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Environmental effects caused by the usage of fossil fuels
Environmental effects caused by the usage of fossil fuels
Environmental effects caused by the usage of fossil fuels
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Stop Frackin’ with the Water
The amount of damage that has been done to our planet is not minute, and continues to grow. Most people like to believe that using natural gases has the ability to solve the problems that have been created over the years to the Earth. Now the question has been raised, is this really true? What if using natural gases is bringing more damage to our planet? One of the most controversial topics right now is based on the concern that water is being contaminated with poisonous chemicals left in the ground from fracking. Companies argue that fracking is not bringing any issues to the table, however research indicates that is not the case. Hydraulic fracturing continues to spread across the country and so does its baggage.
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First, it is important to have a clear understanding as to why fracking is so controversial.
Fracking is the destructive process of injecting millions of gallons of chemical filled water down into the ancient rock to extract the natural gasses from within. Emily Griswold, an award-winning American Journalist and poet from Princeton University was published in The New York Times speaking on the issues of fracking. Griswold indicates in her article that there are two kinds of people when it comes to the issue of fracking: people who love the idea of using natural gas and would rather have all the jobs created to help the economy or people who see it as one of the biggest issues the US is currently facing due to the amount of problems it brings with it.
One of the most heavily fracked areas are small towns in Pennsylvania. Griswold focuses on the amount of fracking wells in this area as well as the issues that follow alongside them. According to Griswold, Pennsylvania alone has over 4,000 wells with an estimated climb of 2,500 per year. Due to the high numbers the E. P. A. has gotten involved to investigate the effects on rivers, streams, drinking water, and human health. Once the investigations began it became clear that not only humans were at risk, but animals were being placed in a dangerous position as
well. Hydraulic fracturing is not only polluting water, but it is wasting water. Today there are 500,000 gas wells in the United States. For each well it takes numerous trucks to bring in about eight million gallons of water for one well alone. Each well is able to be fracked 18 times. For one well to be completely fracked it will take 72 trillion gallons of water and in that water there will be 360 billion gallons of chemicals (Dong). Along with Griswold, Susan Brantley a professor of geosciences and director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute at Pennsylvania State University, and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences teamed with Anna Meyendorff, a faculty associate in the International Policy Center of the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan to publish a New York Times article. Similar to Griswold this article also tracks the negative outcomes caused as a direct result of fracking. The authors begin with stating, “Opposition to fracking has been considerable, if not unanimous, in the global green community.” While it can be argued that it is worth the risk to drill in order to release the natural gas we must bear in mind that the water being blasted into rock has been filled with millions of chemicals. The chemical cocktails used are commonly filled with acids, detergents and poisons that are not regulated by federal laws but can be problematic if they seep into drinking water (Brantley, Meyendorff). There are up to 600 different types of chemicals that are used in the drilling water. Due to these cocktails, if the water seeps out of the wells it could cause the potential risk of dangerous explosions. Radioactive elements have also been found in some cases when the water has run to the surface (Brantley, Meyendorff). Fracking has gone on so long due to the fact that it finds itself in a gray area. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which is made specifically to keep drinking water clean is failing. Michael Kelley, a writer for Business Insider, indicates that the reason fracking is safe from the Drinking Water Act is because the Environmental Protection Agency did a study in 2004 claiming the fracking is not damaging water. The Bush Administration along with Congress used this study to create the “Halliburton Loophole” which has also kept the process of fracking out of the Clean Water and Clean Air Act in 2005 (Kelley). The SDWA completely excludes fracking. Although fracking has been deemed as safe and okay, the Underground Injection Control have made one exception. If the water that is being used while drilling contains diesel the company performing the drilling must first receive authorization. This law will not put an end to the use of diesel in the drilling process, but the hope is that it will lower the amount being used (EPA). While it is a positive step to have regulations on the diesel filled water, it does not solve the number one issue of fracking. There are still many other kinds of heavy chemicals in the drilling water. Fourteen of the leading fracking companies in the US are known to be using chemicals that have been proven to be possible human carcinogens, this information was released in a 2011 congressional report. Methanol was the most commonly found chemical in fracking products. Methanol is the same chemical found in antifreeze, paint solvent, and vehicle fuel. When this chemical comes into contact with a human it can cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, or in some cases, death (Kelley). However, companies like to argue that fracking isn’t all bad. According to The Shale Energy companies the industry has created about 1 million jobs in America. While this number is great with an amazing impact on the economy, that is the only positive impact the