Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process in which oil and natural gas are extracted from underground rock formations. Fracking provides many benefits but has some costly side effects.
Fracking obviously provides more energy. An interesting upside is that there is potential for fracking to be cleaner than coal if done right.Fracking also creates jobs, in turn potentially filling the new homes being planned for the near future.
Fracking’s most obvious downsides are health based. The chemicals that help to break down the rocks can leach into nearby water supplies. With roughly 20% of people in Allegheny County using well water, fracking could cause serious health side effects, including skin irritation, nausea, burns, respiratory issues, high blood pressure and cancer. In addition, fracking releases methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
Fracking is a nuanced issue, and it is difficult to tell if the economic benefits outweigh the health consequences.
Ryan Wang
Glenshaw
The writer is a senior at Fox Chapel Area High School.