Fracking, it's a term you've probably heard before, referencing a highly controversial method of natural gas extraction that causes immense pollution and should be stopped as soon as the means are available. What is fracking? "Many sandstones, limestones and shales far below ground contain natural gas, which was formed as dead organisms in the rock decomposed. This gas is released, and can be captured at the surface for our use, when the rocks in which it is trapped are drilled" (Meyendorf 1). Basically, rocks deep underground (specifically shale, sandstone and limestone) contain gas that can be burned for energy. Why is this topic controversial? Isn't it like all other natural gas drilling? Not really. Fracking requires a "recipe" of chemicals …show more content…
"Flow-back water can be treated, but there are large volumes of it" (Marc 2). This water is, on occasion, dumped into local water supply, whether that be groundwater, rivers or lakes, other times this radon-heavy water is treated, or stored, both of which require lots of money wand time (Marc 2). This affects local wildlife, and people living in the area. Another problem, water companies won't be able to pin this pollution to fracking, as the slew of chemicals is hidden to only the people who produce this unnatural concoction (Marc 2).This method of natural gas extraction also spews out high levels of methane toxins, "The researchers found that drinking water near fracking wells had levels of methane that "fell squarely within a range that the U.S. Department of Interior says is dangerous and requires urgent 'hazard mitigation' action," " (Marc 3). So we gat greenhouse gasses, so we get radioactive water, but what is actually going to cause physical damage? Fracking can cause small earthquakes. “Additionally, many areas of the United States not considered earthquake-prone, such as Ohio and Oklahoma, are now experiencing relatively strong seismic