A Little Less Conversation, A Lot More Action

What's new with shale gas drilling in Western Pennsylvania?

There is lots of conversation on the front page: "Shale forum draws 700 / Environment top topic by audience." That's a big story in the PG about a forum on shale gas that was sponsored by the PG.

There is a little less action deep inside: "Pitt researcher, drilling critic leaving his post." That's a tiny story, buried in a notes column in the PG's thin business section.

If it were my newspaper, I'd be like Elvis.  I'd cover a little less conversation, and research a little more action.  The "forum" taught me nothing that I haven't heard already from the shale gas industry.  My jaw hit the breakfast table this morning when I read that one of Pitt's public health researchers, a widely-quoted critic of shale gas development, and director of something called the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities is resigning precisely at a time when local interest in healthy environments and communities is extremely high.  *That's* news.