New Study Predicts Frack Fluids Can Migrate to Aquifers Within Years

A new study published in Ground Water two weeks ago has concluded that fracking chemicals injected into the ground could reach drinking water supplies much more rapidly than previously predicted, ProPublica reports.

Scientists and experts have hypothesized that the chemicals used in fracking, such as benzene and methanol, would remain safely underground, miles below water supplies. But the study, which used computer modeling, found that the chemicals could reach the surface in as little as a few years.

‘”Simply put, [the rock layers] are not impermeable,” said the study’s author, Tom Myers, an independent hydrogeologist.’

This study is the first peer-reviewed research of its kind and it was funded by organizations that oppose fracking in the Marcellus.

Best Watchdog Journalism On Fracking

Texas Barnett Shale gas drilling rig near Alvarado, Texas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In preparation for a live discussion on fracking Monday, April 9, ProPublica put together a list of some of the best investigative pieces about natural gas extraction. These 9 articles, some published as early as 2004, give you an idea of how the fracking battle has come into play over the years. Check out these stories and join the conversation today!

So where can one find news about the fracking debacle?

The following 10 websites would be a great start:

1)   FracTracker. This is a great tool for getting information about all things fracking. The website aims to let the viewer explore data, share perspectives and map the impacts of the gas industry. It provides maps, pictures, articles, facts and further resources related to natural gas extraction. Because anyone can contribute to FracTracker, it is a great resource for discovering personal accounts of experiences with fracking.

2)   The Daily Frack. This website is a project of the North Carolina Sierra Club. Therefore, it is a great tool for finding local stories about fracking. Their ‘newsroom’ lets you search for articles related to fracking, and they provide a forum for sharing your own thoughts about fracking. This forum is a great way to join the conversation and see what others in the area have to say about the topic.

3)   TreeHugger. TreeHugger is a prominent sustainability website that has an exceptional Fracking section. Fracking news stories are added and updated every day. Because TreeHugger is a website that focuses on sustainability,  most stories are slanted towards an environmentalist bias.

This bias is counterbalanced on the following energy website:

4)   Energy From Shale.  Energy from Shale is an industry in support of fracking. Their website has an excellent news section where stories that correspond with their position on fracking are posted. This is a good resource to look at in order to broaden your perspective on the subject. It is always helpful to see what the other side has to say.

5)    The New York Times.  It would be hard to do a curation project without consulting the Times. Fracking stories are featured in their Green Blog, a blog about energy and the environment. These stories are held to the same New York Times standards, and thus an invaluable resource.

6)   ProPublica. ProPublica is an independent non-profit newsroom that produces news stories in the public’s interest. Because fracking is currently a hot topic issue, ProPublica has an entire page dedicated to it with over 100 interactive stories about fracking. ProPublica is exceptional when it comes to their use of multimedia. There are plenty of ways to stay up-to-date on fracking news in whichever medium you prefer.

7)   Huffington Post.  The Huffington Post also has a page on their website completely devoted to stories about fracking. Most of the stories on this site are national, very few local. The nice thing about these stories is that they remain, in typical journalism fashion, objective. They give you the information without pressing any ideals on you. And sometimes, that is all you need.

8) Hydraulic Fracking Blog.  This Fulbright Blog takes a very scientific standpoint, and posts stories related to the scientific research on fracking. This is important information to look at when investigating fracking. It is important to hear individuals’ voices, but when it comes to environmental policy, it is equally important to see what the scientists are saying about the issue.

9) EcoWatch.  Similar to TreeHugger, EcoWatch is a sustainability website that focuses on uniting the voice of the grassroots environmental movement. Their fracking section most often boasts stories regarding policy surrounding fracking. But the fracking page is not limited to news stories. They post information about events and ways to take action. Unlike any of the other resources, EcoWatch posts international coverage on all environmental issues. This is a nice change of pace; it is refreshing to see what stance other countries are taking on fracking.

10) Shale Blog.  Shale Blog is an interesting resource because you can search news stories based on shales, states, countries or companies. This is a really clean and organized way of presenting news. The only downside to this website is that it doesn’t update its’ stories as often as some of the other sites. Nonetheless, it makes searching for specific stories very simple.