To the editor:

I seriously question the validity of the statement in the Jan. 9, 2013, Marion County Record that the first well in Marion County to use hydraulic fracturing was just approved.

Hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas formations has been used extensively and safely throughout the world since it was pioneered by Halliburton Co. in the early 1950s. It is an essential technique to extract petroleum products from the earth. I would be astonished if many (probably most) of the existing oil and gas wells completed in Marion County over the last 60 years have not been fracked.

Fracking is not new, yet for some reason some people now want to demonize it rather than embrace it as proven technology to help make the US energy independent.

I did appreciate your listing of the chemicals used in modern fracking: everyday sorts of things that we have in our homes, are commonly used, are ingested, or are smeared on our bodies.

Steve Schmidt, McPherson

Editor’s note: Marion County Appraiser Cindy Magill reaffirmed Monday that the well northwest of Hillsboro was the first new well planned from the beginning to use hydraulic fracturing in the county in years.

Magill said fracking fell out of common use in the area because of the expense of all the water needed, but it has become more efficient and more economical again in recent years.

Magill also said that there may be existing wells that are being refitted to use fracking.