The Environmental Issue Of Fracking

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I am writing to you regarding the important environmental issue of fracking, in the hope that you, as the New Zealand environmental minister, will make a change. Fracking is a hydraulic process that is used to get oil and gas out of rocks by shooting high pressured water into the cracks. This process releases hydrocarbons that would have once been too costly and complicated to attain, and has been occurring in New Zealand for over twenty three years. Since 2003 it has been happening in thirty wells throughout the Taranaki and Waikato region. The issue is that many New Zealanders do not understand what fracking is, let alone the environmental dangers that are associated with it.
As new extraction technologies are invented and a variety of methods are tested it is important that the new Zealand environment is the number one priority, not oils and gas. Taranaki is the region where fracking is occurring, therefore in this letter I will be basing the issues and possible solutions about fracking in this area. Resource exploration (which is oil and gas) contributes NZ$2billion to the Taranaki economy. Agriculture contributes NZD$4.6 billion and Tourism contributes NZD$124 billion. Although Oil and gas do contribute largely to the economy, it is not the leading contributor, and if fracking methods are continually used it poses a risk to the other industries. New Zealand tourism is largely advertised using the clean green slogan.
The environmental impact that could potentially arise because of fracking includes, but is not limited to groundwater contamination and induced seismicity. If the groundwater situated in the Taranaki area was to become contaminated due to fracking it would adversely affect agriculture and tourism. New Zealand ...

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...ood and water sources at risk.
I would propose a moratorium, until the safest method of extraction is found, a method which will not endanger the environment other industries and the economy. There has been no specific research that fully explains all the side effects that occur from fracking, and the dangers that it entails. The New Zealand environment, especially in the Taranaki region is to valuable t risk endangering it. There needs to be research into supply and demand of the oil and gas that is been extracted and whether it is necessary to extract it. If it is absolutely vital then a safer way of extraction. I believe it is absolutely vital that a better waste management process is implemented. Dumping the waste on farming land endangers Taranaki’s and New Zealands clean green image as well as he agriculture sector which is vital for s sustainable economy.

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