Range sues Texas resident after YouTube post

Fracking suit: Raises regulatory, free speech concerns

By News wires

 18 May 2012 22:20 GMT

One case of activism against hydraulic fracturing has taken an unusual turn after a company involved slapped a complaining resident with a countersuit alleging defamation, a report said.

The battle playing out in state court has raised thorny questions about free speech as well as the US Environmental Protection Agency's regulation of the oft-controversial well-stimulation process, used to extract oil and gas from horizontal wells previously unreachable without the technology.

It started when Steven Lipsky shot video of methane- fueled flames shooting from a hose hooked up to his well in Weatherford, Texas, and sent it to Sharon Wilson, a blogger who posted it on YouTube.

And he hired Alisa Rich to test the water in his well…

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