Fracking Raises Serious Environmental and Health Concerns

[irishbobcat]

Fracking has raised serious environmental and health concerns. In New Mexico, for example, similar processes for drilling for natural gas have leached toxic chemicals into the water table at 800 sites. Pro Publica reporter Abrahm Lustgarten revealed that as much as 85% of the fluids used during hydrofracking is regularly left after wells are drilled in the Marcellus Shale. He stated in an article titled "New gas wells leave more chemicals in ground," which ran in Politico on December 27, 2009, "[Over] three million gallons of chemically tainted wastewater could be left in the ground forever. Drilling companies say that chemicals make up less than 1% of that fluid...[which] still amount to 34,000 gallons in a typical well."

"American Rivers" has noted that hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale poses enormous threats to the Delaware River watershed, which provides drinking water for nearly 17 million people in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. American Rivers named the Delaware River the number one most at-risk river, due to the threat of tapping into the Marcellus Shale.

"Catskill Mountainkeeper" has noted that "A number of these [hydrofracking] fluids qualify as hazardous materials and carcinogens, and are toxic enough to contaminate groundwater resources. There are cases in the U.S. where hydraulic fracturing is the suspected source of impaired or polluted drinking water. In Alabama, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming, incidents have been recorded by people who have gas wells near their homes. They have reported changes in water quality or quantity following fracturing operations."