The Fracking Fight

In 2005, Linda and David Headley purchased their dream home, a 115-acre ranch with hills, trees, and grassy farmland in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. A creek runs through the property, and a freshwater spring supplied the house with water. It seemed like the perfect place to raise kids.

But shortly after the Headleys moved in, bulldozers began appearing on their property. Trucks arrived carrying water, chemicals, and sand. ­Workers began drilling holes in the ground. They were using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract oil and ­natural gas trapped deep underground in a type of rock called shale. The oil and gas would eventually be used as fuel to heat buildings, cook food, power cars, and generate electricity. 

When the Headleys bought the ranch, they didn’t buy the property’s oil and gas rights from the previous owner. Without their knowledge, the owner had rented the rights to gas companies before the Headleys moved in. Those rights allow workers to legally enter the property at any time to remove oil and gas.  

In 2005, Linda and David Headley found their dream home. They purchased a 115-acre ranch with hills, trees, and grassy farmland in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. A creek runs through the property. A freshwater spring supplied the house with water. It seemed like the perfect place to raise kids.

But shortly after the Headleys moved in, bulldozers began appearing on their property. Trucks arrived carrying water, chemicals, and sand. Workers began drilling holes in the ground. They were using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. This is a process that extracts oil and natural gas trapped deep underground in a type of rock called shale. The oil and gas would eventually be used as fuel to heat buildings, cook food, power cars, and generate electricity.

When the Headleys bought the ranch, they didn’t buy the property’s oil and gas rights from the previous owner. Without their knowledge, the owner had rented the rights to gas companies before the Headleys moved in. Those rights allow workers to legally enter the property at any time to remove oil and gas. 

Around the same time the fracking began, the Headleys started having health problems. “I sometimes have trouble breathing. My oldest son gets rashes,” says Linda. “My youngest son is only 8, and he gets horrible stomachaches and nosebleeds.”

The Headleys blame their health problems on pollution from fracking. The family says that oil and gas unearthed during the fracking process—and likely some chemicals used to help extract those resources—leaked onto their land and into their water supply. “Before this started, we were all healthy,” says Linda.  

Today, the Headleys’ property has five fracking wells. The fresh­water spring they once relied on for water is now so cloudy they can’t drink from it. For a while, they had to bring in truckloads of clean water from ­Linda’s mom’s house 2 miles away. A pond on their property is so rich with gas that it can be set on fire. And they’ve had to rescue their dog, Banjo, from a puddle of sludge in their yard. 

In the past decade, stories like the Headleys’ have become increasingly common. They’re now at the center of a nationwide debate about whether fracking should be allowed in the United States. 

Supporters of fracking say it has unlocked a tremendous amount of oil and natural gas in the U.S., ­created tens of thousands of jobs, and brought money to communities that desperately need it. It has also helped the U.S. lower its dependence on oil from other countries, a goal the U.S. has been working toward for decades. 

But the technique has raised health and environmental concerns as well. This past December, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded for the first time that the fracking process can contaminate drinking water. The process has become so controversial that some states, including New York and ­Vermont, have banned it. Many people are left wondering: Is ­fracking worth the risks?

Around the same time the fracking began, the Headleys started having health problems. “I sometimes have trouble breathing. My oldest son gets rashes,” says Linda. “My youngest son is only 8, and he gets horrible stomachaches and nosebleeds.”

The Headleys blame their health problems on pollution from fracking. The family says that oil and gas unearthed during the fracking process leaked onto their land and into their water supply. It is likely that some chemicals used to help extract the oil and gas also contaminated their land and water. “Before this started, we were all healthy,” says Linda. 

Today, the Headleys’ property has five fracking wells. The freshwater spring they once relied on for water is now cloudy. They can no longer drink from it. For a while, they had to bring in truckloads of clean water from Linda’s mom’s house 2 miles away. A pond on their property is rich with gas. It can be set on fire. And they’ve had to rescue their dog, Banjo, from a puddle of sludge in their yard.  

In the past decade, stories like the Headleys’ have become increasingly common. They’re now at the center of a nationwide debate about whether fracking should be allowed in the United States.

Supporters of fracking say it has unlocked a tremendous amount of oil and natural gas in the U.S. It has also created tens of thousands of jobs and brought money to communities that desperately need it. In addition, it has helped the U.S. lower its dependence on oil from other countries. This is a goal the U.S. has been working toward for decades.

