NEW YORK, June 13, 2014 Backed by sound science and increasingly encouraging data, hydraulic fracturing is proving beneficial to Americans in a myriad of important ways. Cleaner burning natural gas is making our air safer to breathe. Access to less expensive energy is lowering overall fuel prices ($100 billion in savings in 2011 alone). And it s continuing to be a job creator, as more than half the states across the country have joined the fracking revolution.
And, best of all ¦ it s safe. These are just some of the key points presented in What s the Story? Fracking Facts vs. Fiction, the latest publication from the American Council on Science and Health.
Fracking doesn t pollute water or the air. There have been zero confirmed occurrences of ground water contamination from more than one million wells accessed in the last 50 years, said ACSH president Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. And unlike coal or oil, natural gas obtained from fracking produces almost no smog or asthma-causing particulates. That is helping lower the disturbingly high asthma rates among children in the U.S.
OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS INCLUDED IN Fracking Facts vs. Fiction:
- Shale gas wells are found an average of 7,500 ft. below ground
- Drinking water aquifers safely exist no more than 300 ft. below the surface
- U.S. is the world s leading natural gas producer, up 34% in the past decade
- Increased gas production can lead to U.S. energy independence by 2020*
This news is both welcome and timely. Just two weeks ago the Environmental Protection Agency announced an aggressive proposal to cut carbon pollution from coal-fired plants by 30 percent by 2030. Natural gas obtained from fracking is the smart, safe alternative now and in the future.
Hydraulic Fracturing In the Marcellus Shale: water and health, facts vs fiction by American Council on Science and Health
Fracking and Health: facts vs. fiction by American Council on Science and Health
What's the Story? Fracking: Facts vs. Fiction by American Council on Science and Health