As demand for natural gas in the United States increases, so does the incidence of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” a process that involves drilling thousands of feet into the ground and injecting a high-pressure water, sand and chemical solution to crack open rocks and release natural gas. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, over a third of U.S. states are already home to such drilling sites.
Industry representatives and local advocates believe fracking can be a boon to rural communities in need of economic development, but environmentalists and health advocates are wary of the drilling’s long-term effects. Now there’s even more evidence to justify concern.
A three-year study headed by Lisa McKenzie, PhD, research associate at the Colorado School of Public Health, establishes that the air near fracking wells in western Colorado contains several toxic chemicals, including benzene, a proven carcinogen. People living within a half-mile of the Colorado wells have an increased risk of cancer, plus respiratory problems, eye irritation and headaches, says the study, which will be published in a forthcoming issue of Science of the Total Environment.
You can learn if fracking affects your area and get advice on how to protect yourself from potential health issues through the National Resources Defense Council at www.nrdc.org/health/drilling.
I really appreciate you guys sharing this article. (And, ironically, there’s a new fracking site right behind my Westminster, CO Lifetime Fitness on Lifetime owned land. This doesn’t make sense to me.)
All of the residents in Western Pennsylvania that are getting rich off of letting these companies frack their land better buy insurance against cancer and litigation with their proceeds cause they’re going to need both. I can’t believe the greed of some people. As if they have no responsibility to humanity.