But the technique has raised health and environmental concerns as well. This past December, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded for the first time that the fracking process can contaminate drinking water. The process has become very controversial. Some states, including New York and Vermont, have banned it. Many people are left wondering: Is fracking worth the risks?

The U.S. lies over more than a dozen large shale formations, which contain huge amounts of oil and natural gas. To get to those resources, fracking companies drill about a mile underground to reach the rock. Then they inject millions of gallons of water—mixed with sand and chemicals—into the shale at very high pressure. The pressure creates small cracks, or fractures, within the rock that release the gas and oil trapped inside. (See diagram, below.)

Fracking has existed since the 1940s, but the technology has greatly improved in recent years. Today, the practice generates more than half of all oil produced in the U.S., up from less than 2 percent in 2000. 

The vast majority of fracking—about 90 percent—takes place on state and private property, where the federal government has little control. Each state has its own fracking rules. Some require that companies fully disclose the chemicals they use, while others have few regulations. 

The U.S. lies over more than a dozen large shale formations, which contain huge amounts of oil and natural gas. To get to those resources, fracking companies drill about a mile underground to reach the rock. Then they inject millions of gallons of water into the shale at very high pressure. This water is mixed with sand and chemicals. The pressure creates small cracks, or fractures, within the rock. This process releases the gas and oil trapped inside. (See diagram, below.)

Fracking has existed since the 1940s. But the technology has greatly improved in recent years. Today, the practice generates more than half of all oil produced in the U.S. That’s up from less than 2 percent in 2000.

The vast majority of fracking—about 90 percent—takes place on state and private property. The federal government has little control in these areas. Each state has its own fracking rules. Some require that companies fully disclose the chemicals they use. Other states have few regulations. 

Supporters of fracking say the ­process is safe and that the oil and gas industry follows rules to prevent water contamination. Plus, they say, the method has brought huge benefits to the U.S. and local  communities. 

For one, fracking has made the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil. Though the U.S. has long been a major oil producer, it also uses more than any other nation. To meet the demand, the U.S. has to buy oil from foreign countries. Many of those nations, including Russia and Venezuela, are unstable or hostile to the U.S. Fracking has helped the U.S. produce more oil domestically, protecting the country from global disputes, says Thomas Tunstall, an economics professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

In addition, the natural gas unearthed during fracking can help the U.S. transition away from burning coal, a “dirty” fossil fuel. Coal produces carbon dioxide, which is believed to be a major contributor to climate change. Natural gas releases much less carbon dioxide and is considered cleaner.

Fracking has also brought money and jobs to some of the poorest parts of the country. With thousands of workers from the oil industry flooding into struggling communities, new restaurants, stores, and hotels have opened to accommodate them. 

Carrizo Springs, Texas, is one of the many places that have benefitted from fracking. Lydia Seiple used to have to drive miles out of town to get to a supermarket. But after fracking companies began drilling in the area, a big grocery store was built near her home. In 2014, Seiple’s husband got a higher-paying security job for an oil company. “It’s made a huge difference for us,” she says. 

Supporters of fracking say the process is safe and that the oil and gas industry follows rules to prevent water contamination. Plus, they say, the method has brought huge benefits to the U.S. and local communities.

For one, fracking has made the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil. The U.S. has long been a major oil producer. But it also uses more oil than any other nation. To meet the demand, the U.S. has to buy oil from foreign countries. Many of those nations, including Russia and Venezuela, are unstable or hostile to the U.S. Fracking has helped the U.S. produce more oil domestically. That protects the country from global disputes, says Thomas Tunstall. He is an economics professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

In addition, the natural gas unearthed during fracking can help the U.S. transition away from burning coal, a “dirty” fossil fuel. Coal produces carbon dioxide. This is believed to be a major contributor to climate change. Natural gas releases much less carbon dioxide and is considered cleaner.

Fracking has also brought money and jobs to some of the poorest parts of the country. With thousands of workers from the oil industry flooding into struggling communities, new restaurants, stores, and hotels have opened to accommodate them.

Carrizo Springs, Texas, is one of the many places that have benefited from fracking. Lydia Seiple used to have to drive miles out of town to get to a supermarket. But after fracking companies began drilling in the area, a big grocery store was built near her home.

