This week, Oh So Social will be covering a controversial topic of fracking and both sides of the argument, discussing whether or not it should be legal.
Fracking or hydraulic fracturing, extracts natural gas or oil from deep in the ground by underground explosions and injections of water, sand, and chemicals under high pressure into dense rock formations such as shale. The pressure used in fracking is powerful enough to fracture the surrounding rock, creating cracks for oil and gas to flow through. Once the underground rock is shattered, trapped reservoirs of gas and oil are released and pumped back to the surface. This process has grown in popularity over the past decade, especially in the United States. The widespread use of fracking has led to lowered costs for energy and an influx in jobs across the nation. However, it comes at a cost... This brings us to the question, should fracking be legal?
Those who are in support of fracking, argue that the process creates millions of jobs and lowers energy costs significantly. According to PwC, the industry supports 9.8 million jobs or 5.6 percent of total United States employment. Fracking technologies have increased oil production in the United States from 5 million barrels per day in 2008 to more than 9 million barrels today, according to Burlington Free Press. Fracking also allows access to natural deposits of gas that cannot be accessed with previous traditional methods of extracting energy, which is why it is so popular.
Those who are against fracking, argue that the process creates contamination that can poison groundwater, surface water, and ultimately threaten landscapes, wildlife, and local communities.
With the harmful implications being unknown, fracking remains a highly debated environmental issue due to the chemicals used in fracking water, especially considering that hydrofracking is not included in the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, or the Energy Policy Act, all of which regulate the amount of pollutants released to the environment.
While some communities ban fracking and others embrace it, tension between the costs and benefits has escalated from a local problem to a national debate. No matter what side you are on, fracking is an important topic to be informed about and to be aware of both its effects and its opportunities.
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