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Pros And Cons Of Hydraulic Fracturing

2753 Words12 Pages

In Gasland, Josh Fox’s documentary concerning natural gas development and hydraulic fracturing, Fox profiles many homes in his quest to determine the effects of this controversial practice (Fox, 2010). Fox encounters groundwater contamination as the primary negative consequence of hydraulic fracturing; many of the homeowners he interviewed had water sources that lit on fire and contained toxic chemicals or needed new water sources entirely (Fox, 2010). However, the oil and gas industry states that the process of hydraulic fracturing is safe with limited cause for concern (Fox, 2010; Mooney, 2011). The controversy surrounding hydraulic fracturing has made it difficult to determine its negative effects. Hydraulic fracturing has not been adequately studied to determine its short- or long-term environmental effects, but as a key component in the US energy industry, it has been, and will continue to be, a source of political controversy and strife. Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking to the general public, is a process that fractures rock beds, commonly shale, to release stored, previously unobtainable natural gas (Holloway and …show more content…

None of these reasons concern potential future environmental impacts resulting from hydraulic fracturing. Holloway and Rudd list many negative impacts of hydraulic fracturing, both directly and indirectly related to environmental concerns, including groundwater contamination, noise pollution, increased traffic, landscape development, and chemical spills (Holloway and Rudd, 2013). In an article concerning the necessity of increased research into the environmental effects of fracking, H. Wiseman states that, “all of the reports and articles reported to-date, whether sponsored by a government agency or a non-profit group, suggest that, at least in some regions, fracing has potential environmental effects” (Wiseman, 18,

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