In 2014, Seiple’s husband got a higher-paying security job for an oil company. “It’s made a huge difference for us,” she says. 

However, many people say the benefits of fracking don’t outweigh the risks. Experts say thousands of cases of water contamination linked to the fracking process are documented each year. In many instances, 

families that live near drilling locations—like the Headleys—have experienced stomachaches, rashes, dizzy spells, and difficulty breathing. 

In addition, once a fracking project is complete, millions of gallons of wastewater come to the surface and must be disposed of. A common disposal method—injecting wastewater back underground—is thought to have triggered dozens of small earthquakes in Oklahoma, Ohio, and other states.

Gretchen Goldman, an environmental engineer with the Union of Concerned Scientists, says natural gas contains the chemical methane, which can leak into the air during fracking. Methane is a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s average temperature to rise.

“Fracking has helped reduce our reliance on coal, but it’s still contributing to climate change,” she says. “Long term, we should think about how to move on to clean energy like solar, wind, and water power.”

However, many people say the benefits of fracking don’t outweigh the risks. Experts say thousands of cases of water contamination linked to the fracking process are documented each year. In many instances, families like the Headleys that live near drilling locations have become sick. They have experienced stomachaches, rashes, dizzy spells, and difficulty breathing.

In addition, once a fracking project is complete, millions of gallons of wastewater come to the surface and must be disposed of. A common disposal method is injecting wastewater back underground. This is thought to have triggered dozens of small earthquakes in Oklahoma, Ohio, and other states.

Gretchen Goldman is an environmental engineer with the Union of Concerned Scientists. She says natural gas contains the chemical methane. This chemical can leak into the air during fracking. Methane is a gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. That causes Earth’s average temperature to rise.

“Fracking has helped reduce our reliance on coal, but it’s still contributing to climate change,” she says. “Long term, we should think about how to move on to clean energy like solar, wind, and water power.”

Several national, state, and local officials are now grappling with whether to allow fracking. Last September, a federal judge blocked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from opening more than 1 million acres of federal land to fracking in central California. 

Two months later, the oil and gas industry won a victory when environmentalists in Colorado failed to get enough public support to put two antifracking measures on the ballot. One of the measures would have made it illegal to frack less than 2,500 feet from buildings, waterways, and parks. 

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the issue. Last fall, he pledged to expand fracking nationwide and roll back regulations. “The shale energy revolution will unleash massive wealth for American ­workers and families,” he said. 

Several national, state, and local officials are now grappling with whether to allow fracking. Last September, a federal judge blocked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from opening more than 1 million acres of federal land to fracking in central California.

Two months later, the oil and gas industry won a victory when environmentalists in Colorado failed to get enough public support to put two antifracking measures on the ballot. One of the measures would have made it illegal to frack less than 2,500 feet from buildings, waterways, and parks.

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the issue. Last fall, he pledged to expand fracking nationwide and roll back regulations. “The shale energy revolution will unleash massive wealth for American workers and families,” he said.

But the fracking boom—and the surge in U.S. oil production—may be slowing down. The U.S. produced so much oil in the past few years that the supply now exceeds the demand. That and other factors have caused oil prices worldwide to drop about 50 percent since mid-2014. Some fracking wells in the U.S. have shut down, and tens of thousands of workers have lost their jobs. Still, experts say it’s likely that oil prices will eventually go back up, since prices constantly rise and fall. 

Regardless of the demand for oil, Goldman says, more studies need to be done to determine exactly how fracking affects the environment and public health so governments can make informed decisions. 

“Every person and community has different needs,” she says. “When it comes to allowing fracking, everyone needs to weigh the information and make a decision that’s right for them.” 

But the fracking boom—and the surge in U.S. oil production—may be slowing down. The U.S. produced so much oil in the past few years that the supply now exceeds the demand. That and other factors have caused oil prices worldwide to drop about 50 percent since mid-2014. Some fracking wells in the U.S. have shut down. Tens of thousands of workers have lost their jobs. Still, experts say it’s likely that oil prices will eventually go back up because prices constantly rise and fall.

Regardless of the demand for oil, Goldman says, more studies need to be done to determine exactly how fracking affects the environment and public health so governments can make informed decisions.

“Every person and community has different needs,” she says. “When it comes to allowing fracking, everyone needs to weigh the information and make a decision that’s right for them.”