Jacob Talley

21 March 2012

English 1200-81

Mellisa Tetterton

Annotated Bibliography

Banerjee, Neela. "Study: 'Fracking' May Increase Air Pollution Health Risks." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/news/local/environment/la-me-gs-fracking-increases-air-pollution-health-risks-to-residents-20120320,0,7159850.story>.

            A three year study conducted by the Colorado School of Public Health confirmed that many toxic hydrocarbons were being released by hydraulic fracturing sites. These chemicals could lead to a variety of acute and chronic health concerns including leukemia.  The Environmental Protection Agency is looking to make regulations to limit the harmful effects. 

Holmes, David, Andrew Bean, Neil Bekker, Lisa Rucker, and Adam Sakellarides. "My Water's On Fire Tonight." Youtube. Studio 20 NYU, 12 May 2011. Web. 11 Mar. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLDAD4DD6D0E333772&feature=player_detailpage&v=oHQu3SeUwUI>.

            This video was made to inform the viewers of the hydraulic fracturing controversy including its brief history and the benefits from the process. It also gives information about the many harmful side effects from doing it.  It has an overall unsupportive attitude toward hydraulic fracturing as it mostly tries to warn the public of the potential harm it could cause.

Morrissey, Ed. "Video: Reason Asks, What the Frack Is Going On?" HotAir.com. Reason TV, 28 June 2011. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/28/video-reason-asks-what-the-frack-is-going-on/>.

            This article provides a video interview to Ronald Bailey in response to “The Fracking Song.”  Bailey ensures that the technology is safe because it is over 60 years old and that the only thing to blame is the poorly built sites by some of the corporations.  He is supportive of hydraulic fracturing as he emphasizes the many benefits that come from it and downplays the harmful side effects.

Tracy, Ryan. "Drillers Face Methane Concern." The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal, 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903374004576583041824518766.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsForth>.

            This article addresses the concerns of Sherry Vargson and many other affected citizens of Pennsylvania that have been harmed by water pollution due to hydraulic fracturing.  Companies responsible for the damage have paid compensation to the families and offered solutions to prove that the damage is indeed not their fault.

Leitsinger, Miranda. "Fracking Waste Led to Earthquakes, Ohio Says in Adding New Rules. “U.S. News. Msnbc.com, 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. <http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/09/10625517-fracking-waste-led-to-earthquakes-ohio-says-in-adding-new-rules>.

Ohio has been the subject of a dozen earthquakes that are believed to be caused by hydraulic fracturing sites that force waste water back down into the earth.  The earthquakes had occurred only after drill sites were installed in various areas of the state and scientists have confirmed that the earthquakes could be caused by fracking, which only solidifies the citizens’ claims.

BusinessGreen Staff. "EPA Proposes Crackdown on Fracking Air Pollution." BusinessGreen. BusinessGreen, 29 July 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. <http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2097895/epa-proposes-crackdown-fracking-air-pollution>.

            The Environmental Protection Agency takes aim at hydraulic fracturing to hammer down some steep regulations to help control the release of harmful air pollutants.  These regulations are to affect the quality of equipment as well as assuring that waste is properly disposed of.  It is yet another way that the government is trying to hold on to a new source of income.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/environment/la-me-gs-fracking-increases-air-pollution-health-risks-to-residents-20120320,0,7159850.story

According to a study implemented by the Colorado School of Public Health, hydraulic fracturing can cause acute and chronic health issues to those living within half a mile of a drill site.  The study has been occurring for the last 3 years while monitoring drill locations all over Colorado.  Toxic hydrocarbons were found in the air including benzene, a known carcinogen designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The EPA has also recognized that Garfield County, Colorado is due to see increased drilling activity.

The study revealed several harmful risks that come with the air pollution near the drill sites.  Those living in close vicinity with the drill locations are at risk for basic eye irritation and headaches to leukemia and myeloma.  With the current regulation that requires drill sites to be 150 feet away from homes, citizens of Garfield County are going to be at major risk for developing these harmful ailments.

If there is any study indicating any risk to a population, the plug should be pulled on what ever operation that is responsible for the risk.  The study says that those within a half of a mile to a drill site are at risk and yet the current rule is only 150 feet away from homes.  It is just yet another example of the flawed system that runs the hydraulic fracturing industry.  A simple suspension of all fracking sites must be implemented to give time for the corporations to come together and develop a solution that will fix all the imperfections of the regulations for  the industry.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/09/10625517-fracking-waste-led-to-earthquakes-ohio-says-in-adding-new-rules

According to an article by Miranda Leitsinger of msnbc.com, there were a dozen earthquakes that struck the Youngstown area of Ohio in 2011.  The quakes, which began in March, all ranged from 2.1 to 4.0 magnitude with the 4.0 quake coming on December 31.  The 4.0 earthquake caused Governor John Kasich to suspend the activity of several waste water wells, who are believed to be the cause of the disturbances.  The water treatment centers are not designed to dispose of some of the contaminants in the waste water from fracking.  As a result, the drillers just re-inject the waste back into the ground.  According to scientists, the re-injection of waste water combined with a few other certain circumstances could cause the earthquakes.  This assumption is reinforced due to the almost obvious timing of the tremors coming a few months after drill sites were established in the area.

