Fracking
and Water Contamination
Fracking is becoming a
common practice in the United States as energy companies strive to increase gas
and petroleum extraction. Hydraulic fracking involves pumping mass amounts of
water and chemicals underground to cause fractures in source rocks, thus
resulting in the expulsion of gases. Environmental researchers have linked
fracking with underground contamination and water pollution, leaving toxic
wastewater for citizens in their water sources. Evidently, this issue has risen
in the town of Pavillion, Wyoming as this past December the Environmental
Protection Agency announced that gas leakage from wells have contaminated the
area. The EPA was able to make such claims as ten compounds known to be used in
frack fluids were found in Pavillion’s contaminated water.
Heated debates are rising
over whether fracking is a more efficient way to extract natural gases for
energy usage, or if it is unsafe and causes too much damage. Representatives for
EnCana, the company owning Pavillion’s wells, deny that their activities are
the source for contaminated water in the area. Other drilling companies argue
that fracking is safe as the hydrolic pressure naturally forces fluids down,
not up, thus preventing the movement of chemicals towards the surface. However,
findings by the EPA contradict with such claims as they have performed extended
research, confirming high levels of carcinogenic chemicals, known to be found
in fracking.
Fracking is not safe and I
am opposed to it, as the idea of mixing chemicals with water and pumping it
into the ground alone seems questionable. It has been proven that hydraulic
fracturing opens pathways for fluids or gases from neighboring geological
layers to migrate when not intended, among other issues. Fracturing also leads
to the depletion and degradation of surface freshwater. As shown in the
article, problems with fracking have already occurred in Wyoming and may also
be an issue in other regions we have not yet heard of.
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