Alexander Tamas Augusztinyi

Mr. Rogers
Government - Period 1
11 October 2016

Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing uses giant drills, undisclosed harmful chemicals
and water to extract oil and other natural resources from the ground.
There is a lot of controversy around the topic of fracking, and people are right in questioning
the multi million dollar companies and what the process is behind the scenes. Some of the
things being questioned are things like how fracking can cause small earthquakes, the
chemicals used (of which the companies do not have to publicly reveal) and what the health
risks are in the long run. The reasons why this bill should be passed is because fracking can
cause minor earthquakes, the chemicals used in fracking do not have to be disclosed due to a
loop hole and because of the unknown chemicals used it can also have harmful health
effects on animals, land and people.

First off, the best thing to do is to explain the process of hydraulic fracturing. A drill is started
up and send do to the bed rock lair of the earth, next a high pressure water mix is pumped
down into the rock to release the natural resource needed, then a mixture of water, sand and
undisclosed chemicals are injected into the rocks which allows the resource to be extracted
out of a pump. Unfortunately, the process of drilling down and injecting chemicals to eat
away at the bedrock can cause small yet noticeable earthquakes. In Oklahoma and Texas, oil
production has nearly doubled and tripled, respectively, between 2009the year when
earthquake numbers started escalatingand 2014. For both states, natural gas production
also significantly increased during this time.(News, By Zahra Hirji InsideClimate, By
Nicholas Kusnetz, By Phil McKenna, By Neela Banerjee, and By Zahra Hirji. "Yes, Those

Earthquakes Are Caused by Fracking Boom, Studies Confirm." InsideClimate News |. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.) The fact that fracking increases earthquakes isn't a good thing when
thinking about both the environment and the public in the area and can cause quite a
disturbance. The earthquakes range in magnitude from 1.0 to 2.8.("Fracking and
Earthquakes." Shale Gas Plays, Oil Reserves & Fracking. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016.)
Although these earthquakes are very small on the richter magnitude scale, these are still
earthquakes not created naturally. Because of these reasons of fracking causing minor tremors
in the earth which are not natural is why the bill should be passed to reduce the effect of
fracking's cons on the local areas of the sites.

Another reason the bill should be passed is because of the chemicals used in the process of
fracking and most companies that use hydraulic fracturing as a process to extract natural
resources are not revealed to the public. These chemicals can be safe but most would be
dangerous to consume of to touch, let alone the effect on the land and animals around the
immediate area. Companies are not required to disclose the chemicals they use, or the
formula of the mixture, in the process. That makes it difficult for local residents, or first
responders, to prepare for an accident or emergency, and difficult for scientists to gauge the
threat posed by the chemicals. (The Center for Michigan | Bridge Magazine. "Fracking: The
Pros and Cons of the Booming and Controversial Extraction Process." MLive.com. N.p., 20
May 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.) When fracking companies use chemicals that are not revealed
to the public this means that they must have something to hide that would not be looked at in
a good way. oil and gas development poses risks to water quality from contamination of
surface water and groundwater as a result of erosion from ground disturbances, spills and
releases of chemicals and other fluids, or underground migration of gases and
chemicals(Geographic, By Christina Nunez National. "How Has Fracking Changed Our

Future?" National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.) When spills of chemicals
occur, the surrounding land can get polluted and then damage the environment or the local
population. Unfortunately when the area is polluted it can cause illnesses or even more harm
to people.

