by Daryl Hannah and Diane Moss
Fracking imposes unnecessary risks on public health and on our diminishing, yet most precious of resources–water.
The Associated Press reported: “The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages within five years.” In 2013, the WSJ found at least 15.3 million Americans have a natural gas well within one mile of their home that has been drilled since 2000. According to the Congressional Office of Research, more than 90 percent of new oil and gas wells are now fracked.
Daryl Hannah at a Washington, D.C., anti-fracking rally in August. Photo credit: Getty Images
Several studies, including this one by Duke University, this one published in Environmental Science and Technology and this one by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency show injecting the fracking fluid, which contains thousands of pounds of chemicals per well, significantly elevates levels of toxins, including radiation, metals, brine and volatile hydrocarbon gases like the carcinogen benzene in affected water. Most fracking fluid is left deep in the ground, which could migrate through pathways created by natural and man-made faults, endangering people over many generations. For the rest of this article please click the link to EcoWatch: http://ecowatch.com/2013/11/15/frackings-dirty-little-secret/