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Fracking responsible for water contamination across US

fracking-responsible-for-water-contamination-across-us

Lawsuits from individuals who believe their water has been contaminated by hydraulic fracturing are coming in all across the US and support for stricter regulations is growing. This was backed up by recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) findings that raised awareness of potentially harmful levels of water contamination that may be the result of hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Fracking involves a process where fluids, sand, and toxic chemicals, are pumped deep underground at a very high rate of pressure. The pressure creates tiny fissures in the surrounding rock and forces natural gas out of shale rock deposits. Much of the toxic water mixture sent down during this process eventually finds its way into surrounding groundwater systems. Read more in our previous post.

In December 2011, the EPA linked aquifer contamination in a small Wyoming town to natural gas drilling activities including hydraulic fracturing. These findings by the EPA were a major step forward in terms of bringing awareness to the serious situation. Residents of Dimock Pennsylvania, an area that experienced an upsurge in natural gas drilling, have been living with contaminated water for years as a result of hydraulic fracturing in the area. Water tests of Dimock residents analyzed by the EPA have found toxic levels of barium, arsenic, manganese, and glycol compounds among other contaminants. Water wells have been found with a sufficient amount of methane for ignition by turning on the tap. Residents continue to battle contamination and the EPA has stepped in to launch a new investigation of its own into water contamination.

“Penn. town blames contaminated water on fracking” – watch it on YouTube.

A separate investigation into wastewater from fracking in West Virginia national forest provided some startling results. Wastewater quickly wiped out all living vegetation, caused radical changes in the soil chemistry, and killed over 150 trees, creating a host of environmental pollution issues. (planetsave.com)

These newest government reports and investigations are an important part of an ever-growing body of evidence showing hydraulic fracturing as a source of chemical contamination among others in local supplies of water. It is extremely important that this issue is followed up closely and it is good to see that increasing awareness is spreading quickly. These methods of natural gas extraction have introduced many downfalls and it is time for a newer, cleaner and safer way to develop for extraction. Everyone deserves clean water and although the push-back on regulations and investigation will be great coming from the oil and gas industry, it is absolutely necessary.

Featured image credit: CleanTechnica

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7 Comments

  1. Should not the title of this be Ed Rendell Backs His Own Pocket Book.

    WE THE PEOPLE need to send Ed and all local officials that have anything to do with Poisoning are ground and water a message stop worrying get to love Jail.

    SAFE DRINKING WATER RUNNING OUT FASTER THEN YOU THINK WORLD WIDE.

    Hydraulic Fracturing a Danger to us All.

    Why would anyone think we have water to waste.

    Some one forgot to tell all about all the poison chemicals that this ungodly Lisa Jackson gave a green light to put in are ground and water.
    And help the Industry, so to they will never have to disclose all the poison chemicals they have used.

    Only the wicked in mind Leaders in this Nation and around the world would let anyone Pipe Pollution into the ground to get gas in return from the Ground. Most all scientist have know this for many years that this will end safe drinking water for all that are in the area of where they are fracturing, in which Millions of Gallons of Dangerous Poison Chemically Treated Water are forced underground to break up rock and free gas. We need regulations from GODLY People that will stop 10,000+ wells a year drilled using hydraulic fracturing to free and make the Dangerous Poison Chemicals underground into gas. The primarily affect will be unsafe drinking water and many will become sick. THE HEALTH OF MANY WILL DETERIORATE because of A Few Wicked Greedy Leaders. Those who have made these decisions do not know Jesus Christ. Soon He will say i know you not. They belong in jail soon it will be hell for them. What sick in mind would let or want anyone to put Dangerous Poison Chemicals underground or into the ground anywhere.

    The wicked are trying to sell and tell all if it is not near your home or land it is safe. This is the biggest ling of horse manure. Do they think most of We The People are that dumb or that most Americans lack any intelligence at all. What ever is put on or in the ground makes it way to our underground Aquifers, Rivers, Lakes and the Oceans. Every Scientist on Earth knows this and most all that have made it to eighth grade in school.

    So why would any Leader with a good healthy mind ever say or want this?

    Vote any wicked that has anything to do with this out of office they work for WE THE PEOPLE. Then need to go to jail. Soon it will be not jail but Hell. Revelation 11:18

    United We Stand In GOD We Trust

    The Lord’s Little Helper
    Paul Felix Schott

    P.S.
    Wicked Leaders telling their friends as long as you can cover it up and it will not get back to me it is ok with me. Are you sure we will not go to jail for making money by Polluting the ground and water. Of course not we make the laws to fit our needs not the health and welfare of others or as they used to say We The People. Its now the Wicked Leaders and rich Rule. Till our Lord GOD comes!

    Solar Energy the way to go.
    Many States Are and are Banning Fracking.

    Archimedes and Albert Einstein
    These two are at the top of the list of the World’s Greatest Scientists,
    Viewed by Scientist around the World.

    Sad that for the last 25 years or so of every teacher asked no matter what
    Grade k through 16. At least 80% of them did not know Archimedes. Even sadder 90%
    of them could not tell you what one of the most Brilliant Scientist to ever
    live on Earth. Won the Nobel Prize for.

    It was for the work Albert Einstein did to show the World it could get
    Free Energy, Electric from the SUN. (THE PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT).
    There is enough Energy from our SUN to power all are needs and more.

  2. Good comments.
    As for the sudden large supply of natural gas—its due to compression. The solar system is being energetically bombarded with neutrinos and compressed by the neutrino energized gas cloud we are embedded in Fluff. Fracking is our less-than-intelligent way of getting to the big supply of gas. As for the results, our past us resorted to mountain aquafirs for clean water.

  3. Sure am glad that I moved to Sweden, where I can drink the water from a freshwater lake right in the heart of Stockholm, a city of over 1 million and the capital of the nation.
    Take a look at some of the pictures in the attached link, and know that the building on the water with the high tower is City Hall.
    The city all around the lake is Stockholm.
    The water is drinkable from the lake beside City Hall.
    Directly, no filtering.
    http://tinyurl.com/6qb2atq

  4. This is what I love about America. No personal accountability….. always these mysterious bandits. corporates, oligarchs, magnates, tycoons – but most importantly, untouchable (appropriate, but not in the Indian sense).

    Completely driven by your lust for profits, nothing is sacrosanct.
    These ogres are “PEOPLE” and need to be reminded of this. Put a name to them.

    You certainly know how to shoot yourselves in the foot, and seldom miss.

  5. Fracking has been going on for years and many people have been poisoned by it. The fact that the EPA has found some evidence that it is harmful will not change that it is big business, oil and gas companies rule the world and money talks. Regulation will take even longer and more towns and people will deteriorate. Look at how long it took to stop the Gulf oil spill and the devastation it has caused and will continue to cause for generations, Prince William sound is still trying to recover. The ground water has been contaminated, how do you fix it now? What’s a few sick people compared to the profits?
    Law suits take years and by then the people that have been effected by this will either be too sick or given up their homes, land and savings to find a healthier place to live.

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