Dear Commander-in-Chief,

Humans are becoming very desperate for resources. We have started to use more dangerous and polluting methods for collecting the resources we require. One of these methods for extracting gas and oil is called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and it needs to be stopped. Fracking is dangerous and terrible for the environment, it should be banned.

Fracking is the process of drilling into the ground, pumping millions of gallons of a pressurized water-mixture, which contains sand and other chemicals, to crack underground rock. The cracked rock releases oil and natural gases, that flow back to the surface through a pipe. Fracking uses a tremendous amount of water to work. The fracking process can also contaminate groundwater, rivers and streams. Researchers from Duke University tested the water nearby of a fracking site. They found levels of methane as well as other chemicals in the water. “The average concentration of the methane detected in the water wells near drilling sites fell squarely within a range that the U.S. Department of Interior says is dangerous and requires urgent ‘hazard mitigation’ action, according to the study” says the ProPublica 2011 article, Scientific Study Links Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking, written by Abrahm Lustgarten. The levels of methane in the water were deemed dangerous. Due to the high levels of methane in the contaminated water, the water can be set ablaze, giving it even more potential to be dangerous. Flammable water can’t be a good thing.

In areas where fracking has occurred, the ground is left extremely unstable. Oklahoma for example, has had thousands of small earthquakes since fracking has begun. In Dallas, “the area had only seen one recorded earthquake in 58 years, before fracking appeared in 2008,” says the USGS. Since 2008, Texas has seen a huge increase in earthquakes as result of fracking. International Business Times’ article Fracking The Reason For Texas’ Earthquakes? Report Rules out ‘Natural’ Causes For More Tremors, written by Philip Ross reports that, “The study, published in April, looked at the uptick in earthquakes near the towns of Reno and Azle, both located atop the Barnett Shale. Between late 2013 and early 2014, there were more than two dozen small earthquakes in the area that researchers said were most likely due to fracking.” Not only does fracking contaminate drinking water, it also destabilizes the ground. This further increases its probability to generate danger.

So, Commander-in-Chief, fracking is not an issue that should be overlooked. It is dangerous and polluting the environment. Fracking should be banned and illegal. There are safer, greener, alternative methods to satisfy our energy needs.

Sincerely,

AJ

Grade 10

West St. Paul, Minnesota