Fracking Tears Apart a Pennsylvania Town

The Leonard Lopate Show | May 10, 2016

The small town of Bakerton in western Pennsylvania has been in slow decline since the coal mines closed years ago. The local economy stagnates until officials learn that the town is located on the Marcellus Shale, a massive deposit of natural gas. In the novel Heat and Light, author Jennifer Haigh explores how Bakerton residents face decisions about restoring prosperity to their town, along with the environmental consequences of these choices. 

Event: Jennifer Haigh will be in conversation with Richard Price at the Center for Fiction (17 E 47th St,) on May 11th at 7 p.m. 

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