Two Sides of the Fracking Fracas

08.05.10: Hydraulic fracturing, known as “fracking”, has roiled New York State environmentalists and legislators for the last two years as the natural gas industry vied to drill the Marcellus Shale, the world’s second largest natural gas field. Enough to power the world for three years, the Marcellus could be a boon for drillers and help to relieve our dependence on foreign oil in the short term, but fracking has also led to many documented instances of groundwater pollution and improper waste disposal.

This month, the New York State Senate passed a moratorium to stall Marcellus drilling until May 15, 2011 while the Department of Environmental Conservation reviews fracking’s environmental impact. A proposed federal Frac Act that would regulate fracking methods under the Safe Drinking Water Act has been in committee since June 2009.

We spoke with Chris Tucker, spokesman for the trade group Energy in Depth and Craig Michaels, Watershed Director for Riverkeeper, one of the advocacy groups opposed to fracking in New York State.

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