The Pros And Cons Of Fracking

What the Frack? Cancer, earthquakes, infertility, pollution, and droughts. These are all products of a sad reality for those living near hydraulic fracturing cites. Hydraulic fracturing, or more commonly referred to as fracking, is the process of injecting waste-water, or water filled with hazardous chemicals and sand, down into oil rigs to obtain oil and natural gas. Even though hydraulic fracturing allows access to more gas and oil, it should be banned because it uses harmful chemicals, pollutes water, causes earthquakes, and is affecting wildlife. While fracking has been going on for many decades, these last ten years has had a spike in publicity. Accusations of hazardous chemicals being used in the waste-water solution has been flying

Since fracking is generating more gas, oil, and higher economic power for the United States; there has to be a downside. These health risks are too great of a problem to be ignored because we want to save a buck or two on gas prices. “Politicians have oversimplified the issue of pollution and human health in the fracking debate”(Dechert 5). On the other hand, some environmental groups and politicians are actually blaming fracking for pollution and causing health problems. Is economic power and revenue really more important than public safety and human

Of the 60 cows exposed to the creek water, 21 died and 16 failed to produce calves the following spring. None of the 36 cows in separated fields had health problems, though one cow failed to breed in the spring.

These statistics gather by a farmer prove that these chemicals are harmful, to people and animals. Along with farm animals, household pets are becoming ill from fracking waste-water chemicals. Veterinarians have claimed to have an increase of household pets living near fracking cites becoming ill mysteriously. Along with farm animals and pets, the chemicals in waste-water are also affecting fish and birds. The pollution of water and increase in droughts has not only affected those living near, but animals living in it. Water being extracted to be used for fracking is threatening fish’s lives in those rivers. “In 2007, fracking fluid spilled into Kentucky’s Acorn Fork, a small Appalachian creek. After the spill, state and federal scientists noticed a mass die-off of aquatic life in the creek” (Good). Along with fish and other aquatic animals, fracking is also affecting birds and other nocturnal animals. The birds and nocturnal animals have very sensitive ears, and the constant loud noise from fracking is causing them to leave their natural habitats, therefore decreasing the diversity