Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is an increasingly prevalent method for retrieving untapped stores of natural gas from the ground for human consumption. Each fracked well is worth millions of dollars, and the industry is quite lucrative. People have hailed natural gas as a cleaner alternative to burning coal. Yet, despite these perceived benefits, fracking hurts communities and the environment without any real long-term economic gain.
Natural gas does burn cleaner than coal. However, this advantage is counteracted by the emissions produced when it is extracted. Fracking is a process in which thousands of gallons of water and chemicals are pumped at extremely high pressures up to 10,000 feet into the ground to cause the rock (shale) to split, releasing natural gas. This process wastes water and pollutes the environment, threatening the health and quality of life of people living near fracking sites.
On average, only 40% of the 40,000 gallons of chemicals pumped into each fracture site is recovered, according to a 2010 report by DangersofFracking.com. This can mean that 24,000 gallons of fracking chemicals are left to leak into water sources or to evaporate and pollute the air. . These chemicals settle into the land that farmers use to feed their families and sell to the public. Agriculture is the primary industry of many shale-rich areas, and once fracking companies destroy the environment, the future of the region is ecologically and economically destitute. For example, livestock can get sick from contaminated drinking water, and crops often die from toxic irrigation water. These effects, in turn, affect people’s livelihoods and health. Though there may be a short-term economic boom from the arrival of the gas industry in an area, the local economy will only suffer in the long-term.
Additionally, in drought-ridden areas like New Mexico, fracking’s high water usage can take an enormous toll on local communities. Each fracture uses 1-8 million gallons of water. This water is polluted in the fracking process and cannot be re-used, leaving livestock and communities without the water they need.
Beyond its environmental toll, fracking ends up seriously affecting the health of locals. Fracking companies are not legally required to name the chemicals involved in their processes, which is alarming because it allows dangerous chemicals to slip under the radar. Although some companies have begun posting lists of used chemicals on public websites, they are not required by law to fully disclose all chemicals at drill sites.. Several studies have found that over 600 different chemicals are used in fracking fluid, including 29 known carcinogens and some toxic elements such as uranium, mercury, radium, lead, and formaldehyde. According to a 2009 study by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, citizens living near fracking operations complain more frequently of asthma, skin and eye damage, gastrointestinal and liver issues, negative reproductive effects, nervous system problems, and cancer. Fracking pollution can also create ground-level ozone, which is impossible to breathe. Families like the Fronckiewicz family in Broomfield, Colo. have reported keeping their children inside to protect them from air heavily tainted by fracking operations.
The negative long-term impact of fracking on the health of the environment and therefore on local economies far outweighs any initial benefits advertised by the fracking companies. Communities and legislators alike should stand up against fracking to protect their land, livelihoods, health, and futures.
