A proposal to expand a major local pipeline could bring cheap, plentiful supplies of natural gas to New England from Northeast shale formations, but it also thrusts the region into a raging debate that pits economics against environment, industry against community, and sometimes neighbor against neighbor. The focus is often on a controversial technique, known as fracking, that pumps chemical-laced, pressurized water deep into the earth. The technology has helped bring jobs, businesses, and money, but also been blamed for polluting air and water.
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What value does your home have if the neighbor has gas wells & trucks going 24 hrs? if the well water is poisoned? If the creek next door has saltwater algae blooms? I found out my home here in Massachusetts had NO insulation in the roof, and now that I have insulation and a white roof, my energy usage (especially gas) is way, way down. Conservation will save us money without creating a thousand little superfund sites over NY, PA, Ohio, Arkansas and everywhere in between.
There is no credible scientific evidence (yet) that fracking threatens ground water. The EPA has alleged contamination in several locations but has then had to retract those claims because of lack of evidence. Seepage of methane occurs naturally and should not be confused with well leaks. If we are going to have electric cars, as greens demand, then we need to switch from coal-fired power plants to those fueled by much cleaner natural gas. We have a huge trade deficit, largely because of petroleum imports. Wouldn't it be much better to produce and consume domestic natural gas? Attacking fracking because of its supposed ground water impacts is a political ploy to get us to switch to expensive renewables because their technologies are truly ready for adoption. Natural gas is a great transitional energy source to power an economic recovery.
It is time for Americans to grow up and stop saying NO to everything. This country needs more cheap energy and fighting wars in the middle east killing our men and women is more expensive and dangerous than "Fracking". We need every type of energy available to us, 50 modern new nuclear power plants would be a good start, Solar, Wind, cleaned & safe coal, the pipeline from Canada==All good stuff. The EPA can keep us safe and compensate those adversely effected. Enough NO No NO--It's time we all start pulling together and make America great.. All electric cars by 2025 would be good.
What harm to the environment? The EPA continually OPPOSES fracking. The White House wants to FORCE you to pay for FAILED "Green Energy" projects. But has it provided any PROOF whatsoever? Have any environmental groups provided any proof? NONE. ZERO. The EPA just lost a court case in which it stopped fracking for 2 years. Why did it lose? NO PROOF WHATSOEVER!