Rhetorical Analysis Of Hydrofracking By Paul Galley

Paul Galley an accomplished environmentalist enters the controversial debate about Hydrofracking in New York, with his article “Hydrofracking: A bad Bet for the Environment and the Economy” published in the Huffington Post on January 05, 2012. Galley states “Net-Net, fracking is simply bad bet” fracking poses serious risk to New Yorkers. Galley, president of Hudson Riverkeeper has worked for over twenty-five years to protect the environment and support local communities, as a non-profit, public official and educator. This piece continues his devotion to protection of the Hudson River, and the drinking water supply of New Yorkers. Galley effectively convinces his audience through his use of appeals to pathos and logos that hydrofracking will have negative impacts on New Yorkers.

He references youtube videos of people lighting their water on fire, which creates a sense of fear and empathy. Fear is a natural response to fire, but seeing water on fire straight from the faucet is unnatural and alarming. He evokes empathy for the people who are living this horror wondering when they will lose their homes or life’s to the flammable water in their pipes. He reports people were forced to leave their homes because of the dangerous levels of arsenic, benzene, and toluene in their blood evoking and emotion response of empathy for those forced to leave their homes. He repeats a statement from a federal scientist stating “we just don’t know enough about all the different ways fracking can make us sick” This statement evokes a sense of fear, dread, and worry for their personal health if fracking began in their community. Galley appeals a sense of anger in his audience by reminding them the state officials are aware of the negative impacts of fracking but are choosing to ignore the issues. Galley strengthens his arguments by his heavy appeal to