Argumentative Essay On Fracking

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"Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas inside."(Dong) There are two completely contradicting views on this process. One side of the argument is of the ability of fracking to allow America to become energy independent, while the other describes the many dangers that arrive from fracking. America needs to find a way to become less dependent on foreign oil, or quite possibly, completely independent on its own. But, is fracking the answer to the energy problems? Hydraulic fracturing may present some needed economic benefits, but the amount of water used, the chemicals required, and the risk of causing earthquakes
The output of these fracking wells "makes up 43 percent of the oil production and 67 percent of the natural gas production in the United States." The companies that participate in fracking conclude that it is environmentally safe, although there are many disagreements with this consensus. Each job requires up to eight million gallons of water, sand, and as many as six hundred different chemicals. These chemicals consist of many toxins and carcinogens, but make up only about a half of a percent of the total concentration.
Thirty to sixty percent of the materials used are not recovered at the conclusion of the process, thus, resulting in an extreme waste of water and widespread poisoning of the population 's drinking water. Earthquakes have also been attributed to fracking; causing some places to have a substantial rise in them since fracking began to dominate the area where they are present. Fracking is also accredited with polluting the air with methane, benzene and sulfur oxide. (Gibson) Considering these environmental hazards, should fracking still be considered as the solution for the United States to become less dependent on foreign

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