As a result of these events, stricter regulations for drilling sites were handed down by the state Department of Natural Resources.  Due to the new regulations, gas companies are required to provide precise geographical information on the area, which include known fault lines in the region.  Drill sites must utilize advanced pressure and volume monitoring devices to keep track of seismic activity.  The Department of Natural Resources also banned further drilling in the affected area of the quakes.

I believe that the regulations set forth by the Department of Natural Resources are a great step in the right direction of making fracking safe.  But I still hold my stance that hydraulic fracturing should be banned all together.  The thought of an earthquake is scary in itself, let alone knowing the cause of it and giving those responsible just a slap on the wrist and a set of new rules.  There should be further punishments handed down by the state for putting the citizens of the area in danger.

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_Y812W8xqJzW1WC9TlSQNVxrkyYnOV4c-RbpqKbjm-lJ7lg-XlA

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903374004576583041824518766.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsForth

The above photos have not been edited in any way.  What are shown in the photos are different cases where tap water has been ignited by an open flame.  In the article, Sherry Vargson of Granville Summit, Pennsylvania experienced the same problem.  Vargson and the many other citizens of Pennsylvania have blamed this phenomenon on local hydraulic fracturing sites in the state.  They claim that the methane that is being leaked into the drinking water wells are from poorly maintained drill sites and the companies responsible for them have come under certain scrutiny.

Two companies, Chesapeake Energy and Cabot Oil & Gas, have each had to pay large sums of money to 35 different households that have been affected by the methane contamination.  In their defense, however, they claim that the area always had a problem with methane leaks and the company’s drilling sites are not to blame.  In order to prove that they are not to blame, companies have altered the cement mixture used to make the casing and also added a steel pipe around the casing to further prevent gas leaks.  By making these changes to the drill sites, companies such as Chesapeake and Cabot hope to shake the blame that is plaguing their reputation.

The fines set forth on these companies were not enough in my opinion.  $5 million is simply not enough to pay over 30 homes for poisoning the water supply.  It puts the families’ health in great danger by releasing toxic chemicals into the drinking water and that is not something that can simply be paid off.  The citizens of these small towns should come together to make sure that natural gas drill sites are eliminated from the land.  The citizens at least owe it to themselves to make a change happen and make it happen soon to avoid further damage.

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/06/28/video-reason-asks-what-the-frack-is-going-on/

In this video, Reason TV's Nick Gillespie interviews science correspondent Ronald Bailey about the hydraulic fracturing controversy.  Bailey offers his take on the situation and offers explanations on the real problems with the method of gas drilling.  He provides insight on the many questions that skeptics have asked and gives counter statements on the claims that many critics of fracking have given.

Bailey claims that the technology used in hydraulic fracturing is over 60 years old and believes that there is nothing wrong with the current method of drilling.  He backs this up with the fact that over 100,000 wells are dug each year in the United States.  Bailey blames the contamination of water wells on the poor construction of some drill sites.  He says that the cement casing of the channels that force the water, sand and chemicals into the ground are to blame for the pollution.  Bailey believes that this should not be enough to totally shut down the wells and that the benefits of fracking should override critics claims that it is unsafe.

Whether or not the cement casings are to blame, the dig sites should be shut down for the greater good of the environment.  Even if there is one thing that is a weak point in the technology of fracking, the technology is flawed.  There is no way that someone can say that the technology is fine when there a incidents where water wells, that supply humans with drinking water, are being contaminated with harmful pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde.  No matter how old the technology is, if people are being negatively affected by it, then there is obviously a flaw somewhere.

 http://www.youtube.com/watchlist=PLDAD4DD6D0E333772&feature=player_detailpage&v=oHQu3SeUwUI
This video was made by Studio 20 NYU in collaboration with ProPublica.org.  It is a brief explanation as to what hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is and what controversies have been associated with it.  It also fills the audience in with a little bit of history behind the practice and why major corporations are using this method to obtain energy.  It is very educational and quite catchy if I do say so myself.

The creators of this video attacked the image of hydraulic fracturing by explaining all of the potential hazards of the process.  I say 'potential' hazards only because there is not enough substantial evidence definitely proving a correlation to fracking.  Images of faucet water being caught on fire and animations of toxic chemicals being leaked into the atmosphere make gas drilling seem like the most terrible idea ever.

The message that is being delivered in the video is not to deliberately throw fracking underneath the bus, but to explain that there should be stricter regulations on the method.  They acknowledge that there is some good that could come from gas drilling, like lowered foreign fuel dependency and increased job availability.  However, until regulations are tightened to make fracking safer, the government should shut all fracking wells down to prevent further physical damages to the environment and to the population.