Hydraulic Fracturing: An unregulated danger to our nation's drinking water
Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is a resource extraction method used to break down underground rock formations to release natural gas or oil. To release gas trapped within thin layers of rock, natural gas producers inject a pressurized mixture of water, sand, and chemical into oil or gas wells or coalmine methane beds, a process that breaks down the formations and allows the gas to flow.
The technique is employed in 90% of oil and gas operation throughout the United States on both public and private lands, which induces concerns about the chemicals used in fracking, and the impact of the process on our lands and in our water.
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Diagram: Fracking diagram. Courtesy Geology.com.
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Sam Goldman
Sam has been with The Wilderness Society since Fall 2007. He came most recently from M+R Strategic Services in Washington, DC where he worked with national environmental groups to improve their online campaign work and field organizing capacity. Before that, Sam was the Assistant National Field Director for U.S. PIRG where he covered a variety of issues including the fight to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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