Are Hydraulic Fracturing Good Or Bad

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Hydraulic Fracturing: The Inefficient Fuel Source Accoring to Treehugger, hydraulic fracturing requires 80 to 300 tons of chemicals to frack a single oil well. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of extracting shale gas deposited in deep underground wells by injecting water, sand, and disclosed chemicals into the ground at high pressure (Weighing the Risks of Fracking). Fracking is a non-renewable energy source that is very harmful to the environment. Hydraulic fracturing should be discontinued because it harms the environment, it requires a plethora of water, and because it has been linked to causing earthquakes (Jordan Howard). The chemicals that are used in the fracking process aren’t disclosed to the public. They are exempted from the…show more content…
Recently, it was found out that the earthquakes that happened in Youngstown, Ohio near the end of 2011, were related to hydraulic fracturing. A recent report by Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Shale Gas Production Subcommittee stated that hydraulic fracturing caused these earthquakes to be triggered because of the high-pressured water being injected into the ground (Fracking and Seismic Activity). Some people think that because the earthquakes in Ohio didn’t have a great magnitude, fracking wont harm anything in the future. However, there is a potential that these earthquakes could get bigger as fracking occures more and more. All in all, we are really putting the environment and our lives in danger by using fracking. There can be cleaner alternative fuel sources that we could use rather than fracking. Also, the chemicals and water used in the fracking process can be used for better purposes than harming the environment, such as hydroelectric energy. Fracking poses as a serious threat and if it continues, America will be in a very dangerous…show more content…
Water Defense, Web. 07 Feb. 2012. Powell, Alvin. “Weighing the Risks of Fracking.” Harvard Science-Environments & Sustainability. Harvard Gazette, 28 Oct. 2011. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. McDermott, Mat. “Facts on Fracking, Pros & Cons of Hydraulic Fracturing For Natural Gas.” Treehugger-A discovery company. Treehugger, 9 Sept. 2011. Web. 6 Feb. 2012. Walton, Molly. “Fracking and Seismic Activity.” Center for Strategic & International Studies- Publications. CSIS, 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. “Hinchey Statement on EPA Findings Linking Fracking to Groundwater Contamination in Wyoming.” Maurice Hinchey-Issues and Legislation. Maurice Hinchey. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. Howard, Jordan. "Fracking Pros And Cons: Weighing In On Hydraulic Fracturing." Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Huffington Post. Web. 06 Feb.
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