Fracking and other drilling procedures have revitalized the US energy industry, but hundreds of complaints regarding pollution and water contamination have been filed in at least four states, with numerous cases confirmed.
Of the four states reviewed by the Associated Press — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, and West Virginia — Pennsylvania was found to have confirmed the most cases of contamination, with more than 100 instances certified over the last five years.
In the last two years alone, the state has fielded nearly 900 complaints related to oil and natural gas drilling such as fracking, ranging from pollution by dislodged gas and other chemicals to temporarily reduced water flow.
Meanwhile, Ohio has confirmed six cases of contaminated water supplies out of 190 complaints since 2010. Over the last four years, West Virginia has received 122 complaints, four of which were considered strong enough to warrant “corrective action.”
With its spreadsheet of more than 2,000 complaints, Texas had by far the most comprehensive collection of data. According to the agency that watches over drilling in the state, the Railroad Commission of Texas, there has not been a single case of drilling-related pollution confirmed over the last decade.
While fracking has provided a boost to many state’s energy sectors, the process — which involves pouring hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, sand, and various chemicals into the ground in order to separate oil and gas from rocks — has also been the target of considerable outrage from health and environmental groups.
Read Full Article