The people who cannot drink or bathe in their water anymore probably don't care. Their wells have been rendered useless by methane released in the fracking process or in some cases directly polluted by fracking chemicals. They aren't concerned what people in D.C. might think is a win win. They can catch their water on fire.
If wells in isolated areas around fracking sites are affected, how long do you think it will take for that damage to make its way into the larger aquifers that where almost everyone ultimately gets their water? Water always finds its way. And in this case, when it does then we have a massive ecological problem in the most densely populated part of the country. I recognize the short term economic benefits of fracking, but I can also envision the long term problems, too. What is the cost if the entire norhtern East Coast's water supply became unusable?
Here is the conlcusion from this article, which is very fair to both arguments.
"Is it worth it?
That ambulance-chasing mode is what makes current shale gas operations so worrisome to many. If scientists had the data needed to identify problems and find ways to ameliorate or eliminate them, then the current fracas over fracking may have been preempted.
"Transparency has been missing," says Stanford's Zoback. "Then the public gets suspicious and alarmed, and you get misplaced hysteria."
Zoback and other scientists surveying existing data generally have concluded that there are dangers associated with fracking but that existing technologies, regulation and serious enforcement could resolve them. Such regulations would include minimizing the local environmental footprint of setting up the well site and trucking in water and sand, monitoring the integrity of steel casings and cement, swapping out toxic chemicals from the fracking fluid, and collecting seismic and other geologic data.
Like many technologies, fracking comes with promise and with risk, says Zoback. Rules tailored depending on local geology and other factors can mitigate those risks. Consider all the regulations surrounding automobiles. There are seat belts and air bags, emission tests and proper and improper ways to dispose of oil and brake fluid.
Ultimately, unless people are willing to cut way back on their energy use, the risks associated with natural gas recovery have to be weighed against the risks that come with coal, nuclear power and other energy sources.
"It's clear that it's a remarkable resource," Zoback says. "It's abundant, and as a transition fuel between today and the green-energy future, natural gas really is the answer, I'm convinced. But that's not a get-out-of-jail-free card."
The Facts Behind the Frack | Science News
