no fracking in the Talladega National Forest, ever.

H.W. Carnes
Oxford