Marcellus Shale drilling and hydrofracking present the opportunity for wealth to a few, jobs for some, and significant risks to the health, safety, and environment of many others. To uphold his constitutional mandate to enforce that balance "which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety"* with regard to this issue, it behooves Governor Tomblin to designate a special session of the legislature to address this complex technology and the challenges it presents in terms of regulation and oversight. Governor Tomblin must not weaken the legislation proposed by the Joint Select Committee on Marcellus, but must instead pursue strong regulation that will protect West Virginians now and in the future.

*Article III, 3-3