Hydrofracking : A dirty little secret

You may not have heard of Hydrofracking yet but you will soon... I predict this will be the next hot environmental topic. You thought the BP oil disaster was bad? Wait until you hear about the next badly regulated method of drilling that can affect our drinking water. So far, the gas industry has been touting itself as "natural" and a better source of energy for Americans to use. Unfortunately, the best method for extracting gas turns out to be very dangerous for our future water supply which is getting smaller every decade.

Hydrofracking is a horizontal drilling technique used to extract gas. In order to get through the rock and into the hard-to-get areas that contain gas pockets for extraction, the drilling companies must drill into the land by injecting chemicals, water and sand to get through the rock. Unfortunately, They cannot do this with water and sand alone, like they do for drilling vertical wells. They use highly toxic chemicals in concentrated amounts in order to achieve the goal of gas extraction. The by-product of this drilling is a toxic sludge that can end up contaminating the water table that we use for drinking.

None of the Drilling companies that use Hydrofracking want to divulge the exact types of chemicals and the amounts used to achieve their goals. Of course, this makes it impossible to regulate and ensure what is happening with the sludge and therefore impossible to ensure the safety of the surrounding water table which nourishes the towns, villages, cities, forests and animals.

One of the most energetic groups in NYC that are valiantly working to raise awareness of this issue to regular joes like me, is United for Action. Sounds like a superhero group, right? Well, these people are definitely super heroes to me. I am interviewing several of its founding members (Amanda, Owen and Sonia) to learn more about this issue and what you can do to educate yourself more about this topic and take action.

The Fix: I see ads and pundits talk about "clean energy", they lead me to believe gas drilling is more "natural" than oil drilling, is this true?

Owen: There is nothing "natural" about drilling...

Sonia: I agree. Gas and oil are two forms of energy resources. Both are natural resources, but how they are obtained can cause pollution to the air (using diesel to run the machinery), water (i.e. spill) and damage to the land and nature.

The Fix: How are these companies allowed to use toxic materials without regulation?

Amanda: Because of the Halliburton Loophole. When Bush signed the Clean Air and Water Act, It excluded Cheney's activities. That's what buddies do!

Owen: In an energy bill passed in 2005, the process of water injection for hydraulic fracturing was exempted from the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Superfund Act.

Sonia: It is the result of their corruption by the oil companies and abuse of power.

FYI: The Energy Policy Act (EPA) of 2005 Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act and exempts Hydrofracking from EPA regulation. This is called the "Halliburton Loophole" because many people believe that President Bush allowed these changes because Cheney was Vice-President and stood to lose a lot if Hydrofracking was regulated. After all, Halliburton invented this horizontal drilling process.

The Fix: What is the most urgent point to know about in regards to Hydrofracking?

Amanda: That 11 million people will have poisoned water, because many of these chemicals (which we still don't know how much or which are being used), cannot be filtered.

Owen: Once it starts, the harm is irreparable. The toxins stay in the environment indefinitely. There is no practical process to clean them. Forests are cut down. Countrysides are turned into industrial wasteland. Jobs based on agriculture, recreation, tourism, etc. are eliminated. Property values are lowered and affected properties become hard to sell. The wealth and welfare of affected communities are sucked away by investors. Since the gas industry is subsidized directly and indirectly at both the state and federal levels, all tax payers pay for this abomination.

Sonia: Short term - The government has the authority to STOP this technology being used for further damage. It is proven (especially in the West: Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico), the South (Dish, Texas), and PA (Dimmock,PA), that it endangers public health and living, and land. Long term - New alternative (green) energy solutions need to be created and to be used as new economical solutions. The Government needs to shift the use of tax dollars to support this and move forward faster. Palin (Drill, baby drill) and others should not ever be in public offices if they do not support public health and safe living. They only look after their own pockets.

The Fix: What is United for Action doing about Hydrofracking?

Amanda: Most importantly making the public aware, since nobody knew about it at all. Not even many politicians knew what fracking was until recently. "Tabling"- which means getting out there with information and getting signatures to Senators, Representatives and President Obama. We are also starting a student outreach program.

The Fix: How can people find out more about this topic?

Amanda: Sooo many. Look in our website www.unitedforaction.org and www.gaslandthemovie.com We will be showing Gasland free on Dec. 9, will let you know the venue for all to attend.

The Fix: Thanks for your time and all your efforts!

To learn more about this topic check out the following websites:
www.unitedforaction.org
www.gaslandthemovie.com
http://www.thenation.com/blog/154975/perils-hydro-fracking
http://www.peacecouncil.net/NOON/hydrofrac/HdryoFrac2.htm
http://sustainableotsego.org/

If you want to find the exact section in the EPA that was amended, here it is:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/pdfs/epact_2005.pdf
Look on Page 102, Section 322. HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

If you want to know more about the "Halliburton Loophole" you can find info here:
http://www.independentwatertesting.com/baseline-test/148-what-is-the-hal...