Fracking Is Not a Solution

Each of the author's points has a flaw:

1. There is NO process for which our scientific knowledge is completely adequate for responsible risk management, so to oppose fracing on those grounds is to oppose the whole fabric of human society.

2. If the industry is guilty of hijacking public dialog, so is the opposition. They are equally guilty of using inflammatory rhetoric (like "hijacking"), and spreading misinformation. Pot calling kettle black.

3. The public would have nothing to fear from academia, industry, media, or anyone else if they would just do the hard work of learning science, instead of looking for shortcuts and a scapegoat for their problems.

4. Energy companies are not resting on a house of cards. I mean, really? If that were so, BP would be bankrupt.

The bottom line is, as a previous commenter noted, the only way to avoid disrupting ecosystems is to use less and less concentrated energy. Not just a little less, but a lot. Are you ready for that kind of life? Then go for it, and teach others to do the same.

James of TX 4:39PM December 01, 2011

My story is the perfect expose on this horrible lie about regulation. The PaDEP granted a permit to SWN to drill within 70 feet of the main tributary to Baylor's Lake, an ancient glacial lake protected since 1920. Even though they now admit that they rpobably should not have allowed the well to be placed so close to this delicate ecosystem, they refuse to rescind the permit. On top of all fo this, SWN has a record of poor site managment incurring violations for poor erosion control and failure to follow "Best management practices". Just down the road, they were sued for polluting 13 drinking water wells. And this is with all of the allegedly great regulatatory oversight provided by PaDEP. Big deal. Say a prayer for Baylor's Lake. They drill as I write. so sad.

Linda Melvin of PA 12:05AM December 01, 2011

The industry, regulators and allied politicians have not proven that that the entire process will do no harm. The burden of proof falls on the industry that no harm will be done to public health or to the envirionment.

Ted Popovich of PA 10:29PM November 30, 2011

This country has successfully convinced its citizens that they live in one of the most highly educated societies in the world, yet, many who buy into this are content to watch a 30 second commercial for information, are willing to believe that corporations will pay you oodles of cash to drill your land because they 'love you', will ignore the purchase of every public servant (politician) that is willing to be bought, will turn a blind eye to legislation written by said (paid off) politicians that violate democratic values, refuse to read anything that requires critical thinking skills; serious thought and/or action, commit only to watch 'disney' commercials produced by the corporations that have historically harmed them in the past, refuse to acknowledge the damage caused to people and to the environment by this toxic process, and don't know enough to understand that we can't survive without clean water (which is currently being contaminated at an exponential rate).......THE BIGGEST problem in this whole mess is that people actually believed the first lie told to them...That we were 'highly educated' in this country.

Loretta Weir of PA 11:43PM November 29, 2011