The Pros And Cons Of Hydraulic Fracking

Hydraulic fracking has the capabilities to change the United States economy and improve the lives of many people. Fracking produces large amounts of natural gas that can be used as fuel, but because fracking is such a new process, researchers and environmentalists do not yet fully understand the negative effects it can have on our environment over time. Fracking has been linked to the contamination of groundwater and this contamination is a danger to people who live near fracking sites. The process of hydraulic fracking requires the use of hundreds of potentially dangerous chemicals which need to be regulated to keep our environment safe and clean. Hydraulic fracking should be allowed in the United States because it provides a useful resource,

The hydraulic fracking industry began in 2003, only 12 years ago, so it's a relatively new process in the United States. Because it is so new, the long term effects it will have on the environment are unknown and can only be extrapolated by environmental scientists and researchers from observed short term effects. According to Rumpler from the tuftsnow article, nobody yet understands the implications that come from drilling a mile vertically down and another mile horizontally into shale formations. According to a U.S. Geological Survey taken in the vicinity of Youngstown, Ohio, seismic activity and earthquakes have increased since fracking has begun in this area. Rumpler also points out that fracking is exempt from many regulations placed by the government. Fracking does not have to comply with the Safe Water Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, or the Resource Conservation Recovery Act. All of these regulations are in place to make sure our environment stays beautiful and safe

According to Rumpler from the tuftsnow article, our drinking water can become contaminated and families can become sick. For fracking to be successful, there needs to be many factors of production. The underground drinking water is only 100-200 feet below the surface and the shale formations that hold the desired natural gas are a mile below the surface. The well needs to be drilled safely through the ground water and carefully sealed to ensure that contaminants are not deposited into the drinking water. According to Rumpler, when the industry claims that, “there has never been a single case of groundwater contamination, they mean there is not a verified instance of the fracking fluid traveling up through a mile of bedrock into the water table.” A Duke University Study linked methane in people's drinking water wells to drilling operations near the wells. The University of Colorado published a study claiming that people “living within a half mile of fracking and other gas-drilling operations have an increased risk of health problems, including cancer from benzene emissions.” There is a need for laws and regulations set in place that limit the locations of fracking sites. They need to be away from the public's drinking water and need to follow strict regulations that ensure no chemicals or substances escape the wells and pipes. According to the tuftsnow article, fracking uses millions of gallons of water