Why Not Frack?

Fracking is drilling technology that allows for natural gas reserves to be reached. The fracking technology consists of high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing that uses sand, water, and chemicals to be injected at high pressures to blast open shale rock and release the trapped gas. This technology and undisclosed chemicals has been tied to harmful effects affecting air emissions, water contamination, problems with waste disposal, and health effects for people and livestock.  

Recently, there have been several environmental-political controversies going around. In some states, the results were a huge deal, with people waiting to hear back about whether or not certain bills would be passed or actions would take place.

In California, the week before a major fracking bill vote, oil lobbyists treated some Californian Lawmakers to a $13,000 dinner. This fracking bill that was voted on was a watered-down fracking regulatory bill that requires oil and gas companies to obtain a permit before they drill, but it does not require an environmental review process for each well. This significantly weakened version of the original bill was passed and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. The original law would have forced oil and gas companies to list online the chemicals they use, to obtain a permit for fracking, and to notify neighbors before drilling and to monitor ground water and air quality. However, in the watered-down bill that was passed, all of this isn’t enforced or required.

Some land of entire neighborhoods is leased to natural gas companies with or without the residents’ consent. Some studies have found that home developers are keeping the rights to oil and gas reserves under the houses that they sell, in most cases, not even notifying the home buyers. When this is done, in most cases the homebuyers are never even notified. By doing this, the home developers can then lease the land to a natural gas company with or without the consent of the residents. Due to all of this action and deals made behind backs, some cities, like Pittsburgh, are banning this practice, and even ban fracking itself, in order to protect the people and the land.

There are very few federal regulations on this practice, and it is largely up to the states to create and implement their own regulations on fracking. Such regulations can range from demanding the oil and gas companies to provide a list of all of the chemicals used in the fracking process, to the monitoring of air and water quality around well sites, and allowing time for the states to determine potential environmental and health impacts due to this practice.

Thus, it is up to us to become informed and call for action from our politicians if we want our rights and health protected.