Marcellus Shale Coalition responds to request to halt fracking in Pa.
Friday, June 21, 2019
Following a special report that pointed the finger at the shale gas industry for cases of childhood cancer in southwest Pennsylvania and a letter from residents calling for the industry to be shut down to determine whether or not there is a connection, the Marcellus Shale Coalition sent its own letter to Gov. Tom Wolf asking him to “reject the ridiculous request,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Fundamentally, it is shameful to exploit the very real and heartbreaking issues associated with childhood cancer; they should not be fodder to advance a political agenda,” David J. Spigelmyer, president of the coalition, stated Monday in a letter to Mr. Wolf.
The Marcellus Shale Coalition was created to support the shale gas drilling and fracking industry.
Learn more: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette > Industry criticizes ‘ridiculous’ request to halt shale gas drilling
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.