Fracking is a highly controversial practice that utilizes the injection of water, chemicals and abrasives to extract relatively inaccessible pockets of natural resources. Although fracking has the potential to benefit the economy, it may also pose a significant impact on the environment, the ecosystem and safety.Fracking has become a highly controversial and publicized topic due to rising concerns and growing analysis into the mutual benefits of hydraulic fracturing to retrieve natural gas and oil reserves. With concerns of water pollution, mismanagement of toxic waste and irreversibleenvironmental damage mounting, the practice of fracking has only quietly expanded and profited. This concealed expansion into the nation’s backyard has only further raised suspicion into an activity that has already concealed much of its information for fear of public disapproval.
However, regardless of media backlash and attentive environmentalists, the oil and gas companies have pushed fracking to the forefront of energy innovation and plan on continuing their practice in pursuit of greater domestic oil production. Meanwhile, environmentalists are aggressively challenging the substantially profitable practice in pursuit of cleaner energy solutions, which may alleviate the demand for fossil fuel and ultimately decrease dangerous greenhouse gas emissions. This pursuit toward a greener future and cleaner environment has encouraged many to research fracking and perhaps itspotential consequences toward the environment, the ecosystem and safety. The practice of fracking has been known to have substantial benefits to the widespread domestic economy as well as the economies of the communities surrounding fracking facilities. Since the early 200. .
ulated chemical injection growing closer and closer to homes. Several environmental advocacy agencies have researched the potential consequences of fracking on health and have determined that families living near fracking have experienced sinus, respiratory, skin and psychological problems among other ailments (Pritchard). Also, fracking wastewater contains hexavalent chromium, radium and other toxins that can contaminate water supplies, injure people and kill livestock (Rinaldi). These cumulative risks of fracking can hardly be ignored by conservative environmentalists and opponents of fracking. However, regardless of the accumulating research into the potential health concerns the activity may pose, the oil and gas companies continue to claim that the correct management of the chemical injection can ultimately lead to a cleaner alternative domestic energy solution.
