The Fracking Problem

source: hub.jhu.edu

The Fracking Problem

Hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as fracking, is a procedure that helps to retrieve natural gases and oil from the Earth. A mixture of millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals are injected at a high pressure, into the ground in order to crack open the rocks and collect the oil and gas. Then, the chemically treated water is disposed of elsewhere. Civilians who live near a fracking site have experienced their water turning brown, and when tested, is found to be contaminated with chemicals such as methane. Fracking has even caused small earthquakes in some states. Fracking imposes a number of problems, environmentally and morally. Hydraulic fracturing may be an easier and cheaper solution to extracting gas and oil, but it isn’t worth risking the lives of people and damaging the environment.

The problem with fracking is that it causes some smaller earthquakes, it contaminates water, contributes to pollution, and sometimes the gas well pads explode. Many Americans have not even heard of hydraulic fracturing, yet, as Craig Welch stated in an article, fracking “has been around for three-quarters of a century,” and it “now covers 25 states, with most wells being drilled in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota” (Welch). Many cases have been reported by residents of these states. In one such incident, a household was living near a fracking site and whenever they would take showers, the water would burn their skin. The chemically-treated fracking water had seeped into their water supply; therefore, making showering, drinking water, and cooking a sudden complication. In such cases the government usually sends clean water to these homes, or purification systems, but even the water going through the filter is dirty and unsafe for consumption and use sometimes. Civilians should not have to live in fear of showering, or struggle to get clean drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency stated that hydraulic fracturing is not causing “widespread” harm (Welch). So that makes the number of people being affected not important? Does their health and the well-being of their children not matter?

In the article by Craig Welch, he stated the following statistics: that in the time span “between 2000 and 2013, more than 9 million people lived within a mile of a hydraulically fractured well and about 6,800 drinking water supplies were located within 1 mile of a fracking well.” During this time span, incidents of fracking pollution such as wastewater and spills surfaced, including the “draining of water supplies, leaking [of] explosive gases into drinking water systems, or depleting wells” (Welch). These reports came from a handful of states, out of 50, and while that may not be considered “widespread”, it is vital to those people who were affected, and that are still being affected to this day. It is clear that the government isn’t going to care about the effects of fracking until it has already caused too much damage to reverse.

The use of millions of gallons of chemically-treated water is the main problem of fracking. The water can spill during transport, wastewater disposal, and the leakage into water tables whilst underground is torturing our environment, our people, and even some cases, the animals. There was a case in which a farmer, who lived near a fracking well pad, found his cattle dead in his field after they drank contaminated water from a pond. The water was tested and came back positive for methane. The gas has been “found in many drinking water wells” and “in groundwater. In some cases, [the] EPA determined the gas was natural occurring; in others, the methane was linked to fracking. But the agency was often unable to definitively determine the precise pathway” (Welch). The people being affected by this feel as though the government does not care about them. It is the governments’ job to serve the people, yet so many officials are simply choosing to turn their heads the other way.

Fracking has done its damage on adults, but it has especially harmed children who have been in its line of fire. Children’s immune systems are less capable of handling the dangerous chemicals released by hydraulic fracturing. An article by the National Geographic Society reported that there was a case in Fort Cherry, Pennsylvania, in which a little girl named Lexi went to a school that was nearby a well pad that was being fracked. Throughout the course of the fracturing, Lexi developed a number of illnesses that she didn’t have at home, only at school. These illnesses included nose bleeds, asthma, and the curling and discoloration of her hands and fingers. Overtime, her pediatrician and toxicologist confirmed that her illnesses were caused by a high amount of benzene in her system (Photographers). Benzene is known to have the capability of causing cancer. So oil and gas companies can go around the states fracking well pads and potentially giving children cancer?

In an article by Joe Hoffman, he shines some light on the health effects of the hydraulic fracturing of well pads for oil and gas extraction: “Some of the pollutants released by drilling include: benzene, toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene (BTEX), particulate matter and dust, ground level ozone, or smog, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and metals contained in diesel fuel combustion—with exposure to these pollutants known to cause short-term illness, cancer, organ damage, nervous system disorders and birth defects or even death” (Hoffman). Need I say more? Workers, and citizens living near the sites, are inhaling, drinking, and eating these chemicals. The majority of these people have lived in their homes for years, and then all of sudden it isn’t safe for them anymore. What used to be their safe haven, is now a toxic health hazard. Many people can’t afford to just up and relocate, even if they wanted to. Some residents have gotten lawyers and filed lawsuits against the oil and gas companies, but they were no match for the big and rich bullies.

The environmental consequences of fracking include air pollution, water pollution, “soil and oil spill contamination,” and earthquakes. The chemicals released by fracking are damaging the ozone and increasing the amounts of smog. Wastewater disposal, often done by creating a pond for the water, can seep into underground water tables, further damaging drinking water. It also endangers wildlife. The fracking-induced earthquakes have all been small in size, “the strongest measured [being a] 5.2,” but that does little to say that there won’t be bigger ones in the future (Hoffman).

Fracking may not cause harm on a “widespread” basis, but it has caused harm to millions of people. It does create jobs and it is less expensive than the ordinary oil and gas drilling procedures. But this is the twenty-first century, and we have solar and wind energy alternatives that do not cause harm to people and animals and the environment. Just because it isn’t happening to you in particular, that doesn’t mean that it won’t affect you and yours in the long run. Hydraulic fracturing is becoming more and more common in many states in America. Only two states, Vermont and New York, have banned fracking. There are well pads in Oklahoma that are currently undergoing fracking; it has caused “small earth tremors”, or otherwise known as small earthquakes. Sure, small earthquakes don’t hurt anyone typically… But what if one day it causes a large-scale earthquake and people and communities do get hurt. Fracking is not good for anyone except the companies that are making money off of it. It could cause long-term damage to the environment, and it already has caused long-term damage to families. To help in making hydraulic fracturing illegal in the United States, citizens can go to the links below and join the movement or sign the petition:

http://www.americansagainstfracking.org/take-action/

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-fracking-in-national

Works Cited

Hoffman, Joe. "Potential Health and Environmental Effects of Hydrofracking in the

Williston Basin, Montana." Case Studies. N.p., 21 Dec. 2016. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Photographers, International League of Conservation. "Living in the Shadow of

Fracking." National Geographic Society (blogs). N.p., 16 Nov. 2016. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.

Welch, Craig. "Fracking Pollutes Some Water, But Harm Is Not Widespread, EPA Says."

National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 04 June 2015. Web. 06 Feb. 2017.