In recent history there has been a push to find more efficient sources of energy as we are quickly depleting the ones that we currently use. Fracking in definition means “Hydraulic fracking is a well stimulation process used to maximize the extraction of underground resources; including oil, natural gas, geothermal energy, and even water.” (Hydraulic Fracturing), which basically means they shoot harmful chemicals into the ground in order to bring up natural gas or other materials. Although there seem to be many benefits to fracking to get these resources, there are more disadvantages. There are many issues that stem from hydraulic fracking but the most predominant seem to be; the many health risks associated with the toxic chemicals used in the process, the pollution put into the air with the high methane use, and the degrading of local infrastructure and the environmental degrade from the invasive process used.
Fracking by nature is the removal of petroleum resources out of the ground by using harmful and toxic chemicals. “In this process vertical well bores are drilled thousands of feet into the ground, through the sediment layers, the water table and the shale rock layers.” (Hoffman, Joe) Drilling down with the equipment angled slightly horizontally, and they put small explosives in the ground in order to open up the bedrock to make space for the cement casing that is to be poured which will house water, fracking fluid, chemicals and sand which are all needed to frack. Fracking, although most people think it is a recent technology it has been around since the Civil War era, as it was discovered in 1865. According to Shooters “A Fracking History” Civil War veteran Col. A.
L. Roberts patented the first fracking technolo. . a large operation there is destruction of local ecosystems which hurt the wildlife in the sense that they have lost their place to live and now need to move and may die off in the process. Looking at the benefits and disadvantages there are obviously more disadvantages to the situation. Even though we are in desperate need for a new, more sustainable source of energy in the United States, fracking does not seem to be the answer because of all the potential hazards such as the health hazards, infrastructure and environmental degrade and the environmental risks.
These problems are already being seen in areas that already have fracking as a source of local income and the presence of these issues is becoming even clearer as time goes on and fracking is present in an area for longer amounts of time. The risks do truly outweigh the possible benefits in this situation.
