Last month the North Carolina Senate gave preliminary approval to legislation regarding allowing fracking in North Carolina, according to the News & Observer. Since then, no further actions have been taken to advance the legislation to complete approval.
Allowing fracking in North Carolina could have negative effects on the environment, but it could also have positive effects on the state’s economy.
Robert Bruck, professor of plant pathology and forestry, said if there are large deposits of natural gas, then the government can justify the use of fracking to extract it. However, Bruck said he believes there is hardly enough gas in shale deposits in North Carolina to warrant the use of fracking.
Fracking is a process where hot water and chemicals are injected deep into the ground where shale is present to move natural gas into pockets, according to Bruck.
Once the gas is accumulated in these pockets, it can be collected and pumped out of the ground, Bruck said
“I can’t think of any positive impacts of fracking on the environment,” Gerald LeBlanc, professor of toxicology, said. “There are many environmental concerns involved in fracking.”
Disruption of the landscape, release of methane into the atmosphere and the contamination of groundwater are just a few of the “numerous” environmental hazards that come with fracking, according to LeBlanc.
“Fracking can cause chemicals to leak into aquifers and wells,” Bruck said. “It can take decades for that water to be potable again.”
Any potential direct health impacts from fracking on the human population would likely be due to the contamination of drinking water, LeBlanc said.
According to LeBlanc, the release of toxic materials and increased noise pollution are other effects that the public may encounter from fracking.
A member of the N.C. Mining and Energy Commission made a proposal last week that drilling operators reuse “industrial wastewater” to irrigate crops, according to the News & Observer.
This proposal allows for a more efficient way of fracking and may influence the state legislature in favor of fracking.
“This approach would limit the volume of water and also solve the problem of disposal,” Vikram Rao, a member of the North Carolina Mining & Energy Commission, said. “Treating for reuse is the cheapest thing you can do and the most environmentally safe thing you can do.”
Allowing fracking can help the state’s economy by producing a multitude of jobs and the retrieval of the natural gas could help the state meet energy needs.
“It is important that these jobs are filled by North Carolinians,” LeBlanc said.
The risks are high for fracking in North Carolina since it is unclear how much natural gas is available or extraction, according to Anne Tazewell, the transportation program manager for the N.C. State Solar Center.
“We don’t have a history of oil or natural gas in North Carolina,” Tazewell said.
According to Bruck, the real question is whether or not fracking is worth the amount of gas that we might be able to extract versus the environmental damages we may incur.
“A lot of folks feel the legislature is rushing this bill,” Tazewell said. “The potential costs may not be worth the benefits.”