When the chemicals used in fracking spill or get absorbed by the ground huge damage can
occur to the land and the people in the immediate area. Water can also be polluted and when
people drink that water filled with numerous unknown chemicals, illnesses and harm can
occur. The illnesses range from bloody noses (that are unexplained) to large numbers of
cases of cancer reported.("16 Vital Pros and Cons of Hydraulic Fracturing | NLCATP.org."
NLCATPorg. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.) Even cancer can be caused due to what is
believed the chemical pollution from the process of fracking in local communities. air
quality dynamics around fracking operations are not fully understood, and cumulative health
impacts of fracking for nearby residents and workers remain largely unknown. Some of the
available research evidence from places such as Utah and Colorado suggests there may be
under-appreciated problems with air quality("Pros and Cons of Fracking: 5 Key Issues - Yale
Climate Connections." Yale Climate Connections. N.p., 12 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.)
Unfortunately, there haven't been as many studies on the environmental aspects of fracking as
many people of the public would like and because of this many are very worried about the
building of the sites in America, England and in Europe as well. There just isn't enough
studies about the true effect on the earth. What we do know is that there are effects on the
surrounding area which were not apparent before the fracking process. ...animals as sentinels
of the environmental disease. They are the first to fall sick and the symptoms and
consequences can be dire.(Bamberger, Michelle, and Robert Oswald. The Real Cost of
Fracking: How America's Shale-gas Boom Is Threatening Our Families, Pets, and Food.

N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.) Unfortunately what is said by a book about fracking, animals are the
first to be affected and this is bad because animals are suffering from man's causes.

There are a few counter arguments when it comes to fracking because everything has got its
pros and cons. Some of the pros are about extracting materials and not necessarily on the
damages it can cause. Fracking basically uses huge amounts of water, sand and chemicals
that are blasted deep into underground rock formations to crack them open. With the
chemicals injected deep under the earth, they would cause lesser to no damage, as opposed to
when they are released on the surface or in the air("List Of Top 9 Pros And Cons Of
Fracking." Green Garage. N.p., 10 June 2015. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.) Even though chemicals
are injected deep down into the bedrock level of the earth below, this is still using chemicals
which are not publicly known generally and will still cause damage to the environment
compared to not using chemicals.Countries into hydrofracking lessen oil importation
costs.("Hydrofracking Pros and Cons List."NYLNorg. N.p., 23 June 2015. Web. 16 Oct.
2016.) Although this is correct, almost half of the US's natural resources are mined and
extracted here in country, but we are paying for the consequences in the damages of the
landscape, atmosphere and public health by doing the process close to residential areas.etc.
Those living near fractured wells are potentially at risk of health threats given the increased
amount of volatile organic compounds and air toxins in the area.("The Pros and Cons of
Fracking." Nature World News RSS. N.p., 12 Sept. 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.) As shown
there are many pros of fracking but the cons out do them when it comes to the publics safety
in the United States of America.

In conclusion hydraulic fracturing can cause minor earthquakes, uses dangerous chemicals
that are not revealed to the public and poses threats to the local area of the fracking operation

sites. Fracking may help with more economical problems but when the process can cause
cancer and other health defects that can not be explained. It isn't effective to use. There needs
to be a call to action to restrict fracking sites from operating within 50 miles of any public
school facility to decrease the health problems on water supplies and the air quality on the
local area.

Work Cited
News, By Zahra Hirji InsideClimate, By Nicholas Kusnetz, By Phil McKenna,
By Neela Banerjee, and By Zahra Hirji. "Yes, Those Earthquakes Are Caused by
Fracking Boom, Studies Confirm." InsideClimate News |. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept.
2016.
"Fracking and Earthquakes." Shale Gas Plays, Oil Reserves & Fracking. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2016
The Center for Michigan | Bridge Magazine. "Fracking: The Pros and Cons of
the Booming and Controversial Extraction Process." MLive.com. N.p., 20 May 2014.
Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
Geographic, By Christina Nunez National. "How Has Fracking Changed Our
Future?" National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.
"16 Vital Pros and Cons of Hydraulic Fracturing | NLCATP.org." NLCATPorg.
N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
"Pros and Cons of Fracking: 5 Key Issues - Yale Climate Connections." Yale
Climate Connections. N.p., 12 Apr. 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
"List Of Top 9 Pros And Cons Of Fracking." Green Garage. N.p., 10 June
2015. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.
"Hydrofracking Pros and Cons List."NYLNorg. N.p., 23 June 2015. Web. 16
Oct. 2016.
"The Pros and Cons of Fracking." Nature World News RSS. N.p., 12 Sept.
2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
Bamberger, Michelle, and Robert Oswald. The Real Cost of Fracking: How
America's Shale-gas Boom Is Threatening Our Families, Pets, and Food. N.p.: n.p.,
n.d. Print.