Facing Anti-Fracking hysteria (Pennsylvania drilling is cleaner than ever)

New York Post ^ | 02/09/2012 | Kevin Williamson

[SeekAndFind]

Learning how to exploit the rich vein of natural gas buried in the Marcellus Shale beneath Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York has been a boon to the nation, but another remarkable discovery’s gone along with it. The Keystone State has devised a system of environmental-protection regulations that actually works.

Exploiting shale gas to its full capability has the potential to radically alter some fundamental economic and national-security equations. After all, oil imports account for about half of the total US trade deficit, and US policymakers suffer insomnia every time some random ayatollah starts making scary noises about the Strait of Hormuz.

Environmental ones, too. About half of US electricity comes from burning coal — which, on its best day, is a lot more environmentally problematic than natural gas (something to think about while tooling down to Trader Joe’s in your 45 percent coal-powered Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf).

Then there’s the jobs.

Since Marcellus production really picked up around 2008, tens of thousands of jobs have been created. (Want $60,000 a year to drive a water truck with a $2,000 signing bonus? Pennsylvania is calling.) What’s more, tens of billions of dollars in new wealth have been injected into the ailing US economy.

Pennsylvania and West Virginia saw 57,000 new Marcellus jobs in a single year. (New York, which still severely restricts gas development, gets none of that.)

So what’s not to love?

The problem is hysteria over the gas-drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

[davisfh]

I've been noticing these ridiculous things on TV about flames coming out of the water faucets, etc. What a bunch of hoked up BS. Anybody with even the most rudimentary knowledge of physics would know that is not possible. God, how I despise this uneducated and totally stupid bunch of people who are PART OF THE ELECTORATE.

[chemicalman]

Good article. Just the mention of the word “fracking” gets all the environazis in a tizzy.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I recently attended a fracking trade show event, and was struck by two things.

-Absolutely everyone...and I mean, EVERYONE in the fracking industry seemed sincerely committed to avoiding any sort of environmental damage. They were well aware that one Fukushima incident could put them out of business.

-The place was absolutely overrun with state and local politicians, most of them Democrats. All appeared to be having some sort of orgasm over the thought of the revenue streams this was going to bring their way. If the enviros think they are gonna turn it down to please them, they are sadly mistaken.

[faucetman]

Living in Liberal, LGBT, Commie land, (Ithaca, NY), I can tell you that this area is in a tizzy over fracking. Almost every town in my county has or is considering anti fracking laws. The misinformation and bold face lies about fracking are everywhere. The ignorant, uninformed public are duped by liberals and the press. (oxymoron).

So far our new governor is holding out, but for how long. Their main tactic is DELAY. We need more time to study. We might be for it (nonsense) but we just need to be sure it's safe. The extra time allows them to propagandize the public. It is working.

I always say, don't reinvent the wheel. Go to someone who already has a wheel and do what they did to make your own.

Pennsylvania, our neighbor to the south, has already dealt with problems generated by fracking (read very good article at link above). Do Pennsylvanians want to poison well water and kill children? No! Let's follow their lead and get started fracking. We need the jobs. We need the clean energy. We need the revenue. I LOVE fracking! Frack Here, Frack Now!

[JimRed]

The misinformation and bold face lies about fracking are everywhere. The ignorant, uninformed public are duped by liberals and the press. (oxymoron).

Global warming, redux.