WhadayaKnow? What is hydrofracking?
By Marty Deskovich and Marites Woodbury
Every Monday Great Lakes Echo runs video clips of random people answering questions that experts believe environmentally literate citizens should understand. In the last clip an expert explains the correct answers.
This week’s question is “What is hydrofracking?” Take a shot at explaining it yourself than see how others answered.
This week’s expert is Jon Bartholic, director of the Institute of Water Research at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.
He is also a professor in the departments of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies and Crop and Soil Sciences at MSU.
This story on Echo reports on attempts to regulate hydrofracking in Michigan.
Hydraulic fracturing or hydrofracturing, commonly known as fracking, is the propagation of fractures in a rock layer caused by the introduction of a pressurized fluid, usually water mixed with chemicals. Fracking is a technique used to release petroleum and natural gas for extraction. It is one of the few truly consumptive uses of water. It is also a potential way to get around hazardous waste disposal laws, since our illustrious politicians won’t regulate the chemicals which are mixed with the water which is injected underground. Since fracking causes fissures in rock layers, injected chemicals may migrate back towards the surface, contaminating drinking water supplies. But never fear, fracking has been done for a long time so it must be completely safe. If your well gets contaminated, it must have been caused by something else. Don’t expect compensation from any fracking company.
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Thank you Howard! Truly consumptive use of water is absolutely right! While industry claims it does not contaminate water, TRUTH is that every drop of water they use is contaminated with secret toxic Fracking chemicals and disposed of as non-hazardous brine in relatively shalliow wells! The fate transport of these billions of gallons of frack wastes is unknown…
And while Hal Fitch and the Office of Oil, Gas and Minerals green lights and promotes the whole process, exemptions to clean water, clean air, Superfund, environmental assessments for fracking on public lands etc ……
Worst of all, industry is so hyping fracking that they hacve stalled renewable energy deelopment!
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Please join the citizen-led, grassroots movement in Michigan to place an amendment to the constitution to BAN horizontal hydrofracking, and frack wastes from coming in to Michigan, on the ballot in November. The Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan is gathering signatures from Michigan registered voters face to face, at events throughout the state, so that we can vote on it. (There is no online version of the petition, you must sign in person).
We know now that the entire Lower Peninsula is targeted for fracking. Many people are alarmed, and as the Great Lakes Echo video showed, many more people are learning about this dangerous new threat every day. Places like Roscommon and Gladwin Counties are currently being fracked, and in state forests in northern Michigan counties.
We need your signature, and we need more circulators.
Please see our website: http://www.LetsBanFracking.org to find a circulator or coordinator near you, so that you can become a part of this enormous effort.
See our video promoting the ballot initiative–on the web or facebook.
We CAN ban fracking in Michigan. You must act fast. We need 322,609 valid signatures before July 9. Send in your petitions as soon as possible.
Thank you!
LuAnne Kozma
Campaign Director
Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan
231-944-8750
http://www.LetsBanFracking.org
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