Thesis statement
The benefits of natural gas hydraulic fracking do not justify the adverse effects it causes through continuous earthquakes, pollution of the water table, or potential health hazards to human populations.
This subject is interesting to me because I work for a natural gas company. I have had many conversations with other employees regarding natural gas fracking, and most of them are biased to the views of the drilling companies which means they do not see any harm in it. There also used to be companies fracking for natural gas in Arkansas on the Fayetteville Shell. The number of small earthquakes did rise (3.0 or smaller), but there was nothing resulting in a large amount of devastation.
I would like to find out if there is a threat of larger earthquakes, how the water table is effected, and what are the health effects. I have heard drinking water can be effected when wasted water is not properly disposed of, and it leaks into the water table. The population is then subject to certain health risks. I am sure fracking causes small earthquakes, but find myself a bit skeptical about the possibility of something larger, as nothing has happened so far that can be contributed to the fracking process.
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I am really neutral on the issue. I know there are benefits to fracking for natural gas. It is better for the climate than fossil fuels, and it is cheaper. What I do not know is the extent of the damages it can potentially cause. It is a relatively new practice, and enough time has not passed to cause justification or condemnation. I hope to find a definite answer, but my intuition is that my sentiments will err on the side of safety. I believe if you haven’t conducted enough study on something, especially that can harm the environment, then you should wait until any adverse effects can be ruled out or