Zachary Phelps Malcolm Campbell 800873665 Alternative Energy and Hydraulic Fracturing: Is it Worth the Risk? America’s dependence on foreign oil has led us to search for other reliable means of alternative energy. Many forms of alternative energy have...
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Zachary Phelps Malcolm Campbell 800873665 Alternative Energy and Hydraulic Fracturing: Is it Worth the Risk? America’s dependence on foreign oil has led us to search for other reliable means of alternative energy. Many forms of alternative energy have sprung up but the most popular and fastest growing one is natural gas, which is mainly extracted by a process known as hydraulic fracturing. Many government officials and energy corporations believe that natural gas and hydraulic fracturing are the future of America’s energy because it is readily available, has fewer carbon emissions, and burns cleaner than coal. “Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is an extraction process that involves pumping water, chemicals, and sand deep into hard-to-reach rock formations at high pressure to force cracks and release natural gas, allowing it to flow freely to the production well” (Congressional Digest 71). These rock formations are known as shale rock formations and these are the key to unlocking the
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