Pro-fracking activist, journalist, and filmmaker Phelim McAleer has created a list of the top ten myths about fracking. Two of these myths are more about McAleer's disagreements with anti-fracking activists but the remaining eight are of an environmental-geographical nature.
Three of the myths I like to point out are
One of the biggest issues I have with the environmentalist establishment is how they always focus on the worse case scenario even when it is not warranted. Anti-fracking environmentalists fall into this trap by using the movie Gasland to spread falsehoods that can be dismissed to the point rational people will doubt any possible problem caused by fracking.
Three of the myths I like to point out are
- Fracking makes your water flammable - Flammable water in the region is due to natural causes and has been reported for over 100 years.
- Fracking is new - Fracking has been around since 1947
- Fracking in earthquakes - Fracking has indeed been tied to earthquakes, but less so than "green" geothermal energy and hydro-energy.
One of the biggest issues I have with the environmentalist establishment is how they always focus on the worse case scenario even when it is not warranted. Anti-fracking environmentalists fall into this trap by using the movie Gasland to spread falsehoods that can be dismissed to the point rational people will doubt any possible problem caused by fracking.
4 comments:
"Fracking in earthquakes - Fracking has indeed been tied to earthquakes"
That means it's not a myth.
Propogandists....
Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment. I do not let all the "myths" stand. I believe though his point that fracking and earthquakes are hyped up to an unrealistic point.
Myth #8 is yet another example of fallacies in environmental reporting. They have no sense of scale! McAleer is wise to call attention to that.
There are legitimate concerns regarding #10 that have more to do with housing and growth. Small towns lack the capacity to readily adapt to housing demand, a problem made worse by the mindless exporting of Euclidian zoning to small towns with little need for setback rules and nineteen types of residential zoning categories.
What you end up with is skyrocketing rents in small towns as all spare rooms, basements and even backyard sheds are occupied rapidly, leaving the vulnerable of the town who subsist on fixed-incomes to the streets, another town far away or if they are blessed, the shelter of a local church.
More tragically, these small towns are just as vulnerable as any other type of locality to quickly squandering their gas dividend via white elephant projects and ridiculous capital outlays that forget growth is not permanent.
Great points, EB.
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