Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed a bill into law this week
that officially bans fracking in the Green Mountain state.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of drilling
and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order
to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas inside. The
problem with fracking is that it has the potential to
contaminate ground water, as well as add tons of pollutants to
the air. According to the Huffington Post, Vermont’s ban may be
more of a symbolic gesture though since there is believed to be
little to no natural gas or oil beneath the surface in Vermont.
Still, being the first state to officially ban the practice
makes a strong statement. In other states where fracking occurs,
critics have stated that the practice contaminates drinking
water wells of residents living near the drilling operations,
but natural gas industry officials dispute those claims. Shumlin
said the increased amounts of natural gas obtainable through
hydraulic fracturing were not wort