hydrofracking

Read about the environmental and economic issues associated with the controversial natural gas extraction method hydraulic fracturing, commonly called "fracking."

Incidents where hydraulic fracturing is a suspected cause of drinking water contamination

Frack or Fiction: A Gasland Review

Filmmaker Josh Fox interviewed families whose drinking water wells had gone bad after fracking began on or near their land. Their water is now discolored, foul-smelling and in many cases flammable. For the most part, the drilling companies claim no responsibility, although many have settled claims with victims.

More Science, Please: Some New Yorkers Want a Statewide Moratorium on Hydraulic Fracturing

As New York considers a moratorium on fracking, it’s worth considering comparisons between the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster and recent natural gas events - like the natural gas blowout in PA.

Navigating Energy and Water Without a Roadmap

"Where the hell is that Roadmap Report?" is the question people keep asking Sandia Lab’s Mike Hightower. The DOE has returned the report an astounding 22 times.

Scary Movie 5: Deep Cuts and Severed Heads at the New York State Department

Rumors abound about the dark forces that might be at play at the New York State DEC. Next week’s election results could determine the fate of New York’s environment.

Pro vs. Con: What the Frack?

Did you think "Drill, baby, drill," would go away? Not quite. "Drill, baby, drill" continues to sweep the nation, but in this case it's for a smaller profile fossil fuel - natural gas.

Do Oscar Nominations Influence Environmental Movements, Policies? Go Gasland!

This Oscar season, we're rooting for Gasland, a documentary about the controversial natural gas technique known as fracking. Numerous other eco-docs have been nominated in the past. What do the awards say about the environmental movement?

And the Oscar For Best Horror Film Goes to...Gasland!

The natural gas drilling industry is working hard to silence the discussion created by Josh Fox’s film Gasland, which seems to have the industry running a little scared these days.

Fracking by the Numbers (as reported by The New York Times)

Are you among the ever-shrinking group of people who remain unconvinced that hydrofracking poses a threat to the nation’s water resources?

Are We Fracking With the Water-Energy Nexus?

What will it take to convince the federal government that water and energy are tightly intertwined...and therefore their respective planning and policy must be closely linked?

Farming and Fracking Don’t Mix: A Farmer Speaks Out

The debate raging around fracking is very familiar to Greg Swartz: Fracking offers a potential economic boost for landowners, but carries with it potential health and safety hazards and risk of severe environmental degradation.

Common Issues Face Fracking and Power Plant Cooling

If you follow current environmental events then you are likely familiar with shale-gas fracking and power plant cooling. But did you know how much these two issues have in common?

NY Times Readers React to Fracking Series

The NYTimes' Drilling Down series has garnered great interest and praise. In response to their series, the Times recently published several letters-to-the-editor including a letter from one of our bloggers.

A Fracking First: Texas Leads the Way on Disclosure

This month, a funny thing happened in Texas, a state better known for its high profile, politically-charged feuds with the EPA. Texas's state legislature was the first in the U.S. to pass comprehensive chemical disclosure law for fracking.

The Word on Fracking in the U.S.

Fracking - the hottest topic on the energy front - is now on fire with the arrival of summer. The month of June saw three bans, one ban reversal, a disclosure law and gift to the gas industry.

Quietly, the Delaware River Basin Commission Blocks Fracking Water Withdrawals in New York

With little public attention, two significant decisions came out of a follow up to a previously canceled meeting on hydraulic fracturing held by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC).

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Quick Facts

On average, each American flushes 18.5 gal. of water down the toilet every day. More than any other uses like taking showers or washing dishes.
20 percent of the Earth's surface water is in lakes.
Poultry farms often sear off as much as half of a chicken's beak to prevent aggression brought on by cramped living conditions.
Irrigation-intensive agricultural diverts 70 percent of the world's available freshwater each year.
Natural gas is the largest source of energy produced in the US followed by coal, oil, renewable and nuclear. (As of 2011)
A piece of A5 paper has a water footprint of 3 gallons, but amounts vary depending on wood.
The average American throws away 20 pounds of food each month or about two-thirds of a pound per person per day.
The transportation sector made up 28 percent of US energy conumption in 2011
Crop irrigation accounts for 31 percent of all freshwater withdrawals in the U.S.
Between 1950 and 2003, the fossil fuel industry raked in 75 percent of federal government energy development incentives.
A typical chocolate bar has a water footprint of 449 gallons.
Power plants in the US withdraw 143 billion gallons of fresh water every day; more than irrigation and 3 times that's used for public water supplies.
On average, one large banana has a water footprint of 42 gallons.
One cotton t-shirt has a water footprint of 659 gallons.
30 percent of global freshwater is groundwater.

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