A brace or brace and bit is a hand tool used to drill holes, usually in wood. Pressure is applied to the top and the tool is rotated with a U-shaped grip. The U-shaped part is a kind of crankshaft. It gives the brace much greater torque than other kinds of hand drills. A brace can be used to drill much wider and deeper holes than can a gear-driven hand drill.
A 2004 EPA study concluded fracking did not pose a risk to drinking water, helping lead to its exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act through the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The study was later criticized as limited and compromised by oil/gas industry influence.
The use of fracking in natural gas exploration is coming under scrutiny, with evidence of groundwater contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. From Wikipedia