industry brings. Jacob Wheeler a Michigan writer for Bridge Magazine indicates, since the drilling takes place throughout the day and night nearby neighbors often complain of the loud noise as well as light pollution. Those both are more minor problems but, residents have some much larger concerns as well. With the high number of drilling wells located in a single site people may start to see a depletion of drinking water (Wheeler). The drinking water is being taken just as fast as the new jobs are being created. For one well alone in Michigan 35 million gallons of water are being taken out of local aquifers. Michigan wells are using more water than any other state in the nation. Conservative groups have raised the question as to whether or not this booming industry will dry up their rivers and streams. If water begins is disappear Michigan’s ecological health will be in serious danger (Wheeler). Wheeler also indicated that the once rural roads have begun to turn into industrial highways due to the number of heavy trucks that need to travel them in order to transport the water to well sites. The Scientific Alliance has posted an article stating that Fracking is neither new nor more dangerous than other natural mineral extraction methods. But how true can this be when this particular method is leading to filthy water? The Daily Kos released an article written by Jay Hayden on the topic concerning the growing number of fracking wells. In Nebraska the Oil and Gas Commission held a public hearing that took them by surprise. A local farmer presented to the room with a glass of water he had collected from a fracking disposal site. Prior to the presentation of the water the Commission had spoken and assured the community that the water was clean and perfectly fine to drink, this is when the man pulled out the dirty brown water he carried with him. It’s no surprise after seeing how filthy the water was as a result of fracking that the commission members did not drink or comment on the issue. The commission has not yet decided if they will follow through with their plans to frack or listen to the concerns of the community.
In today's global economy, energy is one of the most crucial and sought after commodities. Who supplies it and how much they supply determines how much influence they have over other countries as well as the global economy. This is why hydraulic fracturing is currently such an important and controversial topic in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as "fracking" or hydrofracturing, is the process of using pressurized liquids to fracture rocks and release hydrocarbons such as shale gas, which burns more efficiently than coal. This booming process of energy production provides a much needed economic boost, creating jobs and providing gas energy for Americans. The efficiently burning shale gas reduces carbon emission from electricity production plants, reducing carbon footprints on the environment. However, the process of hydraulic fracturing uses millions of gallons of pressurized liquid, which contains toxic chemicals, and some of this water is left over undealt with. The air near fracking sites is often also polluted and unsafe for nearby community residents. Injecting millions of gallons of water laced with toxic chemicals into the rock thousands of feet deep can cause earthquakes, causing a safety hazards for all nearby areas. Hydraulic Fracturing makes rare natural gases easily attainable, boosting the economy and reducing carbon emissions. However, the negative side effects such as contaminated water and air, make hydraulic fracturing a process that may not be worth the benefits.
The U.S federal government should significantly increase fracking because oil and gas fracking is big business in America, with more than two million hydraulically fractured wells across the country producing 43 and 67 percent of our national oil and gas outputs, respectively. But in my opinion these wells also nearly played a secondary role as nuclear waste storage sites and had the Atomic Energy Commission had its way with Project Plowshare. And fracking is the process of pumping water deep into the Earth, specifically into underground oil and gas reserves, at tremendous pressures in order to break apart the surrounding rock and free the energy product, which can then be pumped out and used. However in the mid 1950s, scientists from the Atomic Energy Commission and officials from the U.S. Bureau of Mines did begin experimenting with an alternative method of fracking, one that employed nuclear bombs more powerful than anything we dropped on the Japanese.
In the documentary Gasland the main concerns of Josh Fox regarding hydraulic fracturing were the industry was highly unregulated and reckless which caused the contamination of ground and drinking water which was the cause of illness.. The most important concern Josh had was hydraulic fracturing was causing the contamination of peoples ground and drinking water. He claims hydraulic fracturing is causing gases such as methane and heavy metals such as mercury, use...
Fracking can cause harm to people, animals, and nature. When they drill into the ground they are pumping chemicals to extract the gas and oil, and this contaminates the water sources around it. “An editorial on gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale in the Post-Star, a newspaper in Glens Falls, New York, contends, “New York state simply can’t take the risk. There are plenty of places to find fuel. It’s not so easy to find a new water supply for 17 million people.”” (Hydrofracking
Fracking has a detrimental effect on the surrounding environment through pollution and earthquakes. Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from layers of shale rock deep within the earth. One of the world’s largest plays of natural gas is in the Marcellus Shale, located in the Appalachian basin and extends across New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, eastern Ohio and portions of Kentucky and Tennessee. The “plays” are areas where companies are actively looking for natural gas inside shale rock formations. Plays are drilled for natural gas by hydraulic fracturing in a two step process.
