What the FRACK?! Syracuse University challenges NY Fracking Ban

In December of 2014, New York State banned the practice of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” over fears that it was contaminating drinking water and contributing to man-photo-sep-19-1-30-44-pmmade global warming. Fracking is the process of drilling into the ground and shooting a mixture of water and chemicals through the rock in order to release natural gas. It is revolutionary technology that is lowering energy prices around the country, creating jobs, and is also helping to reduce carbon emissions and our impact on the environment.

Why would anyone want to ban such an amazing technology then? Blame the alarmism of radical environmentalists and so-called “documentaries” flamingtaplike Gasland, which all claim that fracking is causing faucets to flame by polluting the drinking supply with methane, and is even causing earthquakes in the Midwest by disturbing the ground.

Collegians at Syracuse University in upstate New York thought this was prime territory to challenge the State’s unjustified prohibition on free markets. They challenged their fellow students to play “What the Frack?” to argue against the misconceptions that fracking is evil. Students would choose from a series of questions, such as “What did Obama’s EPA say about fracking in 2015?” The answer is that even Obama’s liberal EPA found little to no evidence to suggest fracking is contaminating the water supply.

“I was sure fracking contaminated and polluted drinking water,” senior Shanair Price commented. “I’ve never heard anything different. I’m glad to know the truth now that it photo-sep-19-2-23-28-pmdoes not.”

“It took me three questions to finally get one right,” said sophomore Tianna Sellers. “I hadn’t heard much about fracking, only bad things to be honest. That’s why I said fracking was causing earthquakes and flaming faucets. When they explained to me that methane has naturally been in the water for photo-sep-19-1-17-01-pmcenturies, it made perfect sense that fracking wasn’t causing that.”

Not every student was convinced however. Despite being shown the article from June of 2015 reporting on the EPA declaring fracking safe to water, one student was indignant. “I just think your source is biased. I mean, it’s obvious it is harmful, it just is.”

When liberals stop believing their fellow radical liberals in power, like Obama’s EPA, you know how far deep the indoctrination runs. Even when presented with cold hard facts, the student couldn’t even admit that maybe CFACT had a point.

syracuse-fall-2016-frack-poseThankfully, this student was the exception to the norm at Syracuse. Overwhelmingly students’ minds were opened to realizing fracking is safe, and flocked to sign up for CFACT in droves.

Events like this one will start to change the conversation in New York so that this fracking ban can eventually be overturned, and give landowners in Western and Upstate New York the same opportunity for jobs and energy that their neighbors across the border in Pennsylvania have.

“What the Frack?” outreach was a part of CFACT’s FRACK U campaign, which aims to combat the misconceptions on fracking and bring awareness to fracking’s safety.