NORWICH – A committee that has been monitoring natural gas development activity for the Chenango County Board of Supervisors was questioned this week by those calling for a moratorium on drilling.

A free-lance writer who specializes in the fields of technology, economics and the environment wrote a letter to the board suggesting that, in addition to the county’s Natural Gas Advisory Committee, formed in 2008, a separate, more public safety-focused task force be formed.

In a letter read aloud to the board Tuesday, Susana Schwartz of Sherburne wrote that the current committee addressed the “very important issue of short-term monetization of natural gas,” but needs to be supported by another entity that would provide objective, independent “subject matter experts” such as geologists, water and soil experts, public safety officials, and scientists to address the public’s safety concerns.

She suggested the issues the task force would address would include the governing of public water, roads and infrastructure, jurisdiction on public lands, planning for disaster recovery, accident accountability, and impacts on local businesses.

Lawmakers also listened to a letter written by Kenneth Fogarty of Guilford who questioned “the purview and purpose” of the NGAC and suggested it be disbanded. He said groups of residents appearing before that body and other county committees since September haven’t been receiving answers to their questions regarding the impacts on human health of the chemicals and other gas production residues resulting from high volume/high pressure fracking drilling.

Fogarty said members of his group had requested “a sensible pause in the development of natural gas production,” but were turned away or referred to other county committees.