The Amish Debate Fracking

The money is tempting

In parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania where horse-drawn buggies clip-clop at the pace of a bygone era, Amish communities are debating a new temptation — the large cash royalties that can come with the boom in oil and gas drilling.

In some ways, Amish attitudes toward hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, are as different from the outside world as their clothes and traditions. Instead of worries about air and water pollution, they're focusing on people's souls.

"Amish are no different than anybody else. The power of big money can bring spiritual corruption," said Jerry Schlabach, an Amish resident of Berlin, Ohio. "If we can keep our values and adhere to biblical principle, then it can be a very positive thing," he said.