Residents of San Benito County have gathered more than 4,100 signatures, almost three times the number required and almost 10% of the population, to get a fracking ban put on the ballot in the county. San Benito County sits atop the Monterey Shale formation, which may contain a large volume of oil and natural gas. Naturally, the oil industry is interested. San Benito County also sits within the Salinas Valley, the salad bowl of the nation, where water is more valuable than, well, oil and natural gas. Naturally, people who eat salad in San Benito, and who work in or make their living off agriculture are interested. Who knows, maybe others around the country who eat the vegetables, fruits and nuts from the region are interested too?
At least one oil and gas industry executive is outraged that the people of San Benito are doing what they are doing. You know, like talking about facking, and not liking fracking, and signing petitions against fracking.
Armen Nahabedian, president and CEO of Citadel Exploration is reported to have said,
"In a fair world, these people would be dragged out in the courtyard and dealt with accordingly."
I wonder what he means by "dealt with accordingly?"