Negative Impacts of Hydro-fracking

The Marcellus Shale developed from the deposition and compression of minute rock particles and organic matter at the bottom of the sea during the Devonian era, which was about 383-392 million years ago. The shale contains largely untapped natural gas reserves, and its proximity to the high-demand markets along the East Coast of the United States makes it an attractive target for energy development.[Hydro-fracking is different from conventional natural gas drilling because it uses a lot more water (billions of gallons). There’s an increased potential for toxicity and long term impacts in hydro-fracking as well. It also has several environemental impacts, including habitat disturbance and water contamination. These are all new components, which differ from the original horizontal drilling of gas. These new factors, emerging from hyrdro-fracking, has been an on going contraversy between politics and homeowners. Although companies and some scientists claim that hydro-fracking is a clean energy source that will boost the economy, it is evident that it was have more negative than positive impacts, as can be seen in the toxic contamination of water, pollution, and a disturbance to the environment.
There are many arguments discussing the cons of hydro-fracking. One argument is that this industry requires billions of gallons of water. The water can’t be reused because it’s contaminated with toxic waste, which is put into the water as a necessity for drilling. The water picks up hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and radioactivity, which could potentially harm people and living organisms if it enters a water source. Water is a necessity to life and if these chemicals were to come in contact with bodies of water, it could disrupt the drinking water of many people. Not only is water negatively impacted, but so are local industries; some of which are the agriculture, tourism, winemaking, farming, hunting, and fishing industries. The hydro-fracking industry requires a lot of