Fracking is controversial. Over the last several years fracking has gained a negative reputation. Many fracking critics claim this method of extraction pollutes the land and can poison ground water. But is that actually the case?
One of the main attacks being directed at fracking is the claim the process pollutes the surrounding area. Some claim the process releases dangerous chemicals in to the surrounding area, which in turn increases cancer rates in nearby populations. Others claim fracking poisons the groundwater, and makes the use of local wells impossible.
Both of these situations have been proven untrue. Several of the studies that have linked fracking to the release of dangerous chemicals have been proven to be methodologically flawed, and the EPA has not been able to substantiate the claims made in those studies. The EPA has also been unable to prove fracking has poisoned the ground and well water of locations that are near fracking sites. In fact, some of the most spectacular examples of the ground water pollution caused by fracking, methane in well water, were documented in the same region decades before fracking began.
Fracking represents a huge opportunity. It offers us access to vast amounts of previously unreachable energy. Unlike green energy, this potent energy does not require the use of rare earth minerals, which can be very harmful to the environment. Fracking, if done responsibly, could offer a very efficient way of producing large amounts of energy.