CFACT visited a liberal and green campus in upstate New York to see what students and faculty there thought about hydraulic fracturing (fracking). We asked SUNY Albany, “Do you support hydraulic fracturing (fracking) as a key contributor to this country’s energy supply?” Polling about 2% of the population, the campus was split on their support for fracking. We were pleasantly surprised to see this draw as we expected more people to be opposed to fracking in this region. When asking those willing to explain why they did not support fracking, answers were often unclear. One faculty member in particular recognized that fracking is a key contributor to our energy supply, but was reluctant to support it. Those who came out in favor of fracking were excited to see us there, and gave us their own insights on the importance behind it. There were also plenty of those who did not know what fracking is, and CFACT was happy to explain it to them. At the end of the day, it was good to hear from both sides and to see that the debate is close. We look forward to continue working in this region and to follow up in the spring to see if opinion has shifted.