“Hydraulic fracturing involves the use of water pressure to create fractures in rock that allow the oil and natural gas it contains to escape and flow out of a well (Energy From Shale).” Fracking has served to extract natural gas and oil where other methods would not be as successful but many environmentalists argue that fracking is affecting the environment and our drinking supply of water. Although fracking is still a controversial topic, it provides Americans jobs, increases the economy of the region, and the natural gas and oil are cleaner and more affordable source of energy. The EPA recognizes that natural gas and oil are an essential part to help our planet survive but do not want fracking to come at an expense to the public health of the citizens or to the environment.
Conflicting reports make it difficult to discern just how detrimental the practice is to the environment and people. What is known is that fracking uses phenomenal amounts of water, which is becoming a scarce resource in many parts of the country. There is no doubt that the fluid used in the fracking process contains chemicals, and when released into water supplies has negative effects on these sources. Injection of flowback materials into deep wells has been definitively linked to increased seismic activity. Damage to roads due to the high traffic of trucks shipping equipment and product is astronomical. Worldwide, four countries have outright banned the practice and others are waiting for more research to be done before they continue to allow it. A few states know the devastating side effects that come with the practice, and have banned hydraulic fracturing. While there is no doubt that fracking can produce resources that are used by Americans, there is a lot of doubt as to whether it is safe or not. Hopefully, the country will follow those that have banned the practice, and adopt other safer forms of energy
Fracking is killing this earth. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a form of drilling into the earth to obtain oil. There are many ways that fracking kills this earth. If fracking continues, Earth as we know it will not be the same. The world will be a healthier place to live if fracking was banned.
What is Fracking? Hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking’ is a technology that involves the extraction of natural gases through the injection of harmful chemicals, sand, and water. This technique includes the process of drilling a hole deep within the surface layer of the environment. As a result, it deteriorates the density of the land, pollutes the air, and contaminates underground drinking water sources. According to Bill Freemans’s “Fracking Is Not Harmful to the Environment,” the author argues that fracking is a technique that does not harm the environment and that instead, it helps the United States achieve energy independence. In contrast to his statement, hydraulic fracturing should not be
Hook: Hydraulic fracking is a major source of energy with many economic benefits, however the environmental consequences it brings is very controversial.
Natural gas extraction and consumption has risen over the past thirty years. Also known as hydraulic fracturing or fracking, a tremendous amount of uproar is being made in the environmental and political communities. Natural gas use is a great source of energy worldwide, only in America have we had a gold rush affect when it comes to extraction. Natural gas provides less dependence on foreign oil, less need for coal plants, and a more affordable energy source worldwide. There are many advantages to using natural gas but the way in which it is being extracted has caused many people to become sick. The detrimental environmental impacts caused by hydraulic fracturing continue to rise. Not to mention the political pull on big corporations and water quality standards. Currently in the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania and the Barnett shale in Texas, the air and water quality have diminished over the past years since drilling sites ran rampant. Natural gas is natural in terms of how it came to be, but not natural in how they extract it and the problems it is causing everyone involved. To make aware the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, environmental impacts, water quality and air emissions, must be considered.
Fracking is dangerous to America’s water supply, water quality, and to other resources. Due to fracking America’s water supply and quality could be compromised. Fracking is also a large scale operation. Evidence of how fracking is a large scale operation would be the use of 400 tanker trucks to transport all the
Hydraulic fracturing, or it’s more common name fracking, has been a very debatable topic for decades. Fracking is when chemicals, water and sand are pumped into the ground to break apart rock so that natural gas can be released. Not only is fracking obviously bad for the environment, but it also has many impacts on the people that surround the area. Fracking has short term benefits, but long term consequences and impacts to the entire ecosystem. Fracking that is done today can affect our future generations for many years and generations to come. Although hydraulic fracking may reduce our dependency of oil on other countries and stabilize our economy, fracking has way too many environmental and health impacts; therefore proving that fracking is problematic and should not be an energy resource that countries depend on.
Have you ever wondered about how today’s society is affecting the Earth? Well, today’s society is tremendously affecting it; due to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Fracking is very dangerous to the human body and the Earth. Not only that, but it also is not favored by the law.
Fracking has significant potential to alleviate our Nation’s dependency on foreign energy supplies; however, stringent regulation and careful monitoring are needed to assuage concerns regarding our nation’s water supplies, the environment and potential for increased seismic activity.