Hydraulic Fracturing -- Is it all it's cracked up to be? The
holy grail of energy independence or a groundwater nightmare in
the making? - By Keith Hall - Dec 20, 2010 Hydraulic fracturing
has received significant attention recently, particularly in
connection with the production of natural gas from shale. Many
organizations (including Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, the
Marcellus Shale Coalition, and the American Petroleum Institute)
have hailed the process as one that will provide economic,
national security, and even environmental benefits to the United
States. Others, such as the Environmental Working Group and
Public Citizen, have claimed it is a serious threat to the
environment. "Fracking" or "fracing" has aroused interest
throughout the United States ─ not only because the process
raises important issues, but also because shale formations are
in a majority of states. Most of the drilling activity has been
in the Marcellus and Devonian Shale formations, which extend
from New York, down through Pennsyl