We Have Right to Know What’s in Fracking Fluid

The State of North Carolina is at a critical turning point for the future impacts of fracking on public health and the environment. One of the key issues up for comment and debate involves whether or not the public (including doctors and first responders) have the right to know the facts about the toxic chemicals used during fracking.  The NC General Assembly has included an unworkable and unethical provision which threatens to impose criminal penalties on anyone who discloses such information.

Fortunately, there area  number of credible and publicly available sources of information about the 600 chemicals currently contained in fracking fluid.  The most important of these was published by the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy in April 2011.   You will find the executive summary and a link to the full report if you continue reading.  The main point is that fracking fluid is risky and unregulated.  Read here about the main toxic chemicals that routinely are discovered in water supplies where fracking occurs.  Even without knowing the trade secrets Halliburton and others want to keep – the evidence is clear that the State of North Carolina should reject fracking!

Click below to learn what hazardous chemicals are widely known to be in fracking fluid.

NC Citizens Must Speak Out Against Fracking

Some powerful interests are trying to “fast-track” fracking in North Carolina to the great concern of many landowners, scientists, and citizens.  In fact, our state has almost no experience with these types of risky extraction industries.  Too little research has been done and there has been too little public oversight.   People concerned over the future of North Carolina have an important opportunity over the next two months to comment on proposed fracking rules developed by the Mining and Energy Commission.

The deadline for those comments is September 15, 2014.

Serious public health and environmental impacts from fracking have been documented in those locations where fracking has been in place for a while (e.g., Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Texas.)  In addition, host communities experience constant traffic jams, over-burdened infrastructure and services, and a host of social problems (waves of crime, transient single men, and lost quality of life.)   Many states and communities across the country are finally pushing back against the fracking industry. Concerned citizens and environmental groups still hope to stop fracking here in North Carolina.  It is possible that if the rules can be made strong enough, we will discourage companies from even bothering to frack North Carolina (given how relatively little oil and gas is in our state.)

Click below for details about the three public hearings, as well as how to submit comments online.

Social Impacts of Fracking Suck Life from Host Communities

For almost a decade a new energy boom has been underway using new technology known as “Fracking.”  This invasive and disruptive technology is already having negative impacts on people and the environment.  Most of the public and regulatory attention has focused on human health impacts through drinking, breathing and other means of exposure.  Real life experience in communities across the country also demonstrates the social and economic problems that come along with fracking as just as uncertain and unwanted. This is particularly true for those states where the Fracking boom has been underway the longest (i.e., North Dakota and Pennsylvania.)  States like North Carolina that are rushing into Fracking must slow down and learn from the troubles of others!

This article compiles the most insightful and credible news stories and research reports about documented social problems that go along with Fracking.  This is not surprising to Rural Sociologist (like yours truly.)    For over three decades, sociologists and others have systematically evaluated the social and economic impacts of a wide range of actions – particularly related to mining.  In fact, the formal practice of Social Impact Analysis (SIA) was mandated under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) signed by Richard Nixon in 1970.   This required Federal government agencies to conduct Social Impact Assessment as part of their Environmental Impact Assessment (e.g., Army Corps, NOAA, Depart. of Interior and others.)  In addition, SIA has become strongly established in Europe, Australia and elsewhere.

Click Below to Learn about the Social Impacts of Fracking.

Cheney’s Halliburton Loophole Sucks Power from EPA to Regulate Fracking

Now that fracking is taking off government regulators and environmental interests find they are powerless to protect public health and the environment.  This reflects the overwhelming power of Dick Cheney to ensure that his former company (Halliburton) could begin fracking anywhere they wanted without having to comply with pesky federal laws like The Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.  This is part of a clear pattern where Halliburton received no-bid contracts to exploit Iran’s oil and attempt to rebuild New Orleans after their technology caused the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

In this article you will learn the full details of what has come to be known as “The Halliburton Loophole.”  Learn how Vice President Cheney effectively squashed the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate fracking and its waste products.  Read the accounts of senior level EPA officials who became whistle-blowers when they realized how their agency had been captured by the greed of the vice-president who continued to work for Halliburton all during his time in office.

Click below to read all about how the fracking industry has been allowed to suck oil freely without government of public oversight.