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The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

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Fracking within the state of New York has been cause for controversy in recent years. This fracking controversy has greatly polarized members of the communities affected with some show great support of it, and others downright despising it to the point of banning it in their communities. While fracking is quite a complex issue with many economic benefits, it’s still quite clear that the only rational stance on the issue is one of opposition. Any person who shares concerns on the future of this planet should maintain of firm opposition to fracking due to the negligence of the fracking companies harming the environment. In response to fracking supporter and Range Resources spokesman Matt Pitzarlla’s blatant dishonesty on the issue in his paraphrased …show more content…

While methane gas is mostly harmless to humans it’s a major contributor to the global green house problem. Methane is roughly 20 times more harmful than most other carbon emissions to the atmosphere, and rapidly increases global temperatures. As an example of the devastating effect of to much methane emissions can cause, about 250 million years ago at the end of the Permian period the largest mass extinction known to man occurred. This resulted in the extinction of 96% of all sea life and 70% of all terrestrial animals. Scientist believe it was caused by a runaway greenhouse effect caused by methane emission from bacteria. If simple bacteria can cause this level of devastation by emitting methane, imagine the damage that reckless companies can cause by irresponsibly emitting methane into the atmosphere. According to a map provided by NASA satellite imagery, states such as Texas and Oklahoma are some of the biggest methane producing states in the country. Texas and Oklahoma are also the states with the most fracking wells according to a map provided by www.nrdc.org. While Cows are also big producers of methane and Texas and Oklahoma also have a large amount of cattle farms. But California also has a considerable amount and yet reach nowhere close to the amount of emissions that both Texas and Oklahoma have. Can these examples simply be a …show more content…

While yes fracking does bring wealth to former struggling land owners and provides a boost of well-paying jobs to the region, but these jobs are quite unstable. According to www.bloomberg.com fracking wells production decline by 60% to 70% within the first year alone. Some wells do last for decades but others can last only up to a year which provides only a temporary boost to the local economy. Also if any accidents occur they cost tens of thousands of dollars to rectify. According to the website www.environmentamerica.org if fracking were to contaminate the New York City watershed it would cost up to about 6 billion

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