Fracking: The Pressure is On

Is this a flash-back to Drakes Well of 1859? There was a lot of popular resistance to that one, as well- and a lot of unsubstantiated claims...

Amen to the "unsubstantiated claims" comment. Fracturing has been used worldwide for years without proven harm. Municipal water supplies are better than ever, and we certainly need the gas supply.

I think we all saw "Drill Baby Drill" turn into a great big mess in the Gulf. I can figure out how to do without oil and gas, but none of us go very far without healthy water. Sorry, I don't trust this industry. I'm on my own well, and I don't want some multinational corporation poisoning it.

By way of GRIST magazine I found a link to a documentary film that tells a horrendous story. The video showed how residents can literally light a flame from their drinking water tap. The drilling company disawows any involvement or responsibility. Yes the technique has been used elsewhere without problems but in at least one rural community in Pennsylvania where there is no municipal water system, water has to be trucked in. Meanwhile live stock is sickening and some animals are dying from drinking local water. Will it require somebody's home to blow up before something is done?

Families in Lenox, Pa have initiated lawsuits against Southwestern Energy for well water contamination. Among the substances mentioned are strontium ,bariun and manganese which were supposedly used in the fracking process. The place where you could lite the well water in the home is Dimock, Pa. I live in NE Pa and have very good well water now, but am concerned that will change once they start drilling here.

Water supply might become an issue for everybody in NE PA:

http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2010/09/pa-sees-drought-warning-dep-asks.html

Canada shares the concern http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3090 I, for one, would rather run out of oil (or gas) than water. There are alternatives to shale gas, there are often no alternatives to underground water. Ontario's situation is more dire, because their energy alternative is hydro-power. Their dams are a major source of disruption of nature fish stocks....